Disclaimer: Of course it's not mine. I don't really own anything. I'm a poor college student.
Rating: Somewhere between PG14 and R. Solely for language.
Author's Notes:
1) This is it. It was supposed to be a one shot, but since I'm not entirely sure what the technical definition of those are here, it might not be. I was originally planning on cranking this out in one night but that clearly didn't work so it took me a few weeks.
2) The main purpose of this story is mainly because this section has been pretty dead recently. And I just wanted people to know that I hadn't disappeared. Hey, still writing! (And self centered apparently.) I'm working on another massive fic, but I'm most likely not going to post it until it's finished or near finished. I do know that it's called "All That You Can't Leave Behind" (It's also the title of a U2 album and an episode of One Tree Hill. But I think it fits.
3) Okay, beta-ed now.
4) I know it's not my usual quality of writing, but I wanted to get something done ASAP. I'm completely aware of this fic's level of suckitude.
Tempest
The scene could only be described as pandemonium. Well, as much pandemonium as four people fighting over a movie could cause. And in the case of Tyler Connell, Hank Beecham, Val Linear, Jamie Waite and Caitie Roth, it was exponential. The idea of having a movie night to relax after a week of spring midterm exams and projects had seemed like a good idea at first. But none of them could decide on a movie to watch. Hell, they couldn't even settle on a single genre. Hank liked dramas, Tyler liked action, Caitie liked comedies, Jamie liked horror and Val liked click flicks. And each and everyone one of them had an argument against everyone else's choice.
"No Jamie, there is no way we're watching anything horror. Not a chance." Caitie declared firmly. "Your little geek squad may live for all that blood and gore, but us normal people-"
"If you use the word 'normal' loosely." Muttered Hank.
"Way to buy into the stereotype there, Beecham." Snapped Caitie. She shot him a snide look.
"Whatever." He shrugged her off. "What's wrong with AI?"
"For one, it's boring." Said Tyler. "It never ends."
"Besides, that kid never blinks in the movie. It's creepy." Shuddered Val, walking into Tyler's living room. "I let myself in. Hope that was okay."
"Yeah, it's fine." He glanced at her briefly, then turned back to his current argument. He did a double take. Val was soaking wet. Her blonde hair was hanging in tendrils around her face and her clothing was creating a small puddle on the floor. Or what would have been a puddle if the floor hadn't been carpeted.
"What happened to you?" Asked Jamie, fighting back a laugh. "You look like a drowned rat."
"Thanks a lot Jamie. In case you guys hadn't noticed it's pouring out."
"I've got some flannel pants and a sweatshirt you can borrow." Offered Tyler. "I'll go get 'em." He disappeared down the hallway that led to his bedroom.
"And Caitie, we're not watching American Pie." Said Val. She dropped her backpack on the ground and followed Tyler.
"Why not?" Caitie shot back.
"Because watching a guy jack off with an apple pie is not my idea of a good movie." Val called over her shoulder.
"Well we're not watching one of your chick flicks." Stated Hank.
"Definitely." Agreed Tyler coming back into the room.
"And what exactly is wrong with romantic comedies?" Asked Val, coming out of Tyler's room a minute later dressed in a pair of his pajama pants and a well worn Kingsport Cobras Football sweatshirt.
"They're all the same. Guy meets girl, one screws up, boy and girl get back together and screw." Said Hank, breaking chick flicks into their most basic of parts.
"Well, I still think that we should watch X-Men." Tyler added his two cents.
"No way." Jamie shook his head. "Mutant kids with superpowers?" He asked skeptically.
"Val, did you get it?" Asked Caitie anxiously. She wanted to change the subject. Val had volunteered to run to the store to stock up on snacks. At least when it came to food, no one had to agree.
"Yeah, I got it." Val nodded. She pulled a few plastic grocery bags out of her backpack and started setting everything out on the table in front of them.
"Got what?" Asked Tyler giving the girls a confused look.
"The right chips." Said Caitie quickly.
"Yeah, she only eats Baked Lays." Added Val.
"Sue me." Shrugged Caitie. "Shouldn't someone put the ice cream in the freezer before it melts?"
