"You guys are so obnoxious," Sam complained as Steve and Kate walked with their arms wrapped around one another as they went to the movies.
Kris was supposed to come with them, but he had to work last minute, and now Sam was on her own. She clearly didn't like being the third wheel. Kate secretly enjoyed it as she'd spent years being the third wheel with Sam and her various boyfriends.
"You're just jealous," Steve said with a smirk as they waited in line to buy tickets. He leaned and kissed Kate on the neck. "She secretly wants me."
"Oh, I know," Kate said with a smirk. "She lusted over you all through high school."
"Shut up!" Sam laughed as she swatted Kate on the arm. "That was a secret!"
"Oh, I already told him and showed him the yearbooks where you circled his pictures with hearts," Kate said with a snicker. "We hung out in my room last night, and I showed him everything."
"I don't want to hear about it," Sam said; making a face. "So you guys hung out at Kate's?"
"Yes," Steve said proudly. "I even met her Mom and Dad. Aren't you proud of me?"
Steve had dropped in the night before; leaving his poker night early as he said he'd missed Kate. They were kissing on the front porch when Gloria came flying through the front door and quickly introduced herself to a slightly shocked Steve. He was very polite though, and he talked to Gloria and Owen for a long time as they all sat around the kitchen table while Gloria served them coffee and blueberry muffins. Steve was charming and funny, and he quickly won them over.
"They loved me," Steve said with mock smugness. "I gave it my all."
"You mean you faked it," Sam said with a smirk. "So you didn't tell them about the time you dove into your pool from the third story and broke your leg?"
"No I did not," Steve said with a sigh. "That isn't one of my best stories anyway."
"How about the time you were arrested in France for cocaine?" Sam asked.
"That did not happen!" Steve said as Sam laughed at the shocked look on Kate's face. "She's making it up."
"I did," Sam said with a grin. "That would be a cool story though. I bet French jails are nicer than ours."
"You're weird," Kate said to her best friend.
At least Sam seemed to have a good time – even without Kris. They watched some terrible animated movie, and they passed a joint between the three of them as they sat in the back. Kate wasn't surprised as Steve was an avid pot smoker. She hadn't known that about him until she started hanging around his house. He confessed he sold it when they were in school, but she'd already known that as Sam used to buy from him back in the day.
"I'll corrupt you soon enough," Steve said jokingly.
"Sam has smoked for over a decade so I'm not exactly new to it," Kate said with a smirk. "I've seen more than you think."
"Hey Kate!" Georgia was coming out of the theater after them, and Kate was shocked to see Pamela hand in hand with her.
"Pamela!" Kate said at the sight of her former roomie. "I didn't know you were in town!"
"I just got here!" Pamela said laughing as Kate rushed to hug her. "I was going to stop by your house sometime, but I guess it really is a small town!"
"I'm so happy to see you," Kate said as she hugged Pamela. "I missed you!"
"I missed you too," Pamela said as she gave Kate a tight squeeze. "I missed Georgia too much to wait until the end of the summer to come see her! I talked my parents into letting me spend the rest of my break here."
"Awesome," Kate said with a grin at the pair of them. "Oh, Pamela – this is my boyfriend Steve."
"I didn't know you had a boyfriend!" Pamela said; lighting up at the sight of the good looking guy that was standing back a bit; his hands in his pockets. Sam was smoking and looking bored as she didn't like Pamela or Georgia. "Hey, I'm Kate's former roommate."
"Yeah, I've, uh, heard a lot about you," Steve said with his usual charming smile as he gave her a wave. "Hey Georgia."
"Hey," Georgia said briefly to him as she'd never liked Steve. She was he was obnoxious in high school. "Hey Sam."
"Sup," Sam said with a sigh; blowing out smoke as she stood in the parking lot in her tiny white dress that barely hit her thighs. It was really just a white t-shirt that she'd ripped apart and put back together with safety pins, but it still looked beautiful on her.
Sam had met Pamela a few weeks into the school year, and she had instantly not liked that Pamela and Kate had become such good friends. Sam hadn't been out-right rude, but she'd pretty much ignored Pamela when she came to visit Kate. Kate had been embarrassed, but Pamela barely noticed as she'd been so busy with her school work.
