I stand there looking at him not really shocked that he was here. I just do not want to open the window and let him in. Because last time I did that we ended up kissing and I don't want that happening at least not today. I take a deep breath and open the window a little making him pull it the rest of the way up. I sit on the bed my back pressing up on my headboard. He stands at the other end of the bed taking in my appearance. I'm sure its not great I'm in a pair of old sweats and an over sized shirt.

"Verona, what are you doing here?" I ask closing my eyes and leaving my head on the wall.

"I came to check on you and I want to see if you wanted to go on a ride."

"Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why do you care enough to check on me?"

"When you had that panic attack something was really wrong and I wanted to to help but you freaked out and I want to know why."

"Patrick. I cant talk about it."

"Then take a ride with me." He holds out his hand to help me out of the bed. I guess I could do that I mean I did kinda freak on him. I sigh and take his hand.

"Fine but I need to tell Bianca."

I walk down the hall knocking on her door before entering. Of course she has to have half of the cheer-leading squad in her room including Chastity. Oh fun.

"God Kat get out!" Bianca yells. I roll my eyes at her.

"Oh yeah I'm so sorry to interrupt the all important conversation about who is going to be on the top of the pyramid but I'm going out if dad comes have early from his shift cover for me. Thanks."

"Wait you're going out on a school night?"

"Yes me and my friend are going to hang out. Do you have a problem with that."

"Oh my god! You have a friend. How sweet." Chastity says in her sickeningly sweet voice. "They have to be insane to hang around with you. I feel bad for them."

"Who is this friend?"Bianca asks ignoring Chastity.

"Me." Patrick says from behind me. I had to cover my mouth with my hand to stop me from laughing at how all their faces, except for Bianca's, drains of color.

"Hey Patrick." she smiles at him. "Kat can I talk to you." she get off the bed and pushes me into my room closing the door. "I don't think its a smart idea for you to go out. I checked on you earlier and you were pretty messed up Kat."

"I'll be fine and I owe him something. I mean I had a panic attack just because he touched me."

"But Kat do I have to remind you why you had a panic attack! He looks so much like Ricky!" She yells at me. I understand that she is trying to protect me and all but its kind of annoying. Patrick wouldn't hurt me like Ricky did.

"Bee I trust him okay. I don't know why I do but its something about him. He would never hurt me like Ricky would."

"But you trusted Ricky and see where that go you. I don't want to have to see you like that again I still have nightmares about that morning you came home."

"Bee..."

"I'm not letting you out of the house by yourself with him."

"Fine. Hold on."

"Patrick get your ass in here." I open the door to fine the cheerleaders with their ears against the door and Patrick standing down the hall as far away as he could get from them. "Girls." They step back as I pull Patrick into the room.

"I knew you were hot for me but really."

"Shut up. We have a little problem."

"Which is?"

"I need to get out of this house but my lovely sister will not let me leave alone with you."

"What am I supposed to do about it."

"Well you figure something out because I need to get out of here."

"Okay. They can fallow us in a car when we take my bike."

"Works for me." I say looking over to my sister.

"Fine but I have to talk to them."

"Oh they will be fine."

So ten minutes later we are at a park a few miles away from are house. Bianca and gang are sitting at a picnic table chatting while Patrick and I make are way to the playground. I smile and plop down onto a swing he sits on the one next to mine.

"So Kat what was the deal with your sister not trusting me."

"Its not you. Its just you remind us of someone we used to know."

"Ricky?"

"How did you know that?"

"You two were yelling at each other in your room about him." I nod looking down. "What does Ricky have to do with the flashbacks?"

"I'll tell you but you have to promise me that after this you will not look at me in pity or say your sorry or any of that crap okay?"
"Deal."

"Ricky was a boyfriend of mine. God it feels like a whole other world. In Ohio I was like Bianca but even worse. I was the head cheerleader dating the star of the basketball team." I look down at my feet as the swing in the air. "Ricky and I were together for about 6 months before the party." I close my eyes trying to hold back tears. "My memories of that night are faint but I do remember that I wasn't going to drink because I had to drive my sister home after the party. Ricky wasn't to happy about that he wanted to have 'fun' and I just wanted to get home and get ready for tomorrows game. Turns out Ricky had slipped something into my drink when I wasn't looking. He took me up into a room and" I don't think I can say the word 'rape' I never said it out loud before. "he...um...forced me to...have...sex...with him. I woke up the next morning naked and Ricky was gone. I never fully remember that night but the flashbacks fill in somethings. I wish I wouldn't get them because they are so vivid that I feel like I'm reliving it. That's why I had a panic attack when you touched my face." I look down again not sure of what else to say its in the open now. I expect him to walk away and not say anything but he doesn't he kneels in front of me.

"Kat what he did was terrible? Why didn't you report him."

"I don't know. At first I felt like I had done something to deserve what happen and I still do I guess."

"No one deserves to have that happen to them." I shrug tears falling from my eyes. "Okay this time I'm going to ask before I touch you. Can I give you a hug?" I nod and within half a second I'm engulfed in a hug by Patrick as I cry.

Who would have thought that Patrick Verona and Kat Stratford would be hugging each other. "Thank you." I muffle into his chest.

"For what?"

"Being here for me. You're the only one that knows other than Bianca." He nods. "We better get back so we at least have a couple hours of sleep."

He walks me up to my bed room. I smile at him as I give him a hug silently thanking him again for tonight. "Can you stay? Just for tonight?" I ask looking up at him hopefully.

"If you want me to."

"I do."

"Then it looks like I'm spending the night." He turns and looks around my room. "I'll sleep on the floor."

"You are not sleeping on the floor dumb-ass. Believe it or not I trust you and with you here I might actually get to sleep." He nods and smiles at me. I climb into my bed and wait for him to join me. He hesitates for a minute before climbing in next to me. We lay facing each other. He smiles and tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear before he bulls the blanks over us.

"Night Kat."

"Night Patrick."

"Kat?"

"Yeah?"

"Thank you for trusting me." I smile at him be for laying my head on his shoulder and falling into a dreamless sleep.