*~*~* Cate *~*~*
“Wake up. Wake up. Wake up! You’ve got to be my bitch today, so… GET UP!”
TJ turns over in my guest room’s bed and blearily looks up at me, groans and slumps back into sleep. I lean over him, getting my lips as close to his neck as possible before trailing my way up to his ear. TJ groans at the sensation and starts mumbling in his sleep, the smile that forms on his lips telling me that he’s having a nice dream. Perfect. Now it’s time to wake him up.
“FIRE!” I shout into his ear, making him bolt upright in the bed. He looks around the room to try and get his bearing, but when his eyes set on me, he sighs and wipes his hand over his face. “Great, you’re awake. Finally.”
“You shouted ‘fire’ in my ear, Cate,” he says groggily. “I didn’t have much of a choice but to wake up. I thought you said that you weren’t a morning person, so what gives?”
TJ refused to go home last night, on the accounts that he would probably end up killing Elliott. I suggested he go stay with his mom, but the temptation to kill Genevieve would prove too much, TJ said. Even my offer to drive him over to Greyson’s place was flatly turned down. Apparently, Georgie practically lived at Greyson’s house, and feeling homicidal, TJ could easily add Georgie to his kill list.
By the end of the conversation, I was so frustrated I asked if there was anyone in town TJ didn’t want to kill. His answer had come quickly- me. I gave in after that and promised to ask my parents if TJ could stay, making sure that it was clear TJ would be sleeping in the guest room, which was located on the other side of the house to my room.
We stayed up goofing around with my parents and Libby until late, so by rights I really shouldn’t be this perky in the morning but seeing TJ in a grump made me feel better. That was until I remembered everything that had happened yesterday, and suddenly I wasn’t feeling all that bright.
“Are you coming with to school today?” I asked, watching TJ make his way to the en-suite bathroom. He went about his morning business before returning to the bedroom. He looked at the items I had in my hands and frowned. I held them out to him with a casual shrug. “There’s deodorant, shaving gel and a razor, a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. Oh, and socks. I didn’t think you’d be comfortable wearing a pair of Sawyer’s boxers, so I didn’t bring any with me.”
TJ laughed. “You know me so well,” he winked to me. He took my offering and returned to the bathroom. From the other side of the door, TJ said, “Do we have to go in today?”
“Yes,” I nod even though he can’t see me. “It’s gym class Tuesday. Are you seriously gonna let me go on my own? I might need a ride to the emergency room.”
“Don’t joke, Cate,” TJ says as his head pops around the half open bathroom door. “Actually, that sounded more like a threat. Are you planning on getting yourself injured?”
I snort. “Yeah, because I actually plan on getting knocked out with a dodgeball and blindsided by assholes,” I say sarcastically. From the raised eyebrow TJ sends me, I roll my eyes. “No, I don’t plan on getting injured. Plus, you have your forfeit to carry out.”
“Don’t remind me,” TJ laughed easily as he appeared from behind the door and casually made his way to where I sat on the edge of the bed. He planted his palms flat on the mattress on either side of me and dipped his face low so that we were on eye level with each other. “Do I really have to do this?”
I nod with a smirk on my lips. “You dressed up as a girl yesterday, and you think being my bitch for the day is more embarrassing? Guess you shouldn’t try to take on the master of crazy golf.”
TJ frowned comically as he shot me a pleading look. When I didn’t give in, he sighed. “You could have let me win, you know.”
“I offered,” I say smugly. “But you refused, and it was you that made the bet, so such it up because you are mine for the day.”
TJ’s first task was to drive me to school, which admittedly wasn’t that big a deal, but I really hate driving. That, and the fact that TJ kept teasing me last night about how much of a useless driver I was. He hadn’t had the chance to say that in the car yesterday because he had other things on his mind, but when Dad asked TJ how he was still alive after being in the car with me driving, TJ didn’t stop commenting about my skills behind the wheel.