"Oh, I'll do it." Offered Val.
"There's room in the one in the kitchen." Said Tyler. They had a second freezer in the lowest level of their house but it was packed so full that random things fell out every time you opened it.
"I'll go with you." Offered Caitie. She and Val grabbed the ice cream containers and disappeared up stairs.
"Does anyone else wonder why they do that?" Asked Hank when he was sure that Val and Caitie couldn't hear him.
"Do what, man?" Asked Jamie, snagging the leather armchair in the process.
"They're always going everywhere in groups." Elaborated Hank from his spot on the couch. He had his feet propped up on the corner of the coffee table.
"No clue." Shrugged Tyler. He took a seat on the other end of the couch and grabbed the remote control. He turned on the TV and started channel surfing. "I'm just glad that midterms are over."
Thunder crashed causing Val to jump as she closed the freezer door.
"That sounded really close." Commented Caitie.
"Yeah." Agreed Val, slightly shaken. She'd never been a fan of storms.
"Listen Val, I um. . . uh. . . thanks." Caitie finished.
"What are best friends for?" Asked Val modestly.
"Seriously though, this went above and beyond the call of duty as a best friend. How much do I owe you?"
"Caitie." Protested Val. It wasn't a big deal.
"No. Let me see the receipt." Caitie held out her hand expectantly. Val reluctantly handed it over and Caitie scanned it looking for one item in particular. "I'll pay you back tomorrow. I promise." She set the receipt on the counter.
"Caitie, sooner or later you're going to have to tell them."
"I will. If there's something to tell. Let's go back downstairs." She didn't wait for Val to reply. Val, sensing that the conversation was over for the time being, silently followed her friend down the stairs.
Back downstairs the guys were still trying to decide on a movie to watch.
"This is hopeless." Tyler threw his hands up in the air and slumped down on the couch.
"What were we even thinking? We can never agree on anything at the station. What made us think that things would be different here?" Asked Hank.
"Well, who says we have to watch a movie?" Said Caitie. She settled herself into the oversized armchair next to Jamie. He wrapped his arms around her waist. Val snuggled in next to Tyler.
"Girl's got a point." Agreed Hank.
"We've got lots of junk food. That's good enough for me." Grinned Val. She unwrapped a Hershey's Kiss and popped it in her mouth. There was no possible way to go wrong with chocolate.
A bright flash of lightning lit up the night sky at almost the exact same time a deafening boom of thunder rumbled and the entire house was plunged into pitch blackness.
"Well, that solves the movie problem." Quipped Jamie.
"Guess so." Agreed Tyler. "I think there's a few flashlights somewhere down here." He stood up and carefully made his way across the room and into the laundry room. Last time he checked there'd been a flashlight on the shelves above the washing machine. His hand bumped into the cold metal of the washing machine and he blindly reached up looking for the shelf. He knocked something down and it bounced to the ground, clanging against the washing machine.
"Are you okay?!" Called Val.
"Fine!" He yelled back as his hand closed around the flashlight. He flipped it on and did a quick scan of the shelves to see if there was anything else that could help them. But there was nothing that he could find. "Well, we've got one flashlight." He said, rejoining the group.
"Doesn't your mom keep some candles in the kitchen?" Asked Val. Candles were good during power outages.
"I think so." Said Tyler, trying to remember where they were. The drawer below the silverware? The cupboard above the stove? "I don't know where though."
"I'll help you look." Said Val. She got up and started walking towards the stairs. Tyler followed her.
"Sure, take the flashlight and leave us here in the dark." Muttered Jamie just loud enough for them to hear.
"And grab the ice cream while you're up there!" Caitie called after them. "It's gonna melt if we leave it in the freezer now!"
"You take the cupboard above the stove." Said Tyler. He handed her the flashlight. "We need candles and matches. I'll look in the drawers." His eyes were starting to adjust to the dark by now.
A quick sweep of the cupboard told Val that she wasn't going to find anything there. The only things in there were a bunch of wine glasses.
"Found matches." Said Tyler tossing a pack onto the counter. They landed right next to the receipt.