"Are you busy tomorrow?" Georgia asked Kate. "I'm going to show Pamela around town, and then we're going to the lake. Do you want to come?"
"Oh, sure. Sounds fun," Kate said; happy for a chance to spend some time with Pamela as she really had missed her roommate. "What time?"
"Around one, I guess."
"Sounds good to me," Kate said.
"You all can come if you want," Georgia said; looking slightly awkward as she just remembered Kate was there with other people.
"I gotta work at the diner, but thanks," Sam said with a brief smile. "Some people have to have jobs to, you know, buy things. We can't all have rich parents that buy us brand new SUVS and pay for our college."
Georgia ignored Sam and kept her attention on Kate.
"Well, I guess we'll see you tomorrow," Georgia said as Sam started towards Steve's car. "I'll call you okay?"
Steve was still working at his Grandpa's office, but he was doing most of his work from home. He worked most afternoons, and Kate would just hang out in his house and enjoy the big TV or the pool. She was surprised by how annoyed he seemed as they drove towards his house as Kate usually slept over these days.
"Are you okay?" Kate finally asked.
"Why didn't Pamela know about me?" Steve finally said as they drove in the dark.
"What?" Kate was shocked at the question.
"Pamela didn't know I was your boyfriend," Steve said; his blue eyes full of hurt as he glanced at her. "She didn't even know who I was. You didn't tell one of your best friends about me."
"I've barely talked to her since summer started," Kate said; surprised that he was upset. "We just text. I guess I didn't think to tell her."
"Oh," Steve said, but he still looked unsure. "So do you want me to drop you off at the lake tomorrow?"
"Oh, I guess," Kate said; realizing she wouldn't have a ride as she rarely drove the jeep anymore as Steve usually picked her up and took her places now. "If that's okay."
"It's fine," Steve said simply. "I mean, I just think about how I only met your parents because your Mom happened to come outside and find us together."
Kate felt stung. "Hey, you never asked to meet them."
"I didn't think you would want me to," Steve said with a shrug; one hand on the wheel as he leaned back in his seat as he drove. "I thought I'd wait until you brought it up. I am a polarizing guy. Did your Mom even know you were dating me?"
"Of course she did," Kate said; deciding not to mention that her Mom only knew because Rachel had told her.
"Alright," Steve said simply; clearly not happy.
"I didn't want you to meet her because I knew she'd be full of questions and be even nosier than usual," Kate said with a sigh. "It wasn't about you! I didn't tell her I was dating Marc for a while either. She's very conservative, and she always gives me the stink eye every time I come in from spending the night at your house. She probably spends her entire morning and evenings praying for my soul."
Steve smirked at this.
"I guess I can understand annoying parents," Steve said with a sigh. "My parents were the opposite though. They were so busy fighting with each other that they didn't care what I did. I guess that's why I acted the way I did in school. At least that is what my court appointed therapist always said."
Kate had to laugh. "You were ordered to therapy?"
"For years," Steve said; his eyes glowing in the head lights from the approaching cars on the highway as they headed to his house. "I hated every minute of it though. I hate someone trying to get inside my head."
"Me too," Kate said with a grimace. "Well, I don't know anything about real therapy, but my parents made me go talk with the preacher at our church when I decided to stop going every Sunday, and he kept trying to diagnose me with depression even though he wasn't a doctor."
"Well, I guess I can understand why you'd be wary about telling your Mom about us then," Steve admitted grudgingly. "That is intense. Your Mom seems like a cool person though."
"She pretends she is," Kate said with a sigh. "Just wait until you really get to know her. This is the woman who ' just happened' to be driving by my dorm at least twenty times this year. I live two hours away."
Steve grinned. "Now I really understand you not telling her."
Kate spent the night at Steve's house as usual, and the next day; he drove her to the lake, and he kissed her as he parked near Georgia's SUV. Kate could see her friends near the water.
"Call me and I'll pick you up when you're ready to leave," Steve said as he tucked her hair behind her ears. "I'm going to get some work done, and the guys might come over and have hamburgers with me later. If you're okay with that."
