p data-p-id="579d95a77c4d6e4f2d1f1057d3b2fed5"I handed Steph my keys and packed up quickly./p
p data-p-id="312037e76388572e46389c96cb73ad57""Where are you going?"/p
p data-p-id="3f063c23697fe0ae2468bfd3536fae95"I didn't look up. I kept my eyes trained on my bag. "I'm riding with Shawn." I said it like it was no big deal, but it definitely was./p
p data-p-id="19533acb4d1862a2cfab21a33c388514""What? But Dad-"/p
p data-p-id="7632626c8e7a25b8076d8977ae16fff5"I stood up and shoved my hand over her mouth. "Shh! I know what Dad said. Which is why you emcan't/em tell him." She looked like she was about to protest, so I added, "emPlease/em, Steph."/p
p data-p-id="a7f0672a217344738a0284712bb71213"She nodded and I removed my hand from her mouth. She didn't say anything else as I shouldered my bag. "Don't mess up my car," I joked. I was trying to be light-hearted, but it didn't work. The rift had already been formed./p
p data-p-id="a624a90b162316cfd317360bd14cec5d"I managed out a goodbye and walked out to the garage area. The show was just getting started, but it was only a house show. Nothing major. Besides, I wanted out of there as soon as possible./p
p data-p-id="8ff0aed8a84f235d539dc5544e1b2243"I'd only been waiting there for a few minutes when I saw Shawn walking toward me with his group of friends. All of them were shouting and joking, but when they got closer Shawn shushed them./p
p data-p-id="ce75b6979f361968a81f20d6c2d9dd1e""Alright... this is Katherine," he introduced me, placing an arm around my shoulder. A spark went through me as he touched me./p
p data-p-id="de0896cbf3a59089c3e548ee6ab19789"I did a little wave. All these guys were twice my size: it was intimidating. "Kat."/p
p data-p-id="81072ff97c92f6684faf580e25b72d38""Kat," Shawn ammended. "This is Kev." He pointed at the largest of the bunch, towering over me. "You met Scott earlier." He pointed at Razor. So I had gotten his name right... "Paul." He pointed at the other blonde. "And Kid." The smallest of the bunch, but that wasn't necessarily small./p
p data-p-id="474cb7de2b5f621d588ade7614cc0bc9""Kid?" I questioned./p
p data-p-id="82806515138997ccb6b7f852e9026f8c""His name's Sean, too. But that's confusing as hell, so we call him Kid."/p
p data-p-id="c999a46f6f1cd9bf9e572c88efa9bde5"The really big dude, Kev, came up to me and held out his hand. I shook it. My hand got lost in his; it was three times the size of mine. "Welcome to the Kliq. Nice to finally meet you," he told me./p
p data-p-id="63a336c9248fd0288b3b43f820e5e3ba""Finally?"/p
p data-p-id="e3a08cf14511ec4781e4429d87741443"He laughed. "Shawn hasn't shut up about you for two weeks. Hell, I bet I've heard as much about you in the past few days as you have in your entire life."/p
p data-p-id="cc72508595fc4a676c02f4f6cb2fc49e"I blushed. Shawn had been talking about me? I felt his arm stiffen and drop away as he punched Kev in the shoulder. "Shut up."/p
p data-p-id="3f34cbb870e029766f3a4e4e2b5ddc68"Kev just laughed him off. "I'm just getting started."/p
p data-p-id="a7af421e00ba94039f43ef0142f35eb1"I'd only been around these guys for two minutes, but I could see one thing very clearly: they were family. They acted just like I did with Shane and Steph./p
p data-p-id="fce2c533a4567e60798d37795a732e52""Hey, are we gonna go or not?" Scott asked. "If you two girls are done, I'd like to get a bite to eat."/p
p data-p-id="0400592d9884a04e429a90dd7047101f"Shawn looked down at me. "You hungry?"/p
p data-p-id="beb349ed8f910284036ebaf48f210dd9"I wasn't really; I'd burned away my hunger with my earlier anger. But I knew I needed to eat, so I nodded./p
p data-p-id="8a7ab20ec0ab3262ce329c7dcb399a4e"***/p
p data-p-id="8d32518dd3c5330e5986c2c749eca3d6"We all piled into a rental van. Kev was driving, Scott sitting shotgun, Paul and Kid in the middle seats, which left Shawn and I in the back. I was pretty awkward surrounded by all these guys; I felt like I was intruding on their usual group./p
p data-p-id="5e41206a3c20de8afa17a67db6c4dcf7"Shawn tried to make me feel included. I got the feeling that inviting me was a split second decision; he hadn't really thought through what he going to do. He just felt bad for me in my moment of weakness and stretched out the branch of sympathy. I didn't mind. I thought it was sweet./p