"There's nothing here. I'll help you look in the other drawers." Said Val, already digging through one. She hit pay dirt. In the very bottom drawer there were half a dozen Glade candles. The ones that came in those glass containers. That meant they wouldn't have to look for candle holders. She took them out and set them on the counter. "Grab the matches. I don't think Jamie appreciated being left in the dark down there." She joked.
When he reached for the matches, his hand fell on the receipt as well. "What's this?"
"Oh, just the receipt from the grocery store." Shrugged Val.
He held the flashlight up so that he could read it better. One of the last items on the list made him do a double take. She was only supposed to buy snacks.
"Val?" The way he said her name was almost like he was asking a question. By the time Val had realized that he was reading the receipt, it had been too late to stop him from seeing what was obviously freaking him out right now.
"Tyler, it's not what you think." Said Val slowly, hoping against hope that his mind wasn't jumping to the worst case scenario.
"You bought a pregnancy test." He was having trouble getting it through his head. Everything came out in a rush. "Why didn't you tell me? I mean we were careful, really, really careful. You're on the pill and we used condoms and oh my God."
"Tyler, calm down. It's not what you're thinking. I didn't buy it for me." Said Val. She'd been trying to tell him that before he'd started babbling a mile a minute.
"What?" He asked, not quite sure he'd heard her right.
"It's not mine. I bought it for a friend." She added.
"That's a relief." He admitted, sighing. He could still hear his heart pounding, but it wasn't nearly as fast as it had been moments before. They were only seventeen. Way too young to be parents. They'd talked about all the possibilities before they'd even had sex. "Who'd you buy it for?" Asked Tyler, turning serious.
"A friend." She replied evasively.
"Caitie?" He asked, understanding their earlier exchange now. Val nodded slightly. "Do you think Jamie knows?"
"No. And technically you don't either." Val reminded him. Caitie had sworn her to secrecy and Tyler was never supposed to find out.
"I don't know anything." Agreed Tyler.
"Grab some spoons and the ice cream." Val changed the subject. "I've got the candles."
The coffee table was now littered with empty pint sized containers of ice cream and various other junk food wrappers. The candles were spread around the room, making it a little easier to see in the basement. Every once in a while a flash of lightning lit up the sky. If anything, the rain was coming down harder now. There was an unspoken agreement that none of them were going anywhere until the storm let up. Not to mention William had called to tell them the same thing. For once he and Tyler had agreed on something.
"So what now?" Asked Hank.
"Board games?" Suggested Val weakly, knowing that none of them would go for it. Hell, she was hardly going for it as it was.
"There's a reason they're called board games, Val." Said Caitie, brushing off the suggestion.
"Yeah, I know." She sighed. "It was the best I could come up with. Any better ideas."
"Sadly, no." Admitted Caitie.
"Poker?" Suggested Jamie.
"Ugh." Grimaced Hank. "Too much thinking."
"Yeah, I'm wiped from midterms and EMS shifts." Agreed Tyler.
"Besides, it's too dark." Pointed out Val. She had a point. Glade candles didn't really do much for light. They gave off just enough light so they could avoid tripping over furniture.
"What about I Never?" Asked Caitie slyly, glancing at Jamie. It could be fun if Hank, Tyler and Val would go for it.
"What's that?" Asked Hank.
"Someone says something they've never done and if you've done it. . ." She trailed off.
"You drink." Tyler finished for her.
"Maybe Tyler's not the goody-goody we I thought he was." Smirked Caitie. When Tyler and Caitie had first met, he would have taken her comment as an insult, but over time they'd formed a strange friendship. Now it was good natured teasing. "You've played?"
"A couple times." He admitted.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Asked Val, sounding worried.
"All we'd be drinking anyway is soda. Mom and William don't keep alcohol in the house." That wasn't entirely true. He knew there was beer in the back of the refrigerator. But neither Val or Hank were into drinking and he barely drank. And he really wasn't in the mood to get caught. And William would notice if beers suddenly went missing.
"It's no fun that way." Said Jamie, dismissing the idea. "Besides, you don't get enough information with I Never." He was right of course. With I Never, the only definite answers you got were what people hadn't done. There was the occasion where someone would drink, but it still wasn't as fun.
