I've been away on holidays, this is a filler chapter.
Check back for more tomorrow.
no auto-correct, apologies for errors. x
bold & italics are flashbacks.
9 YEARS AGO
EARLIER
Closing the text book, fingers drumming along the spine Kate reached for the dark blue mug in the centre of the table, pouring fresh green tea in. The winter air was bitterly cold against her skin, her cheeks blotched pink and eyes heavy.
"Katie? Can you come outside for a moment?" A voice echoed from the front door, reverberating down the hall and into the kitchen.
Hands clutching the mug close to her chest, Kate made her way outside and into the chilly morning air, her feet connecting with the damp wooden patio. Having dyed her hair over summer, the dark brown bangs fell into her eyes and light brown highlights enhanced her already soft features, rounding her cheek bones and brightening the specks of green in her eyes.
"Do you need a hand with setting up, dad?"
Another voice spoke this time, from her right spoke up. "I was just admiring your motorbike," He commented, voice deep and gravelly, deep blue eyes sparkling up at her. "And, I brought wine."
Tucking the silk of her blouse into the dark denim of her jeans, fingers pulling at the zipper until it was closed. Kate stood up straight, pulling her hair out from underneath the collar, soft curls spilling across her shoulders.
"Kate," A head popped around the corner of the bathroom door, "Can you help out in the kitchen? Half the staff still haven't shown up..."Kate paused, turning her eyes to her mother and placing her lip gloss on the sink. Johanna huffed, waving a hand filled with documents. "Last time we hire this ridiculous catering company." She muttered, turning on her heel, purple coat billowing behind her as she headed back downstairs.
Kate's lips upturned as she watched her mother walk away, biting her lip to avoid a smirk from forming. Picking up the pair of ballet flats sitting on her laundry basket and sliding her feet into them, following her mother's resounding footsteps echoing down the hallway.
Almost running into a freight train of people hurling themselves out of the kitchen; Kate flattened herself against the nearest wall, almost knocking her grandfathers picture frame off the wall. Arm swinging up, fingers splayed across the glass and stopping it effectively from knocking off the hooks. Eyes widening, Kate managed to just slip inside the door as it began to swing closed again, her eyes immediately spotting a familiar face.
"Hey Jenny, did my mother rope you into helping out?" Kate asked, sidling up next to the blonde.
Jenny laughed as she handed Kate a tray of glasses and a bottle of red wine, "No, I ran into her at the bakery early this morning and she mentioned she might need a few extra hands tonight." Kate arched an eyebrow at her.
"And?"
"...And she my have mentioned one or two professors from Brown will be making an appearance."
Kate laughed loudly, shaking her head.
Only you, Jenny. Only you.
Giving her a small wave, Jenny trudged on over to a different section of the kitchen to see what else she could do to help. Half turning, she gave Kate a small wave, "I'll see you in an hour or so, 'kay?"
Kate was already half out the door, her feet having a mind of it's own. "Sure, come find me." She waved behind her, using her elbow to push open the heavy door.
-and colliding with something
hard
Half the glasses on the tray collapsing but thankfully, thankfully none of them breaking. Kate had been too busy thinking about the task at hand, the glasses, the wine bottle - that she hadn't been able to protect herself or the person behind the door, effectively spilling the red liquid across his pant leg and newly shined shoes, spots sprayed haphazardly across her jeans. Flecks of red painted her cheek and part of the floor too.
Shaking her head, Kate huffed a sigh of frustration, fingers running through her hair and painting more of the cherry red substance through her dark locks. "Damn it." She muttered.
"Don't they know you're supposed to open the bottle of wine at the table?" A gruff voice spoke in front of her.
Looking up, Kate wiped her free hand on the side of her jeans. They're pretty much ruined now, anyway. The red seeping into the dark denim, creating splotches of purple stains across her favourite pair of skinny leg jeans.
Her eyes travelled down the front of his dark blue shirt - which, thankfully, had escaped the damage inflicted by the ill bottle of red still tipped over on the tray.
Oh shit. Shit.
