(A/N: To set the mood, look up Jade/Cat/Beck –Use Somebody by FanHarryPotter98 on a popular video site. Perfect mood setter. And the name of the last story will be…Savior.)
(2 days later)
Breathe…
I took a deep breath and exhaled.
This is killing me. All this waiting. Waiting for everyone to get back after I got turned away at Methodist, waiting to see if I might actually get in after talking to the doctor, and now waiting for my parents to get back from Methodist.
My house is so quiet. Beck, Tori, Jade and Andre are all here, but nobody is making much noise. I'm sitting here at my computer, looking up mental illnesses.
God, CAN MY PARENTS GET BACK? The doctor wanted to tell them, and then they would in turn tell us.
These Internet searches aren't helping anything. It looks like mental illnesses are incurable and take lots of pills to even control.
And I drove her to this.
Me.
The guy that loves her to pieces.
And then drove her insane.
"You ok?" Jade asked quietly behind me.
I turned to see her holding a cup in her hands and coming towards me.
"I guess so. Wish my parents would hurry back." I sighed as Jade put the drink on a coaster next to my computer.
"Yeah. Me too." She said, leaning against the wall.
"Sorry you were there alone when she…" I start, and then stop, not knowing what to say.
"It's ok. Hey, if you don't mind I want to ask about Laken."
"Sure." I said, gesturing to a chair, thinking she would sit down.
Instead she waved her hand dismissively. "When did you meet her?"
"One day about a month ago. She came up to me and asked if I could help her with the last paper and the final. I said sure and we've been hanging out pretty regularly ever since."
"Hanging out or helping her out?" She pressed.
"Mainly helping, but some hanging out." I admitted.
"Any romantic thoughts?"
"She's pretty…but I don't want to get involved with anyone."
"Really?" She looked at me funny. "Stephanie messed you up that bad huh?"
"You could say that." I shrugged.
"Cat got you down too?" She asked, looking at me.
"More like…guilty."
"That wasn't what I was thinking of but ok." She said in a rush, coming closer.
"What were you thinking of?" I asked, looking at her, completely confused.
"I was thinking you don't want to get with anyone because of Cat and Stephanie." She said bluntly, finally pulling the chair to her and sitting very close to me.
More like because I already know who I want to be with.
"Oh. I was thinking of what happened with Cat…" I said.
"You ok? You've been really quiet ever since we told you." She asked, leaning towards me and looking worried.
Yeah! I want to go snap some necks for not letting me see Cat! Can't they see she needs me?
"Just trying to figure all this out." I said dismissively.
"Slam!"
The door.
Finally!
"Mom?" I called out, hoping that she would answer.
"Yeah?" She called back, sounding confused.
"Nothing, just wondering if it was you." I said, getting up from my chair and following Jade into the living room.
"Ok…" She said, giving me a weird look as everyone filed into the living room and positioned themselves on the couch on miscellaneous chairs. I was the only one who did not sit, choosing to stand in the doorway.
Gets rid of my nervous energy better.
"Everyone here?" Mom asked.
Everyone made noises of assent, and my dad took a breath.
"Well, there's good and bad news." He began.
"Good first." Tori proposed.
Beck nodded his agreement and Jade looked positively uninterested.
"Why?" Andre asked.
"It lets us look at the bad news in a more realistic light." Tori said.
"That is very mature of you." Dad said suddenly. Behind him my mom slapped her forehead with her hand.
Yeah, he does that sometimes. But they are my parents, and I do love them.
"Ok, what's the good news?" Beck asked.
"Well, she doesn't have any mental illness of any kind."
The room exploded with cheers and hugs. Everyone got in on the act. Except me, I think they forgot I was here, just standing in the doorway.
Thank goodness though…no mental illness.
"And the bad?" Jade asked.
"They…don't know when she'll get out." He said bluntly.
The room suddenly deadened, and I swear I heard the birds outside.
Silence.
"Why?" Andre asked.
"The doctors don't fully know what is wrong with her. They have suspicions, but nothing concrete." He explained.
"What do they think?" Tori asked.
"They think it's stress. They believe that she's been under a lot of mental and physical stress and that it built up to the point that she began showing it without even noticing."
"Like the random crying when she saw Trina?" Jade butted in.
"Exactly. The only time she was fully in control was when she was relaxed. Any other time she probably close to bursting." Mom replied.