"Have You Ever?" Suggested Caitie.
"Way better." Agreed Jamie. "I'd love to know what secrets everyone has stashed in the closet." He had an almost evil glint in his eye.
"One condition." Declared Hank. "You've gotta be willing to cough up the information about yourself as well. Everyone answers the question."
"Deal." Agreed Caitie. Jamie seemed to go along with it. "Val, Tyler, you in?"
"Count me in." Said Tyler confidently. Val nodded.
"Basic Three, how many have you done?" Asked Jamie, taking charge. "And don't leave out details."
"Just as long as you don't." Grinned Hank.
"Define 'Basic Three' first." Tyler wanted to make sure they were all on the same page first.
"Drinking, drugs, sex. The basic stuff they tell ya not to do in health class." Shrugged Jamie. "Anyone gonna admit a hat trick?"
"Hate to burst your bubble there." Replied Hank apologetically. You couldn't quite tell if he meant it or not though.
"So, how many?" Asked Caitie, perking up. He hadn't flat out denied all of them.
"Two." He replied after a split second hesitation.
Jamie looked genuinely surprised. "Dude, seriously? I'm guessing drinking's one." Hank nodded.
"And what else?" Asked Tyler. He'd known about the drinking. They'd both been at the same party. Hank hadn't told him about anything else though.
Hank mumbled an answer.
"What?" Asked Val. She'd barely understood a word of what he'd said.
"I'm not a virgin." Said Hank hesitantly. He hadn't been sure if he'd wanted to share that with everyone. It wasn't a question about trust, he trusted them with his life, but he wasn't sure if it was their business or not.
"Seriously?" Asked Tyler. He couldn't figure out how to react. He wasn't shocked. He wasn't angry that Hank hadn't told him. He hadn't exactly been forthcoming with certain details himself. He was more curious than anything. "Since when?
"Junior year." He was less hesitant now.
"If you don't mind me asking, who'd you sleep with?" Asked Val. "I know it wasn't Jasmine."
"Monique was the first."
"There was a second?!" Asked Jamie. Hell, he'd been shocked with one. There was just something in Hank's voice that sounded like he wasn't saying everything.
"How many people have you slept with?" Demanded Caitie, picking up on whatever Jamie had.
"Just two." Replied Hank. He couldn't wait for everyone else's turn to be interrogated. "Moving on. Val?"
"Why are you picking on me? Why not Jamie?"
"Just answer it Val, Jamie's next."
"Fine." Why'd she ever agree to play this stupid game? She looked at Tyler out of the corner of her eye then looked back at the group. "I haven't done anything." That was a blatant lie, but she and Tyler had agreed to keep their sleeping between the two of them. "Jamie's turn." She said quickly.
"Just one. I'm still a virgin." He admitted, slightly embarrassed about it. Granted, he was a year younger than everyone else. "And contrary to the stereotype I've never gotten high."
"Fair enough." Nodded Tyler.
"Any details?" Asked Hank. Jamie was making it hard to get revenge. There wasn't anything juicy in drinking.
"I went to a party with some friends of mine, I wasn't driving so what the hell?" He shrugged.
"Tyler's basically admitted to drinking already, am I right?" Asked Caitie. She remembered the earlier conversation.
"A few times. Not enough to be completely drunk off my ass though." Part of him was proud to admit it. A major thing he and Jamie had in common was that they didn't like stereotypes. Jamie didn't like it when people assumed he got high every weekend just because of the way he looked and Tyler didn't like it when people assumed that just because he was a good student and volunteered at the station he was a goody goody.
"That it?" Asked Caitie.
"No. I've gotten high before." He admitted. He was sort of surprised that he was the only one in the group to try it before. He knew that Caitie hadn't ever tried anything because of the Brianne crisis.
"No way!" Blurted Caitie. She took a closer look at his face in the flickering candle light. "You're serious. When?"
"I've only done it a few times. I went to visit my brother in college and one thing led to another. I'm not saying I regret it or anything. It was actually kinda fun." It felt good to admit that. The only person he'd ever told was Val. She'd been pissed beyond belief, but he hadn't done it since.
