My story is like a lot of other ones. It's about friendship, lovers, and enemies. It's about change, it's about people. It's about a 16 year olds life. The ups and downs, the trials and the fails, the obstacles. All of it.
My name's Cat Valentine. I'm a sophomore in Hollywood Arts High School. I love to sing and act. I love people and animals. I'm a normal 16 year old girl. I have my problems but I get past them.
My story stared in 7th grade when a new girl came to our middle school. Since then I've had deal with her. But this story doesn't turn out the way you would think. It's not only about friendship, but it's about loss. How it feels knowing that the person who changed your life, eventually does leave. They are never there with you forever.
Every day was hard. Every day I didn't want to get out of bed. Every day I was sick of how she treated me. I was nothing but nice but she never gave me a chance. She never got to see who I really was. She never tried to talk to me.
She never tried…
I finally get out of bed and start to get dressed. Robbie would be here to pick me up in a few minutes. You really don't understand how much I wanted to stay home. I was just sick of all of it.
Half the time it isn't even what she says to me, it's the looks, the talking behind my back. She was a bitch.
After finishing up I throw on my shoes. I hear the horn blare outside so I run down the stairs and out the door. Robbie was the only one who could calm me down. The only one who could make me feel good.
I open the door to the car and get in. I leave over and give him a soft kiss. "Morning babe."
"Good morning." He says with a smile. "Got everything?"
I just nod and buckle my seatbelt. I lean my head over on the window and stare out at the trees that are flying by. Every once and a while someone would look over and smile so I would smile back.
Robbie reaches over his hand and intertwines out fingers. "You know she doesn't mean any of it."
"Yes she does! She hates me." I explain to him.
"Have you tried talking to her?" He asks me. I just glare over at him.
"Yes but she doesn't listen. She just blows me off. What the hell am I supposed to do? Knock her out and drag her to the janitor's closet?"
"Well…" Robbie chuckles. I punch him in the arm. "Ok…ok… but you know you want to."
"It won't help anything Robbie. Nothing will!" I cry.
"Don't let it get to you then. Just brush it off. Act like it never happened." He suggests.
"But it did happen and it does hurt. I'm sick of being the strong one. The one who has to sit there and be beaten up. Yea it's verbally, thank god, but it still hurts. You know that." I try to explain.
"Yea I know. You're always being nice about it though. Tell her it's enough. Be strong. Don't back down. If you have to, get in her face. Tell her, you are done." He sighs. "You have to protect yourself. You can't just sit there and let yourself get beat up. If you want it to stop… stop it."
"Ok… Thanks Robbie. I don't know what I would do without you." I say as we pull into a parking spot. I lean over and kiss him on the cheek before getting out of the car.
We walk through the back gates and over to Tori and Andre. Beck was standing over by the bitch and her group. I stare at them trying to figure out what they're saying.
"What are you staring at slut?!" Jade shouts over at me and give me a smirk.
"God damn it Jade! Just stop!" I yell back at her.
She gives me a look and goes back to her conversation. It was probably about me, like always.
"Just ignore her Cat." Tori says to me patting my on her back.
I look over at Robbie for his advice. "Later. You talk to her later."
I nod and walk into the school towards my locker. I empty out my bag with all of my homework and binders I took home. I grab a couple pencils and my history, and math binders. I take my math book and stuff it in there too. I pull the other strap over my shoulder and shut my locker door. I turn to walk away when I jump. Jade is there leaning against the locker next to mine.
"Oh my god Jade… What the hell do you want? Haven't you made my life a living hell already?" I say trying to walk around her but she steps in my way.
"Apparently not enough…" She says crossing her arms.
"What are you going to do? Hit me? Slap me? Go ahead. Take a swing. Do it. Just get it out. I don't think anyone's watching." I slide my bag off of my shoulder and put it on the floor. "Here. Go ahead. I'm ready." I say looking into her eyes.
"Do you really think a skank like you scares me? I would hit you, but as you can see there are plenty of people staring." I look around and everyone is looking at us.
"I have to get to class. Excuse me." I say rudely. I walk past her hitting her in the side with my shoulder.
"Talk to you later Cat!" She acts like everything was fine. That's what pisses me off most.
"Whatever, bitch." I shout looking back. I look forward to see Sikowitz staring at me.
"Watch your mouth Ms. Valentine." He smiles at me knowing why I said it.
"I'm sorry Sikowitz. But you know how she treats me." I explain.
"I know Cat. Only a couple more months." He says back.
"Yea until junior year. Then the torture starts all over again." I chuckle sarcastically.
"Well think on the bright side… Maybe you two will work it out by then. For all you know you and Jade may be best friends by the end of the year." Sikowitz tells me.
"Yea… I'll give you 20 bucks if that ever happens. But you're right only a couple more months until I get a little time to recuperate." I smile.
