Chapter 9 - The Real Kate

It was 4:58 on Friday afternoon and Miranda quietly walked up Kate's driveway and checked over her shoulders every few steps. She walked to Kate's door and pressed the door bell. After a few seconds, Mrs. Sander's opened the door. "Miranda?" she asked in shock. Miranda looked over her shoulder one last time, and then looked at Mrs. Sander's with a smile. She remembered when she and Kate, along with Lizzie and Gordo, were all best friends. They would all meet at Kate's house on Friday nights and have little sleep-overs. Back then things were kind of different. But one thing was the same: They all hated Mrs. Sanders. Miranda never knew why, but they treated her really bad and were always thinking of new ways to torment her.

"Hi Mrs. Sanders, is Kate home?" asked Miranda.

"Uh-Umm... Yeah. Come in. She's up in her room. Do you remember where her room is?" Mrs. Sanders had this "please say yes because I don't want to go up there" look on her face.

"Yes, I do, thanks!" Miranda smiled, and began her journey to Kate's bedroom. When she was half-way up the stairs, she turned back to Mrs. Sanders. "Mrs. Sanders?" Mrs. Sanders looked up at Miranda. "I just want to to know... I'm sorry I wasn't that nice to you when I was little. I know that may sound pathetic, but I just wanted you to know that. You are a great mom, I just wish I had realized that when I was little." She then ran the rest of the way up the stairs before Mrs. Sanders could answer.

When she found Kate's door, she knocked lightly and waited for Kate to answer. All of a sudden, Kate swung her door open and yelled, "I SAID, LEAVE. ME. ALONE!" when she saw who was at her door, she smiled. "I'm so sorry Miranda! I thought you were my mom. Come on in, we have to get down to business!"

Miranda smiled and walked through her doorway. She looked around the room and she noticed an apparent theme: Red. Red walls, red sheets... everything was red. She turned back to Kate, who then motioned for her to sit down on the floor. After Miranda sat down, Kate walked over to her desk and picked up a pile of papers. She then walked back to Miranda and sat in front of her.

"Okay, I have drawn up a few plans." Kate said with a grin. "Take a look at them and tell me which one you think is appropriate."

Kate handed the papers to Miranda, and Miranda began looking at each page. With each turn of the page Miranda's eyes grew wider and wider. "Kate... these are -"

"Awesome? Ingenious? Brilliant?" said Kate. "I know!"

"No... I meant they're really cruel and inhumane." Miranda said.

Kate sighed. "I knew you wouldn't be smart enough to understand these great plans." Kate grabbed the papers and through them into the trash bin. "So, I guess we'll have to come up with our own plan together."

"Okay, but maybe we should talk about why we're doing this and what we feel we'll get out of it. You go first since you pretty much know why I want to do it." Miranda smiled.

"Alright... But first, let's go down to the kitchen and get some drinks and some junk food." Kate jumped up and headed down stairs, and Miranda trailed behind. Once down in the kitchen, Kate walked over to the fridge and opened it.

"Kate, no junk food before dinner!" yelled her mom.

"Whatever Vera!" Kate yelled back and continued to look for food, while Miranda sat down on a stool. "God, can you believe how annoying moms are?"

"Well, actually Kate, I like your mom." Miranda said quietly. She looked down at her hands, knowing Kate would flip at her any minute.

"You do?" Kate asked shocked.

"Yeah... she's cool." Miranda replied. Maybe Kate won't flip...

"Hmmm... maybe your right." Kate replied. Maybe she's right... I mean, a lot of people do say my mom is cool... "Anyway, would you like a root beer?"

"Sure." Miranda replied. "Kate... I have a few questions."

"About what?" Kate asked while pouring some root beer.

"Just about you mainly." Miranda replied. "I mean, I just have always wondered about why you changed and stuff." Miranda looked down at her hands. "No offense Kate, because you used to be my friend and then you weren't... it hurt." She looked up at Kate, who by now had stopped pouring the root beer, and was just looking at the bubbles.

"I know. It hurt me too." She picked up the glasses and sat down beside Miranda. "I don't know what happened. I ask myself that too. I guess I just wanted a change." She looked over at Miranda and smiled. "I remember when we used to do this... have these talks only with cream soda instead of root beer."

"Yeah..." Miranda smiled. "That was a great time." Miranda looked down. "Does Ethan like me?" She looked back up.

"Oh lord, how did you find out?"

"He really does?" Miranda smiled from ear to ear.

"Yeah, I mean, Heather told me he did." she replied. "I guess he got the balls to tell you, huh"

"He told me last night when I was online.

"That's great! He hates me, but who doesn't?" Kate looked down.

"No one really hates you... they are just hurt... I mean, when you dramatically changed, you hurt not only your true friends, but everyone else." Miranda looked back down. "You changed into someone that no one knew, someone that everyone didn't want to see. Just... think about what you have done in the past since you changed. Look at that person, and decide who you really want to be."

Kate sighed. "I guess I should."

With that, both Miranda and Kate got up and walked to the door. Kate was the first to speak.

"Listen, Miranda. I know you don't want to hurt Lizzie and Gordo. I mean, you basically spelled that out back there. I don't know if I want to either... but other people do. People I don't think have a big enough heart to listen to you. We need to stop them."

"Who?"

"Well... I don't know if you'll believe me..."