"Be careful thinking like that." Warmed Caitie. She didn't want him ending up like Brianne. "Marijuana leads to harder, more dangerous drugs."
"She's right, man." Agreed Jamie. Tyler looked down at his feet.
"Wait, it was marijuana, right?" Asked Hank.
Crap! He was so busted now. He shook his head slowly. Val sighed. "No, it wasn't." Replied Tyler quietly.
"What was it then?" Asked Jamie.
"I did ecstasy, alright?" He snapped. He didn't want everyone telling him what a stupid decision it was.
"It could have killed you!" Exclaimed Caitie.
"But it didn't." Replied Tyler tensely.
"What was it like?" Asked Jamie. He would flat out admit to being curious. He knew there were reasons people did drugs. His reasons for not doing them were just stronger.
"I did it more than once, didn't I?" Snapped Tyler. "It was fun. Everything just felt good, you know? Let's move on. If I wanted a lecture I would have told my parents I tried it, okay?"
"And last but not least, it's Caitie's turn to answer the question." Jamie looked down expectantly at his girlfriend.
"You guys know I don't drink or do drugs." She shrugged. "But no, I'm not a virgin."
Jamie coughed. "What? Shouldn't you have told me this?"
"You didn't know?" Asked Tyler.
"And you did?" Demanded Jamie. The idea of someone else, even someone he knew as well as Tyler, knowing that about Caitie before he did drove him nuts.
"No, I was just surprised, that's all."
"Hey guys, I'm right here. Jamie, Tyler didn't know and now you do know so it's not big deal, alright? It happened before you and I got together. I was at a party with my sister and I was one of the few people there not drinking. I ran into another friend who wasn't drinking, we started talking and things just felt right." Explained Caitie. "Who's got another question?"
"I think we've had enough of this game." Interrupted Tyler. Everyone seemed to agree with him. "It's still really dark down here, I think there's a lantern we used on camping trips in the garage. Could you guys help me look?" He looked at Hank and Jamie.
"Yeah, sure." Hank stood up, followed slowly by Jamie who was slightly impeded by the fact that Caitie was still sitting on him.
"We'll talk later, okay?" She asked him. She knew he was still seething inside about finding out this way. She'd honestly meant to tell him earlier. And not in a group with their friends around either.
He barely nodded.
Tyler slowly searched through the shelves in their garage for the lantern with the meager light the flashlight gave off. They hadn't gone camping in over a year and there was no guarantee that the lantern even worked anymore.
Jamie leaned against the door that led back into the house, clenching and unclenching his fists. He was pissed she hadn't told him she wasn't a virgin, plain and simple. So what if it happened before they got together? He still deserved to know.
"Hey man, you okay?" Asked Hank. Jamie shrugged. "Cuz you sure as hell don't look like it."
"They why'd you ask?" Scowled Jamie.
Hank directed his attention back to Tyler. "You find the light yet?"
"Not yet. There's another flashlight though." Tyler handed it to Hank and indicated that he should start looking on the other side of the garage.
"I have to do this now." Announced Caitie, standing up and briskly moving over to Val's backpack.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Asked Val hesitantly. "What if someone comes down?"
"I don't know, tell them that you're helping me with a new hairstyle. The minute you bring up hair they stop listening. And it's going to take them more than five minutes to look in the garage." She replied. The next thing she said sounded almost like she was pleading with Val. "The not knowing is killing me."
"Okay." Agreed Val. She wasn't giving her permission, Caitie didn't need that. She was giving her support, which was what Caitie needed more than anything at the moment.
Caitie went into the bathroom and a few minutes later Val heard the toilet flush. Caitie gave her the all clear and she joined her in the bathroom. She locked the door behind her. Caitie was perched on the edge of the bathtub.
"How long?" Asked Val, sliding into a sitting position with her back against the door.
"Five minutes." Caitie looked at her watch. "Four and a half." She corrected. They sat in silence for what seemed like forever but was probably only thirty seconds. Time had a funny way of slowing down at the exact moment you needed it to speed up. "I can't believe this is happening." She muttered. "I always thought that it would never happen to me, that I'd be too smart about it to fuck up this badly."
"Do you know what you want to do?"
