Chapter Two

"Robbie what's wrong?" Cat asked as Robbie shut his locker.

"Nothing," he replied.

"You're the only one that didn't say happy birthday to me," Cat said sad. It killed Robbie to be mad at her, all he wanted to do was shake her and ask her why, why did you do it?

"Why did you do it Cat?" Robbie blurted out. He then kicked himself for it.

"Do what?" She said smiling and jumping up and down.

"Change," Robbie answered.

"My age? Don't worry I'll be 16 again….I think…."Cat said wondering.

"CAT! WHY. DID. YOU. DYE. YOUR. HAIR?" Robbie yelled at her. Cat jumped back.

"I'm sorry Robbie but….I thought I needed some change," Cat said. Robbie knew it was a lie. Whenever she lied she paused for a moment then said a lie. Robbie knew why she dyed her hair. He just didn't like it.

"It's Justin isn't it?" Robbie said upset. He sighed and threw his hands up in the air.

"Robbie…..I don't know what you're tal-" Cat started.

"YOU KNOW!" Robbie seethed. "You just don't get it! Why are you going out with all these guys who just DON'T deserve you! Cat, it's SCUM!"

"I KNOW who I am going out with Robbie!" Cat yelled, "A NICE KIND SWEET guy who loves me!"

"Cat, how do you know he loves you?" Robbie asked quietly. The bell rang.

"I'm going to be late for class," Cat said stalking off. Robbie caught her arm.

"ROBBIE! It's time for you to GROW up! Maybe I realized that I'm 17 now! I can't go my WHOLE life looking like I stepped out of a Teen Vogue magazine!" Cat yelled.

Robbie's eyes widened. "ME grow up? YOU'RE the one trying to convince yourself that your boyfriend loves you WHICH HE DOESN'T! IF HE LOVED YOU HE WOULDN'T HAVE ASKED YOU TO CHANGE!" Robbie screamed.

"You just don't get it Robbie," Cat said, "I decide to grow up and realize that I'm 17 while you are still carrying around Rex. HE'S JUST A PUPPET ROBBIE!"

Robbie shook Cat, "Just FRIDAY you were talking to him like he was a human being! NOW, after you got with Justin, you realize he's not real! REX is at home Cat, IN MY CLOSET. I LEFT him in there so I could be less weird FOR YOU!

"What are you talking about Robbie?" Cat asked.

"THIS!" Robbie dug in his jeans and shoved this in Cat's hand. "I love CAT not this girl. I left Rex so I would be able talk to you, not my dummy."

Robbie stalked off upset.

Cat looked down at the gift. It was a small box, inside a necklace with a crystal giraffe. She ran off to find Tori.

Cat ran into Tori's first period class. "TORI!" she screamed. Mrs. Finche, the world history teacher, shhhed her.

"I need to talk to Tori," Cat whispered.

"What for?" Mrs. Finche snapped.

"Ummm…I need help in the bathroom," Cat said winking.

Mrs. Finche sighed, "Fine, hurry back Tori." The whole class snickered.

"Thanks for embarrassing me Cat," Tori said once they had gotten far enough away from the classroom.

"Sorry," Cat said disappointed.

"Now what do you want?" Tori asked.

"Look what Robbie gave me," Cat said holding up the necklace.

"Oh my God!" Tori said looking at it. "Lucky," she said laughing.

"IT'S NOT FUNNY! Robbie said he loved Cat," Cat said upset.

"Why are you talking in third person?" Tori asked her.

"Robbie said he loved Cat, not me," Cat said.

"OHHHH!" Tori said, "Cat, he means he loved the old you. Not the new you."

"New? Old? I'm the same Cat!"

"Well, you changed your look Cat," Tori said kindly.

"So?" Cat snorted.

"So, it's not very you Cat."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Tori smiled, "Robbie loved THAT Cat not the punk rocker Cat." Cat titled her head. "You know Robbie is, he doesn't bow down to peer pressure. That's probably why he liked you, you didn't care what others thought about you now this….this isn't you. This is a Cat that DOES care about what people think about you."

"But Robbie didn't bring Rex-" Cat started.

"Not because of peer pressure Cat, because he finally realized that Rex was holding him back."

Cat nodded.

"Cat, why did you change anyway?" Tori asked after a long silence between them.

"Well….."

"Justin?"

"Maybe," Cat pouted.

"Cat, here's a secret. The guy that is 'ment for you loves YOU not a girl he wishes you are. Chew on that," Tori said patting her back.

Cat bit her lip. "Thanks Tori."

Tori smiled and walked off to class leaving Cat with her thoughts and mind.