Chapter 10 is finally here! I know, I know, it's been a long while and I'm sorry! But school has been crazy with essays and overdue work and things of that nature. Not to mention I have been working on a few new projects, including some for Frozen. My obsession with that movie is one not to pity xD So, anyway, before you read this chapter and say that the pacing was a bit too fast because blah, blah, and blah let me just say that's the whole point! Need I remind you that Jade is about to fuck some shit up?! Things like this ALWAYS happen fast! Plus, this chapter will be really short because of the scene separation and lack of idea ability and will include a reference to one of Ariana's songs.
(Side note: I know that some of you might hate me after this chapter, so I apologize now for what my mind has conceived for this chapter)
…
Class was over, and everyone was gathering their stuff. Cat had hurried off the stage to grab her backpack in order to rush and meet up with Sam before her next period, and then she had lunch (her schedule was thrown off due to testing), and was on her way out the door when she heard two voices coming from the other side.
"I told you to take care of it!" One voice hissed. Wait…Jade?
"I'm trying to, believe me!" Was that Sam? Why were Sam and Jade talking? They knew each other?
"You don't have much time left, Puckett." Jade spat, saying Sam's last name with anger.
"How many times to I have to say I'm trying, West?" Sam said with equal emotion.
Cat peeked through the small window; she was low enough to hopefully not be noticed. She could see Sam, toe-to-toe with Jade. Jade's expression was hard and mean, Sam's not different by much. Jade leaned down, and Cat almost swore she was going to kiss her. Her blood boiled at the thought. Instead, Jade said in a low and bone chilling voice, "Take care of it soon, Puckett. Don't forget what happened last time."
With that, she shoved past Sam and up the hall. Sam watched her, her face twisted in hurt and anxiousness. Cat ducked just as Sam stomped past the doors, not even glancing at them as if she wanted to stop. The icy glare in her eyes sent a shiver down Cat's spine.
…
Next period was music. Cat walked in through the door and set her stuff down by a chair closest to the window. She herself sat down and tuned her attention to outside, resting her chin in the palm of her hand. She eagerly awaited the arrival of her teacher while she let her mind wander off into space. She imagined what would happen at lunchtime when she finally caught up with Sam. They would sit next to each other at her friend's table, Cat wrapped up in Sam's arms with her head resting on her chest. Sam would be laughing and playing with Cat's hair, getting along with Beck, Andre, Tori, and Robbie. Any tension that had built up between her and Jade would melt away and they'd hopefully be cool. No hard feelings.
"Cat."
Cat's head followed the direction of the voice and she leapt from her chair. Her first instinct was to run. Why wasn't anyone else in the class yet?!
"Relax, we're…we're not here to hurt you." Jonah said. He had a bandaged cut over his right eye, his left arm in a sling, and walked with a limp as he came closer to her. Liam, on the other hand, had a cast on his right foot which made him use crutches and a few still darkened bruises under the sleeve of his football jersey.
"Then why are you here?" Cat's voice trembled.
"To apologize." Liam said. "For what we did on Friday."
"What we did was wrong." Jonah said. "I know this sounds kinda shitty, but Sam would kill me if she found out I didn't apologize."
"So you don't even mean it?" Cat said. "I think she should kill you anyway."
Jonah shrugged, a coldness flashing in his eyes. "Hey, I mean it if I want to live." He swept her body with and up and down glance before nodding his head at Cat and walking away with Liam as a crowd of kids finally plowed into the classroom. Her legs shook as she sat back down in her chair.
"Cat, are you okay?"
The voice of Robbie makes her relax and she looks up at him, nodding her head. "Yeah, yeah, I'm okay."
Robbie sat down next to her and patted her shoulder calmingly. "You sure?"
Cat nodded again, forcing a smile. "Yeah, yeah. Thank you."
"No problem." Robbie replied, smiling.
Mr. Henshaw, their teacher, came into the room a few minutes later and started talking to them about the Moonlight Jam coming up in a few weeks.
