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Kat sniffled as she briskly walked through the corridor. She had looked back. Once.
What was she thinking? Of course, Patrick was not going to run after her!
She wondered as she walked across the parking lot to her car. What would Mr Morgan think? What the whole class would think. She usually avoided thinking about that.
She exposed Patrick by frequently glancing in his direction, as the poem came to a conclusion. She couldn’t believe that she had cried. Cried over a boy .
In front of the whole class!
But then she’d be off to Sarah Lawrence after a few weeks.
Thank god for college , she thought. When she’d get to Sarah Lawrence she could start fresh. She’d no longer be known as “The Shrew”, no longer make stupid decisions, and maybe even make actual friends-
She stopped.
The windows of her car were wide open. And there it was. A Fender Strat.
She put her bag in the back seat and picked up the guitar.
Who would’v- oh never mind , she concluded as she felt someone approach her from behind.
She put the guitar down and turned to face the person she was least willing to talk to.
Patrick stood behind her, hopeful.
“So this is what you do huh?” She lashed out. “Do something as despicable as taking a girl out for money and then hope to win her back by buying her a guitar?”
He looked surprised. He opened his mouth to speak, but she continued her rant.
“By breaking into my car too! Honestly, Patrick, I have no idea about what you were thinking. If you thought that this would have worked, well guess what genius, it failed!” she ended by dramatically flinging her hands up in the air.
She turned around, reached inside her car, picked up the guitar, and shoved it in his hands.
He looked at her speechless. She got into the car without another word and started the engine.
That seemed to shake him out of his shock as he bent down to reach Kat’s eye level. “Please Kat, listen to me. You haven’t heard everything yet.”
She switched off the engine and waited for an explanation.
Patrick noticed that people were starting to surround them. “Can we go somewhere more private? Or are you alright with the whole school treating our relationship like its some sort of reality show?”
Kat looked outside through the opposite window and understood that he was right. “ Fine, get in the car,” she spat.
He put the guitar in the back seat and sat next to Kat in the passenger seat.
She drove for a few miles. No words were exchanged. She stopped when they came to a secluded lake.
She looked at him questioningly.
Patrick told her how Bianca had told Cameron about their father’s new rule, and how Cameron and his best friend Michael decided to get Joey Donner to pay him to date her. Then Cameron and Michael told him that they were the ones who tricked Joey into bribing him and offered him help by obtaining information from Bianca. For a moment he wondered if he should tell that Bianca and Cameron had been in her room but refrained. He knew that the mere fact of Bianca being his informant was enough to make Kat enraged. He’d be surprised if Bianca would be forgiven before Kat left.
“That’s it,” she snarled. “Get out.”
“Seriously Kat? You’re being ridiculous.”
“I don't care. Out.”
He reluctantly got out of her car. “You’re going to leave me stranded in the middle of nowhere?”
She drove off in response.
It wasn’t until she had reached home and turned around to get her bag that she realised that Patrick had “forgotten” the guitar.
She sighed and brought the guitar inside. She prayed her father wouldn’t ask her any questions.
Unfortunately, luck was not on her side that day.
“Hey kiddo how was schoo- how did you get that guitar?” He interrogated her as soon as she stepped inside.
“It was a going away present,” she lied.
“An expensive one too. Who’s this admirer of yours? Is it the same guy who took you to prom?” He interrogated.
“Yes, Dad is the same person. Can I go to my room now? I don’t feel so well,” she grumbled. That wasn’t a lie.
How could Bianca do that? She wondered in disbelief.
But then again this was the same Bianca who forced her to go to parties and had been willing to date Joey Donner.
*
The final week of school came and went but Kat and Patrick refused to say a word to each other.
When it was time for Kat to leave, Walter tried his best not to cry. He hugged his daughter tightly. “Remember to call every day ok? No matter how busy you are, you still have to call me.” Kat agreed as she had no other option.
She begrudgingly hugged her sister.
“Bye Kat,” Bianca said softly. “Bye,” Kat replied, her voice monotone.
She boarded the plane and fell asleep.
