Cat'sPOV
I grabbed the cloth left on my table and poured alcohol onto it with shaky hands. I raised the top of my pink pajamas and pulled down the matching pink bottoms low enough to see my hips. I walked in front of my mirror that glowed multi-colored streamer lights around it's frame. I probably stared at myself in the mirror, in the dark and heavy silence of my room, for 5 minutes straight. My eye was caught at the bruise imprinted on my hip. The sounds of screaming and the digging of my moms freshly painted nails into my arm was still fresh in my mind. I worried her. Staying out late always worried her. Then again, I worry her in general. But I knew better not to stay out. But hey, at least this time it's colorful.
Alcohol never really helped the bruises but they soothed it, the way it melted on my skin calmed me down. I pressed it harder to see if this time it would do anything.
Nothing.
I threw the cloth on the table and fell back on my bed. I know it was wrong for me to stay and help with the play, my mom had every right to be upset with me. It was my fault. As always. I looked over at my remote and flicked on the TV. The shrieking laughter of an audience filled my ear and my head and soon enough that was all I heard.
Laughing.
Laughing.
Laughing.
Laughing.
Laughing.
Laughing.
Laughing.
Something I haven't been doing enough of. And that I have to start doing more of, you have to Cat, or else people will worry about you..and you already have enough of that.
I felt my body tense up. For some reason, every laugh and chuckle that roared from my TV made my brain burn out and my face get hot and my stomach turn. I clicked it off.
For the rest of the night I painted in the dark and drew in a fort under my covers.
"You called?" I said, once Tori opened the door of her apartment. It seems like everyone was moving out of their parents house these days. Tori didn't move out though, after getting a job as a receptionist, and finally getting a car, she decided she reached the level of maturity for her to leave her house willingly and live on her own. And I must admit, she's been a little cocky about the fact she lives in an apartment on her own.
Tori stared at me and made a growling noise and turned away from me, walking to her coffee table. I stood outside the door, watching her fumble through all her magazines and meaningless papers. Finally, she pulled out a small pink note from the pile and looked up at me.
"Look at this shit." She said while walking to me irefully. I took the note in her hands and read it;
HavefunlivingonyourownbecauseI'mdoneputtingupwithyourhighschoolcrap.
- loveMaria
I scoffed at the note and looked up at Tori, who took the note out of my hands and walked back inside, passing her coffee table and throwing the note to land on top of the pile but I watched as it floated off onto the carpet.
"I'm guessing this Maria was your roommate?" I asked, sitting myself onto her couch. Tori didn't reply for at least a minute, as she unsteadily poured a glass of orange juice but halfway through, she slammed the bottle of juice on the kitchen counter and looked at me.
"Can you believe that bitch? ''I'm done putting up with your high school crap'', well my high school crap was done putting up with you anyways!" You could feel Tori's anxiety miles away. She raised the glass up to her mouth, and as I was about to reply, she put the glass back down.
"You know I could care less about her leaving, it's just the fact she didn't even leave any money for rent, when she knew damn well it's due tomorrow." She then chugged down the juice.
"Can't you just tell your owner, person, whatever that your roommate left you hanging?" I suggested and she swallowed her juice with struggle and walked her way to the couch.
"Oh trust me, my ''owner, person, whatever'' couldn't give negative four fucks on anything except her money, which is all she wants to by tomorrow." Tori said, stirring her glass of juice.
"Don't make assumptions," then again, I made the assumption that Beck didn't want to drive me home. "How about I come with you?"
She turned her head straight at me, still stirring her cup.
"Now?"
I shrugged and jumped off the her couch. "Sure why not?" I grabbed her free hand and darted for the door.
"Cat, I already told you-" I stopped walking and looked back at her, interrupting her.
"I know you told me but it doesn't hurt to try." I smiled at her and she slowly curved up a smirk.
"There we goooo."
I opened the door and continued walking down the gray dark hallway, holding her arm and heard a slight groan from behind me. Tori pulled herself away from me. I looked back at her to see her staring forward and I turned to see Ryder Daniels, Tori's one hit wonder.
"He lives here too?" I asked turning to Tori, and back at Ryder, to see him walking towards us smirking with a box overflowing with his stuff and a broken picture of what looked like to be him as a baby.
"Sadly, yes. He just moved this week, and had too many encounters with him." Tori replied, crossing her arms once Ryder reached us.
"Nice to see you again Cat, it's been too long." He said, with a wide smile. I gave him a grosse look.
"Yeah not long enough." Tori replied, shaking her head. Ryder started pouting.
"Aw now is that anyway to treat your new roommate?" Tori and I looked at each other and back at him with raised eyebrows.
"New roommate?" I repeated slowly, and saw him slightly nod.
"What, were you assigned to be my roommate?" Tori questioned, raising her voice.
"No...but I hear you need one." Ryder said.
"Hear, hear from who?!" Tori was now practically yelling, and I looked at her.
"Tori, don't get so mad now." Ryder wasn't smiling anymore.
"I'M NOT-" Tori paused and swallowed. "I'm not mad. Where did you hear I need a new roommate?"
