Disclaimer: The Cobras, Castle Rock, etc. belong to Stephen King and Columbia Tristar. Katherine, her parents, Maggie, Sarah, and Jennifer belong to me.
Chapter 5
Our parents never found out about that night at Erring Point, and they never found out about the other Friday and Saturday nights we spent there. A little while after that first night, word got around that I was Ace's girl, though I don't know how. I didn't think I was, and I knew neither my friends nor any of the Cobras had told anyone that. I think this story started with a particular episode, one that happened the Wednesday after we went to the Point for the first time.
-----------------------------------------
It was a pretty typical Wednesday, boring and drag-y and all. We got out of school at the regular 2:30 in the afternoon and as usual, I was driving Maggie, Jen, and Sarah home.
As we were getting into the car Ace's familiar Ford screeched to a halt in front of it. "Afternoon, ladies," Ace said with a grin.
"Hey, Ace. Eyeball," I replied, seeing that Eyeball was in the passenger seat.
"Suspended again, Ace?" I asked.
"Fuck yeah. Ya know, it shouldn't be against the rules to teach a lesson to a kid who can't keep his big mouth shut," he replied.
"I don't get why you just don't quit, man," Eyeball said as he got out of the car.
"Cause I don't want to be a dumb shit like you," answered Ace with a smirk.
"Like you ain't already," Eyeball shot back and then it looked like they might go at it.
"Guys! You want to get in even more trouble?" Sarah exclaimed and grabbed Eyeball's arm. "If you want to fight, do it somewhere else."
"Fine," huffed Eyeball and he lit a cigarette.
"Now, where was I? Oh, yeah. You girls want to hang out now?" Ace asked.
"Now?" I repeated. "I dunno, we got stuff to do."
"Yeah, right, Kitty-Kat. Get yer ass over here," Ace said and he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me close.
"Oh, looks like Kat's got herself a *bad* *boy*," sing-songed a voice from the left.
We all looked in the direction of the voice, and it was Mindy Wright, princess of Castle Rock High. "Mindy. Eavesdroppin again?" I asked sweetly.
"I was just walking here and saw this lovely display. I thought that if you were suspended you weren't allowed on school grounds," she answered just as sweetly.
"Technically this isn't school grounds, as we're one hundred feet from the building," Jen pointed out.
Mindy sneered, "Well then, Miss Smarty-Pants, who said dropouts could hang around either? It's an embarrassment to the community."
"Are you lookin to get your face smashed in, Wright? Who said you could mess with the Cobras?" I asked and felt Maggie's hand on my upper-arm. I knew she didn't want to see me get in major trouble and get kicked out of my house.
"Oh, I've never heard of one of these hoods beating up a girl. I think I'm safe," she said with confidence.
"Safe from us, maybe. But what about my girl?" Ace asked and Mindy's face paled just a little.
"You wouldn't, Katherine. What would your *daddy* say?" she asked and her smile returned.
This just boiled my blood. My hand slid to my switchblade and I lightly grabbed hold of the handle. "Kat, it isn't worth it. She just wants to get at you," Maggie said from my right side.
"Yeah, Mags might be right, but she still deserves what she's got comin," Ace said from my left. The two of them were like the devil and the angel on my shoulders.
"Mindy, my dad doesn't give a fuck. You come near me or my friends again and I *will* hurt you," I finally said and Sarah told me later that if looks could kill, Mindy woulda been six feet under.
"I'm going to tell everyone you're screwing Ace Merrill," she threatened.
"Have fun, Prom Queen. I don't care," I answered pointedly.
"Fine," sulked Mindy and she turned on her heel, stomping away from us.
"Well, that was fun," Ace said after she was gone. "So, anyway, how bout it?"
"How about what?" I asked in disbelief.
"Hanging out."
I glanced at my friends, who just sort of shrugged. "Sure, why not?" said Sarah.
-----------------------------------------
We ended up sitting around Billy Tessio's large backyard, mostly because there was nowhere else to go and his mom was as dull as he was and didn't catch on to anything too quickly.
"So, are ya gonna beat her up?" Vince asked me from where he was sitting on the Tessio's picnic bench. Ace had filled everyone in on what had happened at CRHS.
"I dunno, maybe," I answered and took a drag of my cigarette.
