Painting Flowers (A Jack Barakat fanfic)

Chapter 23

*Alex's POV*

Kathryn's only been back at school for a few days when we receive word of the latest conflict involving her and Megan. Kathryn is a good kid but that girl does not know how to stay out of trouble. The guys and I crowd around Kathryn at our usual spot at lunch, waiting for details. It takes a while, but eventually Zack manages to pry the recount from her lips with a bit of persuasion.

"Talk slow, yeah? Breathe." Zack says before giving her a nod, signalling for Kathryn to tell us what happened.

She takes a deep breath and begins to recount the story. "I had just walked in with Alex. But then after Alex went to his locker I was gonna go to the bathroom. But then I ran into her and she started shoving me and calling me things. But I didn't say anything. And then she-" Jack cuts her off.

"Kat, why did you let her? Why didn't you say anything? Why didn't you tell her Alex isn't your boyfriend?" He bombards her with questions, not giving her a moment to answer the last. 

"I don't know. I just didn't." She replies quite timidly with a shrug. Jack doesn't look too pleased with her lack of defense. I stand up and look at Kathryn.

"Come on," I say to her, standing her up. "We're going to go set her straight. It's now or never, Kathryn." She looks quite frightened but follows anyway. Jack also follows. But I stop him before we leave the Cafeteria. 

"Alex, let me come, I don't want her to be-" I cut him off before he can finish.

"No, Jack." I say firmly. "This is for Kathryn and I to sort out with her. Stay here. You're not coming." His face falls and he looks upset but I turn around and continue to walk, forcing Kathryn forward so she doesn't go back for him. 

I wander with Kathryn for sometime, ignoring her constant "But Alex, we really don't need to." in her British accent, before finally running into Megan. As soon as she lays a glance upon Kathryn, she becomes noticeably more irritated. 

"What do you want?" She snaps at us. I step forward, holding Kathryn's forearm tightly so that she doesn't run away. 

"We need to talk." I say. "I've heard you've been picking fights with Kathryn here, is that true?" I ask, clearly already knowing the answer. But Megan is determined to get away with this.

"No. She's been picking the with me." She says in a snobby tone. I'm not having any of it.

"Alright, listen here. I know exactly what's been going on here, Megan. It's pure jealousy and jumping to conclusions. That's all it is. You know what this is?" I snap angrily, clenching my fists. "You thought I was dating Kathryn here. My COUSIN here. You assumed Kathryn was my girlfriend. Kathryn GASKARTH here is my cousin, Megan. Get your facts straight." A crowd begins to form around us so I try to lower my voice, not to draw less attention to this argument for Megan's sake but for Kathryn's. Knowing her, she won't like the attention. I continue to attack at Megan, however. "She is NOT interested in me. She is interested in my best friend, who you were hooking up with quite recently."

Her face falls at the realization that she's been wrong this entire time. "Sh-She's your cousin?" She stutters out. I nod firmly, obviously pissed. She looks at Kathryn, not knowing what to say other than the obvious. "I-I'm so sorry. R-Really, I am." 

I look at Kathryn for a response, unsure of whether or not this is good enough for her to forgive Megan. If Megan doesn't deserve Kathryn's forgiveness, that's completely understandable. Kathryn looks at me and then at Megan nervously. "I-It's really okay... Y-You didn't know... And now you know. S-So it'll be okay, right?" She bites her lip hopefully.

Megan nods quickly. She is clearly humiliated by this mistake. She should be. "Yes! Right! O-Of course!" 

Without a word, Kathryn turns and begins to walk away. I'm shocked at her sudden actions and begin to follow her. "Kathryn!" I shout at her. "Where are you going? We're not done!"