Chelocean22 - CHARLIE FANS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME! I adore his character so much, it's unhealthy. Weirdly, I've also been growing to like Cameron since writing this...I never thought that would happen. But anyway, thank you so much for your continued support. I hope the illusive red dress lives up to your expectations and stay tuned for Charlie's reaction to Kathleen wearing it!

Anasatsia98 - Thank you :) I'm so happy that people love reading this as much as I love writing it.

Chapter sixteen -Where dost thou hide thy head?

"How was soccer practice?" asked Pitts as Kathleen approached the table.

"Good" she took the seat at the end of the table, with Cameron on her other side, "if you forget the part when Neil decided to give us all a mud bath."

"Sorry" the boy in question laughed, stuffing another spoonful of mashed potatoes into his mouth.

"Where have Todd and Charlie got to? "Knox stared at the two empty seats before turning to Kat, "they can't have been far behind you?"

She shrugged, "No idea, they were talking when I left." Her words attracted an array of confused expressions.

"Don't take this the wrong way, but what on earth would they have to talk about?"

"Take a wild guess" Cameron muttered sarcastically, earning a subtle kick under the table from Neil which went unnoticed by the rest of the group, who had spotted the missing society members walking in.

"Hey, Neil" whispered Kat, taking advantage of the distraction "could I talk to you and Todd later, in private?"

"Sure" he gave her a reassuring smile.

"Greetings, peasants!"

"Hello to you too, Charlie" scoffed Neil, gesturing for Todd to sit next to him.

"A shocking display of disrespect" he mocked, what does a King have to do get some admiration around here?"

Cameron rolled his eyes, "actually be one."

"Nonsense, I Charles Dalton, of Dalton Banking Inc. have been ordained by God!"

"Stop it, people are staring" Cameron hissed.

"Let them, I can't help being this handsome."

"Shut up and eat your potatoes, King Charles" instructed Neil, "the rest of us are almost done."

He pouted, "it's a sad day when the court jester usurps the crown."

"If Neil's the jester, what are the rest of us?" laughed Meeks.

"You're Nostradamus, Pittsie's the chancellor, Knoxious...you can be the prince and marry the princess of Noel."

Kathleen bit back a smile at the look of pride on Knox's face.

"That leaves Kat as...princess?" guessed Pitts.

"Queen" she corrected at the same time as Charlie, causing the whole table to laugh.

"I'm glad we agree" she grinned.

"What does that make Todd and me? The stable boys?" Cameron grumbled.

"Oh no" Charlie smirked, "Todd would be the stable boy. You'd be the kitchen maid."

"Don't worry, Cameron" Kat nudged her scowling friend, "I think you'd look quite fetching as medieval maid."

Knox choked on his water, sending the group into another fit of laughter as the liquid sloshed out of the side of his glass.

"Stop!" he cried between coughs, "I can't get the picture out of my mind."

xxxx

It was nearing sundown and the gang was lounging about by the lake. Charlie was smoking, still refusing to share his secret hiding place with the others, who had been so sure that his stash would be found during the room checks yesterday. Meeks and Pitts were working on plans to build a record player, using stones to hold down the papers, while Cameron was helping Knox with the biology homework.

"Oh, Kathleen" Neil sat up and waved his script in the air, "do me favour and read the part of Demetrius. I need to practice this scene. Todd, you can do Lysander. There aren't many lines for him in this bit."

"Sure."

"Thanks" Neil stood up, "we'll be by that tree, okay. We won't disturb you guys that way."

Kathleen and Todd followed Neil over to the tree a few metres away from their current spot on the lakeside. They sat in a triangle, brushing away the last of the fallen leaves which were scattered at the base of the birch tree.

"What did you want to talk to us about?" asked Neil, ignoring the script and focusing solely on his friend.

"Aren't we helping you rehearse?"

"We are, I didn't lie" Neil assured Todd. "It's just that Kat wanted to talk to us alone...I'm assuming it's about earlier."

Kathleen nodded, "It was Fraser who you saw. We had a little chat and well..." she paused, pulling at the grass as she searched for the right words. "He told me that Nolan has invited his Father for a business dinner, that we have to attend as well."

