A/N: R/R! If you're reading this, that means that the second chapter is
posted, which means that I have passed what I think is the hardest mountain
on the writing feild. Yay.
Disclaimer: I don't own any IaHB characters, themes, or settings.
Caitie pulled open her locker and shoved her Spanish, math, and science book inside. She pulled out her history book right as Jamie walked up.
"Hey," he greeted, smiling his lopsided grin.
"Hey." She returned the greeting and closed her locker. "What do you have fourth period? I forgot."
"Phys. Ed.," Jamie frowned. "And all the hot girls had it last semester."
Caitie rolled her eyes. "I seroiusly wonder what goes on inside guys' heads. It seems like its half naked women, half having sex with women."
"Close," Jamie considered what she said, and, getting a look of disapproval from Caitie, said, "But we also think about food. And video games."
Caitie playfully punched him in the shoulder and said, "You're pathetic."
"Then why are you going to the party with me tonight?"
"Because I feel bad for you."
Caitie smiled and winked at him before entering Mr. McDonald's History class. She took her assigned seat in the back next to Ben Schultz. He was one of the normal guys, not nessicarily popular, but not exactly nerdy or an outcast. He nodded 'Hello' and went back to pulling the loose string on his binder.
"Welcome class," Mr. McDonald entered, speaking like fingernails on a chalkboard. Caitie was 100% sure he was gay.
"Today we are going to dulge even more deeper into World War II. Let's start with. . ."
Caitie began to loose focus of what he was saying and started doodling on a sheet of paper. She was shading in a drawing when Ben whispered, "I hope you know that if McDonald catches you, you'll have dentention this afternoon. He considers doodles notes."
Caitie shrugged.
"You don't care?" Ben asked quietly.
"A detention for me is nothing new," Caitie whispered back grudgingly, "And, no, I don't care."
"You should."
"Give me one reason why."
"Because detention means you have something occupying your time this afternoon, when you could be at a party with me."
Caitie felt her heart skip a beat. It was surprising, though, because Caitie knew that she didn't have feelings for him. "I already have someone to go with. . ."
"Really, well, if you change your mind. . ."
"I'll let you know," Caitie practically read his mind.
"Roth and Schultz! Are you teaching a lesson to my class?" the teacher's voice boomed through the classroom.
"No," the two replied in unison.
"Well, then I suggest you keep your mouths shut."
Caitie embarassingly looked down at her hands and sat there like that throughout the rest of class.
*
*
*
Caitie entered the EMT common room and said, "Jamie- you ready to go?"
"Yeah, one sec. . ."
Jamie stacked his papers up and put them in a folder labeled, 'Paperwork' and stood up. "Let's go."
He shoved his leather jacket over his blue-collared shirt and followed her out of the building.
10 minutes later, around 7:45, they arrived at the party. Smoke filled the air, from the barbeque and from various seniors standing around, smoking. Caitie spotted Nicole, Brooke's friend in the crowd.
"Heyyy," She said, holding a half-full beer bottle. She was obviously drunk. "Whaz goin on Ca-cat-Oh yeah! Catherine! Sup?"
"It's Caitie. . ." Caitie said, glancing at the guy next to Nicole. She noticed someone else, and was off. "Do you have any idea that your girlfriend is wasted?"
The guy shrugged. "I just do what she tells me to. And she told me not to worry- that she's a big girl and she can handle it."
With that, he was off, following Nicole into the bunch of freshman kids crowding around each other. Caitie followed them only with her eyes and looked disgustedly at him. "What a loser boyfriend."
"Yeah," Jamie said, staring at her. He glanced over at the shoreline of the beach and asked, "Do you want to take a walk? Get some fresh air?"
"Sure," Caitie replied. She turned on her heel and grabbed Jamie's arm, pulling him towards the waves. He followed.
When they reached the ocean line, they strolled along it, in silence. Caitie felt the sand squeeze up onto her flip-flops and suround her toes. The ocean was serene and relaxing, and Caitie quietly said, "I need to talk to you."
