Searching for the Key

Chapter 1

"He had to go to work early but he said he'll be home around six," Carrie answered.

"Okay I'll see you later then," Katia said. As she was running to the door Carrie called her back.

"Wait! Are you seeing your brother after school?" She questioned.

Jason had lived here with Katia before he turned eighteen and left a little over a year ago. It had been the longest Katia had ever stayed in one place.

Katia stopped in her tracks and turned around. Her hand was resting on the door and one foot was already inching its way outside.

"Yeah I'm going to have dinner at his place. Why?" She asked, forcing her tone to remain casual.

"Can you give this food to Jason later?" She said.

Carrie handed Katia a tray of lasagna and some garlic bread that smelled amazing.

"Okay thanks, but I really have to go now. Bye!" Katia said and ran out the door before she could be held in any longer.

Katia jumped into the car Carrie let her use and hightailed it to school. Just as the bell rang, Katia slid into her seat and sighed in relief.

"Wow you cut it close! Ms. Polan would've broken her record and screamed at you for 20 minutes." Katia's best friend, Julie, joked.

"Anything is better than hearing her talk about the wonders of English," Katia laughed.

"Look what she's wearing today. It looks like she killed her cat and made it into that hideous sweater," observed Julie.

Ms. Polan was wearing a furry orange sweater with small brown stripes all around. With her drab hair and pale skin she should've stayed away from that color entirely.

"Ew I think you're right. Look they're little whiskers!" Katia exclaimed in a whisper.

Finally after an hour of passing notes and making fun of their weird teacher, the two friends walked out of the classroom. The rest of the day went by in a blur until the bell rang at three. While walking through the halls to the front, she could feel some people talking about her. Katia suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. People need to get a life, she thought.

Most ignored her though, just the way she liked it. She usually stuck to herself and Julie was the only friend she wanted and needed. Actually staying at the same school for almost two years finally allowed her to get close to someone.

Unfortunately, on their way out they came across Katia's annoying, foster sister, Fiona. Katia could never avoid a scene with her.

"What are you wearing? It looks like something from a dump!" Fiona shouted at Katia's retreating figure.

Usually Katia ignored her but she had time to kill before her swim practice started. She turned around with Julie and shouted back. "Actually this is yours. Your mom gave it to me from your closet."

The people who gathered around began to laugh at Fiona and her friends. Anger flashed across her face, but she wasn't going to back down. She crossed her arms over her chest and jutted her hip out.

"Can't afford your own clothes?" Fiona asked in mock sympathy.

Katia just smiled sweetly. "Actually I can, but why bother buying new clothes when I can take yours and save some poor soul from having to wear them? I like to think of it as my contribution to society."

"Well it looks hideous on you," Fiona's friend said and Julie quickly interceded.

"Honey, then have you even looked at yourself lately?" Julie looked her up and down with an expression of disgust.

Fiona opened her mouth to shout another insult, but Katia held her hand up to stop her.

"Save it, your insults never work and I don't want you to get embarrassed even more, sis," Katia said with a sarcastic smile. She didn't know how Sean and Carrie got stuck with such a terrible daughter.

A few people slowed down in the hall to watch the exchange and they snickered. Julie and Katia smiled smugly and turned their back to Fiona and her friend's furious faces.

"I don't know why they even bother," Julie laughed.

"You think they would've learned by now," Katia agreed. Growing up with a lot of bullies made her mind quick at thinking of comebacks.

They sat on a bench in front of the school. It was busy outside with people rushing to get home or go hangout at the coffee shop and restaurants nearby.

"So are you excited for your 18th birthday?" Julie asked excitedly. She was practically jumping up and down in her seat. Sometimes she seemed more excited than Katia.

"Yeah then I can officially be on my own and get my own place," Katia said.

Carrie and Sean were great and after staying there for almost two years, she was beginning to feel settled. However Katia still wanted guaranteed stability and the only way she could have that was if she had responsibility over her own life. Luckily that opportunity was nearing quickly. 

"You better let me sleepover!" Julie said. Katia never considered herself girly, but Julie brought out that side of her. "I can't wait to show you my surprise. You'll love it!"

Katia smiled. She never had a friend get her a birthday present before. She wanted to stay and talk with Julie longer but she had to get to swim practice and since she was captain she had to get there a little early.

"I'll see you tomorrow," Katia said. Julie hugged her goodbye and went off to the parking lot.

Katia gathered her things and began walking to the gym. Suddenly she got the feeling that she was being watched and turned her head to look across the street. There she saw a parked car with three men staring right at her. Her heart started to race and she quickened her pace.  She ignored the urge to look back again as she entered the gym for practice, shaking it off as a weird coincidence.