EIGHT LETTERS || Liam Dunbar [2]

FIFTEEN

Katherine had spent her day trying to focus on her classes, rather than worry about Lydia. It proved to be a hard task, because she was such an important part of her life, and found herself using sarcasm with her teachers more than she normally did. Especially with Mr Anderson.

She told him she hadn't meant to push his buttons, I was just looking for mute, and that I don't understand your specific kind of crazy, but I do respect your total commitment to it.

As a result, she had received a phone all to her Dad, who told her he didn't mind the comments but she couldn't say them to teachers, and had managed to get her out of nearly a months worth of detention. While Stiles had been proud of her for the sarcastic comments she'd come up with on the fly, her father had been less than impressed to find out he claimed he'd taught her well, and nearly grounded them both the minute they got home from school.

So how Mason had convinced him to let her out of the house to go clubbing that night was beyond her. She'd gotten changed into a black leather skirt and white crop top she'd been given as hand-me-downs from Lydia paired with a black belt Kira bought her for Christmas the previous year, and pulled on a pair of black heels that she hadn't even been able to look at since she wore them at Allison's funeral.

Katherine followed a short distance behind the two of them, lips pursed in irritation as her thoughts drifted to Lydia, and more importantly, what she'd told her at the beginning of the year.

It's always better when they know.

She knew that it was probably true, but hadn't quite worked up the courage to tell Liam yet. Not that she was certain she ever would.

"Can you put your phone away for, like, five minutes?" Mason grumbled, giving Liam's arm a sharp nudge. "Scott can howl if he needs you."

"I just feel like I should be doing something," Liam frowned as he pocketed his phone. They stopped and wait for Katherine to catch up, and she huffed.

"You are," Mason promised him, briefly grabbing Liam's shoulders to get his attention. "You're my wingman tonight. And considering the state of my dating life—" he began listing things off on his fingers "—I need a wingman, a co-pilot, and a really hot flight attendant."

"I'm definitely not your hot flight attendant," Liam scoffed quietly, his lips pursing.

"No, but Kat is," Mason winked, glancing over at her approaching figure. "And besides, even if you're not my hot flight attendant, you can still get drunk."

"What am I?" Katherine frowned as she finally caught up to them, tucking her dark hair behind her ears.

"A hot flight attendant," Liam answered without thinking. Then his cheeks turned a dark red, and he looked down at the ground as Mason let out a quiet snort and slapped a hand over his mouth to keep from laughing at the pair.

Katherine blushed lightly as she turnedaway for a moment to ensure he didn't see the wide grin on her face. "Well, thanks, I think," she murmured softly, pulling at a loose thread on the hem of her shirt. "I'm not really sure how to answer that."

Mason waved her hands away and tucked the thread under the elastic of the hem, wiggling his eyebrows at her when she looked him in the eye. He knew.

Please don't tell him, Katherine mouthed discretely, glancing over at Liam — who looked plesantly surprised as he pulled a still-wrapped piece of gum out of the front pocket of his dark jeans — with a briefly panicked expression.

I won't, Mason mouthed back. Then he mimed texting, as if to say you owe me the details later.

Katherine just nodded, relief flooding her.

They walked up the steps tp the back entrance of the club, Katherines eyes focused solely on the back of Liam's head while she gracefully walked up the steps. The door opened, revealing the worker who had agreed to sneak them in, regardless of the fact that they were underage.

Hayden Romero.

Liam opened his mouth and closed it, spinning slightly to look at Katherine with wide eyes and pursed lips. She laughed quietly and patted his shoulder, ignoring the nervous butterflies fluttering around madly in her stomach.

"I said I'd let you in, not them," Hayden muttered at Mason through pursed lips.

"You said I could bring a plus one," Mason frowned. "He's my plus one, and she's his plus one."

"I didn't say plus Liam," Hayden scoffed, eyes narrowing in their direction.

"I'm his flight attendant," Liam cut in, then seemed to immediately regret the words that came out of his mouth.

"What?" Hayden breathed, eyes squinted slightly as she tried to figure out what he was saying.

Katherine snorted quietly, covering it up with a small cough.

"Wingman," Liam corrected himself. Then he took a step down the stairs, looping his arm through Katherines. "Forget it, we don't have to go in."

Mason immediately reached out and grabbed his arms, pulling him back up to the landing. "Nope, no, you guys are coming...my god..." he rubbed his forehead as he tried to think. "How about us three plus $50," he sighed, holding up a fifty dollar bill.

"I've got $10 in my bra," Katherine shrugged tiredly, tucking hair behind her ear. "You'd have to give me an awkward second and a half, but I can get it."

After a moment, Hayden let out a small huff and nodded, snatching the $50 from Mason. "Keep the ten, it's fine," she muttered, swinging the door further open. "Welcome to Sinema."

Katherine followed them through a backdrop made of hanging chains, and internally groaned. As much as she loved Mason, this was the very last place she wanted to be. The room was full of sweaty, drunk teenagers, almost entirely naked men and women alike dancing inside glass cylinders to the blaring music for people to view as they wanted. Lights were flashing, and a thin layer of smoke wafted around the room from hidden machines, and a long bar was against the wall at the far side of the room.

"We don't look old enough to be here," Liam spoke up once they'd reached a corner, hands stuffed uncomfortably in the pockets of his jackets.

"Neither does he," Mason shrugged, pointing a short distance across the room.

Katherine followed his finger, brows furrowing in confusion until she saw Brett dancing with a dark haired girl in a short black dress. "Can't even say I'm surprised," she snickered quietly.

"So is this club mixed?" Liam asked curiously, shoulders pulled up to his ears.

Katherine looked over at him with raised brows as Brett turned around and began dancing with the guy behind him, one hand grasping his face. "Ish," Mason nodded rapidly, lips pursed to keep from grinning.

They wandered around for a little bit until Mason decided to go and join Brett on a comfortable looking chair for drinks. Katherine and Liam wandered through the dance floor for a few minutes, gripping tightly to the others hand as they tried to get used to all the sweaty, moving bodies around them.

"I'm never going clubbing with Mason again if this is what he does," Katherine said normally, knowing Liam could hear her.

He let out a small laugh. "Agreed."

The two moved awkwardly through the crowd of bodies, Katherine tightly gripping the sleeve of Liam's shirt. All of a sudden he froze, eyes looking at each individual person. "What is it?" Katherine frowned. "What's going on?"

"I don't—" Liam cut himself off as he sniffed the air. "Somethings wrong."

A/N:
Happy Holidays, Lovelies!

Im sorry for the wait, but I've been swamped and exhausted and I was running out of pre written chapters to publish.

I'll probably start publishing regularly once exams are over in January, because I've got 3-4 exams to study for, but it should all be much easier next semester.