"Thinking she was upset or angry about something he did, Jamie surprisingly asked, "What? Did something happen to you?"
"No. . .no, nothing like that," Caitie said, stopping and turning to face him. He saw her stop and did the same. "Well, what is it then?"
"I. . ." Caitie's breath turned shaky. How could she tell him that she had the biggest crush on him in the history of the world? Rejection was her biggest fear- the fear of him saying, 'Sorry, Caitie, I like you. . .but not in that way. Bye now!' And leaving her side, off to find someone more popular and attractive who would treat him like a prince, when she had little to offer coming from a family with one drunken mother and a crack- cocaine addicted father, who moved out 8 years ago. Caitie looked at her feet in the sand, and tried again, "I think. . ."
Jamie looked at her expectantly, and Caitie gave in. "I think that the shirt you're wearing totally fits your style."
Jamie looked confused at first, then grinned, "That's what you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Yeah," Caitie said sheepishly, blushing. What kind of idiot told a guy that they needed to have a *talk* about his shirt?
"Okay then. . ."
Caitie was about to continue walking, but Jamie pulled her back, "I need to talk to you about something."
Caitie looked back. "Yeah?"
"You're insane."
Caitie's jaw dropped and she stuck her tongue out at him. "Thanks a lot."
Jamie laughed, "You wouldn't be as amazing if you weren't insane. It's what makes Caitie. . .Caitie."
Caitie's heart skipped a beat at the way he said *amazing*. "Yeah," she whispered, caught in his eyes, "I'm not that amazing. Unless you talk to Hank. Then I'm way more than amazing- I'm actually *uh*."
"Wow," Jamie said, "I'm impressed. So few women these days have that special quality."
Caitie laughed. Suddenly it all turned silent and Jamie leaned in, close to Caitie. "I. . ."
Caitie didn't know what she was about to say, but she was saved by Jamie's lips absorbing hers. Caitie was really liking the kiss until Jamie broke it. "I. . .I really should get going. I'm so sorry."
He quickly let go of her cheek and walked away fast. "Jamie! Wait! Why are you sorry!?"
Caitie tried to get him to come back, but he was long lost in the crowd. "Shit!" She muttered, kicking the sand.
"You okay?"
Caitie turned at the voice behind her and saw none other than Ben Schultz. "Yeah, I'm fine," Caitie snapped. But then she calmed her tone and said, "Sorry. Yeah, why do you ask?"
"I saw what happened. . . I'm sure he just was being selfish."
"Jamie would never-"
Ben was now inches away from her face. "I can treat you so much better. . ."
He leaned in and kissed her, his tongue pushing at her lips.
"Get off me!" Caitie yelled, yanking out of his grasp. She turned and started jogging away from him.
He yelled at her back, "If you would lighten up a little, maybe Jamie wouldn't think you were such a bitch!"
Caitie stopped running and turned, facing him slowly. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me! Jamie's always talking about how slutty and Goth you are! He can't stand the way you dress or act! I always overhear him with Brianne, 'Caitie has been getting on my last nerve, she's such a loser, blah blah blah blah blah.' I'm surprised he hangs around you as much as he does! He can't stand you!"
Caitie felt the hurt inside of her heart rip open and a tear appeared in her eye. "You don't know me! That's the whole thing! And Jamie wouldn't ever say something-"
"You better believe it. I wouldn't just randomly make this up. He can't stand you. He hates you."
Caitie felt a tear run down her cheek and turned again, racing off in the distance as far as the sand would take her. She ended up at the other end of the party, near the parking lot. She saw Jamie's motorcycle, and him. And Val.
Jamie was leaning back against the motorcycle, Val holding on to his shoulders. She was fully studying him. Studying his lips. With hers. Caitie didn't care anymore. If Jamie didn't care about her, she didn't care what the hell the slut did with Caitie's long-term crush.
