Chapter Text
“Katherine Fleming! You are 25 minutes late to my lesson. Care to explain?” Mr Hastings bellowed as Kate strolled into class and took her seat.
“Sorry Sir, it won’t happen again” replied Kate with a cheeky grin. Hastings rolled his eyes and continued with his lesson.
Kate Fleming was popular. Charismatic, funny, pretty and very very popular. She and her friends Steve, Chloe and Chris were probably the most well-known group in the entire school.
“Right folks, I want you to get into groups of 5 and discuss the chapter we’ve just read together. Really focus on the main themes of the text. Go on now - quickly!”
The class began to shuffle around individual tables; with Kate, Steve, Chloe and Chris huddled as far to the back of the room (and as far away from Mr Hastings) as they could possibly get.
“Joanne Davidson. Go and join the table at the back... hopefully you can knock some sense into them love” Hastings said to a rather nervous looking girl who was getting paler and paler by the second.
Jo had moved to the school about three months ago and was yet to make a single friend. She appeared painfully shy, always looking at the ground and spent all of her free time in school tucked away in a corner reading a book.
“Ugh, she’s a right freak” Steve muttered as Jo made her way over to their table.
“How come mate?” Chris asked. “She looks alright”
“Nah, she’s in my maths class and she’s like... weird.” Steve whispered.
Jo tentatively sat down, giving everyone at the table a small smile.
“Hiya, I’m Kate! And this is Steve, Chris and Chloe” Kate said, pointing out each of her pals.
“Hi e-everyone. I-I-I’m Jo... obviously. Sorry” Jo mumbled.
“I promise you we’re less intimidating than we look Jo” Kate replied with a smile.
Conversation couldn’t have been further from the book they were studying as Kate, Chloe, Chris and Steve chatted animatedly about their weekend plans and began to plan a party at Kate’s house. Jo sat quietly, simply writing down answers to the questions Hastings had written on the board - completely ignored by the rest of the group.
Kate realised what was happening and nudged the other three with a smirk on her face. “Hey you! Jo”
“y-yeah” Jo answered, her back suddenly rigid.
“You know it could be considered really fucking rude not to join in a conversation with the people around you? Is it a Scottish thing or are you too good for us or something?” Kate spat at her.
Kate noted that Jo looked like a deer in the headlights and instantly felt a massive pang of guilt. She started wringing her hands and Kate thought she might start crying at any second.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I... N-no it’s n-not a Scottish thing. I j-just thought you would want privacy to talk or-“ she started to explain but Steve cut her off.
“She was just joking, don’t start crying for god sake”
Jo repeatedly opened and closed her mouth, wracking her brain for any response but couldn’t come up with anything. She felt the tears beginning to form in her eyes and quickly blinked them away, willing the lump in her throat to go as well.
“Sorry Kate.” she spoke after a long silence. “I really don’t mean to be rude, I don’t really talk to people a lot so...”
Kate interrupted her with a dry laugh and the conversation between the four friends continued, with them occasionally asking Jo about herself.
When the bell rang, the students began to leave - Jo in front of Kate, Steve, Chloe and Chris. As Jo was walking past Hastings, he stopped her and asked “did you manage to get your car fixed love?”
“yes, thank you sir. You were totally right, it just needed a new battery” Jo grinned as she left.
Kate chased after her, the other three closely behind her. “Aw do you drive Jo? That’s well cool”
“Y-yeah I do. It’s really handy. Would you all like a lift home?” Jo asked, fearing they’d laugh right in her face.
All four of them enthusiastically agreed, Kate squeezed her shoulders affectionately and they made their way to the car.
Whilst they drove to Chris, Steve and Chloe’s houses, Kate took the time to really look at Jo and when she felt a sharp pang in her stomach she realised something. Jo was pretty. Really, really pretty. Kate avoided eye contact for the rest of the drive and when Jo pulled up at Kate’s house, she was ready to leap out of the car and bolt into her house. Instead what she said was “hey Jo? Do you want to come in for a bit?” and felt her heart racing when Jo said yes with a surprised smile.