So, first time 10 Things I Hate About You writer, long time author… XD

I watched last night's episode, Light My Fire, so, yes, it contains spoilers. But I think you guys can deal. ;)

I don't know how I feel about it, but I think it turn out for my first try. Fingers crossed…

$4$

I need a guy
That I can call my baby
A kind of guy
That treats me like a lady

- "I Need a Guy," The Lovettes

It was those stupid vinyls.

What the hell? Who does that kind of thing?

Especially after she told him off. Again. And what the hell was that? Did he really think that she was going to be cool with being his casual hookup? It was true she wasn't one of his dippy, airheaded girls of the week, but that didn't mean she was a skank. She wasn't going to just put out because he didn't feel like having an actual relationship.

And, sure, she knew as a full-grown, completely independent feminist, she did not need a man or a relationship to confirm her value in society. That said, there was no way some guy was going to convince her that 'friends with benefits' was the way to go. Just because she was independent did not mean that translated to 'emotionless shrew.'

Apparently, that must've been how Patrick Verona saw it.

She was not somebody's hookup buddy. She wasn't demanding boyfriend-girlfriend terms (though that probably would've been nice…), but she wanted something. A commitment. An acknowledgement that they were together, and that he was going to stop hooking up with random skanky girls.

Was that really a lot to ask for?

It wasn't. She knew it wasn't. She was in an actual relationship when she lost… the big V. Which was a shame, over a year later, she still couldn't say the word 'virginity' out loud without wincing. She could watch The Vagina Monologues without blinking, devoured The Feminine Mystique with the same voracity as she chowed down on Thai food. That was the one thing California had that she couldn't complain about- they had great Thai takeout.

But there was something about talking about losing her virginity… She blamed it on her father. He spent so much time ingraining it in her every waking brain cell that she couldn't even think about it without glancing around the room to make sure her father was no where in sight.

It wasn't like she wasn't in her rights to sleep with him. He was her boyfriend- they had been dating for almost eleven months. Her father obviously didn't know about him- there was no way he'd allow it. And she was fine with keeping it under wraps- it was easier that way. Okay, they hadn't planned on having sex, because she wasn't sure if she wanted to lose her virginity at sixteen, but his parents weren't home, and, as they say, one thing led to another…

She didn't regret it. She didn't. It just… wasn't how she planned it.

And she was finally starting to realize that Patrick was the same way. She didn't regret the kiss- hot damn that'd be next to impossible- but she was beginning to see it'd never be how she planned. And that wasn't a road she wanted to go down again.

Just when she was finally getting all of this, accepting the fact that she couldn't win and there was no chance she could ever be with Patrick. Like, ever.

Christ. Now she was staring to sound like Bianca…

But that old lady. That damned old lady. She had to rub it in, point out the 'gift' that her 'boyfriend' left her. Ha. Like that'd ever happen.

But he did! He left her a gift! And it wasn't just any freaking gift- he left her freaking vinyls. Classics- the kind of records that would be right at home with her mom's. It made her wonder how he found such records so quickly and how he was so willing to giving them to her.

It just wasn't fair. He shouldn't be allowed to give her something so personal and thoughtful, after expecting her to put out with no strings attached. He needed to either tell her that he wanted to go through with everything and make this a 'them' thing, or stop talking to her completely. She wasn't a yo-yo. She didn't like being pulled in eight different directions at once.

She refused to go through the records until she was alone, in her room. There were a lot of good ones- The Beatles, Janis Joplin, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, there was a little of everything in there. The last album was The Lovettes, and she couldn't stop the smile. That was the song she'd been singing when Patrick interrupted her. At the time, she was frozen with embarrassment, but now she wanted to laugh.

She flipped the album over to look at the back of the cover, when she realized that he'd stuck a little Post-It note to the back.

In his slanted, small print, he wrote, You're not keeping these. Expect me back at 11 tomorrow. We're listening to these together. I have to hear you sing badly again.

Kat bit her lip, trying to stay mad at him. It was hard, because even when he was being an insufferable bastard, he still made her smile. Couldn't he just stay an asshole?

Of course, that didn't stop her from pulling out the shiny vinyl and setting it on her record player. As the music poured through the speakers, she had to smile again. He sure as hell wasn't perfect, but he wasn't easy to forget, either.

She was just going to have to let him figure out on his own.

Well, maybe with the help of The Lovettes, too…

$4$

Okay, not what I expected, but I think it was okay for my first 10 Things I Hate About You story. I can't stand all of the things that were changed or altered from the movie, but I have to admit that I'm completely hooked on the stupid ABC Family show.

But I think this turned out pretty decently, all things considered. But I'm still getting used to everyone on the show. Expect more tries from me soon. :)

Hope you liked it!