Caitie wasn't even noticed as she passed the two. She made her way onto the side of the road and walked silently, holding her flip flops in her hand. Her face had streaks of tears down it, but she didn't feel like crying anyomore. She didn't want to throw herself a pity-party.
The ground was rough and uneven, causing Caitie to have to squint down at the ground in order to not step on anything dangerous. She finally gave up as her eyes ached, and she just looked straight ahead, feeling the ground with her feet. Life was so unfair. When had she ever gotten a say on what SHE wanted to have done? Why was it all just planned out, like a puzzle she didn't know the answer to, but someone higher did? Why couldn't Caitie have been prettier, skinner, nicer, more likeable, ANYTHING to get Jamie to notice her besides a friend?
Then it hit her. Again. Jamie didn't give a damn about Caitie. As much as she didn't want to, it was almost impossible NOT to believe Ben. He wouldn't make up something like that- there was no reason to. Right? Caitie shrugged the nagging of the voice that favored Jamie in her head out and felt her eyes get blurry again.
"Stop!!" She gritted at herself through her teeth. "Crying won't help anything! It didn't help when mom was wasted on the couch, or when dad was stoned a million miles away in New York. Stop!"
Her sincere efforts didn't help her feelings at all. She felt tear after tear pour down her face. Nothing was ever fair! Caitie felt a vehicle pull up next to her and she tried to quickly wipe away her tears. It was the one person in the entire world she would not have accepted $100,000 to see.
Jamie.
Caitie ignored him. His bike slowed down and he pulled his helmet shade up. "Do you need a ride? Your feet are going to be killing you tomorrow."
Caitie continued to ignore him, gently biting her tongue to keep herself from saying anything. Jamie's bike slowly trailed along with her.
"Hello? Wouldn't you rather get a ride than kill your feet?"
Caitie still remained silent, trying to avoid looking at him.
"Caitie! Will you stop being a bitch and just get on the freakin bike!"
"That's what you've always thought of me isn't it! Just a bitch you can mess around with!" The words were out before Caitie could stop them.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"You know what it means!"
"Why don't you tell me what it means!"
Caitie looked over at him, tears burning her eyes. "Because. . .Because I can't."
Jamie pulled his helmet back over his eyes and said, "Fine. Be that way."
He zoomed off, leaving a cloud of exhaust hovering next to Caitie. She watched his bike fade away in the distance and she sat down and cried. She just sat there, bawling her eyes out and wishing there was some way out of this mess.
*
*
*
Caitie arrived home 15 minutes after she had met Jamie on the road. Her feet ached, like Jamie promised they would, and she had a splitting headache. She dropped her shoes by the doorway and walked to the staircase.
"You're home early," Caitie's mom said from her position on the couch. "Are you okay?"
Her words were quickly fading. She had been drunk so many times that slurring didn't happen anymore. Just *fading*, as Caitie called it, where her voice would start out loud and get softer until she fell asleep.
"It was boring," Caitie kept it simple, picking up the two empty vodka bottles on the coffee table. She walked into the kitchen and shoved them in the recycling bin.
"I. . .I hope you had a good. . .time. . . . " Mrs. Roth was quickly asleep before Caitie could share anymore details.
She closed the cabinet and opened the fridge. They had a jar of pickles and a 6-pack of Heinikens beer.
Caitie shoved the door shut and made her way back across the living room to the door, grabbing her jacket. "I'm running to Kroger really quick mom, I'll be back soon."
It wouldn't have mattered if Caitie had informed her mom that she was commiting suicide, because her mom was way beyond even mildly aware of what was going on around her. Caitie wasn't even sure why she bothered.
Caitie shoved her jean jacket over her black tanktop and opened the door, slamming it behind her. It wasn't like her mom could hear it anyway.