*
Sarah Lawrence was...exhilarating. The classes were challenging, and the schedule was hectic, but the fact that everyone was going through the same thing every day, made her feel less isolated. And a bit compassionate to the people around her. Only a bit.
She had decided to pursue a degree in musicology. She’s also joined her school’s soccer team and a debate club.
No, she did not get a part-time job as a cashier to keep her mind off a certain brunette with an Australian accent.
She made friends with a bassist, drummer, and singer. They agreed to do a few gigs, once in a while.
Sadly she had stopped talking to Mandella. They had called during the weekend but those slowly started becoming irregular. They had both become busy, Mandella with her degree in English literature and Kat with her music.
She decided to forgive Bianca. After all, Bianca had only wanted to experience what every other high schooler did. She realised that not only her father, but she too had been overprotective of her baby sister.
With all the projects, assignments, and pop quizzes, she never realised how soon Christmas would arrive. Walter had called his daughter up to inform her that she was coming home for the holidays. Kat gladly agreed.
*
“Alright ladies, settle down,” instructed Walter as the girls came down for breakfast one day.
“We have been invited by Ms Minola on the 23rd of December for a Christmas party.”
Bianca clapped her hands in excitement and started rambling about what gifts she could buy, what dresses she might wear, and the shoes and accessories she had that could go along with them.
Kat ignored her sister and continued stuffing her face with her French toast.
*
When they arrived, the party, which was in the back garden, was already in full swing.
According to Bianca, Ms Minola had also invited a few kids, who had been in her son’s high school, and their families. Kat wondered why and then she guessed it might’ve been because the hostess couldn’t come up with a suitable number of people for it to be a “grand party.”
Bianca had gone off to find Cameron, which left Kat with her thoughts.
Out of the blue, Kat spotted Mandella and rushed to meet her. The ex-best friends hugged each other, talked about their college lives and reminisced. Mandella was happily in a long-distance relationship with Michael.
“Where is he?” Kat inquired. “Last time I saw him he was over...there,” Mandella said pointing at the eggnog stand.
Kat regretted looking at Michael as soon as she saw the person next to Michael.
Her eyes widened in surprise.
Patrick sensed that someone was looking at him when he was talking to Michael. He looked beyond Michael's shoulder. He had been quick enough to see the blonde turn quickly but he had been too slow to get a good look at her face.
“Hey is everything alright?” Michael questioned. “You seem a bit distracted.”
“We have to go, Mandella.” Kat hissed.
“What? Why?” Mandella asked, confused. “Don’t you want to see Michael?”
“I think I just saw your girlfriend,” Patrick observed as he thought he had spotted someone familiar. “Let’s go meet them.”
“Sure lemme finish my drink,” Michael said as he began gulping down his egg nog.
“Yes, Mandella, I do want to meet Michael but not right now, ” Kat whined, dragging her near the house.
“Nonsense,” Mandella huffed, still looking in Michael's direction. “Wait, isn't that the cutie who took you to prom? And, he’s with Michael! Now we need to go say hi.” Saying that Mandella started dragging Kat in the opposite direction.
Kat looked at her, horrified.
“Alright, I'm done,” announced Michael, wiping his lips with his sleeve.
Could that be Kat Stratford? Patrick wondered as they slowly started making their way to the girls.
“Stop it, Kat, they can see us now there’s no poin- hey baby,” she cooed as she wrenched her arm from Kat’s grasp and smiled at Michael.
“Hey Kat,” Patrick mumbled.
“Hello,'' she responded, feeling awkward. Her past self would’ve rolled her eyes. But this time she was determined to show that Patrick no longer affected her. She was not going to let her mood get ruined because of some ex from high school.
After exchanging a few greetings Mandella and Michael left.
“Who did you come with?” She pried. She wanted to ask “What are you doing here?” but that would make her disdain evident.
She no longer despised him. Sure he was with her for his selfish reasons but he came clean in the end. When she overheard something she was not supposed to know. But he claimed that he cared about me, not the money, she thought. At that moment she knew that he had been telling the truth, judging by his crestfallen face but she had been too heartbroken to care.
“I live here,” he responded.
“So your mother kept her maiden name?” She inquired as she slowly started walking. She intended to walk around the garden to make herself feel warm.