When we arrived at Capshaw, TJ’s next task was to carry my books to my locker. Today was a fairly light day so his hands weren’t full, and I wasn’t one of those girls who kept things in colorful, girl binders so no one would suspect that the black binders were anyone’s but TJ’s.
His mission today was to come and escort me from one class to the other. Including gym class. I’d been dismissed from taking part in gym- my wrist had healed but my parents and Dean Maddox, as well as Mrs. Greene had determined that it was in my best interest to not participate further. Obviously, I didn’t disagree, but then they told me I had to fulfil my gym class credits another way. I’d had the option of dance, cheer practice or taking part in Mrs. Burgess’ yoga class. I’m not coordinated and I don’t have the confidence to cheer, so I took the third and final option. Plus, it would help with my Social Anxiety Disorder if I learnt how to relax and be Zen.
TJ had kissed me goodbye before I headed for the locker room, and didn’t see Genevieve as she passed me in the hallway. I knew Genevieve had seen me because she’d gotten this rabbit-caught-in-the-headlights look and ducked her face from my view, but it was too late. I’d already seen her.
“Hey, Genevieve,” I say brightly. She stops in her tracks and warily lifts her gaze onto mine. I smile at her to try and get her to relax, but all she does is tense up more. “How’s your second day going?”
“Better than my first,” she grumbled. I nod sympathetically and watch as her tough exterior crumbles. She looks lost and alone and in dire need of a hug, which I provide gladly. I wrapped my arms around her shoulders and pull her close, realizing a little too late that she was a good few inches taller than me. I released her after a while and rubbed her arm consolingly. “My brother told you, didn’t he?”
I grimace. “More like yelled it to me,” I laugh disarmingly. “Hey, don’t worry about TJ. He’s a softie, especially where you’re concerned. He just needs time to calm down, that’s all.”
Genevieve lets out a soft sob and shakes her golden hair. “It’s going to take more than time, Cate. I’ve never seen him look so disappointed and angry before.”
I take Genevieve’s hand in mine and pull her into the girls’ locker room to sit with me on one of the benches. We’re a good few minutes into fourth period and all the girls from my class are out in the gym already, so Genevieve and I can’t be disturbed. I dash to the bathroom and return with a ball of toilet tissue t blot away the watery mascara from Genevieve’s eyes. She sent me a thank you smile and sighed heavily.
“Why are you being nice to me?” Genevieve asked.
“Because you’re a nice girl,” I answer. Ok, so I didn’t know her that well, but she couldn’t be all that bad. Plus, she was TJ’s little sister so that had to count for something. “You don’t know that many people at Capshaw so I figure you need all the friends possible.”
“You don’t think I’m some sort of slut?” Genevieve floors me with her question as she looks up at me from under her eyelashes. “I mean… sleeping with your half-brother’s step-brother when you’re fourteen isn’t the best of circumstances, is it?”
I laugh. “When you put it like that, no,” I playfully knock into her shoulder with mine. “But that’s not how I see you, you know. All I see is a girl who made a silly, misjudged mistake. I’ve been there- not exactly in the same situation, of course- but people who say they’ve never made a mistake are lying.”
Genevieve smiled and threw her arms around my neck tightly. “My brother is so damned lucky to have you, Catherine. So damned lucky.”
*~*~* TJ *~*~*
My cell flashed with a new message just as I followed Spiller into the cafeteria.
Grab lunch to go and meet me at my secret hideout. C xx p.s. my secret hideout is my dark room, just in case you didn’t know :)
“Sorry, Colt,” I pat Spiller’s shoulder as I slink passed him, not bothering to pick up anything to eat. “My Mistress called, and as her-” gulp “-Bitch, I must go.”
Spiller and the rest of my friends had jokingly been calling Cate The Mistress all morning, and had been teasing non-stop about the fact that Cate beat me at crazy golf. So much for my theory that I only lose bets on Sundays.
