Hallway Confrontations
The bell signaling the end of the school day for October 16, 2008, had just run, and Cate Parr couldn't be happier for the day to be over. She had just gone through another agonizing AP Bio class with Mr. Hart in which the perverted teacher stared at her boobs as she entered class, gave the class a pop quiz on genetics that felt like a test, and assigned the class to do yet another research paper that was due the following Monday. The class seemed to go on for hours even though it was only fifty minutes long. To top it all off, she swore that she heard a faint whistle coming from Mr. Hart's lips as she exited out the door. With that disgusting thought on her mind, she reminded herself, "Thank God tomorrow's Friday! Just one more day with the weasel. Just one more day! You can do it, girl!"
Cate had just made her way down the hallway to her boyfriend Tommy Seymour's locker when she saw him engaging in conversation yet again with Lizzie Donnelly. Usually, Cate didn't care who Tommy talked to, but Lizzie was another story. Lizzie, a cheerleader at Whitehall High was an attractive, petite young woman standing around 5'2" and weighing around 120 pounds. Her golden blonde hair, curvy figure, and turquoise eyes made her quite the catch for many boys as Whitehall. Coupled with her good looks and endless charm, Lizzie was a well-known flirt who had many boyfriends over the years at Whitehall, and at least three of them had been in sexual relationships with her. Lizzie had started making advances on Tommy over the summer. At first, Cate didn't make a big deal about her advances as Tommy did not respond to Lizzie with any flirtatious behavior; however, Tommy had begun to act more friendly around Lizzie a few weeks into the start of senior year, and she was starting to feel suspicious that Tommy was cheating on her. Tommy, the twin brother of Jane Seymour, was a debonair and well-dressed young man who always dressed to the nines in the finest clothes and sported a perfectly-trimmed reddish-brown stubble and had dark blue-green eyes. He was also very tall, standing at around 6'3," and weighed about 190 pounds. Those features, plus a dry sense of humor, made him quite the ladies' man at Whitehall. As she took in the sight of Tommy giggling as Lizzie placed her right hand on his chest, Cate decided that enough was enough and that it was time to confront both of them about what was going on.
Storming toward the two suspected lovers, Cate approached Lizzie, and said, "Listen, you tramp! I have had enough of seeing you flirt with MY boyfriend! It's just not right. Go pick on someone who is not taken! There are plenty of fish in the sea left for you to date. What's the number of boyfriends you have had now? Six or seven throughout your time here at Whitehall? Yeah, that sounds about right. Before I go on rambling some more, heed my warning to stay away from Tommy because I will make sure you never mess with me again!" Tommy was about to intervene and try to reason with Cate when Lizzie taunted, "Yeah, sure, you Old Hollywood starlet wannabe! You're just jealous that he is talking to me. There is nothing going on between me and Tommy! I am just being my personable self. You should try it sometime. Guys really dig a girl who knows how to be personable. I don't even understand what Tommy sees in you. You're nothing but a bore who is stuck in the 1950s and has nothing to offer for a guy. You'll end up an old maid with those mannerisms as they are so dated." With her face turning the same shade of red as her lipstick, Cate then shouted "THAT DOES IT! YOU'RE GOING DOWN!" "BRING IT," Lizzie taunted back. Before Cate could throw out the first punch, Tommy stepped in between the girls, saying, "Girls, cool it, please! This really isn't something worth getting into a catfight over. I bet that neither of you would want to land an office detention with Mrs. Beaufort for fighting, right? Lizzie, please go so I can talk civilly with Cate that nothing is going on between us." "Ahhhh…very well, Tommy. You have a point," Lizzie said. Cate shockingly nodded in agreement and was actually relieved that Tommy was there to stop them both from getting into a nasty catfight. Lizzie then added, "Well, Cate, listen to what Tommy says. He is just going to say what I have been saying this whole time: Tommy and I are just friends. We have nothing to hide." She then departed as she saw her fellow cheerleaders gossiping across the hall.
As soon as Lizzie and her friends from the cheerleading squad were out sight, Tommy then let his feelings be known to Cate by saying, "Sweetie, I swear to God that what you saw between me and Lizzie was absolutely nothing to worry about. It was just…" "Just what, babe? A figment of my imagination and that I am a hyper jealous girlfriend," Cate interrupted in a sarcastic and annoyed tone of voice. "No! It was just her way she says hello to most guys. I was laughing at the fact that she approaches almost every boy in that way. It humors me," Tommy responded back to defend himself. He then asked, "You gotta admit that her actions are so ridiculous that they are laughable, right?" After hearing Tommy ask that question, she chuckled and shook her head knowing he was right. Lizzie's actions were synonymous with those of every cartoon sex symbol. Lizzie was like a walking, talking cartoon in the flesh. After a brief pause, Cate then said, "That's true. But something in my gut is telling me that there is more going on between you and Lizzie. Please, Tommy. Tell me the honest truth so I know where you and I stand as a couple. I deserve to know at least that much, right?" "I swear to Go, on my parents, and on my sweet sister that I am not seeing Lizzie. Scout's honor. I love you to the moon and back, sweetheart," Tommy said as he hugged Cate. "Ok, good. I believe you. I must have been jumping to conclusions before analyzing the situation. It's not the first time I have done that, and I admit it is one of my flaws that I need to work on. Thank you for understanding me and bearing with me, babe. I love you, too," Cate responded as she wrapped her arms around him. Tommy then asked, "Does this mean we are still on for dinner tonight?" "You betcha," Cate said happily. "Sweet," Tommy said with much enthusiasm. With everything being resolved, they both headed to their cars to go home for a few hours before Tommy would pick her up for dinner.
As Cate drove home, she processed everything she was thinking. Even though she wanted to believe what Tommy had said to her, she still felt that something was amiss. She wasn't 100% sure that Tommy was telling her the truth about him and Lizzie. She did not want to confront Tommy again about the subject because it would lead to a date night filled with drama and fighting. She wanted a second opinion from someone else she trusted, and knew that the best person to ask was Jane since she was Tommy's twin brother. Cate decided that she would call Jane after dinner so they could have a private chat. She prayed that Jane would have some insight that would help her decide whether or not she would stay with Tommy.
A/N: Tommy is based on the historical Jane Seymour's real-life brother, Thomas Seymour, who married the historical Catherine Parr after the death of Henry VIII. Thomas was unfaithful to Catherine, and had many strong flirtations with the future Queen Elizabeth I, who was about 13-14 years old at the time. I am tying this infidelity in with my character of Tommy in his flirtations with Lizzie, who I made an OC after debating whether or not to base her on Queen Elizabeth I (who was not a flirt, but rather an extremely intelligent girl when Thomas flirted with her).