Caitie got into her car and started it, backing out of the driveway and turning the corner, heading for the Kroger down the street. She turned the radio on, but no music came out. Instead, late night talk shows and commercials filled the air. Caitie turned it off, and thought.
She thought about Jamie, and what Ben had said about him. She thought about the way she would have to work extra hard to get money for college, because her mother had no job. She thought about Val's major backstabbing, whether Jamie liked Caitie or not. She thought about her dad, far, far, away, buying drugs and wasting his life to cocaine. He went to a rehab center for 5 months, 4 weeks, and 3 days. He still couldn't get un-addicted to the stimulant that would one day kill him.
Before she knew it, Caitie was in the parking lot of Kroger. She turned the car off, shoved her keys in her pocket, and stepped out. She felt an immense pain in her ankle.
"Probably a sprain," she muttered to herself, silently cursing herself for walking so long without shoes. She mildly limped to and inside the building, quickly buying the items she needed.
Caitie got in the near-empty check-out line and dropped her stuff. The lady ran the ace bandage box across the scanner and "$200.00" came up on the screen.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, I didn't know that ace bandages would tear my wallet apart."
"Sorry, doll," the woman said, with a strong Jewish accent. Her 'doll' sounded more like 'dwal.' "It was a mistake."
She pushed a few buttons, and Caitie was annoyed by the trouble that was
caused by only buying an ace bandage, a box of tampons, and a thing of chocolate chip cookie dough.
A few minutes later, the lady finished and said, "That'll be $16.74, sweetheart."
Caitie gave her the crumpled '20' and then got her change. She walked out of the store with her bag, still limping. When she got outside, none other than Jamie Waite was standing against the wall, half of his body within her view, half not. She wasn't sure if he saw her or not.
"Do you follow me everywhere? Or do you just get physcic signals of where I am every living second?"
Jamie turned and smiled. "Caitie-"
"Don't even."
Caitie continued limping towards her car and felt Jamie touch her shoulder, causing her to stop unless she wanted to kill her already twisted/sprained ankle.
"What!?" She asked, spinning around to face him. "What now!"
"I just wanted to talk. . ."
"About what! About how that kiss was absolutely nothing! About how you hate me secretly!! What about you making out with Val right after you had kissed me, leading me to think things that weren't true!! How can you Jamie!"
Her voice faded to a whisper as she said the last sentence and she asked, "How can you do this to me?"
"Caitie- can we please do this somewhere else? People are beginning to stare."
Caitie ignored the strange looks people were giving them as they passed, and she said, "No! Jamie! We're doing this here and now! I'm so sick of all the shit you put me through! I gave my heart out to you! I let you know how I felt by kissing you back! But you don't really care do you? I can never be good enough? I'm just the slutty bitch that you talk to Brianne about all the time huh?"
"Caitie! What the hell! Will you PLEASE explain to me what you are talking about!?" Jamie said, taking her hands in his.
"Ben. Ben Schultz?"
Jamie looked blank.
"Yeah, well, he sits next to me in history. And he told me that he's seen you talking to Brianne about how you can't stand me- I'm just not going to deal with it anymore!"
Caitie felt tears running down her face, but she didn't care. She wanted- she NEEDED him to hear this. "Jamie- I'm going to be upfront and honest with you. I love you. As a boyfriend, partner, spouse, WHATEVER you want to use! Jamie! I've never felt like this before! But I've also never been so hurt in my life! My mother is a freaking alcoholic who sits on the couch all day drinking until she can't even wake up from sleeping! My dad is a trillion miles away getting high! Do you seriously think I need you on top of all of this? And you're supposed to be the one that helps me- not burdens me."
Caitie lowered her voice to a whisper, still heavily crying. "I thought you understood Jamie. I thought you were so much different. But you're not- you're just like everyone else."
Caitie turned and continued limping down towards her car, leaving Jamie speechless and shocked.