"Like I keep tellin ya Kitty-Kat, that's one bitch who deserves a good hidin," Ace said as he plucked the cigarette from my mouth and took a drag himself.
"Hey, my mom ain't gonna like you two smokin here," Billy interrupted.
"Hey Billy, anyone ever tell ya how much of a fuckin pussy you are?" Eyeball asked and the guys busted out laughing.
"Fuck you, man. I ain't a pussy," Billy retorted, and that was the extent of his answer.
"Anyway...Kat, the trouble you'd get in just isn't worth it. Maybe the day after graduation. I'll even help," Maggie offered with a smile.
"What is it with you and Kat not gettin into trouble, Mags? I didn't know you were her mom," Ace asked.
"It's nothing, Ace. Ya know Maggie's a worrier is all," I said quickly.
"I guess. You'd tell me if something was goin down, right Kat?" he asked me.
"Of course, Merrill. You'll be the first to know. After Sarah...and Maggie...and Jen...and, well, if I see Eyeball first...," I answered and trailed off.
"*Ha* *Ha*, Reyes. What a laugh riot," Ace said but I saw that his smile was real.
Just then I saw a blur of color that seemed to contain four boys. "What was that?" I asked.
"Just my dumb-shit kid brother and his stupid friends," Billy answered.
Ace's smile disappeared and his features darkened when he noticed them sprinting into the house. "Stupid fuckers," he growled to himself.
"Ace?"
He snapped out of it and turned to me. "Nothin, Kitty-Kat. Nothin at all."
"Now who's keeping secrets," I said softly.
"It's nothin, baby. Sincerely," Ace replied and he pulled me into his lap. "We're okay?"
After a few seconds of silence I relented. "Yeah."
"Good," said Ace and he drew me in for a kiss, which was cut short by the Cobras and my friends whooping and making kissing noises.
"Very mature guys," I said with a laugh.
--------------------------------------------
I noticed the next day a difference in how people regarded me. Some of the kids who sometimes made snide remarks as I walked down the hall now were very quiet. I slid into my seat in history class and the girl who sat behind me tapped me on the shoulder. "Yeah?"
She sort of averted her eyes, which I though was kinda weird. "Well, are you really seeing Ace Merrill, like steady and all?"
"I guess so. Why?" I asked. Now I was really interested. What was it any of her business?
" My parents say he's a real j.d., that he's big trouble."
"Good for your folks. And this relates to me how?"
"Well, we all just wanted to tell you that you're not welcome in the View anymore," she got out that last part real fast.
"Oh, boo-fuckin-hoo. Tell, me, was I ever?" I asked, and smiled when she started to blush.
"Look, I'm just giving you a heads up. We don't like the Cobras, so we don't like you," she replied defensively.
"Cool. I like the Cobras, and I don't like any of you," I told her and turned around, ending the conversation.
---------------------------------
Later that day I told Sarah about my conversation with the girl. "Oh, that was Grace. She's really book-smart but dim in just about any other way."
"What did she think she was doin?"
"Probably just what she said, giving you a heads up."
"Weird."
"Yeah, pretty much."
------------------------------------
When I got home my mother was sitting at the table. Perfect, just what I needed. "Honey, I 'd like to speak to you."
"All right, about what?" I asked and sat in the seat she gestured to. I knew I wasn't going to like what she said.
"Mrs. Wright spoke to me yesterday. She said that you and a bunch of your friends threatened her daughter. We're not backsliding, are we?" she asked.
I sighed and struggled to keep my rising anger low. What right did she have to get in on my business when she's never cared before? "We exchanged words, Mother. She threatened to spread some nasty rumors about me and a friend of mine, so I threatened to hurt her. That's all."
"Honey, you shouldn't let people get to you like that. I know you have your father's temper, but that's no excuse." My father's temper? Now this had been the first time I'd heard anything about him having a temper.
"I know, but the people here are just so smug. They think they're better than everyone else," I said, which was true but I was still just trying to placate her.
"In a way, they are. I'm aware that your friends are not at, shall we say, our level. I'm trying to accept that, so long as they don't get you into trouble."
I wanted to punch her out right then, sincerely. Punch her right in her icy, arrogant mug. "They don't. The View kids wanna start somethin, well, I can't help that."
"If you were friends with the right people, that would help," my mother replied in this 'let's be reasonable' tone of voice.
