TOWITOWA, Part 16: Truth and Lies

Approaching Patrick's front porch that evening, still covered in paint from their day at the arcades, Patrick asked, "Jail time?"

Kat laughed. "Fallacy."

"I know the porn career is a lie."

Kat feigned offense and wickedly responded, "Do you?"

Patrick looked at her for a second then grinned, "Yes I do! Live duck?"

"Pure hearsay."

They sat down on the steps in front of Patrick's house and he leaned in and kissed her neck, causing her to purr a bit. She had purred more in one afternoon than her entire life combined.

"Tell me something true," Patrick demanded softly, taking Kat's hand in his and tracing her knuckles with the tips of his fingers.

"I hate peas," she announced.

"No, I mean something no one else knows."

Kat leaned over and kissed Patrick softly on the cheek. "You're sweet." She kissed his chin. "You're sexy." She kissed his mouth, her tongue darting out to lick his bottom lip before she moved away. "And incredibly hot for me."

Patrick kissed her back then murmured, "That's not what I meant."

Kat, with false innocence, replied, "Well, no one else knows those things, right?"

Patrick nodded. "You are amazingly self-assured. Has anyone told you that?"

Taking the opportunity before her, Kat said, "Go to Prom with me."

Patrick's smile disappeared. "Is that a request or a command?"

"You know what I mean," Kat cajoled, holding onto Patrick's hand even as he pulled away.

"No."

"No what?"

Patrick stood up abruptly. "No I won't go to Prom with you."

"Why not?" Kat demanded to know.

"Because it's an absurd tradition that I want no part of."

Kat thought briefly of telling him about the money she was being paid to date him, but instead said, "Come on, no on will expect you to go."

Patrick turned on her. "Why are you doing this?"

Kat stood up next to him and asked, "Doing what?"

"All of it. What's in it for you?"

Kat cringed inwardly as the money came into her head again. Mentally she shook the image free but her brief pause caused Patrick to finally lose his temper.

"Out creating a little drama for yourself?"

"So what," Kat shot back, "Now I have to have a motive to want to be with you?"

"You tell me," Patrick said heatedly.

Kat sputtered for a moment before saying, "You need some serious therapy, Patrick."

"You didn't answer my question, Katarina," Patrick bit out viciously.

"Nothing! No motive! Just the pleasure of your company!" Frustrated, Kat reached into her backpack and felt around for the nearly-full pack of cigarettes she carried around for emergencies.

As she placed the cigarette to her lips and began feeling in her pocket for her lighter, Patrick snatched the cigarette from her mouth and snapped it in half. Then he stalked up the stairs and slammed the front door behind him, leaving Kat on the front steps, shaking with sadness and guilt.