a/n: I plan to spend the next few chapters in Point Rock. As always, a special thank you to all the reviews: I love every one of them.
Monday | morning
"See you tonight?"
Sophie stared back confusedly. "Sorry?"
"Library?" Kate continued, packing her backpack with supplies from her desk. She stared equally in confusion at Sophie's reaction; they always spent Monday nights in the library studying together. It was their way of getting ahead of the workload going into the rest of the week.
"Oh, right, sorry, I forgot to tell you. I'm tutoring Irwin tonight."
"What? I thought that was Tuesday?"
"He needed to change it because they've rescheduled boxing for Tuesday nights now."
"Irwin boxes?"
"Yea, how else do you think he manages his anger issues?"
"Huh."
"I'll probably be out late with him, but I'll see you back here, yea?"
"Sure."
Monday | evening
"Hey Kate, which do you prefer: Melphie or Sophvin?"
"What?" Kate asked, setting her tray next to Chelsea before sitting down.
"We're trying to pick Sophie and Melvin's couple name. Which do you like better?" Chelsea continued through a mouthful of salad.
"I think both are terrible," Kate said.
"I agree," Martha chimed in. "I've been telling you that all day," she said to Chelsea before turning back to Kate. "She's trying to force the name. You can't force it."
"But all the best couples have one," Chelsea whined. "And they're just so cute together. Kate, you've gotta tell us how it all started."
"I wouldn't know."
"Are you kidding? Aren't you and Sophie like, best friends or something? She must have told you she was crushing hard."
"Yea, it's not something I listen for," Kate said dismissively. "You should ask her."
"I overheard Jill talking about it earlier. Apparently, he saved her life," Chelsea continued.
"Is that right?" Kate asked, her interest unexpectedly piqued. "How did he do that?"
"Honestly Kate, how do you not already know this stuff," Martha pressed.
"Oh! There's Melvin. Let's ask him; Melvin! Over here!" Chelsea called out across the cafeteria before anyone could stop her.
"Ladies," Melvin said, greeting them with a grin.
"We need your help," Chelsea continued. "Which do you prefer: Melphie or Sophvin?"
"Are these Pokemon?" Melvin asked, his eyes squinting skeptically. "Cause I never got into that."
"I thought you were asking how they got together," Martha said.
"Who says I'm limited to one question?" Chelsea scoffed in mock annoyance. "Melvin, we're trying to figure out your couple name. But also, we need to hear how you two got together. It wasn't exactly a shock because, well, you're obviously perfect together."
"Uh, well, it just sort of happened. We're just like any two people who got to know each other a bit."
"That's not what I heard. I heard you saved her life," Chelsea pressed, clearing a space at the table for him to join. "Plus you were always stopping by her room last semester. Right, Kate?"
"I don't remember," Kate said, returning her focus on her burger.
"So it was last semester then?" Martha asked, glancing between Kate and Melvin curiously.
"I guess, yea," Melvin confessed. Kate glanced at Melvin who looked unprepared for the onslaught from Chelsea and Martha. She weighed whether or not to jump in and help him - he was the one doing her and Sophie the favor after all, but she was finding a small amount of enjoyment at watching him squirm.
"So how did it happen?" Chelsea pressed.
Melvin sighed, glancing at Kate hesitantly before continuing. "D-do you remember the night Miller blundered the drill course?"
"Which time?" Chelsea chuckled.
"Er… the time with the pole," Melvin continued.
"Last fall you mean? Yea, I heard about that. Didn't people get pinned inside the metal tubes?" Martha asked.
"Yea, Sophie did," Melvin continued.
"And you saved her?!" Chelsea asked, her enthusiasm for romantic tales not going missed by anyone at the table.
"Well, no. I-I didn't know it had happened until she returned to the dorms."
Kate paused mid-bite, her focus now on Melvin's words. She glanced up at him and noted he seemed very intent on looking at anything but Kate.
"How do you mean?" Martha asked, egging him on. She was almost getting as bad as Chelsea.
"Uh, well, I-I found her, soaking wet in the lobby," Melvin began awkwardly, avoiding the hard gaze Kate was giving him. "And, she was freezing cold. A-and, so, I brought her back to my room."