"Dinner with Nolan, Fraser, and his Father?" repeated Neil, "I get that it's unpleasant but why is it so bad?"

"It's not just dinner, is it?" observed Todd.

"Exactly. It's a set up" she agreed.

"A set up?"

"For weeks, my grandfather's been questioning me about my friendships, he thought I was interested in Todd! I told him that it's not like that but last night he wished me luck in my 'endeavours' with Knox. He basically said that he let me attend Welton so I could find a suitable husband. Now he's starting to arrange dinners and parties...it's a repeat of what he did to my Mother!" She bit her lip, "I don't know what to do. He's trying to control my life and ruining things for me" she trailed off.

"And the dress?" Todd asked softly.

"If I dress up tonight, I set the standard for every occasion I'm forced to go to in future. He's spreading the word and I don't want to help. I need to be a plain Jane, I need to blend in and appear ordinary."

"That means giving in Kat, and you're not a quitter" Neil said firmly, "you chose a boarding America, and when your school closed you chose an all-boys school with the relative you don't get along with because you knew it was an opportunity. You ignore expectations and join underground poetry clubs with the rebels and nerds alike. You're never going to be boring, plain, or ordinary. Accept it, and tell him to kindly get the fuck out of your life."

"Possibly in politer terms" interrupted Todd, "but the point stands."

"In a red dress" added Kat quietly.

"In a red dress" nodded Neil.

"Sorry for being stupid."

"You're not stupid" Todd hugged her, "you got worried. Talk to me sooner next time, please?"

"Of course," she hugged him back and opened an arm for Neil to join, "thank you."

"I'm glad you're okay" Neil smiled as they pulled away and he held out the script, "are you still up for some healthier drama?"

"Always" she laughed, taking the script and reading out the first line, "Lysander! speak again: Thou runaway, thou coward, art thou fled? Speak! In some bush? Where dost thou hide thy head?"

xxxx

Sunday morning flew for all but Knox who was, as expected, a nervous wreck.

"It's three, Charlie! Three in the afternoon and I don't know what to wear!"

"Just wear something like what you wore to the Danbury dinner."

"But this is her parents, Charlie. Meeks, tell him!"

"It will be fine, Knox"Meeks pulled a blue shirt out of his friends draw, "how about this?"

"That was the first thing I chose" he groaned.

"What's so bad about it?" asked Pitts.

"It doesn't match pink and Nancy said Chris is wearing pink" he put his head in his hands, "I was wrong. I need help, someone get Kat or ring Nancy. I have no dignity left to lose."

"I'll be back in a minute" Neil said, walking out. And sure enough, he was back two minutes later with Kathleen in tow.

"What do you need?" she asked, handing Knox a bunch of pink peonies "these are from us to the Noels, Chris's favourite apparently."

"Thank you!" he threw his arms around the girl, taking care not to crush the flowers.

"It's fine" she giggled, stepping back and noticing the chaotic state of his room. The boys had kicked Knox's roommate out hours ago, to make room for what Charlie had dubbed 'operation fancy pants', the floor was littered in clothing, shoes and belts, the draws were flung open and an array of aftershaves lined the windowsill. She raised an eyebrow at Meeks who was waving around a navy shirt helplessly. "Absolutely not, Meeks. If Knox is wearing the cream pants that he currently has on, he will match Chris. That shirt ruins the effect. Find a plain white one" she instructed, before turning to Charlie who looked thoroughly annoyed by the bundle of sweaters on his arm, "pick the sky-blue sweater, Charlie." She then turned to the others, "we need a blue tie and brown shoes, guys." Within ten minutes they were sorted, Knox stood in front of the mirror looking calmer.

"How are you not stressed?" he breathed.

"Because I've done this a lot" she laughed, "and I'm visiting my best friend's extended family, not my crush and her parents."

"Please don't remind me" he said faintly.

"You'll be fine" she smiled, "now I'm going to get ready. Meet you by the stairs at 5:30."

I debated ending it with Kat and Knox at the Noel's front door but it seemed awkward to add the next part. The next chapter will pick up at the staircase and follow the entire dinner. I'm not sure where to end it yet but it will probably be a long chapter, so be prepared!