"No." Replied Caitie. "I can barely wrap my head around the fact that I'm taking a pregnancy test in my best friend's boyfriend's bathroom during a blackout." If she hadn't been scared out of her mind she just might have found the whole situation funny.
"You'll always have me." Promised Val.
"Thanks." Caitie forced a half-smile. It was all she could manage. "I keep thinking about what I would tell my parents and brothers and sisters.
"What about Jamie?" Asked Val. She was trying to be as sensitive as possible.
"What about him?" Snapped Caitie. "Things are already complicated enough for me."
"He has every right to know."
"And if there's anything to know he will." Replied Caitie. "But for now it's just easier not to involve him, okay?" She didn't need Val's permission. Caitie looked down at her watch. A minute left. The longest sixty seconds of her life. Half of her wanted time to tick by as slowly as possible, hoping to hang on to her innocence for as long as she could. For the other part of her it was torture. She wanted them to speed by so that she wasn't facing the unknown any longer. "Time." She whispered. The moment of truth.
"Who do you think it was?" Asked Jamie suddenly. He was still fixated on the sex thing. Well, he had a right to be God dammit!
"Uh, no clue." Shrugged Hank.
"She hasn't dated anyone since. . ." Tyler paused. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to bring up Billy. ". . . last year." He finished lamely.
"You don't think it was him, do you?" Asked Jamie, practically spitting the word 'him'.
"Found it. Let's go back in." Said Tyler, pulling the lantern off the shelf.
"She only knew the guy for what, a week?" Asked Hank. "I don't think so."
"No, she wouldn't do that." Said Jamie, sounding like he was trying to convince himself as much as everybody else.
"Oh my God." Whispered Caitie, squinting down at the stick.
"What? What is it?" Asked Val anxiously.
"It's negative." Whispered Caitie. "I'm not pregnant." She could hardly believe it, but there it was. Those two little words, 'not pregnant' in the little window.
"Oh my God!" Val echoed Caitie. As a wave of a strange mixture of joy and relief washed over her, Caitie turned to her best friend and impulsively hugged her. She knew it was slightly out of character for her, but it seemed like the right thing to do at the time. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"Who'd you sleep with?"
Caitie hesitated. It wasn't technically any of Val's business. But it still felt like she way lying to her. She settled on, "A friend."
"I lied." Said Val suddenly. "During the game. I lied."
"About what?" Caitie laughed,
"Tyler and I, we uh-"
"No way!" Caitie interrupted her, already knowing what Val was going to say. "You slept together."
"Yeah, we did."
"Well why'd you lie?" Asked Caitie. "And why tell me?"
"It wasn't anybody else's business. It's hard to explain exactly, you know?"
"Yeah, I do." It hit her that they were still sitting in Tyler's bathroom. "Come on, the guys will probably be back down soon."
"Good idea." Agreed Val. Caitie quickly threw everything in the garbage can and followed Val out of the bathroom. At almost the exact same times the guys came back down the stairs.
"Where'd you go?" Asked Tyler.
"Bathroom." Answered Val quickly. "Caitie was helping me with a hair style." It was a flimsy excuse at best, but she knew that the minute anyone started talking about hair or makeup the guys would change the subject.
"It looks like the rain's let up a little." Commented Tyler.
"Maybe they'll get the power working sometime this century then." Groaned Caitie.
"Hopefully." Agreed Jamie.
"There any salsa left?" Asked Hank, swiping the nearly full bag of tortilla chips off the cluttered coffee table.
"It's there somewhere." Replied Caitie with a wave of her hand in the direction of the coffee table. "I think." She added as an afterthought. It was hard to tell with everything else on the table.
"What time is it?" Mumbled Val, stifling a yawn.
"Almost 2:00 in the morning." Replied Tyler, sounding almost as tired as Val looked. The storm had calmed down slightly, but rain was still pelting the windows and the power was still out. It was starting to look like they were spending the night at Tyler's.
Jamie rose from his spot on the couch and silently walked to the bathroom. A full thirty seconds later, at almost the exact same time Val and Caitie looked at each other. Val was instantly awake and the horrified look on her face matched the one on Caitie's.