"From you, and cat, a while ago."
"So you were spying on us?" I asked, now having my arms crossed.
"I wasn't spying, I was passing by and heard a conversation. If I shouldn't have heard it, then I'm sorry. I just really need a place to stay." And this time he seemed sincere with his words. But I knew Tori wouldn't fall for that.
"Yeah I'm not falling for that. You can stay somewhere else, I'm sure tons of people don't have a roommate at the moment and I don't need one." Tori stated, flipping the small bangs of her hair and turned herself as if she was heading the other way, until Ryder walked forward, closer to her.
"C'mon Tori, if you're still caught up on what happened at the Full Moon Jam, then I'm sorry. I'm really really sorry and after what you did to me, I forgave you but you can't?" Ryder said, and Tori let out a laugh.
"Forgive you? You deserved what you got!" She said, getting closer to him.
"Tori, be a little fair, he's offering to be your roommate and he'll pay your rent." I said, trying to get her to compromise and she stared me.
"Actually, I can't pay the rent...at least not alone, I do have some money though." Ryder made a childish smile and Tori stared up at him and started shaking her head slowly.
"Okay at least he's a help." I restated. A long silence and a heavy breeze blew between us.
"Pleaseeeee." Ryder pleaded, in a soft tone. I laughed, at the chemistry I could feel between them. And then I frowned for thinking that after how he played my own friend like she was a toy.
Tori looked at me and I gave her a slight grin, and she looked straight into Ryder's eyes.
"Fine."
Ryder smiled and looked at me, and I shot him a slight smile. Tori turned away and began walking, while Ryder stood in his same place. She then turned back at us.
"Stop staring at my butt." And continued walking again. I laughed along with Ryder and he looked at me.
"Thanks." He said and walked off behind Tori. I stared at him jogging off, catching up with her. I could hear the slight jiggling of his box as they disappeared past the hall. I sighed.
And then it hit me.
Why did Ryder suddenly move in this week, the same week Tori's roommate ditched her? And even if he was passing by her door while we were talking, it still seems weird how he suddenly made up his mind on wanting to move in with Tori. Did Ryder plan this? Was he friends with Tori's roommate? Did they both plan this? No, Ryder seemed like he changed. He's trying to restart with Tori. And moving in would be a great way to restart. Then again, it's Tori's apartment. Her ''home''. Her world of privacy, where she showers and get dressed and changes and. It's private. At least it's suppose to be. Cat you're overthinking this. Ryder is just a guy who needs somewhere to stay and a fresh start.
Or the same selfish dick from last year who's taking up the opportunity to get revenge.
"Sinjin, for the last time, stop feeling Andre's hands!"
Sikowitz called at Sinjin, who was spending half the class grabbing Andre's hand. I guess using that new Norwegian CoCoa Butter lotion paid him off...some-what.
"I'm sorry it's just," Sinjin looked at Andre. "how did you get them so soft?"
The class turned their heads to Andre.
"Well, it's a secret." He said, looking up at Sikowitz, who seemed excited.
Right when Sinjin was going to reply, the bell rang. Andre quickly pulled his hands away from Sinjin and dashed for the door.
"Hey cat!"
I turned to see Beck walked past the chairs to come over to me and I don't know why but I felt my heart skip beat for a million years. A smile immediately spread across my face. Until Jade came up behind him. But Beck was watching me, so I stayed smiling and I felt like I began to smile harder when she appeared.
Jade grabbed his shoulder back and looked at him.
"Can I talk to you?" She said, with a serious face. Then again, Jade is always serious, even when she isn't really serious. I began playing with the tips of my hair. Beck looked at me and pressed his lips together and shrugged moving his hands. He turned back to Jade and she walked him towards the corner, while staring at me with a faint grin on her face. And again, a forced smile came over my face.
I turned around and practically forgot.
"Sikowitz, can I talk to you before you go?"
"Of course my red velvet cupcake!" He looked at me and grinned. I giggled and grabbed my bag. Sikowitz told us he would be putting on a play for a guest coming, another big director that does nothing but compliment our work and leave. He said we could offer him our scripts for the play and not even scripts, it could just be ideas or scenes that would fit. Most people did that. I, on the other hand, spent half this month on a script. Not because I couldn't think of anything, or never worked on it. I rewrote it and threw it out and rewrote it again probably 50 times, a day.
I pulled out the thick stacked paper and handed it to Sikowitz.
"I basically made a whole script for the play. I don't know if anyone else had an idea for the whole thing so." I said. Sikowitz squinted at the paper and flipped through it, spending a few seconds on each page.
I was once again smiling, but this time it wasn't forced. I was proud of myself. This is my first time actually showing Sikowitz one of my works, never the less a whole script. I showed it to my mom and she, a woman who could care less for theater arts, thought it was great. I showed it to Tori, Andre, Robbie, Trina, Sinjin, basically everyone who made my way for the past few weeks. And I think I put my hopes up too high but it doesn't matter, because I know even if doesn't choose the whole script, he could choose at least a scene or too. I know it.
He closed the script back to the first page, not even finishing it and looked up at me, letting out a deep sigh.