Kate leaned back in her seat, at a complete loss for words.
"And then?"
"Well, she had symptoms of hypothermia, so I did the only thing I knew: I tried bringing her body temperature up with mine."
"That. Is soooo romantic," Chelsea said, her hands pressed to her chest in aw.
"It is, isn't it," Kate chimed in, staring back at Melvin with a cold distance.
"And so that's when you knew? You saved her life and knew she was the one?"
"Uh, yea, I suppose so," Melvin replied, keeping his gaze on Martha and Chelsea.
"Tell us everything about that night," Chelsea demanded.
"Well, I've heard this story one too many times, so if you'll excuse me," Kate said, promptly standing with her unfinished tray of food.
"But I thought you said you hadn't heard the story," Martha noted, still glancing between Kate and Melvin with a hint of suspicion.
"Melvin's saved Sophie's life so many times - it's hard to keep track of which one was the magical moment."
"But you've hardly touched your food," Chelsea noted.
"I wasn't actually that hungry."
"Hey, Kate, hold up for a second," Melvin said, rising from his seat. "I'll be right back," he grinned, trying to seem casual before racing after Kate.
"Kate… Kate, I'm sorry. I panicked."
"Sorry for what?" Kate asked dismissively, sliding her food tray onto a rack of fellow dirty dishes.
"What I said back there… I-I didn't know what else to say. Someone overheard Sophie telling me about that night, and then it ran like wildfire, and now people think I was you."
"Well it worked, didn't it?" Kate said simply, turning to face Melvin.
"I mean, I guess. It's still a dick thing to take credit for," Melvin said awkwardly.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Kate replied. She stared at Melvin blankly but inside was burning in frustration. To hear that Sophie was sharing details about that night with Melvin set her off. While on the surface it seemed like a silly thing to be upset by: it's base story was that Sophie had a near death experience and then she was fine. But in that there was something intimate about that night for Kate. They hadn't shared that night with anyone, and she saw no reason to tell anyone else. It as a moment meant to be shared only between her and Sophie. To know Sophie had told Melvin and, by accident now a number of her classmates also knew suddenly stripped that meaning from her.
"She wasn't trying to betray your trust," Melvin said, reading Kate's mind.
"So then what was she doing?"
"Kate… come on, don't make this a thing."
"I'm not. You're the one who followed me in here," she said before leaving.
Monday | night
"How was your day?" Kate asked looking up from the video game she'd been playing for the last two hours. She quickly hit pause on the game controller. Her mood had tempered from earlier, but only slightly. After returning to the dorm, she tried concentrating on homework but that quickly dissolved into a waste of time, so she determined there was no better way to continue wasting time than by pummeling fictional characters into the ground.
"Exhausting. Irwin really has a way of trying your patience," Sophie muttered, tossing her bag next to her desk.
"And you wondered why I was such a hardass on him last semester," Kate half-chuckled back, trying to keep her mood light. "Want to talk about it?"
"Honestly, I just want to shower and go to bed. I need to be up early as it is, and my session with Irwin ran an hour longer than I expected."
"Early? What for?"
"Melvin and I are going for a run," Sophie replied, digging out her shower caddy.
"Oh," Kate said, suddenly feeling a familiar resentment grow.
"Figured it'd be good to be seen doing 'normal' things together."
"Sure, yea. Makes sense."
"Do you mind putting that on mute when I get back?" Sophie asked, gesturing to the game console.
"No problem."
"Thanks, Kate."
Tuesday | evening
"You're back late," Sophie remarked as Kate trudged into the room covered in mud.
"Someone left their bow at the top of the ridge."
"Miller?"
"As if it could have been anyone else. And given his track record, the guy running the utility room wouldn't give us a pass till tomorrow, and I couldn't let him wander back alone, so I went with him."
"Ouch. You really should limit the time you commit to that."
"Says the one tutoring Irwin for hours a week."
"Yea, but he's paying me to tutor. You're giving up your time for free."
"It's fine," Kate said, feeling her annoyance flare. "What've you been up to?"
"I actually just got back. Was finishing up Gilmet's assignment with Melvin."