p data-p-id="74783160f8b23cebd3be3e1894358700"The guys went on as if nothing was new. I got the feeling that nothing really fazed them. They went with the flow./p
p data-p-id="bd0c47a94843a181c05df067bc1ab92b"We stopped to eat at some little diner in town. "Cherry's". It had homey feel, kind of a middle of the country atmosphere. I liked it. I'd never spent much time in the country, but I always thought it seemed like a nice way to live. The tranquility of it all. Cities were overwhelming./p
p data-p-id="4f18a5b6910fa213bc9fc1f8dc1e328e"We had to push a few tables together to fit everyone, but we ended up with one table with three seats on each side. Shawn sat beside me, and Kev sat on my other side. I decided I liked Kev, he seemed like a good guy. He was like the eldest brother of a group of rowdy kids. Paul sat across from Shawn, on my right. Scott sat in front of me, and Kid beside him./p
p data-p-id="f0132879ebc04155e1d200b5e904f27c"It was strange seeing these guys in normal clothes. I'd seen them all before backstage at some point, or on the show, but they always were in ring gear. It was kind of like when a teacher comes in with a brand new hairstyle; it just seems off./p
p data-p-id="bbcf2bd890527b745ef866e06145eb9b"Shawn laid an arm across the back of my chair. I think it was just instinct, a comfortable position./p
p data-p-id="07cac2fd94663d20d9c9e0999a6fe22d"Kev leaned over to me. "So tell me, what do you see in our Shawn?" he was joking, acting like a parent interrogating their child's first date. I could see an amused smile tugging at his lips./p
p data-p-id="35d3ae1629a8dd48ad3ac2f157c2048e"I had to laugh. Another trick my body liked to play on me: I laughed when uncomfortable or nervous. "Um..."/p
p data-p-id="43013297b55bd441e4d5ba2a3427157c"Everyone was looking at me. I had the urge to run and hide. I could feel the fire in my cheeks lighting up under their gazes. "I..." I didn't know what to say, really. I was totally crushing on Shawn, of course, but they had already jumped to the conclusion that we were dating, which wasn't true. Not that I'd mind.../p
p data-p-id="3fb4ebe449c9bd9731dd0273426b5633"Kev nudged me with his elbow, a lot gentler than I'd seen him do with the guys. "Don't worry about it, I'm just pulling your chain."/p
p data-p-id="c148221ea457a86db533e09365fe7c68""Look at the poor thing, Kev. You're scaring her half to death," Scott spoke up, jabbing toward him with his fork. He turned to me. "We're not as obnoxious as we seem."/p
p data-p-id="09b1d080de3c22efe9644a2690e10133"That one got a loud laugh from Shawn. "Oh, can it. You're probably the most obnoxious of all of us."/p
p data-p-id="56908493768535ea276c93a18128a0e7"Scott turned back to me with a smirk. "Okay, maybe so. But." He winked at me. "I know how to treat a lady."/p
p data-p-id="3a2408eeeab438eef2c404e9c1a89e66"Kid shoved him. "Whatever."/p
p data-p-id="7a505373c9f3abe41ec39e1b9dd6990e"I laughed again. They were just a big group of brothers. It was funny watching their antics./p
p data-p-id="48692f0e0f9c472725c388c6efae1403""I think Shawn's very sweet," I answered. "And the rest of you have been as welcoming as I could ask for. Even if you are a bit obnoxious," I joked, smiling./p
p data-p-id="8f8be3242fc06f920e4bfb64decdb056"That got a round of laughs. They-for some reason-were very entertained by me./p
p data-p-id="6d8f093aaaf25fecc1cbd97c996291e7""Hear that Shawn? She doesn't know you very well, huh?" Scott teased./p
p data-p-id="1e4c055dc43f56c3dda5eb56edfc4a6e"Shawn laughed back at him. Then I think he kicked him underneath the table, because the table jerked./p
p data-p-id="ddec4422b78d4fbc619aa7396267daef"That was our night: jokes, laughs, interogations, and multiple injuries. I liked hanging with these guys. They were fun. I even forgot about why I'd been so upset only a few hours earlier./p
p data-p-id="cd51f5eda5954d6db25e5ba545b51f52"After we ate, we got back out on the road. We were going to be driving through the night to make up for lost time./p
p data-p-id="26fef96adf9582611e2440481430bc07""Hey Loverboy!" Kev shouted. Shawn turned around. "You're driving." He threw Shawn the keys./p