"Those stories you guys told the nurses did wonders with the doctors knowing this much. Cat isn't being very receptive to questions." Dad jumped in.
That time with those nurses was torture. I was ordered in, asked tons of questions that didn't seem to make any sort of sense, then happily ushered out with the reminder that I can't see Cat.
I'm not a fan of these doctors.
Or maybe I'm just pissed beyond belief. At this entire ordeal.
"It's not her fault. She's a human stress ball it sounds like." Tori said.
"Which is one reason the doctors have no timetable for her. They just said clear her schedule." Dad explained.
"What do they mean by that?" Beck asked.
No CTC.
No music.
No acting.
"They didn't explain. They said that whatever is on her plate needs to get off. And fast."
"That takes next semester out." I said quietly, and everyone jumped up.
"Yeah."
"What about her apartment? Didn't she have a job?" Jade asked.
"No, her record deal was paying for that." I answered.
Which is in fact, a lie. IMG said that they'd start paying her for her time starting at the beginning of January. She didn't have the funds so I stepped in. No big deal, but she quit her waitressing job because of the lousy treatment she was getting. I was there the last night she worked.
And I'm not talking about what happened.
It was supposed to be a nice surprise for her. She'd mentioned some creepy guy problems and I was thinking of surprising her and letting her relax about taking care of me.
(Flashback)
I glanced to my right and saw a large, athletic looking guy flag down Cat. She did her job, taking there orders, then he said…something that caused her to blush furiously and walk back to the front of the restaurant.
"That chick has gotta be the easiest item in America." One guy said.
"Here's your drink and yours and…pop!" Another said, separating his first two fingers.
The table erupted in laughter.
Jackasses…
Poor Cat.
Suddenly Cat quickly came back with my burger and fries and placed it in front of me.
"Here ya go!"
She gave me a subtle smile and walked off.
"She's acting. At least with me. She's playing the role of a 60's waitress."
She loves the 60's.
Meanwhile, the dumb guys were trying, and failing miserably to rap.
"I'm going to be the next Eminem! Or Asher Roth! Or…Mac Miller!" The main one said, who I now noticed had spiked hair.
"Hey!" The table erupted, as the guys began to eat again or down another beer.
Cat gave them a very dirty look as she began towards them again. It's part of her job…to check up on the tables and make sure everything is fine, but her manager should at least step in with these idiots.
"How's everything going over here?" She asked peppily.
"Fine, one thing though." Spiked Hair guy said, with a smile.
"Sure." Cat smiled back, looking genuine.
Which only means she wants to bust her mug over his head.
"Would you mind giving all of us your phone number? We'd love to meet up later on tonight." He said confidently.
Cat blushed more than I've ever seen her blush. And that's saying something.
"No, and I think you guys have had enough to drink for tonight…" She said.
"Whatever you slut!"
The entire section went quiet and turned to look and Cat and Spiky haired guy. I felt like killing him right then and there, while a few parents had their hands over there children's ears.
Cat quickly escaped to the safety of…wherever she goes.
"How dare you!" A older woman snapped, sounding ready to explode. "There are children in here and she did NOT deserve that!"
The room quickly burst out into angry mutters, with the drunken frat boys taking a lot of insults.
I wanted to do something, but I'm her friend. It'll look like charity or something…I don't know. It won't look genuine though.
Quickly my phone buzzed just as the manager appeared, approaching one of the tables in the general area.
"You ok? Need anything?"-Cat
Wow…she's worried about me after all of that.
"I'm fine sweetie. You ok?"
I sipped my drink as the manager quickly made the rounds. He's two away from the Frat table.
"Yeah…my manager heard and gave me the rest of the night off. I don't have a ride home though."
"Excuse me sir?" A male voice interrupted my train of thought and I looked up to see Cat's manager.
"I apologize for their disturbance. Is everything alright over here?"
"Yes, thank you." I smiled, and the manager proceeded on to the next table.
So…Cat doesn't have a ride home and I have a sports car parked in the parking lot…
Problem, meet solution.
I smiled as I replied to Cat's text. "Hey, I brought my car."
"Really? Can you take me home after you're done?" She replied.
I can practically see her hopeful face.
"Hey, can you get to the empty booth beside me?" I asked, referring to the booth on the other side of the barrier next to me.
