AN: here's the next bit. I'm nearly done the third part of the social so that should be up by Christmas Day. Enjoy guys x
The social part 2
At the top of the stairs, Kittie faltered, unsure whether or not go back to the alcove after all. He would be able to find her there again having been there, and she wasn't sure if she wanted him to or not, despite telling Tyler it had been a crush. She wasn't going to admit that she had feelings for Oscar, perhaps had them still. She was unsure if they had gone away, or had just been repressed. But she didn't want to know. Feelings hurt too much, especially when they weren't returned. She honestly couldn't see why someone like him could like someone like her. She was nothing special. Years of bullying and snide comments from her brothers and friends who had turned out to be false had caused her self-confidence and positive self-image to plummet and never rise very far. Not that many people knew that. Being good at acting enabled her to hide her insecurities very well and make people believe she was confident.
Feelings aside, all she wanted to do was curl up under blankets and sleep. With that in mind, she headed back to the alcove. To her surprise, Oscar was sat where they had been a few minutes before. As she got closer, he smiled and stood up. "I thought you had left without saying goodbye." "You barely know me, besides, I went to find you. You left your jacket." "Because I was coming back, but you seem to have misplaced it." She shrugged, sitting down, giving in to the pain from her screaming ankle. "I left it with your friend Tyler. I figured he'd see you before I would. Guess I was wrong." "Thanks. Yeah, I'm going out for drinks with him tomorrow and some guys from work." He watched her lay her leg out straight and take off her boots, noting the bandage on her right foot. "Injuring yourself?" He asked. "Mayhaps I had another run in on the stairs," she replied. She bit her tongue, wishing he would go because it hurt too much, but hoping more that he would stay.
Oscar sensed her reluctance and smiled, sitting down next to her. "How about we start over. Hi, I'm Oscar Halliday. Tyler's told me lots about you." He stuck out his hand for her to shake, causing her to smile. "It's a pleasure to meet you Oscar. I'm Kittie. I hope you've heard good things about me. Can't have a stranger know all my secrets." She shook the offered hand. Oscar looked at her. "I can't imagine you having deep dark secrets." "You would be surprised." Very surprised, she added mentally. "So, Oscar, what brings you here? What do you study at this incredibly poorly organised university?" He laughed, drumming his fingers lightly against his leg. "Actually, I graduated in October, but I had been on one of the most disorganised courses, well at least it is now. I'm an NQT." Kittie, stared at him, her eyes widening in slight horror. "Seriously? So maybe you know my brother Jack. But were you 3 years or 4 years?" "3 years. Couldn't wait to get out into school. I did know a Jack, Jack Swan."
Kitties head dropped into her hands. "I bet you've been hearing all sorts of things about me then, most probably not good." Oscar grabbed her arm. "Wait, you're Catkin? You're his little sister?" He laughed, coughing when she hit him. "You don't look very much alike really. The adopted siblings shows there. But you're very similar apparently. What do you study? I take it you still go here." She nodded. "3rd year performing arts student, hence DAMCA. I can't wait to graduate this year, well this academic year anyhow." "Any particular reason?" He asked, intrigued. "Can't wait to get out of here. I love being here with my friends and the Uni life, but I hate how unorganised and ridiculous everything else is. Assessments have been cancelled, room changes are frequent and the amount of extra work is ridiculous. But I do love it here." She shivered, wrapping the blanket she had left earlier around her legs.
Oscar wrapped the blanket he'd found around her shoulders. "Here, can't have you getting cold. So what have you got planned for the holidays? Family Christmas? Carols by candle light? Ice skating with your friends or boyfriend?" She smiled. "You're mostly right. I'm going home on the 18th, couple of days at home and then to Canada to spend Christmas with my great grandparents. Carols definitely, happens every year a long with a load of Christmas traditions. I'm going skating next week with some friends, but no boyfriend." "He doesn't want to take you?" He asked, surprised. Kittie shook her head, laughing. "It's not that. I don't have a boyfriend. If I did, I'd make him take me. I love ice skating." "Steady on your feet are you?" "You will have to come with me and find out."
She shivered again, causing Oscar to move closer to her. "Here," he said, wrapping his arms around her to keep her warm. "You're not making a move are you?" she asked, unsure what was going on. "Because I absolutely won't stand for it." "I swear, I won't try anything. Also, I hate to point this out, but you're not standing, you're sitting." Kittie laughed. "That's true. Well then, I won't sit for it. I know how to defend myself and could quite easily escape should you try anything." Oscar held up his hands, showing they were open and unthreatening. "I promise I won't try anything. Tyler would kill me. He's protective of you, you know." She shrugged. "A lot of people are. They don't think I can look after myself, but I won't let them look after me." "You don't like people looking after you?" "Not really. Makes me feel like I can't look after myself." She looked down at her hands. "With lots of siblings, I kind of got forgotten a bit. My parents were back in work full time after Michael and I were born, and when Cal was adopted, the focus was on the new baby. So I had to take care of myself, I had to make sure I was okay and it became habit. Even now, I struggle when my housemates offer to cook or wash up the things I used, or offer to help me tidy my room." "Gee, that's rough."
Unsure what to say, Oscar left silence for a bit. "I guess that explains why you didn't want me to find a blanket for you." She shrugged. "I guess. But I'm grateful and it doesn't mean my family love me any less." She stopped, worried she'd gotten a little too personal with him. "Thanks for the blanket," she said with a smile, fiddling with a corner. "I really appreciate it. I hate getting cold." "But you love ice skating," he countered, a little confused. "Have you any idea about the rush you can get from gliding across the ice, swerving past those who fall over, the speed you can reach, the exhilaration? Besides, you move quick enough to not get cold, possibly even overheat if you wear too many layers." Her eyes lit up as she spoke, passion showing in her voice. "Sounds like you're a pro." She shrugged, a little embarrassed. "I'm not bad. I mean I can't do anything fancy like the ice skaters in the competitions, but I can keep myself and other people upright." "Go skating a lot with others do you?" She smiled. "As much as I can drag my friends along yes. Not everyone is steady on their feet you know and sometimes they need someone to pull them around on the ice and stop them from falling over." She bit back a yawn, pretending she was just stretching.
