One More Year

Chapter 25

The wait was longer than I meant for it to be, but this chapter is fairly long so hopefully, you're not too mad...

I moved and will be starting college this week so if I'm a little slow at updating that is why. I will try to keep updating but we shall see how classes go.

Anyway, here's the next chapter!

As promised it's from Katherine's POV.

Just a minor warning that I get kind of politics at the end. It's nothing major or (hopefully) controversial but I didn't want you to be caught off guard lol. I didn't go as deep in as I could have but there's a bit in there. If you disagree, please no hate in comments. (I don't see this being a problem because ya'll are awesome but I feel obligated to say it.)

Enjoy!

~TH~

Katherine paced back and forth in front of the library. Jack wasn't here. He wasn't here with that infuriatingly attractive grin or his obnoxious nonchalance. He. Wasn't. Here. He wasn't answering any of her texts. David had at least texted her that he'd be late. But no Jack.

She was torn. She was ticked to be completely honest. Bad home or no, this project was important. She needed him here today. Any other day she would probably be annoyed but no like this. Not with the uncontrollable anger and anxiety that came when a project didn't go right. But... she was scared too. Scared for Jack. Was he sick again? Like last time? He never seemed to really get better, maybe whatever sickness he had was still going on and he had passed out at home again. Maybe he was too sick to come to school and she would get a text soon. Maybe?

Katherine hated to admit it, but she liked Jack. Like LIKED liked him. That made her... uncomfortable. Jack was not the... boyfriend type. Not in the sense she was used to at least. He wasn't rich . He wasn't a family friend of her fathers. He wasn't the top of his class. He didn't go to parties. He wasn't popular. He wasn't much of anything, as cruel as it sounded. He was just a person. Just a boy with adorable dimples and surprisingly fun to be around when he wasn't driving her crazy with his secrets and distractedness.

It would never work out.

But she wouldn't mind getting to know him better. Maybe.

If he ever showed up!

"Katherine!" David was jogging towards her, pushing past the hallway goers with an urgency she didn't recognize.

"Have you heard from Jack?" She started immediately. "He won't answer me and I haven't seen him all day and he was supposed to meet us here! We present after lunch and we need his part of the project-"

"He's not coming." David cut in, looking distracted, his eyes darting around the hall.

"He's not- what do you mean he's not coming!! We are supposed to present in less than two hours! He has to be here or we get docked points! And what about his painting! I can not believe this!" All concern she was feeling had now disappeared. All that remained was the anger and disbelief. Jack had bailed on them. Again.

David looked slightly panicked. "Katherine just, shh, calm down, I-" He grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her into the library. She allowed him, too shocked to say anything, as they made their way to a back, rarely used corner.

They stopped, Katherine looked at David quizzically and he just looked nervous back. "Spot was right." He finally says, his voice quiet and holding a weight Katherine couldn't quite figure out.