"Yeah, be there in a second."
I ate a bit more and watched as the manager attempted to get the frat boys to calm down, to no avail.
Tap Tap.
"I'm here."- Cat
I smiled, pulled my keys out of my pocket and dropped them into the booth where Cat is.
"Ow!" I heard, along with the metallic clinking of my keys.
"Take my car to your apartment. I'll meet you there." I sent off.
"But…it's all nice and expensive!" She replied. I had a feeling she was still stationed in the booth beside me.
"So? I'll meet up with you and give you your proper tip once I see you ok?"
Finally, the manager annoyed the college boys enough that they decided to make their way to the exit. The entire section seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
"Fine."- Cat
Talk about a disaster. That was what started Camp Cat in the first place.
"Thanks and have a nice day." The taxi driver said, then backing out and driving away.
I turned and smiled at Cat's apartment complex. It's really a group of condominiums, but it's moderately priced and for whatever reason it's classified under apartments. I've seen apartments that can fit in Cat's living room I'll tell you.
I quickly made my way up the stairs and knocked on the door.
The door was quickly wrenched open and Cat, still in uniform hurled herself at me.
"Thankyouthankyouthankyou…" She said into my chest, hugging me tightly.
"No problem Cat." I smiled, and she let go of me.
"You want a drink?" She offered, going into the kitchen.
"Sure." I replied, walking into the living room and sitting on the couch.
A moment later she brought back a dark drink and handed it to me. Both of us took a moment to enjoy the silence.
"I liked the food. The best part was my waitress." I smirked at Cat, who in turn turned to glance at me and went a soft pink.
"Thanks…sorry about the guys."
"Not your fault. They were the jerks. You did everything right." I reassured her.
"Robbie? Can I ask you something? Between you and me?"
"Sure, what's up?" I asked.
"Am I really a slut?"
I quickly whipped around and saw Cat, looking at the ceiling with her drink firmly in her hands.
"Why do you ask?" I asked, confused.
"That guy…he has a point. I've slept with 5 guys in 2 and ½ years and am single currently. I…I think I am kind of a slut."
I sidestepped the table and scooped her into a hug.
"Caterina Valentine. You are nowhere near a slut ok? You are perfect. So you've been with a few guys and haven't met Mr. Right yet. That's not a bad thing. You have time. Don't worry about what anyone else says. Do what's right for you." I told her, softly poking her stomach at the end.
She giggled and curled into my chest. "Robbie…I'm just worried…that I won't find him. Or that I've met him and driven him away." She looked up at me, eyes sparkling.
She's talking about me…
"Cat…you haven't driven me away sweetheart ok? You have a special part of my heart that's all yours ok? Nobody is going to take that away."
Her response was muffled by her crying into my shirt. I simply ran my fingers thru her hair and kissed her cheek twice.
"Are you busy tonight?" She asked suddenly, releasing me.
"No…" I began, mentally checking if I had to write something.
"Can we go to your house and write some music? And can you drive me?"
You obviously know the rest of the story. I've come back to her thinking she'd lost me a lot in the last 2 days.
Which only adds to my guilt.
And confusion.
I told her that I wasn't going anywhere…
Was she looking for something romantic there?
Crap.
Went right by me. I was thinking superficial when she was thinking romantic.
I am an idiot.
"Robbie?" My mom asked quickly.
"Yeah?" I replied, shaking my head.
"I asked about IMG paying for the apartment."
"Oh sorry. I'll talk to them about that. Don't worry I'll handle it." I answered.
"Ok, what about next semester?" Beck asked.
"The doctor said that the easier the transition back to normalcy the better. I can only infer what he meant, but he wants her to attend class alongside her friends when she does go back to school." Dad said.
"Wait…so the doctor wants us to stop going until Cat goes back?" Tori asked, sounding shocked.
"That's what I think he meant. It's up to you of course. You could always proceed on and take the same classes as her when she comes back." Dad suggested.
Looks like I'm getting a job. I wonder if Dad'll hire me?
"So no school…just that miserable place for a indefinite time period?" Jade asked, sounding flabbergasted.
"Yeah. We just have to wait."
"I hate waiting." Beck spat out. Everyone else laughed.
Except me.
This is my fault. I hate waiting too, but if it is best for Cat…
Then it's what's probably best for me.