10 Things I Hate About You and all its wonderful characters aren't mine. I just like the write about them, haha. :)

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Finally, it was here. After almost a week of waiting as it made its way from Ohio, I had it.

Kat Stratford was the epitome of mystery- I wanted more than anything to get to know her, but she refused to reveal anything. I had tried for months now to get into her head, but I hadn't made any progress. (And, for the record, daily verbal sparring and bleeding toes didn't count.)

So, I decided on a different tactic. It had taken time- outrageously long nights stalking people online and paying off whoever could provide the next lead- but it was definitely worth it.

Clenched in my hands was the single most damning piece of evidence that she could ever imagine.

Kat would be eating out of the palm of my hand.

And that's just how I wanted it.

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"Not in the mood, Verona." She slammed her locker shut, turning to glare at me. I couldn't help but smirk.

"You're never in the mood." She sighed, slinging her bag over her shoulder before stalking out the front doors. "Give me a chance to explain."

"Not interested, unless it involves your impending incarceration." I sped up to walk along side her and chuckled.

"Come on, you know I'm too smooth to get caught." She rolled her eyes, but still gave me a small smile.

"Alright, I give in. What's so important that you had to chase me down?" She was right- we were now standing in front of her car.

"I wanted to ask you something."

"Shoot."

"How would you feel doing whatever I want?" Her mouth literally fell open, making a petite 'o', before she snapped it shut and glared.

"And I would want to do that, why?" I smirked, leaning up against her car's door. She stood, hands on her hip, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Just asking, that's all."

"Well, could I ask you something?" She was smirking now, which usually meant she had something smart to say. I smiled, before nodding. "Were you dropped on your head as a small child? Or are you actually that dumb?"

"Now, now, Kat, no need to be mean. It was a simple question." She rolled her eyes. "I just wanted to give you the opportunity to say yes, willingly, before I forced you." She bit out a laugh, before stepping towards me, swiftly closing the distance between us so that we were centimeters apart. She was too close for me to think straight and I could tell she was thinking the same thing. She bit her lip before sneering at me

"You think you can force me? That's hilarious, Verona. Really, you're a bucket of laughs."

I grinned and nodded. "Last chance."

Kat raised an eyebrow and shook her head, stepping back to stand beside me. "Never. There's no way on earth, I'd willingly tell you jack."

"Welll, I can't say I'm surprised." I slammed my bag onto the hood of her car, rifling through it.

"Hey, watch it! I don't want your atomic bomb of a bag making dents in my car."

I rolled my eyes, "Like it would make a difference." She frowned, but I chose to ignore it and continued looking through my bag. Finally, I close my hands around a small envelope and yanked it out. She again raised an eyebrow as I stuck it out to her.

"What is that?" She had confused written all over her face. I smirked, mentally categorizing this face as one I enjoyed.

"Open it up and see for yourself." She frowned again before slowly pealing back the lip of the envelope, her hands shakily pulling the photograph out. She had gone completely white, her mouth yet again had dropped, and she was staring at it as if in a trance. She was quiet, before glaring up at me.

"WHERE THE HELL DID YOU GET THIS, PATRICK?!" She was livid and I swear I could see the steam pouring out of her nose. She crumpled the picture up, throwing it to the ground and stomping on it a few times.

"Kat, no littering! You wouldn't want to be a hypocrite, now would you?" I bent to pick it up and she whopped me on the back of my head. "That hurt," I snipped, rubbing the spot she had smacked.

"Tell me where you got that now." I shrugged my shoulders. "Did Bianca give it to you?" I shrugged again, laughing to myself. "There's no way she could have…I burned all the ones we had. That means…" She glared at me. "Who?"

I smirked. "Who what? I'm confused." She clenched her teeth and took a few shallow breaths. I could decided which I liked more- the confused Kat or the fuming one.

"What soon-to-be-murdered asshole in Ohio gave this to you?"

"No one gave me anything." She was silent and it looked like she was debating whether or not to taser me. "I paid for it. No dirty dealing. It's mine now, fair and square."

"Why the hell would you want… that?" She spit out, pointing at the crumpled ball in my hand. I chuckled, stuffing it back in my bag.

"Blackmail, of course. How else will I get you to tell me your heart's deepest desires?"

"You wouldn't."

I smirked. "What kind of juvenile delinquent would I be if I didn't?"

She stared at me in disbelief, before stuttering, "You… you would really… blackmail me?"

"Absolutely. You won't do anything for me without a little persuasion. I've got no other choice."

"You could burn it and forget you ever saw it."

"No way, I need something to remember Katie by." She glared at me.

"You. are. an. ass." I smirked and she punched my shoulder.

"Come on, I think you were a cute cheerleader."

She glowered, whispering in her most threatening tone, "Don't say that too loud. People might hear you."

"I'd hope so. I bet Padua's entire student body would love to hear about Katie Stratford's days as the head cheerleader." She looked sick, but I couldn't help myself, "Rumor has it you dated the starting quarterback too… damn, Chastity would be so proud."

She suddenly looked very small and slumped back against her car. She opened her mouth to say something, but no words came out. Her eyes closed, a few stray tears slipping down her cheeks.

Who was this? This wasn't the Kat that I had, as much as I hated to admit it, become obsessed with. Kat was strong and above all the petty crap Padua had to offer. But the girl in front of me now? This was someone else, a typical high school teenager with a lack of confidence, trying to find it in another person.

She frowned, hastily wiping her eyes, before shoving her hands in her pockets. I reached out to her, but she slapped my hand away, before glaring up at me.

"I hate you, Patrick Verona. I really do hate you." She opened her car door, sliding in and jamming the keys into the ignition. "Do what you want with that picture. I honestly don't give a fuck."

"Kat…" She ignored me, slamming the door and switching the radio on. I sighed. This didn't go how I planned it. Apparently, something a lot more serious had gone on in Ohio that I didn't know about… yet.

"Um… Patrick, right?" I spun around to find Kat's little sister, holding onto her mascot costume. I nodded and she fidgeted, like she couldn't find the right words. "Um, Kat… she doesn't, she doesn't really hate you. Even if she says she does..." She started to babble, "Kat really seems to like you… which is weird. I mean, she doesn't exactly play well with others… you two do though…"

The car door was thrown open and Kat shouted, "We're leaving, now." Bianca smiled sheepishly before tossing her things in the backseat.

"Bye, Patrick. We'll see you soon, right?" Kat glared at her, before slamming the door again and giving me the finger.

"Count on it."

She smiled. "That's…"

"BIANCA!" Kat yelled, revving the engine, and Bianca rolled her eyes, before getting in the car.

So maybe blackmail wasn't the best approach, but I had another option.

Bianca waved as they pulled out of the parking lot and Kat slapped her hand down.

Her sister.

fin.

Did I make Patrick evil enough? I was debating about whether or not he was too nasty. Let me know through a review and gimme some feedback! :)

Thanks for reading.