Arguing with Katy

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Tessa

“Are you sure you’re ok?” I ask Liv, for the seventieth time this morning. After Katy showed up, Liv spent the whole night in the bathroom, and I stayed with her.

Liv nods, putting a fresh layer of mascara on, “Yeah, I’m fine. Look, I know you’ve got rehearsal, so I was thinking that Brandon and I might go and visit Diana and Ryan and Beth. I haven’t seen those munchkins in ages.” I laugh slightly.

“Well if you’re sure,” I smile, “And I do have to work extra hard at rehearsal, but I’ll see you when you get back.” Liv nods. “You are staying until Monday, aren’t you?”

Liv laughs lightly, “Of course I am! I could never leave you, no matter who else is here!” Her eyes darken as she thinks of JJ and Katy, but she smiles a little when she sees my worried face, covering up her anger with a mask of happiness. I nod and unconvincing nod, but Liv hugs me tightly and promises that she’ll always be here for me. I smile back.

“Well, Brandon’s ready,” Liv tells me, as we walk towards the living room, “I better be off.” I nod, hugging her and my brother tightly, getting a squeeze from each of them in return. They smile at me before leaving.

“Are they going back home?” JJ asks me, walking into the living room, Katy not too far behind. I grimace as I realise that she stayed the night in JJ’s room, and I try my hardest not to picture the disgusting image of what they did together. If anyone, it should be Liv he’s doing that stuff with, not Katy, no matter how sweet she is.

“No,” I shake my head, “Just visiting Diana.” JJ nods, but I can’t read his expression. I roll my eyes, collapsing onto the sofa.

“Who’s Diana?” Kathy/Katy asks, sitting on a sofa opposite me, beside JJ.

“My step-sister,” I tell her, “She lives in London with her kids, Ryan, who’s three, and Beth, who’s just a baby. Brandon is my twin brother and Liv is my best friend, so they know Diana well and like to visit her. They don’t come up to London much.” Katy nods, a small smile on her face.

It’s only now that I remember that she’s a big fan of me, so me telling her about my family might be cool to her. I know that I should be kind and loving to all of my fans, no matter what they’ve done to my friends or family. Maybe I should just pretend that I like her. 

“What about you?” I ask, forcing a smile.

“Oh, I’m an only child,” She tells me airily, “I don’t know my Dad, but I live with my Mum and Aunt around here.” I nod. “But it’s nice to be coming here, to be with people my own age who I get on with, who I like.”

It’s a shame not all of us like her.

I glance at my watch, trying to release the awkward tension. I remember a little activity that we used to do at school. A weird teacher would get us to breathe in through our noses for five seconds and then breathe out through our mouths for five seconds, squeezing away the tension. I remember everyone snorting and how I was always laughing my head off. Maybe that’s not the best thing to think about. And maybe it was about stress. But stress and tension are sort of the same thing, aren’t they?

“Well, I’m supposed to be at rehearsals now,” I tell them, pulling a face, “But it was nice to talk to you again.” I hurry away without hearing her say goodbye. I’m half an hour early, but never mind. I needed to get away from there.

George

“Katy’s coming for lunch with us,” JJ tells me and the other boys, Josh, Jaymi, Dan, Greg and Mickey, “If that’s alright with you.”

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