*
*
*
A/N#2: I'm actually pretty pleased with this chappie. I like it better than Chapter 1- it's longer and more dramatic. Review? Please? If you won't do it for me, do it for a second chapter. ^__^
Disclaimer: I don't own any IaHB characters, themes, or settings.
Caitie pulled open her locker and shoved her Spanish, math, and science book inside. She pulled out her history book right as Jamie walked up.
"Hey," he greeted, smiling his lopsided grin.
"Hey." She returned the greeting and closed her locker. "What do you have fourth period? I forgot."
"Phys. Ed.," Jamie frowned. "And all the hot girls had it last semester."
Caitie rolled her eyes. "I seroiusly wonder what goes on inside guys' heads. It seems like its half naked women, half having sex with women."
"Close," Jamie considered what she said, and, getting a look of disapproval from Caitie, said, "But we also think about food. And video games."
Caitie playfully punched him in the shoulder and said, "You're pathetic."
"Then why are you going to the party with me tonight?"
"Because I feel bad for you."
Caitie smiled and winked at him before entering Mr. McDonald's History class. She took her assigned seat in the back next to Ben Schultz. He was one of the normal guys, not nessicarily popular, but not exactly nerdy or an outcast. He nodded 'Hello' and went back to pulling the loose string on his binder.
"Welcome class," Mr. McDonald entered, speaking like fingernails on a chalkboard. Caitie was 100% sure he was gay.
"Today we are going to dulge even more deeper into World War II. Let's start with. . ."
Caitie began to loose focus of what he was saying and started doodling on a sheet of paper. She was shading in a drawing when Ben whispered, "I hope you know that if McDonald catches you, you'll have dentention this afternoon. He considers doodles notes."
Caitie shrugged.
"You don't care?" Ben asked quietly.
"A detention for me is nothing new," Caitie whispered back grudgingly, "And, no, I don't care."
"You should."
"Give me one reason why."
"Because detention means you have something occupying your time this afternoon, when you could be at a party with me."
Caitie felt her heart skip a beat. It was surprising, though, because Caitie knew that she didn't have feelings for him. "I already have someone to go with. . ."
"Really, well, if you change your mind. . ."
"I'll let you know," Caitie practically read his mind.
"Roth and Schultz! Are you teaching a lesson to my class?" the teacher's voice boomed through the classroom.
"No," the two replied in unison.
"Well, then I suggest you keep your mouths shut."
Caitie embarassingly looked down at her hands and sat there like that throughout the rest of class.
*
*
*
Caitie entered the EMT common room and said, "Jamie- you ready to go?"
"Yeah, one sec. . ."
Jamie stacked his papers up and put them in a folder labeled, 'Paperwork' and stood up. "Let's go."
He shoved his leather jacket over his blue-collared shirt and followed her out of the building.
10 minutes later, around 7:45, they arrived at the party. Smoke filled the air, from the barbeque and from various seniors standing around, smoking. Caitie spotted Nicole, Brooke's friend in the crowd.
"Heyyy," She said, holding a half-full beer bottle. She was obviously drunk. "Whaz goin on Ca-cat-Oh yeah! Catherine! Sup?"
"It's Caitie. . ." Caitie said, glancing at the guy next to Nicole. She noticed someone else, and was off. "Do you have any idea that your girlfriend is wasted?"
The guy shrugged. "I just do what she tells me to. And she told me not to worry- that she's a big girl and she can handle it."
With that, he was off, following Nicole into the bunch of freshman kids crowding around each other. Caitie followed them only with her eyes and looked disgustedly at him. "What a loser boyfriend."
"Yeah," Jamie said, staring at her. He glanced over at the shoreline of the beach and asked, "Do you want to take a walk? Get some fresh air?"
"Sure," Caitie replied. She turned on her heel and grabbed Jamie's arm, pulling him towards the waves. He followed.
When they reached the ocean line, they strolled along it, in silence. Caitie felt the sand squeeze up onto her flip-flops and suround her toes. The ocean was serene and relaxing, and Caitie quietly said, "I need to talk to you."