I head over to the dark room in the Art Building, and weave my way through the labyrinth hallways until I find Amanda’s studio. I take a quick look around and see that my step-mother isn’t here before entering the class. Cate is stood outside the dark room, tapping her foot impatiently and checking the time on her cell incessantly. She looks up when she hears me entering and smiles.
It’s not her usual smile… this one is tight, and I don’t think I like it all that much.
“You’re here,” she says quietly. “Great. Do you want to go inside? I just need to gather some printing paper and then I’ll follow you in.”
Before I get to answer, Cate has my arm in her grasp and shoves me through the entryway. She shuts the door after me, and without even getting the chance to ask her what was going on, I hear a key turn in the lock. I spin and try the door handle, but nothing happens.
“Cate!” I yell at her through the door. “What are you doing? This isn’t funny.”
From behind me, I hear a weak, trembling voice. “Theo?”
I freeze and my body tenses into rock. “You have got to be kidding me,” I grumble. Sure enough, when I turn around, I’m confronted with my sister. “What are you doing here Genevieve?”
She stared at me for a brief second before her eyes fell onto the floor. “Cate invited me,” she whispered, her volume barely registering. “I didn’t know you were going to be here. If I’d known, I wouldn’t have come.”
My cell beeps again.
Talk it out, or die in there. You’re choice. Just remember that I’m your Mistress today, and you’ve got to obey my commands. C xx p.s. Genevieve better be alive when I get back.
Genevieve will probably be alive, but I couldn’t make any promises about Cate’s status because I’m pretty sure when we get out of here, I’m just going to kill her instead. Ah, who am I trying to kid? I much prefer Cate alive and kicking and scheming than dead. Fine, she can live.
I push past Genevieve and enter the inner area of Cate’s dark room. On one of the work benches is a package with my initials scrawled neatly on it. I open the brown paper bag and pull out the contents- PB&J sandwiches and a juice box. A note telling me to ‘Be nice’ was attached to the sandwiches, and I had to smile.
I move the only stool in the room over to where Genevieve hovers and then jump up onto the vacant bench, double checking that there wasn’t any solution around that I could spill. It was as I did my quick inspection that I noticed all the photos that were pegged up around the room. Most of the pictures were in color, and those were the ones that Cate had taken during the soccer game last week. Then mixed in amongst those pictures were black and white prints with me as the subject.
From the training uniform I wore, I knew that Cate had taken these photographs on the day where I helped her with her physics project. Until today I had been under the assumption that she was taking stills of my kicking abilities, but apparently I was mistaken.
I look good in photographs.
“She’s really talented,” Genevieve spoke from where she sat. I snap my head in her direction and she shies away like a wilting flower. “Theo…”
“What?” I couldn’t help the harsh tone in my voice.
“Please don’t be like this,” Genevieve begs. She’s still too scared to look up at me and instead starts to focus intensely on the hem of her shirt. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, Theo.”
I scoff. “Next you’ll be telling me that you didn’t mean to have sex with Elliott.” Genevieve doesn’t speak and I knew that I had just taken apart her next argument. “How can you say that you didn’t mean to end up in bed with him? Sex isn’t one of those things that just happens, Genevieve. At least not for fourteen year olds.”
“I wanted it to happen,” she explains, making my skin crawl with her admission. “You know I’ve had this huge crush on Elliott for years, and he never looked at me twice. Never. Then over Christmas break, I came over to hang out with you and you weren’t home so I ended up hanging out with Elliott. I didn’t plan on… but I didn’t stop it either.”
“You’re fourteen, Genevieve,” I yell at her. She flinches at my words and I hear the sob escaping her lips before I see her shoulders shuddering. Ah, crap. She’s crying. What do I do? “Don’t cry.”
Yeah, I said that in the least sympathetic tone ever.