As though just realising the dilemma unfolding, Kate went to grab the bottle at the same moment he had, his fingertips gently brushing the back of her wrist. A sharp shock travelled up her arm, hair immediately standing on end at the slightest touch of his fingers against her skin. His hand jolted sharply, pulling away as though he weren't aware of his body's own actions, knocking the bottle - again. This time it did topple over completely and collide with the wooden floorboards underneath their feet. Shards of glass shattering into thousands of pieces; creating a rendition of a stained glass window.
There was nothing but silence for about 30 seconds.
Then all hell broke loose.
A shuffling of heels and stumbling of feet, the door swinging open without warning and connecting against the wall with a loud bang. His tumbler in hand, Kate's father was looking down upon them in 2 seconds flat. After - of course, having collided with the hallway door and stumbled over the rickety floor board that had caused them nothing but trouble over the last 8 years.
Kate's face immediately went red from embarrassment as she surveyed her fathers disheveled state. And intoxicated. Right behind him was her mother, her eyes flared wide and strut determined. The door hitting her back when she stopped still, as though struck by lightning, the wood cool through the fabric of her blouse, matching the ice feeling of dread curling inside her.
"Katherine, can you go entertain our guests in the dining room?" Johanna's voice was eerily calm.
"I-Is he?" She tried, her knuckles turning white from the iron clad grip clasping the tray.
"I'm righ' here- don' gotta talk-" Jim stuttered, attempting to piece together even a simple sentence.
"Dad, please I-" Kate's voice cut off when a warm hand squeezed her shoulder gently.
"Kate...maybe we should leave." She jerked away from the comforting caress, narrowly avoiding the stained shards beside her.
Why is everyone treating me like a child?
Rummaging through her parents cupboard, Kate pulled out a pair of dark pants and threw them onto the bed without a second glance, the material landing with a soft thud. Grabbing a dark purple dress in one hand, the other pulling at her jeans and then blouse before dropping them into a pile at her feet.
"Whoa- Kate! What are you-" A voice croaked.
Kate turned towards the sound of her voice at the same time she had pulled the fabric over her head, eyes catching Rick's flabbergasted look just as he walked through the door frame. She froze for a few seconds, her eyes sliding down and choosing to stare at a spot of red that had managed to land on his shoulder. It's more purple than red, really.
Ugh, why is that even relevant?
The dress was now wrapped around her frame loosely, reaching behind her back, fingers toying with the zipper near her spine. Kate bit her bottom lip before diverting her eyes to his pants on the bed beside her hip, then dragging her gaze back to his eyes.
"Do you mind?..."Her voice gravelly, the dark embers of her eyes drowning out the specks of green.
Taking half a step forward, wavering for a second as though it were a trick question, Rick maintained a strong distanced between them until he was standing right behind her.
Too close.
He's like a furnace.
His fingers grazed the bottom of her spine; too cold and too hot at the same time. Letting out a breath he hadn't known he had been holding in, Rick pulled the zipper in an upwards motion; catching on the teeth - jerking the fabric - and his body upwards.
"Oh," The sound slipped out between her lips.
Is that his hand?
Closing her eyes briefly, Kate drew her bottom lip into her mouth, his caress warm through the thin fabric. Rick moved his hand from her waist; sweeping a few careless locks over her shoulder before attempting to pull the zipper upwards again, this time it gave in straight away, his body leaning heavy against her back, weight pressed against her as the dress finally zipped.
She could feel his breath against the back of her neck, her body frozen - on edge with anticipation.
"R-ick" Kate's voice cracked half way through his name, her whole body now tingling.
This is wrong.
But why does it feel so good?
"Sorry," He said, taking a step back. No, don't. "I should..."He motioned to the spare pair of pants she had taken out for him.
Kate took a step forward, her head tipped forward in agreement. Feet taking her towards the doorway, her whole body stopping in it's tracks when she heard raised voices - albeit muffled - drifting up through the open doorway, reaching up to her from downstairs. Kate shook her head; her face hardening and spine stiffening, a brick wall forming between her and everyone around her.
"Kate?"
There he goes again.
The way he caressed her name as though she were the most precious jewel-
No.
As though she were...everything.
"Don't." She couldn't utter anymore more than that one word, her mouth dry, heart aching.
And then she was gone.
Running away from her parents, their guests, him...in a dress too tight and sneakers too loose.