"Please tell me we didn't do what I think we did" she answered softly sitting up in bed the next morning as she looked around his hotel room
"Relax Kit we're both fully clothed" he answered sitting up next to her
"Good because something like that would just be bringing up a bunch of unwanted feelings…" she answered moving off the bed
"Would it really be that bad?" he asked sadly as she turned to look at him
"Yes especially with our past it would make things weird" she answered looking for her shoes
"It's not like we haven't done it before Kit, if I remember correctly I was your first" he said grinning at her as he moved out of bed
"Yeah you were my first but that's beside the point" she answered sadly
"Then tell me what the point is?" he answered picking up her shoes from under the bed
"The point is you broke my heart Max and getting involved with you again would be a big mistake a road I don't want to go down again, I'm not the same naive 17 year old girl that I was back then" she answered taking her shoes off him
"I never meant to hurt you Kit…" he said softly as she grabbed her bag off the back of the couch
"No but you did…" she answered sadly as she moved towards the door
"I'm clean now have been for 5 years" he said hoping she would stay
"That's great Max I'm happy for you" she said smiling at him
"Can I see you again?" he asked hopeful
"I don't think that's a good idea…" she answered quickly as she opened the door
"Kit, we were friends before everything else can't we go back to that?" he asked moving towards her
"I have to go…" she answered bluntly before exiting his hotel room.
Past:
2 months later and things between Kate and Max were heated and filled with passion but some of the time it was filled with rage and anger something Kate hadn't told anyone else about, most of the time Jake kept out of it knowing his sister was old enough to look after herself, she had turned 18 last month and even though she kept reminding him she was an adult but he still saw her as his little sister.
It was just after 6pm as Kate and Max made their way down the footpath to hang out at the movies when he stopped spotting a bunch of his 'old' friends
"Come on, there's someone I want you to meet" Max said as he pulled her towards the back entrance of the old KFC out of view
"What are we doing here?" she asked confused
"Just come on" he said as they stopped near a bunch of local kids Max greeting them in the tradition way males did a firm hand grip and a slight pat on the back
"These are your friends?" she asked turning to look at him
"Yeah this is Jayce, CC and Luca" he said pointing to each one as he said their name
"Everyone this is Kate" he said moving to stand back next to her
"So this is the lovely Kate, she more beautiful then you mentioned" Jayce said as he moved forward
"Do you score Kate?" CC asked as she looked Kate up and down curiously
"Score?" she asked confused as Jayce took Max and handed him something
"You know drugs?" Luca said looking at her
"Kate doesn't do drugs…" Max answered from his spot near Jayce
"I knew she looked like a goody two shoes" CC said shaking her head from her spot against the wall
"Don't worry Kate we don't do anything to bad, just the normal stuff" Luca said nodding at her
"Normal stuff?" she asked nervously
"You know weed, smack, ecstasy a bit of coke" CC said shaking her head as she passed her a small bag of pills
"Here" she said smirking at her
"No… No I'm good" she said handing it back to her
"For later then, spice things up in the bedroom" CC answered placing the bag in her pocket of Kate's jumper
"Max you ready?" Kate asked hopeful really wanting to leave
"Yeah, catch you later guys" he said moving towards Kate as he reached for her hand before they walked off
"I didn't know you were into drugs…" she said sadly as they walked hand in hand
"Not really… I just sometimes get pills to keep me awake during finals so I can study" he answered bluntly
"Right…" she answered softly
"I'm not addicted Kit don't worry…" he answered kissing her cheek as they continued to walk hand in hand.
The next day Kate was sitting in the lounge studying as her Mum made her way down the hall
"Katherine McGregor what the hell is this doing in your jumper?" she yelled as she entered the lounge
"What are you on about?" she asked turning to look over the couch
"This" she said holding up a little bag of pills
"It's not mine I swear" she answered quickly
"It was in your jacket" she answered looking at her angrily
"Ok it's mine…"
"What!" she yelled
"It's not what you think! I haven't taken any I wouldn't do that" she answered crossly
"You've been acting strange ever since you started dating that Max guy" she answered as Jake walked through the door
"What's going on?" he asked confused
"Your sister is doing drugs" she answered handing him the small bag of pills
"What?! Kate what the hell!" he answered angrily
"I haven't taken any, they were just given to me" she answered arising from the couch
"Someone just gave you drugs? With you giving them nothing in return" he said confused
"Yes!" she answered angrily
"I don't buy it" he said bluntly
"I didn't buy it" she answered crossing her arms
"You think your clever?" their Mum answered from next to Jake
"Do you have any idea what this could do towards your spot in the Navy?" Jake said concerned
"I didn't take it, I thought you of all people would believe me" she answered sadly looking at him
"Where did you get it? Who did you get it off?" Jake asked desperate to find out
"I can't tell you…" she answered looking at the ground
"Kate this is serious" Jake said moving towards her
"I have to study…" she said grabbing her books off the couch as she headed towards her room closing the door behind her.
