*~*~* Cate *~*~*
“Gerff,” I mumble as I feel someone playing with my hair.
I swat at the hand only to have whoever it was slap mine away. I blink a sleepy eye open only to see Libby beaming down at me. I groan, turn over so my back is facing my sister, and try to get back to sleep.
“Afternoon, Catherine,” Libby says a little too loud for my liking. Her hands find my hair again and she starts twirling strands of my hair around her fingers. “Are you awake?”
“No,” I grumble. “It’s too early for this.”
Libby takes her hand away from my head and uses them to turn my over until her face is almost on mine. “It’s twelve twenty in the afternoon, Cate. There’s no way anyone needs this much sleep.”
I sigh and sit up in bed, grabbing my cell phone to double check the time only to see that Libby was right. It was the afternoon and I had slept through the whole morning. TJ had stayed over until one this morning, just sitting watching horror movies in the TV room, across the way from my father’s study, with the doors wide open.
TJ insisted that we hang out downstairs so that he didn’t have to think about animal cruelty anymore, and I had to stop myself from laughing when he kept an exaggerated distance between us on the sofa. He wouldn’t even hug me goodnight when he left. Not even a kiss goodnight.
“Jerk,” I mumble as I thought back on it. Libby shot me a confused stare and tilted her head sideways until I explained myself. “TJ’s paranoid that I’m going to jump on him so he’s keeping his distance.”
Libby laughed. “You mean, you two haven’t…” She left her words trail off until I gave her my answer. I shook my head and watched as she gave me a proud, if a little bemused, look. “Really?”
“Why is that hard for you to understand?” I ask.
“It’s just I’ve seen the way he looks at you, that’s all,” Libby started to say. “And he’s a boy, so you know, they’re always in the mood for sex.”
Oh, God, here goes.
If you thought Anna was open about relationships and stuff, Libby was worse. Being the eldest, she took it upon herself to dish out sex advice to me and Anna. You would have thought it’d be our mom to give us the birds and the bees talk, but it wasn’t. Libby sat me down when I was twelve and in rather graphic detail for a twelve year old, proceeded to tell me how babies were made. Ever since, Libby has made it her mission to be ‘open’ with me, to the point that I’ve cringed my way through most conversations.
“So, what base have you two got to?” Libby asks with genuine interest. I turn away and flop back down on the bed with my hands covering my face. “That bad, huh? Do you need some advice on how to get a guy into bed?”
“Libby-”
“Because I’ve got some experience,” Libby continues. “I can suggest a few positions, some tricks-”
“SHUT UP!” I snap eventually. “Please, please, please, stop talking!”
Libby smirks down at me. “Only if you hang out with me today.”
Ah, so that’s what this has been about. Libby looks down at me expectantly until I finally give in. I get up from the bed and go to my closet, taking out a pair of jeans and a vintage band t-shirt to wear and finding my favourite pair of Vans.
“I don’t know what you’ve got in your hands,” Libby says from my bed where she’s staring at my ceiling. “But, turn around and take them back. No jeans and t-shirts today, Cate. You go get shower and I’ll find you an outfit.”
I stood under the warm drizzle for half an hour, washing away my sleep. The hot water relaxed my muscles and by the time I stepped out from the shower, I felt rejuvenated. I combed and dried my hair and brushed my teeth and waited a few more minutes before joining Libby.
She happily sat on the edge of my bed with an outfit lying on top. I noticed a pair of denim shorts and I inwardly groaned. I hated how my legs looked and Libby knew that. I was always conscious of how short I was and showing them off was never an option. The top was a little more me, only for the fact that it was actually Libby’s. It was black with sleeves that reached my elbows and had an embellished neckline that was surprisingly understated. Then my eyes found the pair of wedge heels on the floor.
“Libby,” I say her name warningly, my finger pointing towards the shoes.
“Trust me,” Libby said breezily before standing and making her way towards the door. “You have fifteen minutes to get ready. We’re going out.”
Despite my reservations, I wore the outfit Libby had set out. The shorts were ones that had been in my closet for a year but I had never worn. In fact, the tags were still on. I looked at my reflection and happily noted that my butt cheeks didn’t hang out. I put on the top and shoes and tried to rationalize that the person I was seeing in the mirror was really me. My hair was tumbling in curls around my shoulders and despite the fact that I wasn’t wearing any make-up, my skin looked glowing.
Damn it, I hate it when Libby’s right about things.
I stumbled my way downstairs and on unsteady legs, I found Libby in wait in the kitchen, eating gherkins dipped in ketchup. I sincerely hoped that this wasn’t what Libby had in mind when she said that we were going out, because if I had to sit across a table watching her devour strange mixes of food, then I was surely going to be very sick.