"Well, of course," Kate said with a bit of a laugh. "It's your house."
"Feels like ours," Steve admitted with a bit of a sheepish smile. "I really like having you there. It feels wrong when you don't stay the night now."
Kate knew what he meant. She hated being without him now. It was almost painful to leave his side even for a little while. Sam said they were obsessed with each other, but Kate was okay with that.
Kate was glad that Steve was going to spend some time with his guy friends though. She didn't want him to get bored of her. She still wanted him to have some fun. She decided it was good they were spending some time apart as she walked down to the beach, and she waved at Georgia and Pamela as they sat on their towels and looked at the sparkling water.
"It isn't bad for a lake," Pamela said grudgingly as she wasn't thrilled at the idea of hanging out at a lake as she was used to the beautiful coastlines in Washington state.
"Gee, thanks," Georgia said with a smirk.
"This was always one of our favorite places," Marc said; surprising Kate as he walked up behind them. He was wearing an old blue t-shirt and his usual green swim trunks. "Right Kate?"
Kate felt like someone had thrown cold water over her even as she sat under the hot sun.
"Hey," Marc said simply; his towel thrown over his shoulder. "I'm not late, am I?"
"You're right on time," Georgia said, and Kate felt betrayed as she looked at the beautiful red head who looked slightly ashamed of herself. "You don't mind Marc hanging out with us, right Kate? I've barely seen him this summer so I invited him to come along."
"Oh, of course not," Kate said quickly. "It's fine."
"Good," Marc said simply as he laid his towel on the sand near Pamela. "Hey Pam."
"Don't call me that!" Pamela said laughing as she smacked him on the arm. "He always does that!"
"I'm going in the water," Kate said suddenly; stripping off her t-shirt. She was in her infamous green bikini. It would always make her think about Steve and the lake. "It's broiling out."
It ended up being an okay afternoon anyway. Kate ignored Marc as he joked around with Pamela, and Georgia and Kate talked about their class schedules for next year as they were taking a lot of the same classes. They played in the water, and then they ate the cold fried chicken and veggies and dip that Georgia had brought.
"I got it from the diner," Georgia said with a laugh. "I'm sure you're sick of eating the food from there, but it's my favorite."
"Nah, I can eat my Mom's fried chicken every single day of the week," Kate said honestly.
"Are you still working there?" Marc asked suddenly; speaking directly to her for the first time since their awkward first encounter.
"Sometimes," Kate said; wishing he wouldn't look at her with his big, brown eyes. He looked angry even though the conversation wasn't. "Melody is away at camp for the month so I'm helping out when I can. Sam is working there too which is another headache as she's pretty useless in the kitchen. She's a good waitress though."
"Sam working," Georgia said with a snort of laughter. "There is something I never thought would happen!"
"Is she going to school?" Pamela asked.
"No," Kate said; shaking her head. "She isn't interested in school. She isn't sure what she's going to do right now. I think she's just focusing on work and her boyfriend."
"The boyfriend that is expecting a baby with another woman," Georgia said in a low voice as if someone might over hear.
"Whoa," Pamela said with a chuckle. "Really?"
Kate didn't like them gossiping about her best friend. She could tell Marc saw that she was unhappy about the direction of the conversation.
"He's a good guy," Marc said with a cough. "At least he's stepping up."
"I guess," Georgia said, but she sounded doubtful. "I'd get out of that whole thing if I was Sam, but she lives for drama. She and the ex-girlfriend are fighting all the time right? What was her name?"
"Haley," Kate said; not feeling hungry all of the sudden as she put down the chicken leg she'd been eating. She felt the same way about Sam sometimes, but it felt different coming from someone else. "She and Kris dated in high school."
"Well, if I was Sam I'd tell Haley she could have him," Georgia said as she wiped her hands off on a napkin. "Like what does she want? To be stuck taking care of someone's kid all the time? Because you know that is what is going to happen. Kris will have, like, custody every other weekend, but he'll be working so Sam will take care of the kid."
"Guys are horrible," Pamela said with a shudder. "Well, not Marc."