“Genevieve, don’t cry,” I try again in a softer voice. It didn’t work. “All I mean is… you’re too young for boys. You should be hanging out with girlfriends and gossiping about, I don’t know… Taylor Swift’s messed up love life? Or whatever girls talk about. You should not be having sex with sixteen year olds.”
“But I wanted it to happen,” Genevieve says sharply. Suddenly her eyes are on me and they’re red with anger. “You think I’m some silly little girl, Theo, but I am not. I knew exactly what I was doing with Elliott.”
“I didn’t need to know that,” I grumble. I sigh and wipe my hand over my eyes, trying to gain some perspective. “Were you at least careful about it?”
Genevieve nods.
“Double Dutch or just a condom?” I ask, embarrassment seeping into the words. I can’t believe I’m talking about this with my sister. My baby sister. Although, I don’t think I can call her a baby anymore. Genevieve squirms in her seat. “If you’re going to be irresponsible and have sex at your age, I just want to make sure you were responsible enough not to get pregnant.”
After a pause, Genevieve answers. “Just a condom.”
“Well, at least Elliott had some sense to carry one around with him,” I say bitterly. Genevieve bites back a laugh that has me worried. “What?”
“He wasn’t carrying it around,” she mumbles. She looks up at me with her bottom lip gripped between her teeth, trying to suppress a smile. “He stole it from your stash.”
He what?
“You mean,” I say slowly just so that I can speak the words without getting angry. “I aided and abetted the defilement of my own sister?”
Genevieve scoffs. “You know that sounds terrible when you put it like that, right?”
I nod grimly. “Do you need to go to the doctors to check yourself out? Mom can go with you.”
Genevieve looks horrified by the idea and quickly goes to protest, her words coming out in a rush. I didn’t understand most of what she was saying, but I got that she would never go to our mother for advice when it came to sex. She challenged me to mention her father, but I was too much of a coward. Donovan Prescott was very territorial when it came to Genevieve and he’d probably hunt Elliott down and slaughter him if he knew about what they’d been up to.
“I could…” I start to speak, but then stop when I realize just how stupid that idea would sound out loud.
“Were you going to offer to come with me?” Genevieve looks at me like I’m some sort of imposter.
“No,” I answer quickly. “This has been embarrassing enough as it is. I’m not going to subject myself to further humiliation by marching you into the lady doctor’s office. I was actually going to suggest Cate, but that’s kinda weird.”
From the other side of the curtain, I hear someone laugh. Both Genevieve and I stand from where we sat and went over to pull the drapery aside, only to see a very sheepish looking Cate standing there. She waved her hand at us awkwardly and shuffled her feet against one another.
“The bell is about to ring,” Cate announces. “I came to free you, my little captives.”
“My hero,” I mutter sarcastically. I motion for Genevieve to exit the dark room first, and I side step Cate to follow, but just as the bright light of daytime is within my grasp, I feel Cate pulling me back into the room. “What are you doing now?”
Cate looks around my body to check that Genevieve is out of sight before turning back to me. “Did you talk it out?” She asks hopefully. When I nod Cate sighs with relief and drops her forehead against my chest. “Thank God. Oh, and I’ll take your sister if she doesn’t mind.”
“Take her where?” I ask confusedly.
“To, what did you call it?” Cate fakes a pondering pose with her hand on her chin. Suddenly she clicks her fingers and smiles. “To the lady doctor.”
I groan. “You heard?” She nods. “You’d seriously do that?”
Cate tiptoes up to kiss my lips softly. “I like her,” she shrugs nonchalantly. “Not as much as I like you, but she’s a close second.”
I laugh. “I like you too, Cate.”
A mischievous glint appeared in her sparkly blue eyes. “You won’t be saying that when you see what I’ve got planned for you later. After all, you are my bitch for the day.”
*~*~*
I was always jealous of girls that had protective older brothers... it seems like it's be cool to have one.
And, yeah... TJ's her bitch today. Crazy golf is the only sport Cate's good at, so of course she would win.
Sarah, xx