“Uh no, when my parents separated when I was four she changed it back to her maiden name,” he replied.
“Oh. Shared custody?”
“Nah, my father was busy roaming around the world.”
“But you kept your father’s name?'' she asked, disappointed. “Even after your mother raised you for most of your life.”
“Verona sounded nicer,” he protested. Kat rolled her eyes.
“Why did your mum decide to host a Christmas party this year?” She asked.
“I guess it was to celebrate my homecoming,” he shrugged.
Kat snorted and then smiled.
Patrick smiled back. They continued walking around the garden at a slow pace.
“Ah there you are Patrick,” cried Miss Minola. “Now Mr Stafford, this is my son, Patrick, '' Ms Minola stated, taking her son’s shoulders. “He’s in Cornell University pursuing a degree in computer science.” Kat looked at him agog.
“Nice to meet you, sir.” He greeted, reaching his hand out for a handshake.
“My eldest, Katarina,” Walter proudly declared, tugging his daughter closer to him after he finished shaking Patrick’s hand. “She's Sarah Lawrence, pursuing a degree in musicology.”
“Musicology? You must love music then.” Ms Minola asked eagerly.
“Yes ma’am,” she sighed.
“Do you sing or do you play an instrument?”
“I play the guitar ma’am.”
“ Wonderful!” she exclaimed, clasping her hands together. “My son has the potential to be a great singer but he doesn’t want to take any singing classes.”
“I have homework and tests Mom,” he reasoned.
“Excuses, excuses!” Ms Minola cried, exasperated. “It's the same thing he says when he doesn’t call me.”
“Oh he’s not the only one,” Walter clapped back, adding fuel to fire. “Katerina never seems to have time for me now that she’s in college.”
“I call you during the weekends Dad,” she groaned.
“You only talk for an hour,” he protested.
She wanted to say that she had homework (which was true) but she knew that it only meant for Ms Minola to cry, “Excuses, excuses!”
*
The winter break was over. Kat and Mandella promised to keep in touch and meet each other again.
And they did. During their summer break Michael, Bianca and Cameron were busy filling out college applications and the two had offered to help.
One afternoon, Cameron and Michael happened to bump into Patrick in a cassette store. The two had caught up on old times and Patrick had asked him if Kat had come home for the summer.
“Yeah she has, but I think she’s only staying for a week. I’m not sure though,” Cameron replied. Patrick nodded and left.
*
Bianca invited her friends to her house for a barbecue.
“Wait wait wait,” Walter began as he saw Bianca letting a group of kids enter. “Do I know these people?”
“Yes Dad you know Cameron this is Mandella Kat’s best friend and that’s Mandella's boyfriend and Cameron’s best friend, Michael. Oh, and that's Patrick.”
“Oh well Kat’s in the back starting the grill,” Walter said, eyeing all of them suspiciously.
*
After finishing their lunch, Bianca decided to open some albums from high school. Even Walter had decided to join them.
There were pictures of Kat and Bianca’s first day of high school, tons of pictures of Chastity and Bianca, even more so of Kat and Mandella and pictures from their prom.
“Patrick was Kat’s date,” Bianca explained when they came across a picture of Kat’s and Patrick’s arms hooked together.
After the guests had left Walter looked at Kat with a stern expression on his face. “So that’s the bucko who gave you the guitar.”
*
“Kat, do you miss Patrick?” Bianca probed. The sisters were sitting on their balcony one evening, taking in the cool breeze. Bianca had caught the two staring at each other longingly multiple times during their encounters.
“No, why’d you ask?” Kat inquired, frowning.
“Just curious,” Bianca answered, shrugging it off.
Kat went back to staring at the plants of the house across the street.
*
The week was coming to an end. “My sister’s going away the day after tomorrow and we’re having a small going away party for her. Do you want to come?” Bianca asked. She had called Patrick.
“Alright, I'll be there,” he informed.
“Good,” she said and cut the call. Cameron looked at her. “What?” She snapped.
“I hope you know what you're doing Bianca...”
“Oh come on Cameron, it’ll be fine!”
“I don’t know,” Cameron expressed. “The last time we interfered with your sister’s love life, shit hit the fan. I don't think she’s going to let you live this time.”