Marc smirked. "Thanks."
"Well, I've told Sam how I feel about the situation, but it's her life," Kate said after a moment as she tried to keep her calm. She didn't like talking about her best friend behind her back. "I'll help her out as much as I can."
"She doesn't deserve a good friend like you," Georgia said with a sigh and took a long swig of her soda. "I think I'm going to take a quick dip and then lay in the sun."
"Sounds good to me!" Pamela said as she got up from the table to run down to the water with her girlfriend.
"Are you okay?" Marc asked after they were out of ear shot, and he started to clean up the picnic table.
"Yeah," Kate said honestly. "It just... it bothers me when people talk about Sam like that. Well, you know."
"I know," Marc admitted; a bit of a sad smile on his face. "As you've yelled at me about it several times in the past."
She gave a shaky smile at that as she started to help him clean. "Whatever. Georgia and Sam don't have the best relationship. They both talk trash about one another. At least they don't go to the same school any more, and I can keep them separate most of the time."
"Funny how Sam is like that with most of the people in your life," Marc said; raising his eyebrows. "Well, I guess except for your new boyfriend as she likes to use him for his house and his pool. I bet they get along great, right?"
Kate felt like her throat was dry as she looked down at her hands as she cleaned. "... I'm not going to talk about him with you."
"Why?" Marc dared. "Because you know I'm right about him. God, Kate. There is a school full of nice guys, and you come home and run into his arms? What the fuck?"
"How is that any of your business?" Kate asked; looking up now. Anger was racing through her now. "What do you care anyway, Marcus? Aren't you moving in with your girlfriend?"
"... I still care about you," Marc said; his cheeks slightly pink. "God, Kate. I know you think he cleaned up his image, but the shit I hear about him around town. It's not good.""
"What stories?" Kate dared. "Rachel is probably telling you stuff. She is always full of terrible stories about everyone in this town. She's a future soccer Mom that bullies the other mothers and drives a mini-van."
"I hear the stories from a lot of people," Marc said; swallowing hard. "I'm not friends with Rachel anymore. I uh... I shouldn't have gone out with her. I'm sorry about that. I knew it would hurt you so I hooked up with her. It was wrong of me."
"Hey, it's your life," Kate said although she felt like crying as she thought back to how it had been a punch to the stomach when she found out Marc and Rachel were together. "If you want to date a gigantic bitch..."
"And you're dating a serial liar and cheater!" Marc shot back. "I mean it when I say I care about you. You're better than this. You shouldn't be involved with him and his friends."
Kate sighed as she stopped cleaning and looked at the lake where Georgia and Pamela were laughing and enjoying the small waves.
"... I know you care about me, Marc, but I'm not an idiot. I know Steve. We spend all our time together now. He isn't like people say. He's a good guy, and we're happy together."
"Ouch," Marc said after a moment, and she was surprised by the sincere pain on his face. "I guess I know how it feels when you have to hear about me and Megan."
"Yeah," Kate said simply. "It doesn't feel great."
"I just... I wish you were with someone better," Marc said after a moment. "Maybe I don't know him, but this is a small town. Things get around. Just... be careful okay? I know you're smart, but sometimes... our emotions get the best of us, you know? Just... keep an eye out."
"... I will," Kate said after a moment; deciding to drop it.
"Good," Marc said with a sigh; looking tired suddenly. "I'm... I'm sorry about coming and crashing your lake party with Georgia and Pamela. I was the one who called Georgia and asked if I could come. She had nothing to do with it. I just wanted to see you and talk to you."
Kate felt her face grow warm. "It's alright. It's... it's good to see you actually."
"You too," Marc said; his brown eyes full of sadness even though he was smiling. "Listen... I know it's be too weird to actually be friends, but maybe we can stop pretending like we're complete strangers around town. I know it'll be hard at first, but you know..."
"I get it," Kate assured him. "I'd like that."
"Good," he said simply.
They hung out at the lake for another half and hour, but Kate was starting to get tired, and she called Steve to pick her up, but it kept going to voicemail. She sighed inwardly. He was always letting his phone die and forgetting to charge it. It wasn't far from her house though so she decided to walk, but Marc offered her a ride. She decided it was better than staying at the lake with Georgia and Pamela who were starting to have major PDA in the sand. She figured they wanted to be alone.
