Beauty is a Beast

Chapter 31: Avoidance and Love Affairs

*3rd Person's POV*

The rest of the week flew by and Kat was spun tighter than a coil ready to snap. All she wanted to do was run to her brother and make him remember. She wanted him to remember all of their times together, their secrets, their father figure. But she couldn't.

Logan and Bruce had forced her to act as if they had just met. She wasn't suppose to have contact with him for anything, unless it was necessary. When he entered a room she kept her head down, focused on what she had been doing. Act like she didn't want to run up and hug him.

She had been friendly, of course. Answering questions he had, offering him more food at the dinner table, letting him pick what they watched in the common area. But it all felt forced. So Kat was very grateful when school was back in session.

"Where are you going?" Oliver questioned from where he sat.

Kat turned around with her bag slung over one shoulder and helmet in hand. Banner lifted his eyes from the newspaper, watching the exchange.

"School." Kat answered.

"When-when will you be back?" Oliver stuttered, taking Kat off guard.

"Around 4ish," Kat smiled, watching Oliver pout. "Why?"

"Just curious."

With that Oliver turned back to his eggs and toast. Kat and Banner shared a look before he nodded to the elevator, hinting for her to leave. Although she did just that, Kat couldn't get the imagine of his face out of her head. It almost felt like he didn't want her to leave.

Kat shook her head, not wanting to get her hopes up. She barely noticed that she had arrived at school already. Or that Gwen was going off on her.

"Katherine! Are you even listening?" she asked.

"What?" Kat was surprised that Gwen was standing next to her. "No, sorry. It's been a tough week."

Gwen then took in the sight of her best friend. Dark circles under her eyes, frowned lips, ruffled hair, staring at the back of her locker.

"What's wrong?" Gwen's voiced turned softer. "Is it this Taylor thing?"

"KInd of," Kat shut her locker when she found her books. "We found Oliver."

"That's amazing!" Gwen's smile disappeared as fast as it had come. "Isn't it?"

"It's definitely good, but it would be better if he actually remembered me."

Kat explained the events of the past week. Thinking they had Taylor. Getting Oliver. Oliver not knowing who she was. But what set Gwen off was the fact that Kat couldn't really talk to him.

"That's absurd! How can they expect you not to talk to your brother?"

Kat sighed as they took their seats, "I understand why. I can't let anything slip that we knew each other before. I have to let him remember on his own. If we force it too quickly, who knows what could happen."

"But it's not like he would explode to know that you're his sister."

"No, but it would raise a lot of questions about a mom that we don't have and a father who, although loves us, we met when we were all being experimented on. We're not your average family, Gwen."

Gwen sagged a little in her chair, "Yeah, I guess that makes sense."

There was a moment of silence between them as other students poured into the classroom.

"But hey," Kat turned to Gwen as she spoke. "At least you have him back. And when he remembers you guys are gonna be so happy. You'll be able to make more memories that you never thought you could."