Bianca shrugged, picked up a cupcake and took off its wrapper. She bit into it. Some of the frosting got on her nose. Cameron scooped it off with his finger and licked it. Bianca was watching his movements. He frowned.
He raised his eyebrow. “Tastes a little weird,” he said.
“That’s maybe because you got some of my make-up,'' exclaimed Bianca and with that, she burst out laughing and rolled on top of the bed. Cameron glared at her, got on top of the bed and started to tickle her.
“Cameron, stop! The cupcake!” Bianca cried. Cameron stopped and looked at the now-smushed cupcake. He took the remaining parts from her hand and popped them into his mouth.
*
When Patrick arrived at Stratford’s, he felt nervous.
He’d never admitted it to anyone, but he missed Kat. Terribly.
He knocked on the door. Walter opened it, with one eyebrow raised. “Bianca invited me. I just wanted to say bye to Kat.”
He lifted his right hand to reveal a bag of chocolates. “I brought these for everyone.”
Walter stepped aside to let him in.
He went inside looking around. He spotted Kat talking to Bianca and Mandella, while Cameron and Michael were playing table football.
After dinner, Kat pulled Patrick aside.
They sat in the garden.
“So…” Patrick began.
“How’s college?” She asked.
“It’s good. How’s yours?”
“It’s great.”
They looked away.
“I made a band. We play in a few gigs, once in a while.” Kat blurted.
“Oh, what songs do you play?” he asked curiously.
“Mostly covers. I have started writing a few pieces of my own.”
“That’s great.”
Silence settled in once again. When it became unbearable Patrick finally said,
“Kat, I have missed you.”
She looked at him. “I missed you too,” she admitted. “I was genuinely happy when I was with you.”
He sighed. “Me too. I was a teenager and I guess I wasn't thinking straight.”
Kat looked away. “And I thought it would be cool and stuff…” Kat looked back at him again, frowning.
Patrick shook his head. “You know what. It wasn't cool. Hell, I don't remember what I was thinking, but all I know is that whatever I did was shitty and it hurt us both. I bought you the guitar because I felt guilty and yes, that was a shitty way of making it up to you.”
He looked away, upset. Kat continued to look at him. “I still have your guitar, you know.”
“What?” He asked, surprised, turning his head back to look at her.
“Yeah. Well I haven't played it and I didn't take it to college but it's in my room. Dad didn't do anything with it.”
“Oh. I thought you would have given it away. Or maybe thrown it away,” he confessed.
She gently punched his shoulder. “You think I would've thrown an amazing guitar away? Just like that?”
“Well hell hath no fury like a woman who scorned,” Patrick said.
Kat laughed. Patrick laughed as well. They both fell into a comfortable silence afterwards.
“So you're leaving the day after tomorrow?” He asked.
“Yeah, Summer internships and all,” she explained.
Bianca burst through the door. “Dinner’s almost ready”, she said in a sing-song voice. “Great, we’ll be there,” Patrick called out.
“How do things look?” Camron asked, taking off his apron. He had been helping Walter in the kitchen.
“Not good pal,” Michael groaned, turning his head from the window. “Bianca tried an intervention. Yeah, that worked,” he quipped and sat back down on the couch.
“Oh shut up,” Mandella huffed her nose glued to the window. “They laughed a few times. I'm sure they are making progress.”
As Patrick watched Bianca disappear behind the door again, the curtain's movement caught his eye. He frowned.
“What's wrong?” Kat asked. She looked back to see what Patrick was seeing.
“Oh shit!” Mandella yelped as she closed the curtain shut. Michael looked at her.
“They saw me,” Mandella panicked. “They saw me.”
Bianca’s eyes widened. Cameron shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. “We’re dead. We’re so dead.”
“We need to be sure,” Bianca fretted.
“Are you serious?” Mandella hissed at Bianca. “Michael, can you check if both of them are still looking at the window or not,” implored Binaca, ignoring Mandella.
“Ok,” Michael gulped. “Soldiers…prepare for war.” He opened the curtain slightly and peered open. He opened the curtain slightly and examined the garden. He opened it wider. Kat and Patrick were missing. “Well?” Cameron quivered, seconds away from a mental breakdown. “Are they there?”