I don't know it.
"Look Cat-" I couldn't help but stop him.
"You didn't even finish it!" I said, my voice cracking at the end. I could feel my body heating up and my stomach turned half way upside down. I needed to stop myself, he hadn't even said anything yet Cat. His eyes widened.
"I know, but I don't need to. I respect you for trying to participate in this but I don't think your idea of plays are we need."
"We? Who is we? Did you already find my script and make a student body poll on if it was good or not?" I was putting all my words together. Now I was getting mad.
"Cat, it's just...I already chose someone else's script." He said, very vague. I felt my anger melt down my body and I bite my lip.
"Why didn't you just say that?" I said in a quiet voice, making it seem like I wasn't affected by it but I was.
"Well you didn't exactly give me a chance now did you?" He replied, laughing. I couldn't stay mad at Sikowitz. I laughed along with him and felt lighter than I was like a minute ago. I blinked my eyes repeatedly, feeling it begin to water.
"Well thanks for looking at it anyways." I said, grabbing the script from his hand and shoving it into my bag without looking. I felt my eyes begin to burn, and it was forcing itself to release tears. I passed by Sikowitz and saw him look back at me, as I looked back at Beck and Jade still talking in the corner. I don't know why I felt half my body fall apart whenever I saw him with Jade. They weren't together, not that it would matter if they were since I don't like him. I know I don't. Then again, I don't know.
"Hey Cat!"
I looked around, getting my hopes up of it being Beck. Goddamnit Cat, stop being thirsty! It was let alone, it was Justin. A new guy that enrolled into Hollywood arts just a few months ago. A gay guy. It threw a lot of people off at first, upset some people but in the end, it is what it is and he is a great person. And gosh, does he know how to dress.
"Hi." I said, stuffing a poptart into my mouth. I moved over on top of the brick wall for him to sit.
"So you're skipping class, you naughty girl!" He exclaimed, shoving me with his shoulder and I smiled down at my poptart, taking another bite.
"No, I asked to go to the bathroom." I said still chewing.
"I don't think this is the bathroom." He joked and stared at me chewing. I gave him a wider smile, to show him the colorful food across my teeth. He looked at me in disgust and put his hand over my mouth.
"Yeah, I'll go when I'm done eating." I dug into the piece more.
"You're killing that thing Cat!" He cried, as if it was his family member I was eating. I let out a laugh, spitting out crumbs of my food. I looked at him, to see his eyes locked forward. I looked at his direction to see him staring at a guy going through his locker a few feet away from us. I looked back at Justin to see he hadn't move.
"Drool why don't you?" I said and he snapped out of his gaze and looked at me.
"That's Derek. He's in practically all my classes and he's so funny and charismatic and we picked up each others pencils like 3 times, so we're basically at 3rd base." Justin said, staring again.
I smirked and got an idea.
"Hey Derek!"
Justin hit me, practically knocking over my poptart. Derek turned his head and smiled at us. He walked over to us, chuckling.
"What's up Cat?" He looked over at Justin and nodded. "Justin."
"Heeey." Justin said in a faint tone, not making eye contact.
"You wanna hang out tomorrow night with me and Justin. We're going to the movies." I said, and Justin looked at me.
"We are?"
I turned my head slowly and kept smiling, giving him a sign.
"Yes we are Justin," I turned back to Derek "so are you in?"
Derek laughed and bit his lips.
"Yeah sure. Derek's in my classes so you can tell me the details later." Derek looked at Justin, who nervously chuckled and nodded repeatedly.
"Well I gotta go, my teacher probably thinks I'm shitting bricks right now." He smiled at me. "Bye." And walked off past the lockers.
I expected Justin to yell at me, scream at me, knock the poptart out of my hands but instead, he got off the wall and let out a groan.
"You're welcome!" I exclaimed, implying for him to thank me.
"Yeah, you're welcome for getting yourself a date." He replied with no emotion. I stopped chewing.
"What do you mean?"
"Cat you're not that stupid. Didn't you see the way he looked at you? He was making legit eye contact with you the whole time, if not staring into your red haired soul." Justin gave me an oblivious look. He was smiling at me, but he seems like the type to smile a lot. Plus he smiled at Justin too. I think.
"Well...I wasn't really paying attention to him. I'm sorry, I just wanted to get a jumpstart for you two." I replied, staring at Justin giving me a million and one expressions. "I can cancel it if you want."
He gasped.
"Are you kidding? I finally get the chance to be in the same atmosphere with that cutie outside of school and you expect me to turn it down? Nope, I'm not going to let you have all the fun here!" Justin exclaimed, putting his hands on his hips with a wide grin on his face. I hopped off the wall and giggled at him.
"So that's a thank you?" I said, smirking. He rolled his eyes and looked back at me.
"Yes, thank you Cat."
"It's just what I do." I flattered myself, flipping my hair and gave him a shady look. He grabbed what was left of my poptart and laughed. I wrapped my arm around his waist and walked with him while he waved the piece in my face teasing me and laughed at me as I continuously reached for it with my mouth.
And then came Beck.
