A/N: Well, here you guys go. Hope you like it! Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own Kat, Drew, and Kyle, everything else belongs to S. E. Hinton
Chapter Ten
Two-Bit, Ponyboy, Johnny and I all walked to school together.
"Hey, Two-Bit, why aren't you usually at school?" I asked.
"Oh, I am," Two-Bit said. "But I usually walk with some other people, and have lunch with other people. I figured I'd stick with you guys today, though."
"Oh, thanks then, I guess," I grinned at him.
He smiled back, but it quickly disappeared. "How's your side?"
"It kinda hurts, but it's getting better. I guess," I said, absently rubbing it. There was a constant throbbing. I wasn't sure if it was from the actual cut, or if Darry just wrapped it too tight.
"Well, I suppose I'll see you guys around lunch," Two-Bit called as he ran to catch up to some friend.
"I'll see you two later, too," I said, heading off to my classes.
When lunch time came, I sat with Ponyboy, Johnny, and Two-Bit for a little, but I wasn't hungry, so I got up to wonder around.
As I walked, I noticed the music room was empty. Glancing around, I snuck in, closing the door behind me.
I picked up a guitar that was sitting around, and messed around with it until I got a feel for the instrument, and I started to play the song "Love Me Do" bye the Beatles.
Love, love me do
You know, I love you
I'll always be true,
So please, love me do
Ooh, love me do.
There was a sound behind me, about halfway through the song that made me jump.
I stopped and turned, startled.
"Please, don't stop on my account," the woman said. She had short blonde hair, and blue eyes. I recognized her as the music teacher, but I didn't know her name. "Please, keep going."
I didn't want to say no, but I also didn't like to sing in front of people. Finally, I started playing again.
Someone to love,
Somebody new,
Someone to love
Someone like you
I finished up the song, and the whole time the teacher seemed entranced.
"You know, I don't recognize you," she said. "You aren't in music, are you?"
"Um, no, ma'am, I'm not," replied.
"Why not?"
"I, uh, I guess because I don't like performing," I replied. "I mean, I don't really have the confidence."
"You're really good," she commented. "What's your name.
"Katherine. Katherine Anderson."
"Well, Katherine, I really hope you'll consider joining music," she smiled. "Until the, try not to play our instruments again? They're for music students only." She smiled as she walked off, and I quickly left the room.
The hallway was empty, and as I passed the cafeteria, I heard the clamor of students talking and laughing. I had no desire to join them, so I walked to my next class, fully intending to wait outsider for class to start.
Halfway down the hall, someone grabbed my wrist. As he spun me around, I prepared myself to scream, and got ready to slap him, fully expecting Bob to be there.
But it was Drew. I stopped my hand just before it hit him, and let it drop.
I stared blankly at him.
"Katherine, I'm not letting you go that easily," he said.
"Really, because I am letting you go that easily," I said flatly.
"I messed up, Katherine, and I'm sorry," he said. "I'm not like you, I've been brought up to worry what people think of me. Image is everything to me; to Socs."
"You think I don't know that?" I asked him, pulling me arm away. "You think I haven't been in that same position?"
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"Forget it Drew," I said. I was vaguely aware of the crowd of people coming from the cafeteria. I wasn't about to make a scene. "I've gotta go."
I turned without waiting for a response, and hurried off to class.
The day dragged on, and all I could think of playing that guitar.
It felt weird having an audience, but not bad weird, just different weird.
I was still thinking about it when the final bell rang, but I shook off the feeling, and I hurried to meet up with Ponyboy, Johnny, and Two-Bit after school, and we headed to the Curtis'.
"Where'd you go to at lunch?" Two-Bit asked.
I shrugged. "Didn't feel like being around people today, I guess."
"Aw, why not, people are fun?" Two-Bit fake whined in his usual joking manner.
I didn't have a chance to answer, though, because someone grabbed my wrist and spun me around. It was Drew, like last time, but unlike last time, I didn't stop my hand from smacking him in the face. Not because it was him, I still didn't know it was him until the last second, but now that I wasn't at school, I didn't feel the need to hold back.