p data-p-id="862e0723ca10f8fd412ec39fad9bcde3""Don't worry doll, you can come sit with me," Scott declared, throwing an arm around my shoulder loosely. If I didn't know he was joking around, I'd be pretty uncomfortable. He had a strange off-the-wall humor. They all did./p
p data-p-id="a89770d0beda2e607cec000c7f1a8a8f"I sat in the very back with Scott. He pulled a stack of cards from his bag and asked me if I knew how to play poker. I didn't, so he decided to teach me./p
p data-p-id="f52bd84d01480986b2ba8e5d63c26612"Somewhere late in the night we started to bet./p
p data-p-id="6d5251bf8e8c707556e87940a429e8d8""If I win this round, you have to name your and Shawn's first kid after me," he whispered, with a wide smirk on his face./p
p data-p-id="339c5651dd726c5ecaabc0ed0eb6a279""Thinking pretty far ahead, arent you? What if I don't have a kid with Shawn?"/p
p data-p-id="55ce0fa65cf6dea88c0e14797f5d7979""Then whatever kid you emdo/em have will be named Scott." He smiled at me. Every word was just teasing. That was their way of letting you know they liked you. "You in or not?"/p
p data-p-id="2838ebd474fc200ce9eec7d842036abb""I'm in."/p
p data-p-id="4e8f6c13431bc20bc960f4fba6b26381"I lost, pretty quickly./p
p style="text-align: center;" data-p-id="59111005a99ff8c6fad2ddba3ce391e2"em-/embr /emShawn's/emem POV /embr /em-/em/p
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="bb94aaa0c558089a3ff4fb396d0b89ff"It was very late at night, possibly the early hours of the morning. The sky was pitch black and the road was never-ending in front of me. Kev and I were the only ones still awake. I glanced back in the mirror to see Kat out like a light, her dark hair covering most of her graceful face. That seemed to be the only graceful part of her, the poor thing. I didn't mind; I found her clumsiness charming. She looked so peaceful./p
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="1e52db4ac9afab4113bd211e33df6bfa"To be quite honest, the night had gone much better than I expected. I hadn't really had a plan; it just hurt me to see her so upset. I figured the guys would be the best people to try to cheer her up; that's what they'd always done for me. Kat took to the guys immediately, and they to her. She'd only known them a few hours and it was like she had always been a part of the group. That was just how the guys were, though./p
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="f4a8e2ee09742538096ae8b4f1d9c3d8""She's a sweetheart," Kev told me, jolting me out of my trance./p
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="bceb3c9697113fbd79eea89f509ab7ea""Yeah," I replied. I didn't know where this was going, but I had a feeling it was going to be somewhere along the lines of the semi-annual "get-your-head-out-of-your-ass" speech./p
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="a63b06cbae076c7c2da058f87be0a839""Which makes it all the more awful that you're just trying to get in her pants." Kev was very cut and dry, he didn't hold back any punches./p
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="6343a4bcb0082ba200696d3f7f3df172"My gut twisted. "It's not like that."/p
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="e64ba42925e6ff97c4fb8d3e4fc73e2d""Really? I know you, Shawn. When is it ever not like that?"/p
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="f4ba951e1dcc6efbbafccdf8475628b4""Maybe to begin with, but not anymore. I've..." I searched for the words. "...had a change of heart."/p
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="acf7997d3b361456b1f25b3a6de4ffc9""You better have. Because I swear to God, if you break that poor little girl's heart, I'm gonna break your ass." It was not an empty threat; he'd actually follow up on it. He'd really started to like Kat. I could see why; she made everyone she talked to fall on their knees for her, and she didn't even know she was doing it./p
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="1b2348087c7878f021597c48349dc587""You won't have to," I promised, looking in the mirror again./p
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="a60183cc858b517a4a025f3881c90799"From that moment forward, I knew. I was drowning in a sea of Katherine, and I wasn't even making an attempt to swim./p