"That time is over, Mother. Mindy spread that rumor, so what's done is done. May I go now?" I asked.
"Yes, fine. Just remember our deal. *No* *trouble*."
"Yeah, okay," I said and ran up the stairs, not stopping until I was in my room with the door locked. Then I fell onto my bed and cried.
It was around ten o'clock when I was jolted awake by a knock on my window. It was Ace.
"Ace, what are you doin here?" I asked after I'd opened the window.
"Didn't see ya all day," he answered. "Come out."
I nodded and climbed out the window. Ace took hold of my arm and he helped me get out of the tree, even though I really didn't need any help. Once we were on the ground he just stood there and looked at me. "See anythin ya like, Merrill?" I joked.
"Hell yeah," he said softly and pulled me into his arms.
"Ace, why are ya really here?" I asked.
"Told ya, I didn't see you at all today. What happened?"
He let me go and we sat on the cement patio that takes up a good portion of the backyard. "Nothin. After school my mother wanted to have a little chat, and after that I really didn't feel like seein anybody." I said.
"She lay into ya?" he asked.
"Sorta. I just don't want to talk about it," I replied.
"That's too bad, Kitty-Kat. Remember, ain't no secrets between us," Ace said and put his arm around me.
"Fine. This is the thing," I started, and before I knew it my whole story was pouring out of me. "My parents never cared about me at all, and I know they still don't. But this year, after I got kicked outta my last high school, they gave me an ultimatum. If I messed up at all, I would be kicked outta the house. So my mother, who I haven't really seen since the day we moved in, wanted to talk to me about what happened with Mindy. Apparently the bitch's mother called here."
I think that that was the first time in his life that Ace was speechless. "Damn, I'm sorry Kat," he said when he finally recovered.
"Why? You didn't do anything."
"Cause I kept trying to get you to beat her up and all. If I'd know what you were goin through, I really wouldn't a done that," he replied.
"Ace, it's cool. How'd you get here anyway?" I asked, changing the subject. I knew Ace probably noticed this, but he didn't say anything.
"My car, of course. It's a couple of blocks away."
"Let's go somewhere," I said and stood up, pulling him with me.
"Where to?" he asked with a grin.
"Anywhere. I just don't wanna be here right now," I replied, and I was aware of the slight desperation in my voice.
Chapter 5
Our parents never found out about that night at Erring Point, and they never found out about the other Friday and Saturday nights we spent there. A little while after that first night, word got around that I was Ace's girl, though I don't know how. I didn't think I was, and I knew neither my friends nor any of the Cobras had told anyone that. I think this story started with a particular episode, one that happened the Wednesday after we went to the Point for the first time.
-----------------------------------------
It was a pretty typical Wednesday, boring and drag-y and all. We got out of school at the regular 2:30 in the afternoon and as usual, I was driving Maggie, Jen, and Sarah home.
As we were getting into the car Ace's familiar Ford screeched to a halt in front of it. "Afternoon, ladies," Ace said with a grin.
"Hey, Ace. Eyeball," I replied, seeing that Eyeball was in the passenger seat.
"Suspended again, Ace?" I asked.
"Fuck yeah. Ya know, it shouldn't be against the rules to teach a lesson to a kid who can't keep his big mouth shut," he replied.
"I don't get why you just don't quit, man," Eyeball said as he got out of the car.
"Cause I don't want to be a dumb shit like you," answered Ace with a smirk.
"Like you ain't already," Eyeball shot back and then it looked like they might go at it.
"Guys! You want to get in even more trouble?" Sarah exclaimed and grabbed Eyeball's arm. "If you want to fight, do it somewhere else."
"Fine," huffed Eyeball and he lit a cigarette.
"Now, where was I? Oh, yeah. You girls want to hang out now?" Ace asked.
"Now?" I repeated. "I dunno, we got stuff to do."
"Yeah, right, Kitty-Kat. Get yer ass over here," Ace said and he wrapped his arm around my waist and pulled me close.
"Oh, looks like Kat's got herself a *bad* *boy*," sing-songed a voice from the left.
We all looked in the direction of the voice, and it was Mindy Wright, princess of Castle Rock High. "Mindy. Eavesdroppin again?" I asked sweetly.
"I was just walking here and saw this lovely display. I thought that if you were suspended you weren't allowed on school grounds," she answered just as sweetly.