We stared silently at each other, him rubbing his cheek. "I didn't hit you on purpose, because I didn't know it was you, but I still won't apologize"
"We need to talk, Katherine," he said. "I want to know what you meant earlier. You're a Greaser, image means nothing to you. At least, it doesn't mean the same to you as it does to me."
"Because maybe I haven't always been a Greaser," I said. "You said it yourself, you thought I was a Soc when I first moved here, or, at least you didn't think I was a Greaser. Wanna know why? Because I was a Soc before I moved. But it's not who I am now. That girl I was in New York was a total façade, just for my parents. But I'm done with that now."
Drew looked at me in confusion. "Why would you give up that life?"
"Because I didn't have much of a choice, and also because I'm finally able to be me."
"So that means we can't be together?" He asked.
"No, you abandoning me because you didn't want to look less in your friends' eyes is why we can't be together. I'm sorry, Drew, it's just the way it is." I turned on my heel, and marched past my friends, and made my way to the Curtis house.
We were almost there, when Johnny spoke up, "You didn't break up with him 'cause of us, did ya?"
I looked at him and laughed. "'Course not, Johnny, I broke up with him 'cause he's not the kind of guy I want to date. If he had just stood up for me, and helped me get away, I wouldn't have a gash on my side."
We got back to the Curtis house to find everyone there, even Steve and Soda. It must've been their day off.
"What is everyone doing home?" I asked.
"Well, we got the day off," Soda said, indicating himself and Steve.
"And Super Dope over there in the kitchen doesn't work 'till later," Steve said.
"I heard that, Randle!" Darry called.
I laughed. "Okay, then."
Just then, a car honked outside.
I jumped, and looked towards the window. I couldn't really see the car well from where I was, so I said, "I swear, if that's Drew again, I'm gonna do more than slap him."
I got up and made my way outside, with the gang close behind me. Before I knew what was happening, a curly, blonde haired, bundle of energy that could only belong to one person was throwing herself at me in a hug.
I stumbled back a few steps, right into someone, before I was able to return the hug. It was a few moments before she let go, and I was looking into her green eyes, her shoulder length hair in perfect curls as always.
"Kayla! What are you doing here?" I asked in surprise.
"Well, hello to you, too," she said in mock annoyance, but it quickly dissolved into giggles.
"I knew that was you giggling in the background when Kyle called!" I laughed, and hugged her again.
"Katherine, I've missed you so much," she said. This time when she pulled back, she was glaring at me. "Why didn't you ever call?"
"Oh, um, I was… busy?" I replied weekly. "I'm sorry, I must have forgotten."
"How can you forget me?" She asked incredulously. "Your best friend!"
"I'm sorry, Kayla! Jeez, I just forgot to call, I didn't forget you," I said. "Relax, would you?"
She sighed in her usual dramatic tone. "Fine, fine. Are you at least going to introduce me to your friends?"
"I'm sorry, honey, you were too busy whining for me to get introductions in," I said. She stuck her tongue out at me, and I spoke up before she could say anything else. I turned, coming nearly face to face (well, face to chest) with Dally. He was the one I bumped into, then. "Alright, Kayla, I know it'll be hard, with you being spacey sometimes, but pay attention and take notes. In front if us stands Dallas Winston, we all call him Dally. Behind him, you've got Johnny Cade, Ponyboy Curits, Sodapop Curtis, Darrel Curtis, Two-Bit Mathews, and Steve Randle. Got all that?"
She looked at me blankly, and shook her head. "Absolutely not. I'll catch on, though."
"How long you staying, anyways?" I asked.
"As long as it takes to get the rest of the story from you," she said. She added to my confused look, "Kyle over there told me you got jumped, but didn't say anything else, and all of your friends are guys. Start talking, missey."
A/N: Sorry to leave it at that, it felt like the best place to stop. And my dad gave me ten minutes to finish up. So here you go! Hope you liked it! Let me know, please!