Oscar smiled, noticing how her hands gently curved as she stretched, in the same way to someone who has been dancing for years. He wondered if she was a dancer. That could explain how she was so good at ice skating, but the two weren't always associated. "You're tired. Don't try to hide it. I have a little sister, remember?" "And I have 3 younger brothers and 2 younger sisters. I think I know how to hide being tired," she retorted, moving away. "Oh, so you admit you're tired then?" He stared at her, his eyebrows raised. "What, no. Hang on a minute mister," she spluttered indignantly. "I never said I was tired, nor will I." "Hmm." Oscar looked at her and grabbed her hands. As he held her wrists, her hands shook and felt slightly warmer than usual. Acting on a hunch, he placed the back of a hand on her forehead and pulled it back quickly, surprised at how warm her forehead was. "Geez, you're cold, you've got a very high temperature and you're shaking. Kittie, are you ill? Is that why you were trying to leave earlier?" She pulled away. "How would you know that?" She asked, staring at him. "Were you spying on me?" "No, I just saw you earlier. The guys on the door wouldn't let you leave. I also heard the swearing. What language was that in by the way?" "Russian. Don't change the subject Halliday." "I'm not miss didn't tell me your surname."
Kittie stared at him, unsure how to answer, then burst out laughing. Oscar joined in, watching her rock back and forth, catching her when she fell sideways. "Steady there miss bounce." "Th-thanks," she said, giving in an letting someone take care of her. She felt too ill to care. Shivering, she curled up on the floor, trying to stay warm. "Come here you," Oscar said, draping a blanket over her, making sure she was completely covered. "Better?" Kittie shook her head. "A little, but I'm still really cold. And you're going to be cold too. You're starting to shake." "Well somebody gave my jacket to someone else, so I don't have that." Kittie rolled her eyes. "Get over it. It's a jacket." "Says the one wrapped in blankets." "Do you argue this much with everyone or am I a special stranger?" Oscar looked at her. "You're not exactly a stranger anymore, are you?" Kittie paused. "I guess. Acquaintances it is." "Really? I'm just an acquaintance?" Kittie sat up, looking at him. "You count me as a friend even though you haven't known me long?" "Why wouldn't I?"
Kittie tipped her head to the side. "I just didn't think... I wasn't expecting you wanting to be my friend, to say we're friends. Well not say but uh imply I guess. Sorry, I'm babbling. I do that sometimes." She looked down, nervously. She wasn't going to admit the reason she was babbling was due to nerves. He smiled. "It's fine. Lie back down and I'll go find some more blankets." He stood up and started moving around. "Wait," she called, reaching out to him, then drawing her hand back quickly in case he saw. "I'll just text my friend and ask her to bring blankets. D-don't go." He turned back and stared at her. "What about until your friend brings blankets? You're cold now and I'm starting to get cold." Kittie had a thought, and then regretted it. Like he would ever agree to that, she thought. But there was no harm in asking, right? "Well, uh, you could stay here with me and we could share the blankets, but no funny business and this isn't me making a move. I just don't want you to be cold either and I vaguely recall some fact about body heat and people together." "Is this your way of asking me out?" he asked, sticking his hands in his pockets, his thumbs hanging loose as he grinned cockily.
Kittie scowled. "No. Forget it. I was just trying to be kind. But maybe there's no point. Everything I say you try and turn it into something else. Why would you do that?" He shrugged. "I guess I've been hanging out with Tyler for too long." He paused, hoping he hadn't upset her, knowing he probably had. "I'm sorry if I offended you. I didn't mean to." He came and sat down next to her, knowing he'd taken the joke too far, which led him to believe that maybe she still had feelings for her. He wondered if he could get Tyler drunk again and ask him. But then, would he know? "I'm sorry Kittie. I'll behave, I promise." He hoped this would coax a smile out of her. "You better," she mumbled. She looked up at him, slight anger showing on her face. "Anything out of line will be cut off." He laughed and then looked at her again. "Wait, you're not joking, are you?" She shook her head. "Nope. Well maybe I won't cut everything, but I can break arms and you can end up cold." "Yes ma'am." He looked at her seriously. "I promise not to take advantage of you. You sleep and make sure you stay warm."
She nodded. "That's good. Alright." She shuffled over a bit and pulled out her phone. Quickly she texted Edie, asking for her to bring some more blankets. "Right, blankets ordered." Shivering slightly, she crawled further under the blankets and lay down. Oscar moved so that he was next to her and pulled the blankets over him. "See, this ain't so bad, is it? Just two friends making sure the other stays warm." Kittie nodded, turning away, not daring herself to speak. As much as she hated to admit it, she wanted to be more than friends. She yawned and felt her eyes beginning to close. Oscar watched her, and smiled. "Sleep well, miss bounce," he said, draping a blanket around her, making sure she was warm. She mumbled something incoherently in reply, causing Oscar to smile again. He had to admit he had really been enjoying talking to her and she did look cute when she was asleep. There was something about her that caught his attention and kept drawing him in. Their first meeting had ended quickly but he had wanted to talk to her again. He was intrigued by her. She was different from everyone else, not scared to argue with him or mess around. She also wasn't scared to call him out when he was wrong or had done something to offend her. He yawned and decided it might be a nice idea to get some rest. Maybe he could close his eyes for a minute.