"Technically this isn't school grounds, as we're one hundred feet from the building," Jen pointed out.
Mindy sneered, "Well then, Miss Smarty-Pants, who said dropouts could hang around either? It's an embarrassment to the community."
"Are you lookin to get your face smashed in, Wright? Who said you could mess with the Cobras?" I asked and felt Maggie's hand on my upper-arm. I knew she didn't want to see me get in major trouble and get kicked out of my house.
"Oh, I've never heard of one of these hoods beating up a girl. I think I'm safe," she said with confidence.
"Safe from us, maybe. But what about my girl?" Ace asked and Mindy's face paled just a little.
"You wouldn't, Katherine. What would your *daddy* say?" she asked and her smile returned.
This just boiled my blood. My hand slid to my switchblade and I lightly grabbed hold of the handle. "Kat, it isn't worth it. She just wants to get at you," Maggie said from my right side.
"Yeah, Mags might be right, but she still deserves what she's got comin," Ace said from my left. The two of them were like the devil and the angel on my shoulders.
"Mindy, my dad doesn't give a fuck. You come near me or my friends again and I *will* hurt you," I finally said and Sarah told me later that if looks could kill, Mindy woulda been six feet under.
"I'm going to tell everyone you're screwing Ace Merrill," she threatened.
"Have fun, Prom Queen. I don't care," I answered pointedly.
"Fine," sulked Mindy and she turned on her heel, stomping away from us.
"Well, that was fun," Ace said after she was gone. "So, anyway, how bout it?"
"How about what?" I asked in disbelief.
"Hanging out."
I glanced at my friends, who just sort of shrugged. "Sure, why not?" said Sarah.
-----------------------------------------
We ended up sitting around Billy Tessio's large backyard, mostly because there was nowhere else to go and his mom was as dull as he was and didn't catch on to anything too quickly.
"So, are ya gonna beat her up?" Vince asked me from where he was sitting on the Tessio's picnic bench. Ace had filled everyone in on what had happened at CRHS.
"I dunno, maybe," I answered and took a drag of my cigarette.
"Like I keep tellin ya Kitty-Kat, that's one bitch who deserves a good hidin," Ace said as he plucked the cigarette from my mouth and took a drag himself.
"Hey, my mom ain't gonna like you two smokin here," Billy interrupted.
"Hey Billy, anyone ever tell ya how much of a fuckin pussy you are?" Eyeball asked and the guys busted out laughing.
"Fuck you, man. I ain't a pussy," Billy retorted, and that was the extent of his answer.
"Anyway...Kat, the trouble you'd get in just isn't worth it. Maybe the day after graduation. I'll even help," Maggie offered with a smile.
"What is it with you and Kat not gettin into trouble, Mags? I didn't know you were her mom," Ace asked.
"It's nothing, Ace. Ya know Maggie's a worrier is all," I said quickly.
"I guess. You'd tell me if something was goin down, right Kat?" he asked me.
"Of course, Merrill. You'll be the first to know. After Sarah...and Maggie...and Jen...and, well, if I see Eyeball first...," I answered and trailed off.
"*Ha* *Ha*, Reyes. What a laugh riot," Ace said but I saw that his smile was real.
Just then I saw a blur of color that seemed to contain four boys. "What was that?" I asked.
"Just my dumb-shit kid brother and his stupid friends," Billy answered.
Ace's smile disappeared and his features darkened when he noticed them sprinting into the house. "Stupid fuckers," he growled to himself.
"Ace?"
He snapped out of it and turned to me. "Nothin, Kitty-Kat. Nothin at all."
"Now who's keeping secrets," I said softly.
"It's nothin, baby. Sincerely," Ace replied and he pulled me into his lap. "We're okay?"
After a few seconds of silence I relented. "Yeah."
"Good," said Ace and he drew me in for a kiss, which was cut short by the Cobras and my friends whooping and making kissing noises.
"Very mature guys," I said with a laugh.
--------------------------------------------
I noticed the next day a difference in how people regarded me. Some of the kids who sometimes made snide remarks as I walked down the hall now were very quiet. I slid into my seat in history class and the girl who sat behind me tapped me on the shoulder. "Yeah?"
She sort of averted her eyes, which I though was kinda weird. "Well, are you really seeing Ace Merrill, like steady and all?"
"I guess so. Why?" I asked. Now I was really interested. What was it any of her business?