p data-p-id="312037e76388572e46389c96cb73ad57""Where are you going?"/p
p data-p-id="3f063c23697fe0ae2468bfd3536fae95"I didn't look up. I kept my eyes trained on my bag. "I'm riding with Shawn." I said it like it was no big deal, but it definitely was./p
p data-p-id="19533acb4d1862a2cfab21a33c388514""What? But Dad-"/p
p data-p-id="7632626c8e7a25b8076d8977ae16fff5"I stood up and shoved my hand over her mouth. "Shh! I know what Dad said. Which is why you emcan't/em tell him." She looked like she was about to protest, so I added, "emPlease/em, Steph."/p
p data-p-id="a7f0672a217344738a0284712bb71213"She nodded and I removed my hand from her mouth. She didn't say anything else as I shouldered my bag. "Don't mess up my car," I joked. I was trying to be light-hearted, but it didn't work. The rift had already been formed./p
p data-p-id="a624a90b162316cfd317360bd14cec5d"I managed out a goodbye and walked out to the garage area. The show was just getting started, but it was only a house show. Nothing major. Besides, I wanted out of there as soon as possible./p
p data-p-id="8ff0aed8a84f235d539dc5544e1b2243"I'd only been waiting there for a few minutes when I saw Shawn walking toward me with his group of friends. All of them were shouting and joking, but when they got closer Shawn shushed them./p
p data-p-id="ce75b6979f361968a81f20d6c2d9dd1e""Alright... this is Katherine," he introduced me, placing an arm around my shoulder. A spark went through me as he touched me./p
p data-p-id="de0896cbf3a59089c3e548ee6ab19789"I did a little wave. All these guys were twice my size: it was intimidating. "Kat."/p
p data-p-id="81072ff97c92f6684faf580e25b72d38""Kat," Shawn ammended. "This is Kev." He pointed at the largest of the bunch, towering over me. "You met Scott earlier." He pointed at Razor. So I had gotten his name right... "Paul." He pointed at the other blonde. "And Kid." The smallest of the bunch, but that wasn't necessarily small./p
p data-p-id="474cb7de2b5f621d588ade7614cc0bc9""Kid?" I questioned./p
p data-p-id="82806515138997ccb6b7f852e9026f8c""His name's Sean, too. But that's confusing as hell, so we call him Kid."/p
p data-p-id="c999a46f6f1cd9bf9e572c88efa9bde5"The really big dude, Kev, came up to me and held out his hand. I shook it. My hand got lost in his; it was three times the size of mine. "Welcome to the Kliq. Nice to finally meet you," he told me./p
p data-p-id="63a336c9248fd0288b3b43f820e5e3ba""Finally?"/p
p data-p-id="e3a08cf14511ec4781e4429d87741443"He laughed. "Shawn hasn't shut up about you for two weeks. Hell, I bet I've heard as much about you in the past few days as you have in your entire life."/p
p data-p-id="cc72508595fc4a676c02f4f6cb2fc49e"I blushed. Shawn had been talking about me? I felt his arm stiffen and drop away as he punched Kev in the shoulder. "Shut up."/p
p data-p-id="3f34cbb870e029766f3a4e4e2b5ddc68"Kev just laughed him off. "I'm just getting started."/p
p data-p-id="a7af421e00ba94039f43ef0142f35eb1"I'd only been around these guys for two minutes, but I could see one thing very clearly: they were family. They acted just like I did with Shane and Steph./p
p data-p-id="fce2c533a4567e60798d37795a732e52""Hey, are we gonna go or not?" Scott asked. "If you two girls are done, I'd like to get a bite to eat."/p
p data-p-id="0400592d9884a04e429a90dd7047101f"Shawn looked down at me. "You hungry?"/p
p data-p-id="beb349ed8f910284036ebaf48f210dd9"I wasn't really; I'd burned away my hunger with my earlier anger. But I knew I needed to eat, so I nodded./p
p data-p-id="8a7ab20ec0ab3262ce329c7dcb399a4e"***/p
p data-p-id="8d32518dd3c5330e5986c2c749eca3d6"We all piled into a rental van. Kev was driving, Scott sitting shotgun, Paul and Kid in the middle seats, which left Shawn and I in the back. I was pretty awkward surrounded by all these guys; I felt like I was intruding on their usual group./p
p data-p-id="5e41206a3c20de8afa17a67db6c4dcf7"Shawn tried to make me feel included. I got the feeling that inviting me was a split second decision; he hadn't really thought through what he going to do. He just felt bad for me in my moment of weakness and stretched out the branch of sympathy. I didn't mind. I thought it was sweet./p