Actually, why was I in heels? I take it that we weren’t going hiking, and that there wasn’t much walking involved.
“Ready?” I ask Libby who had just taken out another gherkin from the jar. She shakes her head and sucks off the ketchup before re-dipping it into even more sauce. “Libby, are we going?”
“Going?” Libby frowned. Then she seemed to remember what was going on. “Oh, yeah. Just let me get my purse and then we can go.”
Twenty minutes later, Libby finally walks back into the kitchen with her purse, her cell and a set of car keys. I refrained from asking her what took her so long, because that was just asking for her to go into a long spiel, so I headed towards the door and waited for her to catch up.
I was still a little confused about where we were headed, but when Libby started to drive us towards Woodburn, I felt a smile break out on my face. Woodburn was one of my favourite restaurants in the world and I couldn’t wait to get inside.
I unbuckled the seatbelt and moved to get out of the car when I noticed that the engine was still running. I sat back in the seat and watched my sister carefully as she avoided my gaze.
“Elizabeth?” I questioned her.
“Don’t hate me,” she said as she pushed me from the car, reached over and slammed the door in my face. She wound down the window slightly and gave me a shy smile. “It wasn’t my idea. I love you. See you later.”
I stood at the curb side and watched as Libby’s car drove off. I looked around and tried to understand what was going on, but I came up with nothing. That was until I heard someone clear their throat behind me.
I smiled to myself and spun slowly, hoping to see the only person I really wanted to see, but instead of being greeted by TJ, I recoiled in horror as I saw who was stood before me.
“Hello, Cate.”
*~*~* TJ *~*~*
My cell rang midway through a rather torturous lunch with Vivian, Donovan and Genevieve, and I had to thank whoever was on the other end of the line. I fished my phone out and grinned when I saw Cate’s name flash on the screen. Automatically, I slid to answer the call.
“I cannot thank you enough,” I laugh much to my mother’s annoyance. I rolled my eyes at her reaction, and turned my attention back to the call. The line was silent, and I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. “Cate?”
There were muffled sounds at Cate’s end. “What-want-?” I heard Cate’s less than friendly, broken voice ask.
“I told you- talk,” another voice that I hardly recognized replied.
I moved the phone from my ear and looked down at the screen. I pressed to end the call, and set the phone back in my pocket. Vivian sighed and let her eyes glance upwards to the heavens in that way she does when she’s trying to bite her tongue to stop her from speaking her mind. I just shrugged my shoulders and winked at Genevieve.
Donovan glanced around the room awkwardly, trying to find conversation in something, but eventually he gave up and went back to cutting up his food and concentrating on eating. Every now and then he would make a brief comment but he knew his place in the Prescott household. Mom was the boss, and Donovan was to be seen but not heard.
“Theodore,” Vivian spoke my name in an aggravated tone. Her annoyance magnified when my cell rang again. “Turn that off. You know the rules here.”
I look at the screen and see Cate’s name again.
“It’s Cate,” I tell my mother. She nods and allows me to answer the call. “Babe, what’s going on?”
Again, the voices on the other end were muffled. “Adam- nothing to say- am I here?” Cate spoke.
The mere mention of Adam’s name had me sitting up straighter as I listened out for Cate’s ex-boyfriend’s reply.
“-want- bridges, sweetheart,” Adam’s smarmy voice said.
“Why- Woodburn- school,” Cate’s words reached me. I listened for a few more second but nothing made sense. “TJ- here-now.”
I stood from the table and threw down the silk napkin. “Sorry, but I have to leave now,” I say to Genevieve more than to Vivian and Donovan. “I think Cate’s in trouble.”
I ran from the dining room and grabbed my keys from the bowl by the door before rushing towards my car. I started the engine before I even had the door shut, and I pulled my belt on as I put my foot on the gas and drove the ten minute drive to Woodburn.
My mind was whirling with ideas as to why Cate would be with Adam, but I had to put them to the back of my mind. It didn’t matter why she was there with him, all I cared about was getting her out of there. That guy was no good for her.
I remembered the conversation I had with Georgie a few weeks ago, and her telling me how Adam had tried to get Cate to change. I had seen it happen with Gillian and I wasn’t about to sit back and watch as Adam tried to worm his way back into Cate’s life. I know that Cate wouldn’t go back to Adam, but that jerk could be charming when he wants to be.