" My parents say he's a real j.d., that he's big trouble."
"Good for your folks. And this relates to me how?"
"Well, we all just wanted to tell you that you're not welcome in the View anymore," she got out that last part real fast.
"Oh, boo-fuckin-hoo. Tell, me, was I ever?" I asked, and smiled when she started to blush.
"Look, I'm just giving you a heads up. We don't like the Cobras, so we don't like you," she replied defensively.
"Cool. I like the Cobras, and I don't like any of you," I told her and turned around, ending the conversation.
---------------------------------
Later that day I told Sarah about my conversation with the girl. "Oh, that was Grace. She's really book-smart but dim in just about any other way."
"What did she think she was doin?"
"Probably just what she said, giving you a heads up."
"Weird."
"Yeah, pretty much."
------------------------------------
When I got home my mother was sitting at the table. Perfect, just what I needed. "Honey, I 'd like to speak to you."
"All right, about what?" I asked and sat in the seat she gestured to. I knew I wasn't going to like what she said.
"Mrs. Wright spoke to me yesterday. She said that you and a bunch of your friends threatened her daughter. We're not backsliding, are we?" she asked.
I sighed and struggled to keep my rising anger low. What right did she have to get in on my business when she's never cared before? "We exchanged words, Mother. She threatened to spread some nasty rumors about me and a friend of mine, so I threatened to hurt her. That's all."
"Honey, you shouldn't let people get to you like that. I know you have your father's temper, but that's no excuse." My father's temper? Now this had been the first time I'd heard anything about him having a temper.
"I know, but the people here are just so smug. They think they're better than everyone else," I said, which was true but I was still just trying to placate her.
"In a way, they are. I'm aware that your friends are not at, shall we say, our level. I'm trying to accept that, so long as they don't get you into trouble."
I wanted to punch her out right then, sincerely. Punch her right in her icy, arrogant mug. "They don't. The View kids wanna start somethin, well, I can't help that."
"If you were friends with the right people, that would help," my mother replied in this 'let's be reasonable' tone of voice.
"That time is over, Mother. Mindy spread that rumor, so what's done is done. May I go now?" I asked.
"Yes, fine. Just remember our deal. *No* *trouble*."
"Yeah, okay," I said and ran up the stairs, not stopping until I was in my room with the door locked. Then I fell onto my bed and cried.
It was around ten o'clock when I was jolted awake by a knock on my window. It was Ace.
"Ace, what are you doin here?" I asked after I'd opened the window.
"Didn't see ya all day," he answered. "Come out."
I nodded and climbed out the window. Ace took hold of my arm and he helped me get out of the tree, even though I really didn't need any help. Once we were on the ground he just stood there and looked at me. "See anythin ya like, Merrill?" I joked.
"Hell yeah," he said softly and pulled me into his arms.
"Ace, why are ya really here?" I asked.
"Told ya, I didn't see you at all today. What happened?"
He let me go and we sat on the cement patio that takes up a good portion of the backyard. "Nothin. After school my mother wanted to have a little chat, and after that I really didn't feel like seein anybody." I said.
"She lay into ya?" he asked.
"Sorta. I just don't want to talk about it," I replied.
"That's too bad, Kitty-Kat. Remember, ain't no secrets between us," Ace said and put his arm around me.
"Fine. This is the thing," I started, and before I knew it my whole story was pouring out of me. "My parents never cared about me at all, and I know they still don't. But this year, after I got kicked outta my last high school, they gave me an ultimatum. If I messed up at all, I would be kicked outta the house. So my mother, who I haven't really seen since the day we moved in, wanted to talk to me about what happened with Mindy. Apparently the bitch's mother called here."
I think that that was the first time in his life that Ace was speechless. "Damn, I'm sorry Kat," he said when he finally recovered.
"Why? You didn't do anything."
"Cause I kept trying to get you to beat her up and all. If I'd know what you were goin through, I really wouldn't a done that," he replied.
"Ace, it's cool. How'd you get here anyway?" I asked, changing the subject. I knew Ace probably noticed this, but he didn't say anything.
"My car, of course. It's a couple of blocks away."
"Let's go somewhere," I said and stood up, pulling him with me.
"Where to?" he asked with a grin.
"Anywhere. I just don't wanna be here right now," I replied, and I was aware of the slight desperation in my voice.