"Thinking she was upset or angry about something he did, Jamie surprisingly asked, "What? Did something happen to you?"
"No. . .no, nothing like that," Caitie said, stopping and turning to face him. He saw her stop and did the same. "Well, what is it then?"
"I. . ." Caitie's breath turned shaky. How could she tell him that she had the biggest crush on him in the history of the world? Rejection was her biggest fear- the fear of him saying, 'Sorry, Caitie, I like you. . .but not in that way. Bye now!' And leaving her side, off to find someone more popular and attractive who would treat him like a prince, when she had little to offer coming from a family with one drunken mother and a crack- cocaine addicted father, who moved out 8 years ago. Caitie looked at her feet in the sand, and tried again, "I think. . ."
Jamie looked at her expectantly, and Caitie gave in. "I think that the shirt you're wearing totally fits your style."
Jamie looked confused at first, then grinned, "That's what you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Yeah," Caitie said sheepishly, blushing. What kind of idiot told a guy that they needed to have a *talk* about his shirt?
"Okay then. . ."
Caitie was about to continue walking, but Jamie pulled her back, "I need to talk to you about something."
Caitie looked back. "Yeah?"
"You're insane."
Caitie's jaw dropped and she stuck her tongue out at him. "Thanks a lot."
Jamie laughed, "You wouldn't be as amazing if you weren't insane. It's what makes Caitie. . .Caitie."
Caitie's heart skipped a beat at the way he said *amazing*. "Yeah," she whispered, caught in his eyes, "I'm not that amazing. Unless you talk to Hank. Then I'm way more than amazing- I'm actually *uh*."
"Wow," Jamie said, "I'm impressed. So few women these days have that special quality."
Caitie laughed. Suddenly it all turned silent and Jamie leaned in, close to Caitie. "I. . ."
Caitie didn't know what she was about to say, but she was saved by Jamie's lips absorbing hers. Caitie was really liking the kiss until Jamie broke it. "I. . .I really should get going. I'm so sorry."
He quickly let go of her cheek and walked away fast. "Jamie! Wait! Why are you sorry!?"
Caitie tried to get him to come back, but he was long lost in the crowd. "Shit!" She muttered, kicking the sand.
"You okay?"
Caitie turned at the voice behind her and saw none other than Ben Schultz. "Yeah, I'm fine," Caitie snapped. But then she calmed her tone and said, "Sorry. Yeah, why do you ask?"
"I saw what happened. . . I'm sure he just was being selfish."
"Jamie would never-"
Ben was now inches away from her face. "I can treat you so much better. . ."
He leaned in and kissed her, his tongue pushing at her lips.
"Get off me!" Caitie yelled, yanking out of his grasp. She turned and started jogging away from him.
He yelled at her back, "If you would lighten up a little, maybe Jamie wouldn't think you were such a bitch!"
Caitie stopped running and turned, facing him slowly. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me! Jamie's always talking about how slutty and Goth you are! He can't stand the way you dress or act! I always overhear him with Brianne, 'Caitie has been getting on my last nerve, she's such a loser, blah blah blah blah blah.' I'm surprised he hangs around you as much as he does! He can't stand you!"
Caitie felt the hurt inside of her heart rip open and a tear appeared in her eye. "You don't know me! That's the whole thing! And Jamie wouldn't ever say something-"
"You better believe it. I wouldn't just randomly make this up. He can't stand you. He hates you."
Caitie felt a tear run down her cheek and turned again, racing off in the distance as far as the sand would take her. She ended up at the other end of the party, near the parking lot. She saw Jamie's motorcycle, and him. And Val.
Jamie was leaning back against the motorcycle, Val holding on to his shoulders. She was fully studying him. Studying his lips. With hers. Caitie didn't care anymore. If Jamie didn't care about her, she didn't care what the hell the slut did with Caitie's long-term crush.