"Ugh, I haven't started," Kate said. Her plan had been to finish practice drills two hours earlier which would have aligned perfectly with the end of Sophie's last class meaning they could study together. But because Miller was Miller, she'd spent those extra two hours tracking down a bow on the top of a dark, cold bolder-top.
"Why didn't you do it last night?"
"Because I didn't." Kate replied, frustrated at the situation. It wasn't like her to get annoyed, but the last few days were eating at her temper.
"Why not?" Sophie asked, confused that Kate would let something like this slide.
"Does it matter?" Kate shot back, grabbing her bookbag and supplies. "I'll be in the lounge."
Wednesday | morning
"When did you get in last night?" Sophie asked, seeing Kate finally shift upright in her bed.
"What?"
"I didn't hear you."
"You were asleep," Kate answered simply, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"I-I know. That's why I'm asking now."
"Late, I guess," Kate continued, hopping out of bed.
"Ok...Do you want to walk to class together?"
"No, I'm gonna shower first. You go ahead."
"But you'll be late."
"And?"
"Nothing. Just… nothing, I'll see you in class."
Wednesday | night
"Where were you?" Kate asked, closing Sophie's copy of Little Women and slipping it onto her desk.
"Movie night in the student center."
"Since when was that a thing?"
"Since always? Melvin asked me to go. It was French."
"Right."
"It was last minute."
"Sure."
"What are you up t-"
"I'm going to bed. Mind if I flip off the light?"
"Oh, ok, sure, let me just turn on my lamp."
"Great."
"Ok… goodnight Kate."
"Night."
Thursday | morning
"What are you up to tonight?"
"Nothing special, why?" Kate replied, her tone controlled. She didn't want to jump to conclusions, but a small glimmer of excitement rushed through her at the thought of making plans together. She wasn't used to feeling jealous about things, and Sophie's time suddenly becoming so limited was eating at her. That Sophie was asking about her plans meant she might have prioritized tonight to finally hang out which was exactly what she needed.
"So you'll be around?"
"Yea, why?" Kate replied, a small grin playing across her face.
"Do you mind hanging out with James?"
"What?" Kate asked in shocked confusion, her face falling, unable to hide her annoyance.
"Er, well, what I really mean is: is it cool if James crashes here tonight?" Sophie asked, her cheeks blushing from embarrassment.
"Why?"
"Well, he hasn't made up with his girlfriend yet and doesn't have anywhere else to go…"
"I don't understand," Kate replied, trying to grapple with Sophie's words.
"Melvin thought it would be a good idea if…"
"If what, Sophie?"
"If it seems like we're, you know, together-together," Sophie finished.
"Oh."
"And so, it would mean James needs somewhere else to stay for the night. If you're not ok with it, I ca-"
"No, totally fine. Makes sense," Kate cut in curtly.
"Ok. I'll give him my key, then."
"Great."
A silence fell between them. Sophie stared at Kate, noting how short she was being but not quite sure why.
"Are yo-"
"I'm running late. I'll see you in Physics," Kate cut in.
"Yea, sure."
Thursday | evening
"So, what do you think they're doing?" James joked. Kate looked up from her notebook at him with annoyance. He was splayed out over the length of the couch, his eyes plastered on the television.
"That's strike two. One more and you're sleeping in the lounge tonight."
"Hey, hey, just trying to make light conversation. No need to get all worked up. Besides, I brought you cake."
"That's what you consider 'light conversation'?"
"I didn't realize it was such a sensitive topic," James replied, his undertone not going unnoticed by Kate.
"You couldn't ask something normal like 'got plans for spring break?'"
"Oh, well, sure, but I don't have anything interesting to say about that: I'm stuck here."
"What do you mean? No 'girls gone wild' Florida trips for you?" Kate asked, not believing James would skip out on the opportunity to objectify hordes of women. It was a wonder he had a girlfriend at all.
"Not all of us are millionaires, Kate," James tried to joke, but his face revealed a slight jadedness.
"I didn't mean… I'm sorry."
"It's cool. I went to Colorado for winter break. What about you? Flying to Europe on your private jet or something?"
"Just Gotham."
"Still sounds way better than Point Rock."
"You've been unusually quiet," Melvin noted, breaking the silence that had lingered for nearly an hour.
"Hm? Just focusing on this physics homework, I guess."
"You want to talk about it?"
