Chapter Five

"Not who I thought you were"

Since I knew I wouldn't get a parking space outside the Hilton where the prom was being held, mum dropped me off outside. As I walked inside I felt an unsatiable sense of trepidation that refused to go away no matter how many deep breaths I took. It was the kind that usually emerges on one's first day of school or when they meet the mayor. Not that I had ever met the mayor but that isn't the point. Going into the front lobby I went up to the front desk to ask for directions before noticing the large sign displaying the words "Padua Prom" with a large arrow pointing up the stairs. I nodded to the clerk who had just come to help me and wandered up the stairs trying not to crush the rose I had grabbed from the garden on my way out of the house. Thankyou, mum's gardening phase. As I neared the top of the stairs I could hear music blaring from inside the main ballroom where the actual prom was. As I heard the band that the prom committee had chosen for the event I thought about the favour I had asked of the committee just last night. Both money and pride were sacrificed last night and am happy to say that I missed the pride more. God knew I had enough money at the moment. I looked broodingly out over the bannister as I thought about the phonecall I had made the previous night. I was just getting to the blackmail part when a flash of blue caught my eye to my left. Turning around I saw Kat looking anxiously, I assumed, for me. I thanked my lucky stars that when she saw me she smiled. Much like the plague only far less deadly her smile made the corners of my mouth curl up and I smiled back at her.

"Wow," I said to her as I handed her the rose. And I meant it too. She looked incredible. For someone who doesn't wear makeup, jewellery or pretty dresses she seemed to know what she was doing with this prom thing.

"You too," she said with an approving nod. Thankyou cousin Louie.

Before we got to the stairway that led down to the ballroom Kat stopped me.

"I'm really sorry I questioned your motives. I was wrong." she said sincerely. The guilt swam around me like sharks around a surfer stuck in deep water.

"You're forgiven," I told her as the sharks bit.

She looked relieved and held out her arm to me, "ready for the prom?"

"Yes, ma'am," I said, taking her arm and following her into the ballroom.

As we walked into the main ballroom I hate to admit it but I kept sneaking peeks at Kat. She finally half turned to me and gave me a strange look, causing me to cease my perverted activity immediately. I grimaced as we entered the ballroom as my greatest fears about what it would all actually look like were confirmed. Although I had never actually been to a prom I had seen plenty of movies that featured this special event so I knew what they were supposed to look like and this one looked exactly like all those in all the teen movies that no-one likes. God help us all.

Kat seemed to be having the same reaction to the decor and I thanked my lucky stars that it was Donner that bought the tickets, not me. I forced a smile and turned to Kat. She seemed to be looking over in the other direction so I followed her gaze. Cameron was dancing with Bianca and looking like the happiest man alive. Bianca smiled at her sister, something I couldn't imagine her doing very often. Kat smiled genuinely back at her then turned back to me. Before I could say anything, however, a strange girl in green started to flit around us, nervously looking for something....someone?

"Have you seen him?" she asked Katm still frenzily looking around the room. Who is this girl?

"Who?" Kat asked her, confused.

"William," the girl told her as though it was obvious.

Kat looked a little startled, "oh, Mandella. Please don't tell me you've progressed to full on hallucinations."

Ah, Mandella, Kat's friend. Mandella...Mandella...where had I heard that name apart from being best friends with Kat? Michael! She was Michael's date. He has asked her a few questions about Kat to find out whether or not she was still mad and he had found her quite charming to say the least. I smiled as I remembered the way he had flipped frantically through my english book to find a Shakespeare quote to win her over. Well, he must be around here somewhere. As Mandella and Kat both began to search through the crowd I spotted him on the stage. I pointed him out to Mandella who's face melted into a smile at the sight of him. As he made his way over to her Kat and I watched as he took her hand and kissed it. Smiling, Kat turned back to me. I think she was about to say something to me but the music stopped and another band started up. Kat's eyes lit up at the sound of it and she squealed, "Oh my God, it's-"

"I called in a favour," I told her.

The lead singer of Letters to Cleo walked over to us as the crowd parted and Kat looked as though she would float away from happiness. When the girl had made her way back to the stage Kat looked at me gratefully. I smiled and brought her in close, kissing her gently on the lips then putting my arms around her as we danced slowly to the blaring music.

"How did you get them to play?" she asked me curiously when the song was over. I shrugged. It really wasn't that complicated unfortunately. I wished I had a more impressive explanation but the story was simple.

"The guy who works the bar at Club Skunk is a good friend of mine. His sister is best friends with the lead singer. All I needed to do was ask."

Kat smiled at me. Obviously she was impressed and I felt a little bit better about my boring explanation.