Caitie wasn't even noticed as she passed the two. She made her way onto the side of the road and walked silently, holding her flip flops in her hand. Her face had streaks of tears down it, but she didn't feel like crying anyomore. She didn't want to throw herself a pity-party.
The ground was rough and uneven, causing Caitie to have to squint down at the ground in order to not step on anything dangerous. She finally gave up as her eyes ached, and she just looked straight ahead, feeling the ground with her feet. Life was so unfair. When had she ever gotten a say on what SHE wanted to have done? Why was it all just planned out, like a puzzle she didn't know the answer to, but someone higher did? Why couldn't Caitie have been prettier, skinner, nicer, more likeable, ANYTHING to get Jamie to notice her besides a friend?
Then it hit her. Again. Jamie didn't give a damn about Caitie. As much as she didn't want to, it was almost impossible NOT to believe Ben. He wouldn't make up something like that- there was no reason to. Right? Caitie shrugged the nagging of the voice that favored Jamie in her head out and felt her eyes get blurry again.
"Stop!!" She gritted at herself through her teeth. "Crying won't help anything! It didn't help when mom was wasted on the couch, or when dad was stoned a million miles away in New York. Stop!"
Her sincere efforts didn't help her feelings at all. She felt tear after tear pour down her face. Nothing was ever fair! Caitie felt a vehicle pull up next to her and she tried to quickly wipe away her tears. It was the one person in the entire world she would not have accepted $100,000 to see.
Jamie.
Caitie ignored him. His bike slowed down and he pulled his helmet shade up. "Do you need a ride? Your feet are going to be killing you tomorrow."
Caitie continued to ignore him, gently biting her tongue to keep herself from saying anything. Jamie's bike slowly trailed along with her.
"Hello? Wouldn't you rather get a ride than kill your feet?"
Caitie still remained silent, trying to avoid looking at him.
"Caitie! Will you stop being a bitch and just get on the freakin bike!"
"That's what you've always thought of me isn't it! Just a bitch you can mess around with!" The words were out before Caitie could stop them.
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"
"You know what it means!"
"Why don't you tell me what it means!"
Caitie looked over at him, tears burning her eyes. "Because. . .Because I can't."
Jamie pulled his helmet back over his eyes and said, "Fine. Be that way."
He zoomed off, leaving a cloud of exhaust hovering next to Caitie. She watched his bike fade away in the distance and she sat down and cried. She just sat there, bawling her eyes out and wishing there was some way out of this mess.
*
*
*
Caitie arrived home 15 minutes after she had met Jamie on the road. Her feet ached, like Jamie promised they would, and she had a splitting headache. She dropped her shoes by the doorway and walked to the staircase.
"You're home early," Caitie's mom said from her position on the couch. "Are you okay?"
Her words were quickly fading. She had been drunk so many times that slurring didn't happen anymore. Just *fading*, as Caitie called it, where her voice would start out loud and get softer until she fell asleep.
"It was boring," Caitie kept it simple, picking up the two empty vodka bottles on the coffee table. She walked into the kitchen and shoved them in the recycling bin.
"I. . .I hope you had a good. . .time. . . . " Mrs. Roth was quickly asleep before Caitie could share anymore details.
She closed the cabinet and opened the fridge. They had a jar of pickles and a 6-pack of Heinikens beer.
Caitie shoved the door shut and made her way back across the living room to the door, grabbing her jacket. "I'm running to Kroger really quick mom, I'll be back soon."
It wouldn't have mattered if Caitie had informed her mom that she was commiting suicide, because her mom was way beyond even mildly aware of what was going on around her. Caitie wasn't even sure why she bothered.
Caitie shoved her jean jacket over her black tanktop and opened the door, slamming it behind her. It wasn't like her mom could hear it anyway.
Caitie got into her car and started it, backing out of the driveway and turning the corner, heading for the Kroger down the street. She turned the radio on, but no music came out. Instead, late night talk shows and commercials filled the air. Caitie turned it off, and thought.
