The Class Gets Confused

A/N- Thanks for the reviews so far. Please offer any constructive criticism. I'm trying hard to make it actually sound like them and get in their heads, so if it doesn't sound right please let me know.

Chapter Three:

Kat followed Ethan's gaze and finally noticed the lone flower lying across her doorstep. She reached down to pick it up before looking curiously back at Ethan. "This from you?" she asked.

"Umm…" Ethan stammered. Think Haas. You could always pin it on Palmer. We all know about her little crush.

"It's from me", he finally relented. "I uh, thought maybe it would cheer you up." Damn. He'd never been a particularly fast thinker.

"I see", she said holding it between her fingers as she maneuvered her way into her apartment. "Even you're taking pity on me now?" she laughed bitterly as she dropped her purse on the couch and made her way to the kitchen trying to find somewhere to put the flower.

Seeing her hesitation, Ethan pulled an old water bottle off the shelf and put some water in the bottom before taking the flower back from her and arranging it in its new home. "Look, I know it's totally stupid and I know you're not really a rose kind of girl, but it was short notice. It was the best I could do."

Kat sighed. "Thanks. Really. I'm just not good at this whole letting other people feel bad for me thing", she said as she settled down on the couch.

Noting that Ethan had yet to move and was eyeing her sort of warily, she couldn't help but snap. "I'm not going to break you know!"

"I know", Ethan said defensively sitting down next to her on the couch. "But c'mon. It's not like I know what to do here. I'm a guy and you're uh, not usually like this. I just want to make it better."

Kat softened. "Man do I suck at this", she chuckled looking at Ethan. "I know you're just trying to help and I do really appreciate all that you've done. You've been great. But it's just, God…it's like I just want this to all go away", she paused pounding the couch for emphasis.

"And I particularly hate that now you're looking at me like I'm some sort of pathetic helpless female", she scoffed, the frustration evident in her voice.

It was Ethan's turn now to scoff. "You? Helpless? That's one of the last words I'd ever use to describe you. Crabby? Yes. Angry? Sure. Bitter? Without a doubt. Not helpless."

Earning a playful punch in the arm from Kat, Ethan turned a bit more serious. "Really though, there isn't anything wrong with admitting you can't do everything on your own. Leaning on me for a day or two and letting yourself be taken care of doesn't exactly take away from your feminist street cred", he teased.

She laughed. "Well, it's good to know they won't revoke my membership." Kat shifted as she leaned in a bit and tentatively put her head on Ethan's shoulder. "This gets easier right? Is this how it felt when Joanne walked out? I mean, I know you two were engaged and Benjamin and I weren't anywhere near that, but did it make you feel like you'd never be happy again?"

Ethan wrapped his arm around her. "Something like that. Though it won't make you feel any better now, in the long run I realized that what happened with Joanne was for the best. In hindsight, she wasn't the one. I suspect you'll find the same with Benjamin."

Kat lifted her head, deep in thought. "See you say that. But if Joanne had loved her party and you had spent the last six months with her planning your wedding, you'd be happy. There'd be no doubts. It's like we have to think that crap or otherwise spend the rest of our lives pining over people that don't want to be with us.

"You're just full of happy thoughts, aren't you", Ethan teased, getting up from the couch and bracing himself for what he was about to say next. He wasn't sure it was the right time, but it was now or never. "All I can say is it will get easier. And you will find someone."

Ethan ran his hands nervously through his hair. "Speaking of which there is something I wanted to talk to you about."

"Hmm, what's that?" she asked.

"Well, I was thinking…or rather Kyle got me thinking that uh…" Ethan stammered when he was interrupted by the sound of a ringing cell phone, Kat's cell phone.

"Wait. One sec." Kat said as she reached for the cell. "It might be Lina and I have been trying to find her all night." She checked the caller ID. "Nope, never mind. It's just freaking Blockbuster again. For the millionth time I don't have that damn penguin movie! Anyway, you were saying?"

Ethan tried this again. "So we've been spending a lot of…" He paused as he realized something. "If you haven't been with Lina all night then where have you been?"

Kat got up and headed to the kitchen where she retrieved an open bottle of wine from the fridge. She grabbed two glasses and returned to the couch. "Yeah, that's another interesting story", she deadpanned as she poured the wine. She paused and downed her glass before continuing on. "I was with Duncan."

"Carmello?" The shock on Ethan's face was apparent as he picked up his own wine glass.

"We kind of slept together", Kat said matter of factly. "Nothing like old fashioned rebound sex", she said trying to laugh it off.

It was now Ethan's turn to down his glass of wine. "You had sex with Duncan? Do you even know Duncan!?" His voice rose as anger started to rise within him. "I can't believe you!"

"Can't believe me? What the hell is your problem? Since when is it your business whom I choose to have sex with!?" Kat yelled back, her own temper quickly rising.

"It's not. But here I thought you were all broken up over Benjamin and I'm all feeling bad for you when you were out screwing Duncan! You can't be that broken up if you jumped into bed with the first guy who looked in your direction." Ethan knew he should stop because no matter what this was not going to end well. There was no way it could end well.

Kat stared at him, clearly taken aback, eyes blazing. "Wow. Just wow. It's really nice to know what you think of me. God! Hypocrite much? You've never had rebound sex? You had a whole freaking relationship with Palmer based on sex!"

"That's totally different", Ethan pointed out, but realized soon after that he had nothing. "She uh, was, uh hot?" he finished lamely.

Kat stomped to the door and opened it, failing to see the humor. "I can't believe you. How dare you judge me? I thought you were better than that." She paused, hand cocked on hip. "I think you should leave."

Ethan tried to get himself under control, but he couldn't help but see red. Here he had been about to confess to having feelings for her and she had already jumped into bed with Duncan? With someone they both knew? He lowered his voice as he put down his empty glass and collected his things. "I'm not judging you. I'm just…disappointed."

"Not that I owe you an explanation, but it's not like I planned it. I went there looking for Lina. It just happened."

Ethan turned to look at her as he stood in the doorway poised to leave. "Yeah, I'm sure your clothes just happened to fall off and he just fell on top of you, right?"

"Yeah, that's right. That's exactly what happened", she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "It's amazing how well you know me. God, if I'm such a freaking disappointment to you then why are you even here? Why do you even hang out with me?"

Ethan shrugged, his voice low. "Sometimes I'm not so sure."

Kat stepped into Ethan's personal space and put a hand to his chest. He could feel the heat from her breath on his face as she spoke, low and measured, her eyes blazing into his, "Then maybe we should end this, whatever it is."

"If that's what you want, then fine with me!" he countered.

"Fine! We're through." she agreed and slammed the door in a beleaguered Ethan's face.

Ethan paused for a second trying to process just what had happened. No matter how many times he had played the night out in his head, this was not how he envisioned it going.

Had he just broken up with his best friend? Before he told her he liked her?