"Maybe you should try to work things out. Do you really want this to go on for 2 and a half more years?" He asks me as the bell rings.
"Not at all…" I say walking into his room.
A minute later Jade walks in and sits next to Beck. Robbie grabs my hand for reassurance. I look up at him and smile.
"Ok. We're going to work on something different today. I will warn you now… Not many of you will like this." Sikowitz smiles at us. Everyone looks around at each other.
"What do you think he's going to do?" Robbie asks me.
I shrug and listen waiting for Sikowitz to continue. "We all have enemies." He looks around the room at everyone. "We all hide behind a mask. Something or someone we are not." He looks around again. "We act cooler or meaner to get certain people to like us. But in the process we get others to hate us." He looks from Jade to me and gives me a smirk. "We're doing a project."
Everyone in the room sighs with disappointment.
"This project is very easy actually. All you have to do is get to know someone. If you come in next Monday and can tell me something nice about your partner, in detail, then you get an A+. If you cannot, or you talk crap about your partner, you fail my class for the last semester. Meaning… you stay back next year." Sikowitz looks around once more. "Does everyone understand?"
The class nods. "Now. Partners… Tori and Steve. Andre and Mike. Beck and Robbie. José and Matt. Tyler and Brian. Cat and Jade." I glare at him and he just smiles back. "Ok this project is due Monday. Meaning you have exactly one week to get to know them. I suggest you go to each other's houses and talk or get a cup of coffee. For all you know…you may have just been paired with your future best friend. Have fun and good luck!"
The bell rings and everyone gets up. I start to walk over to Sikowitz when Jade stops me. "Hey partner. Were gonna have so much fun getting to know each other. My house tomorrow right after school." She hands me a piece of paper with her address on it. "See ya then buddy!" She walks out.
"Sikowitz! What was that?!" I yell at him.
"I told you that you and Jade should work it out. Now I'm stepping in and helping. Cat I don't like seeing you hurt like this. You and Jade now have to talk. And hopefully in the process work this out or you both will have to stay back. I hope you can be the bigger person." He says turning around and walking out the door. I walk across the room and out the other door to go upstairs to history.
"This isn't fair…" I say under my breath.
I meet up with Robbie, Tori and Andre after school for a couple of hours and we talk about our partners.
"He did this on purpose. He knows I hate Steven!" Tori says angrily. Tori and Steven had dated about a year ago and he broke up with her to ask me out. Obviously I turned him down… actually I dumped a milkshake on his head but still same thing.
"Yea. He did. I just can't believe he put me with Mike! He's just a dick. He thinks he's all cool because he plays football and can play the guitar. Well by the way… I can play about 15 different instruments and I can sing. The guitar isn't that cool!" Andre freaks.
"Hey!" Robbie defends his favorite instrument.
"Sorry man… I'm just angry. The guitar is pretty cool." Andre apologizes.
"Yea yea… I don't mind Beck… it's just the fact that no matter what Jade does he still defends her. That just pisses me off." Robbie explains.
"Yea… your lives suck. Man you have the worst partners. I mean at least I'm not partners with the devil himself… oh wait yea I am!" I say sarcastically.
"Good point. I would die if I were partners with Jade." Andre chuckles.
"I don't know what I'm going to do with her…" I sigh.
"Maybe you should get to know her. Give her another chance." Robbie explains.
"Did you just here yourself?" I ask him with a little laugh.
"Yes I did." He comes back.
"Yea… maybe you should Cat. You've got a week. If I were you I wouldn't want to deal with her torture for another 2 years." Tori explains.
"Yea lil Red… Maybe you should." Andre agrees.
"Fine… one more chance. But that's it." I sigh giving up because I know I won't win.
School tomorrow comes and goes. By the end of the day I was ready to kill myself. I still didn't know what I was going to do. I had to go over to Jade's house and get to know my worst enemy. I was scared what I was going to find out.
I take out all of my books and binders and put them into my locker. Luckily I don't have any homework tonight. I swing my bag back onto my shoulder and shut my locker. Jade is standing against the locker next to mine like she was yesterday.
I shut my eyes and take a deep breath. "Yes?"
"You still have my address?" She asks rudely.
"Yes." I reply.
"Ok. See you in a couple of minutes skank." I just roll my eyes and walk away from her.
I get into Robbie's car and relax a bit. His presence makes me calm. He doesn't even have to say anything. We drive in silence for about 10 minutes. We pull up outside Jade's house as she is stepping out of her car.
"You're going to be fine Cat. Just give her a chance." Robbie says grabbing my hand and pulling me in for a short kiss.
"Well if I'm not out of here by 10 tops call the cops." I say opening the car door and stepping out.
"I'll see you later." I say to Robbie and wave.
I walk over to Jade who is standing at the door. I take a deep breath and give her a fake smile.
"Wow you're happy… that's going to change soon." She says with a grin.
"Can we just get this over with?" I walk in the door.