"Refreshments?" I pointed to the table across the other side of the room that seemed to be displaying a stunning array of colourful punch-filled bowls. Kat nodded and grabbed my hand as I led her over to the table. Remembering Bogie Lowenstein's party the weekend before I was thankful that this was non-alcoholic. At least, I hoped it was. I quickly poured myself a cup of it and drank a few sips, waiting for the familiar burning sensation at the back of my throat. Nothing. Well, at least if anyone gets sick from drinking the punch it won't be from alcohol poisoning. After five minutes or so of chatting by the punch table, Cameron arrived with Kat's sister and I felt an unexpected rush of pride at seeing both of them looking so happy. God. I was actually parenting him. I shook the notion out of my head and smiled as they made their way over to us.

Bianca gave me a nervous smile and hurriedly started talking to her sister. I shrugged and turned to Cameron who was grinning from ear to ear.

"Thanks, man," he said to me quietly so that Kat wouldn't hear. I turned around to make sure that was the case but as soon as I saw that she was animatedly chatting to Bianca, completely oblivious to what Cameron and I were doing I turned back to Cameron.

"No problem," I told him with a smile, "having fun?"

Cameron smiled and looked at his date. I shook my head and followed his gaze. At that moment Kat turned to my way and I caught her eye, smiling. Excusing myself from Cameron I walked back over to my date and held out my hand to her, "would you like to dance?" I asked her.

She made a face at her sister then took my hand, following me through the steadily growing crowd of glamour Barbie's. When we found a spot that wasn't completely taken up by swishy skirts I put one hand around her waist and took her other hand in my own, forcing her a little closer against me.

"Where'd you learn to dance?" Kat asked me looking obviously impressed.

I shrugged, "learnt it in jail," I told her with a grin and she snorted and rolled her eyes. She looked kind of like a horse doing that and I told her so, earning myself a very sore foot as she stepped on my toes with her six-inch heel.

"Ow!" I exclaimed, pulling away from her.

"Aww, poor baby," Kat cooed, looking anything but sympathetic. I glared at her and she laughed, draping both arms around my neck and shoulders. Well, who can be mad at someone when they do that? Certainly not me. All was forgiven. Just then the band started up what could only be described as a very 'lively number' so I decided to get Kat back for her unprovoked attack and show her just how good a dancer I was.

Soon we were both laughing as I swung her around the dance floor. She wasn't bad herself, I noted. I remembered all the concert tickets she had in her room and realised she was probably used to dancing in a crowd. After a while I felt it was probably time to tell her where I really was last year.

"Milwaukee," I yelled above the music as she whizzed past me.

"What?" She yelled back.

"That's where I was last year," I explained, pulling her close for a moment before spinning her away again, "I wasn't in jail. I don't know Marilyn Manson and I didn't sleep with a Spice Girl. I don't think," I added with a grin. "You see, my grandpa, he was ill, so I spent most of the year on his couch, watching Wheel of Fourtne and eating Spaghettio's," I pulled her in and dipped her down, "the end!" I added with a flourish.

Kat laughed, "no way!" she exclaimed.

As we started dancing again Donner ran up to us and pushed us apart. Kat, used to Donner's rudeness, kept on dancing, obviously enjoying herself. In the moments that followed I would have given anything, anything, to stop Kat from hearing what Donner said.

She looked up, startled at hearing what she did. I looked at her helplessly, not sure of what I could possibly say. Unfortunately, I didn't have a chance to form any sort of real sentence before she looked at me digustedly and exclaimed, "nothing in it for you, huh?" and pushing past me towards the exit door.

I tried to give Donner the same disgusted look but failed miserably as I knew it was my fault, not his. Running after Kat I saw that something was happening between Donner and Kat's sister. I think I saw her punch him but I couldn't stay to watch as Kat was speedily disappearing. I finally caught up with her and she turned on me angrily.

"You were paid to take me out?!" she demanded, "by the one person I truly hate. I knew this was a set up!"

"Kat!" I grabbed her arm and she whirled around again, "it wasn't like that!"

"Oh really?" she was getting progressively angrier as this conversation went on, "what was it like? A down payment now and then a bonus for sleeping with me?!"

"I didn't care about the money okay?!" I tried to explain to her, "I cared about-" I hesitated for a split second and realised that what I was saying to her was true, "I cared about you."

"You are so not who I thought you were," she whispered viciously.

I don't know why I kissed her. Maybe I just thought it would make everything all better. Well, my dad always used to tell me I was a few nuts short of a Picnic Bar.

Kat pushed me away angrily and ran down the stairs as quickly as she could. I watched her go helplessly, only turning away from her when I heard someone running up behind me. I turned to see Bianca looking concerned. Wow, I thought to myself, who would have thought it would take a bastard like me to make them act sisterly towards each other?

Yuck, so dramatic. Poor Kat! Poor Patrick! Poor....eh, bugger Joey haha. So sad! Hopefully more happier stuff in the next chapter. But for now, review! Review! Thankyou to all those people who have been reviewing and a HUGE thankyou to Via for drawing me to the fact that I had checked the box disabling anonymous comments. DONT WORRY! The box is now unchecked and I can accept reviews from EVERYONE.