She thought about Jamie, and what Ben had said about him. She thought about the way she would have to work extra hard to get money for college, because her mother had no job. She thought about Val's major backstabbing, whether Jamie liked Caitie or not. She thought about her dad, far, far, away, buying drugs and wasting his life to cocaine. He went to a rehab center for 5 months, 4 weeks, and 3 days. He still couldn't get un-addicted to the stimulant that would one day kill him.
Before she knew it, Caitie was in the parking lot of Kroger. She turned the car off, shoved her keys in her pocket, and stepped out. She felt an immense pain in her ankle.
"Probably a sprain," she muttered to herself, silently cursing herself for walking so long without shoes. She mildly limped to and inside the building, quickly buying the items she needed.
Caitie got in the near-empty check-out line and dropped her stuff. The lady ran the ace bandage box across the scanner and "$200.00" came up on the screen.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, I didn't know that ace bandages would tear my wallet apart."
"Sorry, doll," the woman said, with a strong Jewish accent. Her 'doll' sounded more like 'dwal.' "It was a mistake."
She pushed a few buttons, and Caitie was annoyed by the trouble that was
caused by only buying an ace bandage, a box of tampons, and a thing of chocolate chip cookie dough.
A few minutes later, the lady finished and said, "That'll be $16.74, sweetheart."
Caitie gave her the crumpled '20' and then got her change. She walked out of the store with her bag, still limping. When she got outside, none other than Jamie Waite was standing against the wall, half of his body within her view, half not. She wasn't sure if he saw her or not.
"Do you follow me everywhere? Or do you just get physcic signals of where I am every living second?"
Jamie turned and smiled. "Caitie-"
"Don't even."
Caitie continued limping towards her car and felt Jamie touch her shoulder, causing her to stop unless she wanted to kill her already twisted/sprained ankle.
"What!?" She asked, spinning around to face him. "What now!"
"I just wanted to talk. . ."
"About what! About how that kiss was absolutely nothing! About how you hate me secretly!! What about you making out with Val right after you had kissed me, leading me to think things that weren't true!! How can you Jamie!"
Her voice faded to a whisper as she said the last sentence and she asked, "How can you do this to me?"
"Caitie- can we please do this somewhere else? People are beginning to stare."
Caitie ignored the strange looks people were giving them as they passed, and she said, "No! Jamie! We're doing this here and now! I'm so sick of all the shit you put me through! I gave my heart out to you! I let you know how I felt by kissing you back! But you don't really care do you? I can never be good enough? I'm just the slutty bitch that you talk to Brianne about all the time huh?"
"Caitie! What the hell! Will you PLEASE explain to me what you are talking about!?" Jamie said, taking her hands in his.
"Ben. Ben Schultz?"
Jamie looked blank.
"Yeah, well, he sits next to me in history. And he told me that he's seen you talking to Brianne about how you can't stand me- I'm just not going to deal with it anymore!"
Caitie felt tears running down her face, but she didn't care. She wanted- she NEEDED him to hear this. "Jamie- I'm going to be upfront and honest with you. I love you. As a boyfriend, partner, spouse, WHATEVER you want to use! Jamie! I've never felt like this before! But I've also never been so hurt in my life! My mother is a freaking alcoholic who sits on the couch all day drinking until she can't even wake up from sleeping! My dad is a trillion miles away getting high! Do you seriously think I need you on top of all of this? And you're supposed to be the one that helps me- not burdens me."
Caitie lowered her voice to a whisper, still heavily crying. "I thought you understood Jamie. I thought you were so much different. But you're not- you're just like everyone else."
Caitie turned and continued limping down towards her car, leaving Jamie speechless and shocked.
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A/N#2: I'm actually pretty pleased with this chappie. I like it better than Chapter 1- it's longer and more dramatic. Review? Please? If you won't do it for me, do it for a second chapter. ^__^