p data-p-id="74783160f8b23cebd3be3e1894358700"The guys went on as if nothing was new. I got the feeling that nothing really fazed them. They went with the flow./p
p data-p-id="bd0c47a94843a181c05df067bc1ab92b"We stopped to eat at some little diner in town. "Cherry's". It had homey feel, kind of a middle of the country atmosphere. I liked it. I'd never spent much time in the country, but I always thought it seemed like a nice way to live. The tranquility of it all. Cities were overwhelming./p
p data-p-id="4f18a5b6910fa213bc9fc1f8dc1e328e"We had to push a few tables together to fit everyone, but we ended up with one table with three seats on each side. Shawn sat beside me, and Kev sat on my other side. I decided I liked Kev, he seemed like a good guy. He was like the eldest brother of a group of rowdy kids. Paul sat across from Shawn, on my right. Scott sat in front of me, and Kid beside him./p
p data-p-id="f0132879ebc04155e1d200b5e904f27c"It was strange seeing these guys in normal clothes. I'd seen them all before backstage at some point, or on the show, but they always were in ring gear. It was kind of like when a teacher comes in with a brand new hairstyle; it just seems off./p
p data-p-id="bbcf2bd890527b745ef866e06145eb9b"Shawn laid an arm across the back of my chair. I think it was just instinct, a comfortable position./p
p data-p-id="07cac2fd94663d20d9c9e0999a6fe22d"Kev leaned over to me. "So tell me, what do you see in our Shawn?" he was joking, acting like a parent interrogating their child's first date. I could see an amused smile tugging at his lips./p
p data-p-id="35d3ae1629a8dd48ad3ac2f157c2048e"I had to laugh. Another trick my body liked to play on me: I laughed when uncomfortable or nervous. "Um..."/p
p data-p-id="43013297b55bd441e4d5ba2a3427157c"Everyone was looking at me. I had the urge to run and hide. I could feel the fire in my cheeks lighting up under their gazes. "I..." I didn't know what to say, really. I was totally crushing on Shawn, of course, but they had already jumped to the conclusion that we were dating, which wasn't true. Not that I'd mind.../p
p data-p-id="3fb4ebe449c9bd9731dd0273426b5633"Kev nudged me with his elbow, a lot gentler than I'd seen him do with the guys. "Don't worry about it, I'm just pulling your chain."/p
p data-p-id="c148221ea457a86db533e09365fe7c68""Look at the poor thing, Kev. You're scaring her half to death," Scott spoke up, jabbing toward him with his fork. He turned to me. "We're not as obnoxious as we seem."/p
p data-p-id="09b1d080de3c22efe9644a2690e10133"That one got a loud laugh from Shawn. "Oh, can it. You're probably the most obnoxious of all of us."/p
p data-p-id="56908493768535ea276c93a18128a0e7"Scott turned back to me with a smirk. "Okay, maybe so. But." He winked at me. "I know how to treat a lady."/p
p data-p-id="3a2408eeeab438eef2c404e9c1a89e66"Kid shoved him. "Whatever."/p
p data-p-id="7a505373c9f3abe41ec39e1b9dd6990e"I laughed again. They were just a big group of brothers. It was funny watching their antics./p
p data-p-id="48692f0e0f9c472725c388c6efae1403""I think Shawn's very sweet," I answered. "And the rest of you have been as welcoming as I could ask for. Even if you are a bit obnoxious," I joked, smiling./p
p data-p-id="8f8be3242fc06f920e4bfb64decdb056"That got a round of laughs. They-for some reason-were very entertained by me./p
p data-p-id="6d8f093aaaf25fecc1cbd97c996291e7""Hear that Shawn? She doesn't know you very well, huh?" Scott teased./p
p data-p-id="1e4c055dc43f56c3dda5eb56edfc4a6e"Shawn laughed back at him. Then I think he kicked him underneath the table, because the table jerked./p
p data-p-id="ddec4422b78d4fbc619aa7396267daef"That was our night: jokes, laughs, interogations, and multiple injuries. I liked hanging with these guys. They were fun. I even forgot about why I'd been so upset only a few hours earlier./p
p data-p-id="cd51f5eda5954d6db25e5ba545b51f52"After we ate, we got back out on the road. We were going to be driving through the night to make up for lost time./p
p data-p-id="26fef96adf9582611e2440481430bc07""Hey Loverboy!" Kev shouted. Shawn turned around. "You're driving." He threw Shawn the keys./p
