First of (hopefully) many Cabbie stories to come from me. Enjoy!
Cat bounced cheerfully down the halls of Hollywood Arts. She was always the bubbliest of girls at the school, not caring about the evident differences she possessed. Yes, she noticed some people didn't like her for her strange ways, for a few would vocally express their disgust to her face. That was when she'd go into one of her "spaz fits", as those people who disliked her put it. Cat was a highly sensitive person but she'd get over being hurt quite fast; perhaps that was due to her overreacting at the slightest comments from her pals, who meant her no harm.
But there were times when Cat wouldn't get over things very fast. Sometimes the things said to her were so unkind she'd end up depressed for awhile until she finally got over it. It was hard when these cases occurred, for Cat didn't really attract many when she was upset. No one would come to comfort the fragile redhead.
As she got up to her locker a crowd of kids stared at her. They were the bullies of the school, always picking on those meek and vulnerable—like "spazzy" Cat Valentine. They snickered at her as she began to hum unconsciously. This was the perfect opportunity for them to move in on their prey.
The gang walked up to the vivacious sixteen-year-old, sneering heavily. Cat noticed them standing there; she stopped humming and faced them.
"Hi!" she greeted, waving. They sneered again at her.
"What's up, red velvet-head?" one boy snickered. The others joined in at his rather bad pun, but Cat took no offense.
"Oh, nothing much," she said, "How about you?" They stopped laughing and looked at her, surprised she was not affronted.
"What's wrong with you?" a girl asked, "That was an insult, idiot!" Upon hearing her words, Cat immediately lost her jollity.
"What's that supposed to mean?" she yelled, throwing her arms out melodramatically. The kids smirked again, happy they'd finally gotten through to her.
"It means you're a frickin' loony!" another boy cackled, "Go jump in a lake, why don't you?" The others howled, and Cat grew stressed. Why are they being so mean? she thought. It was rare when people confronted her just to offend her—more liked her than hated her—which is why she grew troubled when they did.
Her eyes became hot and wet with tears, and she rushed off, crying noisily. The gang members snickered "Baby" as she fled, making her cry harder.
She pushed open the doors of the school and stepped outside. No kids were out, which was fine with her. She put her face against her elbow, hiding her tear-swelled eyeballs, and plopped onto a rusty old bench. She sobbed quietly as the sun beat down on her, already sizzling her neck the same color as her hair. It was an uncomfortable position, which added to her already large anxiety.
"Cat?" a voice said, boyishly cracking, "Are you okay, Cat?" She sniffed as a feeble shadow came over her, and looked up into the brown-colored irises of Robbie Shapiro, accompanied, as always, by his ventriloquist dummy Rex.
The curly-haired male looked down at her worriedly, his forehead scrunched in concentration. Robbie was the first ever to approach Cat when she was in a state of distress; Cat was happy and confused at the same time by this.
"Y-Yeah, Robbie," she choked out, rubbing her eyes, "f-f-fine." Robbie pursed his lips in thought, gazing at her ponderingly. The silence of his thinking was quickly broken by his own puppet.
"Yeah, right," Rex said, his voice deep, unlike Robbie's, "What're you going nutty about now, Red?" Before she could stop Cat erupted in a crying fit again.
"S-Stop be-being so…m-mean!" she stuttered, standing up.
"Shut up, Rex!" Robbie shouted at his puppet, glaring daggers towards its unblinking eyeballs. When Rex didn't respond, Robbie moved his stare onto Cat, who was sniffling again to keep from crying.
"Sorry, Cat," Robbie apologized for his puppet's behavior. "Rex can be rather blatant at times." Cat nodded, and a smile spread across her cheeks. Robbie was being very kind to her unlike her other friends, who normally stood back during her "moments".
"Thanks, Robbie," she said.
"So…what's wrong?" Robbie asked gently, in case Cat would explode once more. She purely sighed and sat again on the aged metal bench, and Robbie sat too.
"Some kids were just being so mean to me!" she yelled, causing him to shake a little at the loudness, "I didn't do anything but be me! No one likes me!" She began sobbing again. Robbie awkwardly put an arm round the trembling girl's body, and patted her shoulder reassuringly. After a few minutes of cry-infested silence, Robbie spoke.
"Don't worry, Cat," he said, "Some kids can be cruel, but they're not right. You're a really cool person and don't let them get you down. A lot of people like you. I like you." Cat sniffed and grinned at the boy with black curls. He grinned too.
"Thanks," she said, "It's really nice of you to help me." She leaned nearer to him and pecked his cheek lovingly. Robbie beamed and subtly stroked his cheek.
"Uh…w-welcome." he stuttered. Cat stood and took his hand in her petite one.
"C'mon, or we'll be late to Sikowitz's class!" she shouted, dragging the content and surprised Shapiro boy along with her back inside.