"Is that all of it?" he asked turning to his Mum
"I found it in her jacket when I was putting it in the washing machine, I don't think she has more" she answered sadly
"This is serious Mum it could ruin her chance of joining the Navy" he said sitting on the end of the couch
"You know who gave it to her right?" she said leaning against the doorframe
"Max…" he answered bluntly
"It's a possibility you know what he's like I know he's your friend but he's been in trouble before" she said sadly
"I'll talk to him…" he answered angrily
"She got her acceptance letter yesterday if she's into drugs she won't be going they'll kick her out on the spot" she said making her way towards the kitchen
"When does she leave?" he asked sadly moving towards the sink and washing the contents of the bag down it
"A month" she said sadly
"That soon?" he answered surprised
"Yeah…" she answered softly
"Cheer up Mum, she'll come back for Christmas and holidays" he said placing a comforting hand on her back
"I know but she's my little girl…" she said tearing up
"I'm always going to be your little girl Mum" Kate said softly moving from her spot in the doorway to hug her Mother in a embrace.
"Here" he said handing her a beer as she was sitting on the back steps later that night after their Mum had gone to bed
"Thanks" she said taking it off him as he sat down
"Still hard to believe your old enough to drink" he said taking a sip of his beer
"Old enough to do a lot of things now Jake including looking after myself" she answered placing her beer down next to her
"Mum just worries you know that" he said sadly
"I know but she doesn't trust me, neither do you and I can't keep running to my brother every time I get into trouble" she answered turning to look at him
"This isn't just any trouble Kate it's drugs" he answered bluntly
"I know and I wasn't going to take them honestly I forgot they were even there" she said picking up her beer
"I believe you but you have to tell me who gave it to you?" he asked hopeful
"If I tell you, you have to promise to stay out of it" she said turning to look at him
"I'll try" he answered looking at her sadly
"Jake please…" she asked sadly
"I promise" he said reluctantly
"Max he… he occasionally takes pills to stay awake some friends of his are supplying him with stuff he says he's not addicted but he's been acting different for a few months now" she said softly
"Different how?" he asked confused
"He sometimes gets fits of rage" she answered placing her beer back down
"Kate does he hurt you?" he asked concerned
"He doesn't mean too, but now I know it's not him it's the drugs" she said sadly
"I'm going to kill him" he said angrily
"Please Jake don't get involved" she said placing a hand on his arm
"Kate he's hurting you what part of that screams what he's doing is okay?" he said sadly
"I can handle this" she said reassuring him
"You shouldn't have to, come here" he said reaching his arm over her shoulder and pulling her into a side hug.
Present:
"I'm home" Kate called out as she closed the front door
"Kate?" she answered softly as she looked over from her place on the couch
"Have you eaten today Mum?" she asked sadly as she shook her head
"You didn't come home last night" she said sadly as Kate knelt next to her
"I had a few drinks last night wasn't up to driving" she said placing a hand on her arm
"You could have called I was worried sick" she answered sadly
"Sorry… Can I get you something to eat?" she asked softly
"I'm not hungry…" she answered quietly
"I'll make you some mint tea" she answered arising to her feet as making her way towards the kitchen
"Were you drinking with him?" her Mum called out from the lounge
"Nothing happened Mum" she answered as she grabbed a mug from the cupboard
"He was at the funeral last week I saw him there" she said as she arose from the couch and made her way towards the kitchen
"He was Jakes best friend he had a right to be there" she answered sadly as she flicked the kettle on
"He's also the one who used to hurt you when he was high on drugs" she answered angrily
"He's sober now has been for 5 years" she answered moving towards the fridge
"Kate don't tell me your thinking of starting things up again" she asked confused as she sat down at the table
"Of course not, I'm not 17 and in love anymore" Kate said reassuring her
"If I remember correctly it was only 2 years ago when you were bringing a much older man home to meet the fam, by the way what is it with you and older men?" she said grinning as the kettle finished boiling
"Yes well that is past history and he wasn't that much older than me" she said pouring the water in the glass as she placed it on the table in front of her Mum
"He was almost 30 Katherine!" she said shaking her head as she stirred her drink
"Mum I'm almost 24 I think I know what I'm doing" she said making herself a coffee
"Do you? I worry about you Kate ever since you joined the Navy you've been distant and closed off this past year more so" she said sadly as Kate moved to sit across from her
"I'm fine" she answered bluntly
"Are you though?" she asked in a serious tone
"What do you want me to say?" she said sadly
"Tell me how you're doing" she said motioning to her
"I'm doing fine honestly Mum just trying to keep busy trying not to think about things too much" she said sadly sitting back in her chair
"And what about that man Mick or Mitch" she said trying to remember his name
"Mike" Kate answered correcting her
"Yes Mike" she said taking a sip of her tea
"He left bigger and better things to move on with" she answered softly reaching for her glass
"Where did he go?" she asked confused
"I don't know he just left in the middle of the night no note no explanation" she said over the rim of her mug
"Knew he was trouble" her Mum answered shaking her head
"You think everyone I date is trouble" Kate said grinning
"Well just look at past experiences" she said smiling at her
"Fair point…" she said arising from her chair as she moved to the cupboard and pulled a packet of Tim Tams out.