"... This feels weird," Marc said as he drove down her quiet street. "Dropping you off at your house again."
"It does," Kate said honestly.
She couldn't help but remember the strong feelings from last summer. She'd never felt that about someone before. She loved Marc, and she knew they were young, but she could so easily see herself spending her life with Marc. He was so funny, kind and down to earth. He was everything she ever wanted in a boyfriend. He was with someone else now though.
And so was she.
They said an awkward goodbye in the car, and he waited until she was inside to drive off as he always did which made her smile a little. She went down to her room to go to bed, and it was four in the morning when she woke up to her phone going off. She sighed warily as it was usually Sam to be picked up somewhere as she was too drunk to drive herself home.
No, it was Steve.
"Where the hell are you?" Steve demanded. "You never called me to pick you up!"
"I tried calling you," Kate said; surprised at the intense anger in his voice. "It went to voicemail so I just got a ride home."
"From who?" Steve asked. "Because some friends of mine swear they saw you with your ex-boyfriend."
"Yeah, Marc gave me a ride home. He was at the lake with Georgia and Pamela. It was nothing though, Steve. It was just a ride."
"Why didn't you tell me he was going to be there?"
"I didn't know he was!" Kate said with a laugh even though Steve was angry, but she was hoping to deescalate the situation. "He just wanted to hang out with Georgia and Pamela. It wasn't a big deal. We mostly ignored each other all afternoon."
"...Well, I'd like to have known he was there," Steve said after a moment; his voice less angry now.
"How could I tell you that when your phone died?" Kate demanded. "I bought you that car charger for a reason."
"Yeah, I know," Steve said with a sigh. "... Listen, I'm sorry for waking you up and being pissed off. I just... I hate hearing about you with that guy. Couldn't anyone else have given you a ride?"
"Well, I guess," Kate said with an impatient sigh. "I just didn't think it was a big deal. We're over, Steve. I don't want to be with him, and he doesn't want to be with me. He's just a friend from high school now."
"That you slept with," Steve said bitingly.
"Actually I didn't," Kate said; rolling her eyes. "You were the first guy I ever slept with... Actually you're the only one I've ever slept with."
She'd never told him that before.
"... What?" Steve was shocked. "Are you serious?"
"Yep," Kate said with a smirk. "I didn't want to tell you our first time that I was a virgin, but I was. I hadn't even gotten to third base with anyone before."
"... I didn't know," Steve said after a pause. "Well, I hope it was a good first time."
"It was," Kate said; smirking at the memory. "Even if I did freak out in the morning and walk five miles in Craig's shoes to a gas station."
"So you and Marc never... did anything?"
"Well, I didn't say that," Kate said hesitating. "We fooled around, but no. There was no actual sex."
"No wonder he's still chasing you," Steve said with a huff. "He's probably still hoping it will happen."
"He isn't chasing me!" Kate said with a sigh. "We just talked, that's it! It was nothing."
She decided not to mention that Marc accused Steve of being a bad person, but she knew Steve was already aware of his reputation around town. It didn't matter any more. It was the past.
"Well, I'm sorry for calling so late," Steve said after a moment. "I just... I hated the idea of you being with him. I mean, I do trust you. I don't want you to think I don't, but I know you had real feelings for the guy. I saw them for myself last summer."
"I get it," Kate said gently, "but Marc and I are old friends. I hope we stay friends. He means a lot to me still. He's a good person despite what happened between us."
"I guess I'm just going to have to get used to it," Steve said with a chuckle. "This jealousy thing is a bitch though. I really don't like it."
"Tell me about it," Kate said with a sigh. "Now you know how I felt every time I'd see you with Sara last summer."
"I was thinking about you the entire time," Steve admitted. "I was hoping you'd be a little jealous."
"I thought so," Kate said; smiling to herself.
"Hey, you want me to pick you up?" Steve asked. "It's lonely here."
"Sure," Kate said; smiling to herself. "I miss you too."