AN: Here is Chapter Two for you. It took me a couple of days to put up the first chapter, which is why this one is up so quickly. The next one should be up soon. Enjoy!

Chapter 2

The classroom Kat was currently occupying was designed as an English class. Three of its walls were covered with chalk and marker boards. Excerpts and poems could be read on the walls surrounding the boards, used to assist in the teaching of Creative Writing. Kat ignored all of these decorations, not wanting to read of happiness, love, loss, and hope written by those before her time. Today was the day when emotion was the enemy that had to be extracted from her heart, and she had found that drawing was the way to release everything she didn't want to feel inside.

So that's what she did. Going to the chalkboard on the left side of the room, Kat picked up the white chalk and drew two symbols that represented what held her thoughts in an oppressive grip every year on this date. This was only the third year, but to her it felt like a lifetime of pain.

She had just finished the second symbol, which had taken her a good forty-five minutes, and was about to begin another crying session, when she heard the door creek open. Not wanting to turn around and have Mandella see her looking so vulnerable again, she spoke facing her symbols.

"Did something happen, Mandella? Are we allowed to leave?"

"That's a new one," Patrick replied, " I've never been mistaken for a woman. My voice is a dead give away, and I'm not too feminine looking either."

He waited for her usual reaction of giving him that killer glare and spitting out some fiery words, but he was disappointed. She hadn't even turned around when she heard him come in, only stiffened her shoulders and stared straight ahead. What she was staring at, he had no idea, because the sketches made absolutely no sense to him.

The first looked like a messily drawn "H", though he knew that wasn't the case considering how carefully the design had been drawn. There were two vertical, parallel lines-the second being longer and curving to the left at the bottom- crossed through the middle with a horizontal line. The second was more intricate and equally beautiful as the first. Looking at it carefully, he realized he knew what the symbol meant, and the knowledge did nothing to quell his concern for her. The Chinese symbol for fear was one he had seen while looking for a tattoo for his shoulder blade. Obviously, it wasn't the one he had chosen, but he remembered it clearly because the tattoo artist mentioned he should just throw away that example since no one had ever asked him to use it. Patrick had thought the design beautiful, but the meaning behind it wasn't one he wanted to wear for all time.

So now the questions going through his head were focused on the two symbols. 'What was the first? And what did she fear?' He wondered how long it would take to get her to tell him. First, he had to get her to turn around. Well, always best to be polite first, so here goes nothing.

"Kat, turn around. Ignoring me isn't going to make me go away, and you don't scare me, so don't even try to get me to leave."

Kat knew what he was saying was true, but that didn't make her want to turn around any more than thinking it was Mandella. She couldn't believe Mandella let Patrick Verona through the door, yet she also couldn't believe that Mandella would just leave the door unguarded without letting her know first. But here he was, and she knew him well enough to know he wouldn't just let her behavior drop without good reason. Her vulnerable state of mind allowed her to take a chance without over thinking the pros and cons of such a decision.

Still not turning around, she spoke quietly, "Patrick, I understand that it's just as much torture for you to be stuck in this high school surrounded by our classmates as it would be for me if I didn't have this empty classroom and an understanding best friend. That being said, I would really appreciate it if you just gave me some space and joined the craziness that is Padua High full of various families outside this classroom. Right now I can't handle going head to head with you. I know I'll lose and that I'll end up resenting you for it. Besides Mandella, you are the only other person in this school I can stand to be around. I don't want that to change, and if you feel the same way, then please go outside and leave me to my thoughts."

Shock wasn't a strong enough word to describe what Patrick was feeling. It must be a night for dropping pretenses. I was what would be considered nice to Mandella, and Kat just said something to me without sounding as if I was the last person on the planet she wanted to speak to. He knew it must have cost her a lot to say all of that to him- to let him in just that little bit. He would respect that, but he couldn't respect her wish for him to leave her alone. She said she would resent him if he pushed, but if he was reading her correctly, she meant starting one of their usual battles of wits. That wasn't what he had in mind. She was proof that not all high school girls were shallow bimbos, something he hadn't thought possible. The more he saw of her and heard of and from her, the more he wanted to befriend her. Or at least start as friends, but lead to more, he corrected himself mentally.

With that thought, he made a decision. Tonight was the night their true friendship would begin. He had probably chosen the hardest moment to begin a friendship with the tough Kat Stratford, but if his hunch were right, then it would definitely be worth it in the long run.

Taking a few steps towards her, he stopped right behind her, so only a foot separated his front from her tense back. She didn't move a muscle while he walked to her or when he stopped. Deciding that could be seen as a good sign, he gently laid his right hand on her shoulder and said the one short sentence that would change everything at Padua High.

"I do feel the same way. That's why I'm not leaving."