p data-p-id="862e0723ca10f8fd412ec39fad9bcde3""Don't worry doll, you can come sit with me," Scott declared, throwing an arm around my shoulder loosely. If I didn't know he was joking around, I'd be pretty uncomfortable. He had a strange off-the-wall humor. They all did./p
p data-p-id="a89770d0beda2e607cec000c7f1a8a8f"I sat in the very back with Scott. He pulled a stack of cards from his bag and asked me if I knew how to play poker. I didn't, so he decided to teach me./p
p data-p-id="f52bd84d01480986b2ba8e5d63c26612"Somewhere late in the night we started to bet./p
p data-p-id="6d5251bf8e8c707556e87940a429e8d8""If I win this round, you have to name your and Shawn's first kid after me," he whispered, with a wide smirk on his face./p
p data-p-id="339c5651dd726c5ecaabc0ed0eb6a279""Thinking pretty far ahead, arent you? What if I don't have a kid with Shawn?"/p
p data-p-id="55ce0fa65cf6dea88c0e14797f5d7979""Then whatever kid you emdo/em have will be named Scott." He smiled at me. Every word was just teasing. That was their way of letting you know they liked you. "You in or not?"/p
p data-p-id="2838ebd474fc200ce9eec7d842036abb""I'm in."/p
p data-p-id="4e8f6c13431bc20bc960f4fba6b26381"I lost, pretty quickly./p
p style="text-align: center;" data-p-id="59111005a99ff8c6fad2ddba3ce391e2"em-/embr /emShawn's/emem POV /embr /em-/em/p
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="bb94aaa0c558089a3ff4fb396d0b89ff"It was very late at night, possibly the early hours of the morning. The sky was pitch black and the road was never-ending in front of me. Kev and I were the only ones still awake. I glanced back in the mirror to see Kat out like a light, her dark hair covering most of her graceful face. That seemed to be the only graceful part of her, the poor thing. I didn't mind; I found her clumsiness charming. She looked so peaceful./p
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="1e52db4ac9afab4113bd211e33df6bfa"To be quite honest, the night had gone much better than I expected. I hadn't really had a plan; it just hurt me to see her so upset. I figured the guys would be the best people to try to cheer her up; that's what they'd always done for me. Kat took to the guys immediately, and they to her. She'd only known them a few hours and it was like she had always been a part of the group. That was just how the guys were, though./p
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="f4a8e2ee09742538096ae8b4f1d9c3d8""She's a sweetheart," Kev told me, jolting me out of my trance./p
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="bceb3c9697113fbd79eea89f509ab7ea""Yeah," I replied. I didn't know where this was going, but I had a feeling it was going to be somewhere along the lines of the semi-annual "get-your-head-out-of-your-ass" speech./p
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="a63b06cbae076c7c2da058f87be0a839""Which makes it all the more awful that you're just trying to get in her pants." Kev was very cut and dry, he didn't hold back any punches./p
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="6343a4bcb0082ba200696d3f7f3df172"My gut twisted. "It's not like that."/p
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="e64ba42925e6ff97c4fb8d3e4fc73e2d""Really? I know you, Shawn. When is it ever not like that?"/p
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="f4ba951e1dcc6efbbafccdf8475628b4""Maybe to begin with, but not anymore. I've..." I searched for the words. "...had a change of heart."/p
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="acf7997d3b361456b1f25b3a6de4ffc9""You better have. Because I swear to God, if you break that poor little girl's heart, I'm gonna break your ass." It was not an empty threat; he'd actually follow up on it. He'd really started to like Kat. I could see why; she made everyone she talked to fall on their knees for her, and she didn't even know she was doing it./p
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="1b2348087c7878f021597c48349dc587""You won't have to," I promised, looking in the mirror again./p
p style="text-align: left;" data-p-id="a60183cc858b517a4a025f3881c90799"From that moment forward, I knew. I was drowning in a sea of Katherine, and I wasn't even making an attempt to swim./p