Michael looked back and shook his head, scared.
Mandella bit her lip. Bianca climbed on top of the couch, sandwiching herself in between Mandella and Michael.
She opened the window and peered out. “Kat?” She called out. “Patrick?”
No answer.
She turned back and edged away slightly from the window ledge
“There’s no one there-aHH!” She shrieked. Water had entered the living room, soaking the couch. Michael and Mandella got down from the couch cursing. Cameron ran from the room.
Back outside were Kat and Patrick, holding a hose. Kat was cackling and Patrick was wiping his eyes. Walter came in to see what the commotion was about.
“Kat? Bianca?” He called out as he entered the room and saw a drenched Bianca on the floor, Mandella and Michael shivering and glaring at Kat and Patrick. Cameron came back into the room.
Walter blinked and sat down on his armchair which was thankfully dry. “I'm too old for this,” he huffed. Cameron looked at him sympathetically and asked him where the towels were. “On top of the bathroom shelf,” Walter grumbled.
“Oh you two are so dead,” Bianca hissed shivering as Cameron wrapped a towel around her. Kat and Patrick exchanged glances and smiled.
*
The week had come to and end. Patrick and Kat had exchanged numbers. He had even offered to accompany her to the airport.
“So, you’re off again,” he noted. They were a few metres from the airport entrance. “And so are you. In a few days.” She stated.
“Yeah,” he began, rubbing his nape. “Um, listen Kat I was wondering if we could…try again…”
Kat looked over his shoulder. “Don't worry, Bianca didn't pay me,” he reassured.
“I know she didn't,” chuckled Kat. “I was just making sure that she wasn't eavesdropping.”
Bianca had whipped her head in the opposite direction and pretended to whistle. Kat ushered him to another spot, far enough for Bianca to not be able to hear but not too far so her father didn't get suspicious.
She glared at him. “You’re lucky my dad’s anxiety got us here 3 hours early instead of one. Now I have time to think about this.”
“I just couldn't think of the right time. Sorry for getting all romantic and sappy,” he winked.
Kat rolled her eyes but smiled anyway. “Ok. Sure. Yeah. It'll have to be a long distance though.”
“Yeah, I can handle that,'' he affirmed.
“It's going to be a lot of work,'' she admitted.
“I know,” he agreed. “But I'm willing to put in as much effort as I can, as long as you're willing to do the same.”
“I am,” she promised as she smiled.
“What’s your sister and that Verona boy doing there?” Walter asked Bianca.
“Probably promising to send each other friendship bracelets and best friend necklaces to each other!'' Bianca grumbled.
Walter furrowed his eyebrows, unable to understand Bianca's frustration.
He decided to hurry Kat along. “Kat you need to get inside!”
“Oh yeah sorry,” she apologised.
Patrick stepped out of the way so that she could push the trolley to say her last goodbyes to her family.
“Call me every day, ok? '' Walter pleaded as he hugged his daughter tightly.
“You say this every single time I leave and yet I call you only during the weekends,'' Kat mumbled.
“I know,” he replied. She hugged Bianca. Bianca hugged back.
Kat gave Patrick a short hug. She removed her head from his shoulder but her arms were still around his neck and his arms were still around her waist. She debated for a moment and then kissed him.
It was a short kiss though. She quickly pulled away before he could kiss back and entered the building before her father could say anything. But she did hear her sister’s delighted shriek.
Bianca was dancing around while Walter looked horrified. He turned his head in Patrick's direction. Patrick was smiling from ear to ear but as soon as he saw Walter staring at him, his smile dropped.
“Sir,” he said seriously. “ I promise to take good care of your daughter and keep her happy.” Walter gave a weak nod, still shocked.
“FINALLY!” Bianca yelled, “I CAN'T WAIT TO TELL CAMERON AND THE OTHERS!”
“People. Are. Staring. Bianca.'' Walter whined. “I need to go home.”
“Shall I drive the car, sir?'' Patrick asked, knowing that Walter was in no shape or form to drive them safely back home. Walter sighed and handed over the car keys.