"I expect all of you to have some idea of what you wanna do by at least the middle of next week, then a rough or final draft the following week so we can have time to practice." Mr. Henshaw explained, sweeping his gaze upon all his students. "I am allowing group performances, but only to a certain extent; meaning the whole class can't get together." There were a few groans from fellow students and Mr. Henshaw shushed them, raising his hands up. "So, find out who you're working with and what you wanna do."
Automatically, a few students drifted off into Tori's direction, a few stragglers trying to decide amongst themselves on the far side of the room. Some other kids fell in behind Cat.
"Cat, can we work together?" A girl with slurred speech asked.
"No, sorry Stacy." Cat said, watching Stacy shrug and go to find another partner.
"What about us?" a blonde named Zoey said, smiling.
"Look, guys, I'd just prefer to work by myself okay?" Cat said as nicely as she could. "I don't mean to be rude, but this is something I wanna do alone."
Her classmates sighed and left her alone, hoping to find a few others who hadn't been snatched up yet. Cat grabbed her backpack and pulled out her butterfly notebook and a flowered pen. She flipped open to an empty page. She already knew what she was planning on doing. Something special for her and Sam. It had to be just right, if not perfect. She placed the edge of the pen between her teeth, tapping her nails on the paper. Had to be just right…
…
Lunchtime finally rolls around and Cat waits outside the cafeteria for Sam. Everyone is passing by her, but no Sam. Where was she?
"Cat?" Tori asked, coming back out the doors.
"Uh-huh?" Cat said subconsciously.
"Aren't you coming in?" Tori said.
Standing on her toes to gaze down the hall one last time, Cat nodded, finally giving up. "Yeah, I guess so."
She turned and followed Tori inside to their friend's table to put her stuff down, then went up in line to get her food.
About ten minutes in to lunch, and after a long conversation about the Moonlight Jam, Cat grew bored. She stared at the wall, her fork stabbing at her spaghetti and twirling in the noodles. She rested on her elbows. Her eyes followed the pattern that was painted along the edges of the wall, only to have her view obstructed by a head of blonde hair.
"Sam!" she exclaimed, jumping up from her chair and rushing over to her. She didn't notice the pained grimace on Sam's face. "Where were you? I was looking for you and-"
"Kid." Sam said which halted Cat's rambling.
"Yeah?" Cat asked.
"We need to talk." Sam said. She didn't meet Cat's eyes.
"About what?" Cat questioned. "Sam, what's going on?"
Sam's hand balled into a fist and she bit her lip, looking off to the side. She had to do this. For her. She had to.
"Sam?" Cat's gentle and concerned tone stabbed her like a rusty serrated knife.
"We can't be together."
Cat staggered back on her feet, catching herself on a chair. "W-what?"
Sam now stared at her with a fiery light in her eyes. "We can't be together. I'm-I'm sorry, but I can't do this. I do love you, a lot, but this can't work."
Cat could feel the tears building in her eyes, her knees growing weak. Sam took two steps towards her, as steady as possible, feeling like she was going to fall. She placed her hand behind Cat's head and pulled her close, kissing her forehead. She lingered there a few seconds, squeezing her eyes shut to hold in her tears. "I'm sorry." She whispered before letting Cat go and swiftly leaving the cafeteria. But not before staring off at something or someone in the distance.
The whole world seemed to stop dead in its tracks. Cat's head swam, trying to process what had just happened, trying to convince itself that this was all a trick. That Sam would come back in any second and push her up against the table and kiss her, apologizing over and over again for trying to play such cruel trick on her. But it didn't happen. And there in the front of the lunchroom, in front of the entire junior body, is where Cat's knees finally gave away and she sank to the floor, sobbing.
…
I'M SORRY, I'M SORRY! If I made you want to flip your computer over and rage, I'm sorry! But you gotta trust me on this! Please?! Don't hate me xD Chapter 11 hopefully coming soon!