"What's wrong?" Asked Tyler.
Before anyone could reply, Jamie returned. He was holding something. And judging by the hard, stony expression on his face Caitie knew exactly what it was. Her heart sank.
She'd forgotten to hide the test. She'd just left it sitting on top of everything in the garbage can. How stupid could she have been?!
Jamie dropped it on the table in front of her. "We talk now." His voice was as hard as steel. He didn't care if everyone else heard what he said. And it didn't matter to him one bit what Caitie thought.
"Jamie." She pleaded with him.
"I swear to God if you say 'it's not what it looks like'-" He glared at her. Tyler and Val shrunk back on the couch.
"I'm sorry." She whispered.
"That you fucked up and almost got yourself knocked up or that I found out?" He snapped harshly.
"Dammit Jamie, don't be like this!" Caitie's temper started to flare.
"I've got every right to be pissed."
"Guys." Tyler tried to break them up, or at the least get them to hold off on this until later. Like when he, Val and Hank weren't around.
"Shut up!" They both yelled at him.
That was when Val noticed Hank. He'd gone pale all of a sudden and he was staring off into space, not focusing on anything in particular, like he was trying to work something through his head.
"Hank, are you okay?" Asked Val. He did not look good.
She couldn't be sure if he heard her or not. He mumbled, "Oh shit." It was just loud enough for Jamie to pick up. His head snapped in Hank's direction. It didn't take long for his brain to put two and two together and jump to the worst case scenario. Which, in this case, happened to be the right one as well.
"You've gotta be fucking kidding me." He muttered. "Fuck the both of you." His voice was dripping with disgust. "I don't wanna see either of you again. I'm out of here." He swiped his car keys off the table and headed up the stairs.
"Jamie!" Caitie called after him, running up the stairs to try to stop him.
"Get away from me." He growled. "You're not my girlfriend." Seconds later he was outside and they could hear an engine starting. They were all too stunned to do or say anything.
Neither Val nor Tyler had heard anything from Hank, Jamie or Caitie all weekend. It wasn't for lack of trying though. They'd each left at least twelve messages on their answering machines.
"This should be fun." Muttered Tyler, as he and Val entered Kingsport High on Monday morning. Neither of them wanted to even think about what shifts at the station would be like. Jamie was pissed at Hank because he'd slept with Caitie and he was pissed at Caitie for not telling him. And now everything between Hank and Caitie was awkward as well. Hank was upset with her as well since she probably wouldn't have told him anything at all if Jamie hadn't found the test.
Val saw Caitie by their lockers at the same time Tyler saw Hank by theirs. In silent agreement they broke off to talk to their respective best friends.
"Hey." Said Val, spinning the dial on her locker. Caitie looked at her. Her eyes were red from crying.
"Hey." Replied Caitie weakly.
"I uh, I called you this weekend."
"I know. Look, I know what you're trying to do, but don't okay? Things are fucked and it's gonna take a long time for them to get back to normal. If they ever do, that is."
"Hey Hank." Greeted Tyler. There was no use pretending to be cheerful right now.
"Morning." Hank added another book to his backpack.
"Have you talked to Jamie at all?" Asked Tyler. He wasn't gonna hold back. He saw it like pulling off a bandaid. The quicker the better.
"Nope." Replied Hank. "Haven't talked to either of them."
"Things will go back to normal." Promised Tyler.
"Maybe." Said Hank, nothing in his voice indicating that he believed Tyler.
Caitie was the first one to see Jamie all day, and even then it wasn't until after the final bell had rung. She was stuffing her books back into her locker when he came around a corner, talking with Kenny. It was like everything was moving in slow motion, like it did in movies and stuff.
Caitie raised her hand to wave to him, momentarily forgetting that they weren't together anymore. He narrowed his eyes at her and she quickly drew her hand back in.
Yeah, it was definitely going to take time for things to get back to normal if they ever did.
Jamie turned back to his conversation with Kenny and they kept walking down the hallway, never looking back at her.
The End
Look for some stuff from me in January. I don't have that much free time until then. College isn't as stressful as I thought it would be, but I'm still busy. But I don't have school in January so I should have some free time.
Thanks for reading.