"Physics homework? No, not especially."
"I meant about whatever's going on with you and Kate."
"Who said there was anything going on?"
"Your face."
Sophie sighed. "There isn't much to say."
"Meaning?"
"Meaning exactly that: there isn't much to say. We've said all of fifty words to each other since Monday."
"Did you guys have a fight?"
"Not as far as I know."
"When did it start?"
"Honestly, I have no idea," Sophie began, trying to trace the origins of the tension. "I mean… she was weird Friday night, but everything seemed fine over the weekend."
Melvin nodded thoughtfully. "Was everything actually fine or is that how you wanted to see it?"
Sophie paused, trying to recall the weekend. Now that she reflected on it, she realized Kate had been unusually absent. She had vied for a night out Saturday and left the room late Sunday morning for a day-long hike in the woods.
"Actually, now that you mention it…"
"You guys haven't actually talked about this, have you?" he asked, gesturing at both Sophie and himself.
"Not really, no," Sophie admitted. "It doesn't help that she deflects though."
"And I'm guessing she didn't tell you about our run-in with Martha and Chelsea in the cafeteria."
"What run in?"
Melvin sighed before filling Sophie in. He gave her the high points, knowing she'd be able to piece enough of it together to understand the gist.
"Wait, but what did she say? Was she upset that I told you?"
"I couldn't tell. She tried writing it off as me making it into something, but I got the impression she wasn't thrilled."
"But I talked with her Monday night and she seemed… fine? If she was upset, she didn't tell me."
"Sounds like classic Kate."
"Her stubbornness? Tell me about it," Sophie said with a sigh.
"That's not what I'm referring to. Don't tell me you haven't gathered that Kate Kane would do just about anything for you."
"I don't understand what you mean. And even so, that's got nothing to do with this."
"Doesn't it?" Melvin rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on Soph. I've been playing Kate's go-between for months. I know you don't need me to convince you she's head over heels for you, do I? You're a smart girl. She's obviously jealous as hell, and that she won't talk about this stuff makes that all the more clear."
"It's Sophie," she replied automatically before losing herself in thought. The truth was Melvin's words hit her harder than she expected. A part of her had built a wall against thinking Kate might actually think of her as more than a friend. The number of times she had deflected talking about it over the last few weeks had been evidence enough for Sophie that Kate saw it as a one-off moment. Once that was established, she had easily convinced herself that Kate's investment in Sophie's enrollment was because of her inherent fault in wanting to fix everything. It was the same reason she walked back the top of a ridge with Miller to collect a forgotten bow.
In contrast, Melvin's comments suggested that the part Sophie had spent weeks burying down might have some weight: for Kate, this was actually something more than helping out a roommate in a pinch.
"Right, sorry - 'Sophie'. But now try and tell me anything else about what I just said is wrong," Melvin remarked in challenge.
Sophie's brow curled into a frown as she analyzed Melvin's words. "But she's been so…"
"So what? Cool? Seemingly nonchalant but short-tempered? Distant?"
"For being my fake boyfriend, you sure know her pretty well."
"Six sisters, remember?"
Friday | afternoon
"Hey, there you are."
"Your observation skills are getting better."
"James said you went out and didn't come back last night. I was worried," Sophie continued eyeing Kate's hollow cheeks and the dark circles under her eyes with concern. "Rough night?"
"A friend was passing through."
"Oh, neat. Anyone you've told me about?"
"I do-"
"Hey Sophie!" Came a voice from across the cafeteria cutting Kate off.
The two glanced up and saw Melvin making his way toward them.
"And Kate! Sorry, didn't see you. Woa, late night?" Melvin asked, remarking on Kate's appearance as he casually wrapped his arm around Sophie's waist. Kate's eyes narrowed slightly as they shared a brief kiss for the wandering eyes around them.
"We're going to grab a bite then hit up Lucky Shots over in Camden."
"Camden? Isn't that like, thirty miles away?"
"Closer to twenty, but James and his girlfriend were looking for a couple to go on a double date, so we figured 'why not'."
"We? Already a collective," Kate noted, dryly. "Are they back together?"