I rounded the corner onto Rollins Street and abruptly came to a stop outside the fancy restaurant. I killed the engine, jumped out of the car and rushed inside. A small middle aged woman greeted me, but I ignored her and went to the table in the far corner where Adam sat with his back to me. Cate glanced up at me and instantly her shoulders relaxed.
When I reached the table, I held out my hand to Cate and pulled her to her feet, and ushered her past me. Adam stood and dared to take Cate’s wrist in his hand which was enough to make me see red. I stepped forward and towered over the little weasel, giving him the best glare in my arsenal.
“You don’t get to touch her,” I growled. Adam must have sensed something either in my voice or in my body language because as soon as the words passed my lips, he let go of Cate’s arm and tried to back himself against the wall. I stepped towards him menacingly. “You do not get to touch her. You do not get to speak to her. You do not even get to look at her. You so much as think about her, and I will rip your body to shreds. Do you understand?”
Adam nodded quickly.
“You are so lucky that Cate’s here,” I say through gritted teeth. “Otherwise I would kill you right now. You keep away from her.”
I didn’t look at Cate as I led her towards the car. I opened the door for her and made sure she was safely buckled in before I rounded to the driver’s side. Almost as if I was on auto-pilot, I started the engine and drove across town towards the Westbrook’s house.
Cate stayed silent throughout the drive and I didn’t dare say anything. Part of me was angry that Cate had allowed herself to be put in that situation with Adam, but the other part of me was ashamed that Cate had seen me get so worked up. I had spent years trying to get my anger under control, but today was the closest I have come to exploding. My hands tighten around the wheel until my knuckles go white, and even then I could feel the anger inside me bubbling again.
I park the car outside Cate’s house and quickly go to her door. She lifts herself out slowly, not once looking at me, and heads for the door. I follow her inside and watch as she quickly takes off her shoes and moves around the house shouting for her sister.
“Oh, hey,” Libby smiles from where she sits in the family room with her parents. “How was your lunch with Georgie? I know you aren’t on speaking terms right now, but she sounded genuine on the phone that I couldn’t help but-”
“Georgie?” Cate growled out her former friend’s name. “Georgie set this up?”
Libby nodded hesitantly. “You just had lunch-”
“WITH ADAM,” Cate yelled, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I just had lunch with Adam fucking Dayton.”
Suddenly everyone was on their feet shouting over each other, and I couldn’t keep up with most of what was being said, but I understood the outrage that seeped through every word uttered. Cate’s parents were throwing questions in all directions while Libby was apologizing profusely. Cate, meanwhile, was sobbing her heart out.
I stepped forward and wrapped my arms around Cate from behind as she crumbled. As soon as she was in my hold, Cate spun to face me and buried her face in my shirt. She held onto me tightly and I instinctively picked her up bridal style and carried her up to her room.
I set her down on her bed and lay down next to her as she continued to cry. I had never seen anyone like this before, not even in the movies, and I had no idea what I should be doing. I wasn’t practiced when it comes to girl breaking down like this- not that this was breaking down. No, this was broken. Completely and utterly broken.
“How could she do this to me?” Cate spoke in a weak, pained voice. “I thought she was my friend. Georgie knew… she knew… why?”
“What did she know, Cate?” I try to keep my voice calm, but I can hear the anger.
“She knew Adam hurt me,” Cate whispers. She moves to sit upright at the edge of the bed, her back towards me as if blocking me out. “She knew and she still did this.”
“What did he do?” I demand. I jump from the bed and move to crouch in front of her, my hands cupping her cheek until I finally have her gaze locked on mine. “What did Adam do to you, Cate?”
She shakes her head slowly and mouths out the words.
“Jesus Christ, Cate,” I shake her shoulders, my mind instantly being flooded with every worst case scenario in the world. “TELL ME!”
“He made me feel worthless, TJ,” she closes her eyes and sighs heavily. “He made me terrified of being in love. If you had met me last year, this thing between us would never have been able to exist.”
“Are you still scared?” I whisper, inching towards her until my forehead rested against hers. She shook her head and sobbed quietly. “What changed?”
Cate tried to pull away but I wouldn’t let her. I knew what she was going to say, but I still needed to hear her utter that name.
“I met you,” Cate murmured.
I pull back and frown at her. “Me?”
Cate nods. “You changed everything.”
“Me?” I ask again for clarification. She was saying me and not Theo, right?
“You’re the game changer,” she tells me. “You always were.”
*~*~*
Georgie had better watch her back!
P.S- does anyone remember the last time Cate refered to someone as being a game-changer? And can you remember which guy she was referring to?
Sarah, xx
My internet connection has been on and off all day, so I'm late. This chapter has been ready for two hours, but it's only now I can update! 23:57 (unedited!)