afflictions

3.

⚠TRIGGER WARNING⚠

IMPORTANT: I made a few changes and I added a bit more to the last chapter, so if you haven't checked that out then you probably should right now (2020.08.31)

KAITLYN'S POV

"Well, looks like we're walking home."

After David picked Faye up, I had called my brother, Leo, to see if he was willing to bring Connor and I. Obviously not, since he didn't pick up any of my calls.

I sighed, stashing my phone in my sweater's pocket. "I guess we are," I grumbled acquiescently. "Really rather not though. I already had my exercise of the day during gym today. Maybe for the month."

I winced as I recalled the endless amount of laps during P.E. that afternoon. I didn't understand how people ran marathons. I could barely last three laps, let alone 42 kilometers. My legs were on fire after the physical torture I endured throughout 25 laps of Hell.

"Come, on, this isn't so bad," Connor teased, patting me on my shoulder. "It won't hurt to walk a little more."

"It won't for you," I muttered, looking away from his face to check a kind of busy road we had to cross at the school. "You do track," I pointed out. "I don't."

As we crossed the road, my thoughts wandered to our earlier detection. I had an internal freak out when Mrs. McLeery had declared out of the blue that I'd be spending time at another one of her after-school detention sessions. I didn't want to think about how she would react...

Connor said something, but I didn't hear him. "Yeah..."

Before I could stop myself, I unconsciously delved deeper into a dark corridor of thoughts that I've always tried to evade. Memories resurfaced, memories I've tried to keep at bay all day, and they clung onto me. I exhaled, and shoved them back. I wanted to avoid them for as long as possible.

"Hey, Katie."

A hand waved in front of my face, snapping me out of my trance. I blinked, realizing how I zoned out for a moment. I noticed that Connor was looking at me with a curious expression.

"I'm sure Faye is okay," Conner assured me. "If that's what you're worried about. It takes more than that to knock her out. Er, so to speak."

I turned towards him. "No, it's not that." I realized how my words sounded a bit heartless, so I quickly added, "I mean, I am worried about Faye. But that's not what I was thinking."

Connor leaned in and smirked at me. "So what's gotten your pretty face all worried?" he asked, tilting his head. My heart started to pound fiercely in my chest. "I don't like seeing you worried."

I blushed. Connor was kind of shy to new people, but when you got to know him better, he had a suave and flirty side to him. It never really bothered me too much, but with his face only a few inches from mine, I couldn't help but get flustered.

"It's just that my parents are probably waiting at home," I told him. "And, well, I guess I can say they aren't happy when I come back from school late." I technically wasn't lying, just... telling him a half truth.

"I'm sure they'll understand," Connor reassured me. "I think by now they should know that McLeery has it out for us."

"They never understand," I muttered under my breath.

"Pardon?" I flinched. I didn't expect Connor to hear me. "I didn't quite catch that."

I sighed and ran a hand down my face. I contemplated on telling him, but I knew I didn't have the courage to. "Nothing, Connor. I— it's just that I had an... another argument with my parents."