"Eh, we'll see. They're testing the waters. I think Sophie and I are acting as the bumpers to their date tonight," Melvin said with a cheesy grin as Sophie broke out into a chuckle. Kate stared blankly at the two of them, trying to put a cap on her growing annoyance at seeing them so cozy. What she didn't see was nervous look on Sophie's or the way Melvin's arm fell limply back to his side after a moment.
"Well, that sounds like a blast," Kate replied sarcastically.
"You could come with," Sophie offered. "James' car has five seats; you could totally squeeze in."
"I'm sure Kate already has plans," Melvin chimed in, reading the vibes between Sophie and Kate. After the previous night's discussion, the last thing Melvin wanted was to put Kate in the middle of a four hour excursion where she'd watch him and Sophie acting couply.
"Kate?"
"Actually, Melvin's right. In fact, I should get going," Kate replied coolly.
Saturday | afternoon
"Have you seen Kate?"
"Kate Kane?"
"James, are we really doing this again?"
"Hey, you never know."
Sophie scowled in annoyance. "And yet you still know exactly who I'm talking about."
"Isn't she like, your best friend? Why do you always ask me?"
"So is that a yes or no?"
"Jeez. Your temper is going to get the best of you Sophie Moore."
Sophie's scowl deepened.
"Why?"
"She didn't come back last night," Sophie replied.
"Probably because she left," James mused.
"What do you mean?"
"Well unlike you and me, not all of us are stuck here for spring break."
"What?"
"Spring break? That magical week every year where students run off to Panama Beach?"
"That's next week, James."
"Seems like someone's been spending too much time in her honeymoon phase."
Sophie stared at James for a moment before James' words dawned on her. She glanced around and noted for the first time how quiet the floor had been all morning. It also explained the half-empty classes from the day before.
"Wait… what's today?" she asked, suddenly doing the math.
"It's Saturday? The… 22nd? No, wait, Thursday was the 21st, so toda-"
"Oh no. It's the 23rd," Sophie uttered, almost as a whisper. "I am such an ass."
"Is this the part where you realize you missed Kate's birthday?" James asked, now leaning casually against the wall.
"What? Shit. Uhm, something like that."
"By two days, I might add."
Sophie sighed at James' comment. She had forgotten more than Kate's birthday.
"Spent it having fake sex with your fake boy toy, I might add."
"Excuse me?"
"Oh don't act surprised. I know you two aren't really together. But don't worry, everyone else believes you two are blissfully in love," he teased.
Sophie gaped back at James, livid that he'd known.
"Did you want to add anything else?" Sophie said, her tone sharp with frustration.
"All done," James said, raising his hands in surrender.
"Can I borrow your phone?"
"Don't you have one?" James asked, defensively.
"Melvin has it."
"Why does Melvin have it?"
"Because he was holding it last night an - does it even matter? Can I borrow it or not?"
"Yea, sure. Keep it short though - I'm running low on minutes for the month."
Sophie grabbed it from James and quickly typed in Kate's number by heart. She paced nervously as the phone rang unanswered for one… two… three… fo-
"Kate's phone," came a voice on the other end.
"Kate! It's me," Sophie rushed without thinking. "I am so so sorr-"
"Who's this? Wait, hang on," the voice cut in before pausing, and Sophie suddenly realized it wasn't Kate. She heard a garbled muffle over the mic and the next set of phrases were muted by what Sophie assumed to be a hand. "Hey babe? Babe, you've got a call… yes, obviously I picked it up… I don't know, some chick… who? I said I don't know, she didn't say-"
Sophie quickly pressed 'end' on the call and stared at the screen.
"What was that about?" James asked. Sophie looked up, having forgotten he was still there.
"Nothing. It's nothing."
"Ah, two of my favorite people," came Melvin's voice down the hall. "I wondered where you'd gone off to. Any sight of Kate?"
"Oh not you, too," James sighed. "You two are vying for worst friend status."
"Why? What's wrong?" Melvin asked, his face riddled with confusion.
"It's March 23rd," was all Sophie could say, still staring at the phone's screen in shock.
"No, shit."
"You guys know her birthday is March 21, right? Because even I know that," James interjected.
Sophie leaned against the corridor hall, her eyes closed in irritation. "We know, James."
"So why are you obsessing over today?"
"Because March 23rd is the day Kate's mom and sister died."
