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Katherine awoke once again to the noises of the squeaking gym making her groan with annoyance. Abruptly pulling the throw blanket over her eyes, to try and block the sunlight as well. Groaning in protest but she was already awake now and huffed before lowering the blanket.
At first Katherine didn't understand what was out of place until she noticed she was on the couch alone.
Utterly confused Kat put the blanket back before grabbing the folder and beginning her search for Wally. She checked the library since he oddly frequented there despite his claims of not being a big reader. But he wasn't there.
Remembering he was a jock Kat made her way to the football field next and felt her mouth go dry.
Wally Clark was running shirtless and smashing into fake football dummy's while holding a football. As he reached the end zone he threw the ball down and yelled with pure joy despite being the only one there.
Katherine couldn't help but watch the way he show boated to no one in particular. The ghost of a smile on her lips as he did a little touchdown dance. That's when he felt watched and looked around expecting an annoyed Rhonda or sarcastic Charley. Seeing it was Kat made Wally's cheeks turn a deep red and his eyes to go wide.
He didn't bother putting a shirt on as he ran up to her with a giant beaming smile. "H-hey. I uh- I didn't want to wake you up this morning so I was just- I usually do morning practice." He explains looking at his feet before smiling at her he looked shy.
"Your really good. I bet you were really good against real opponents too." Katherine compliments as she points to the dummy's he had effortlessly moved out of his way.
"Oh you have no idea I was- my mom said I was going to go pro. She was so confident in me, even my coach thought I had a real chance if I went to the right college." Wally brags but not in a way that made Kat want to deck him.
"I believe you. So- you do this everyday?" Katherine asks looking around as he nods still shirtless not noticing how she couldn't meet his eye.
"Yup keeping the skills up. Helps for when we have field day." He says it casually but this was the second time he mentioned field day to her making Kat ask but not get an answer as a bell rang.
"As much as I would love to stay here talking with you- it's group time." Wally says it smoothly despite the blush now going to his ears as he slips on his shirt and jacket leading Katherine by the hand back to the gym.
Clutching onto her yellow folder for dear life, Kats heart began to race and not from Wally's warm touch.
She had never once told a soul about the abuse she suffered at home.
Katherine knew if her father knew she was even telling anyone he'd kill her again. But as Kat approached Mr. Martin he smiled supportively as Kat handed him the folder with an awkward grimace.
"I told you if you needed more time-" he tries to say kindly but Kat shrugs. "I got inspired and just- it was easier going at it all at once." Kat explains before me Martin smiles and points at her. "Soon you'll be writing this obituary like it's nothing Katherine, this group will help you." He says confidently but sometimes the way he said things felt a little too optimistic.
Katherine believed it had to be her lack in socialization that made her so paranoid. Or maybe her distrust in men....
"Good morning everyone." Mr. Martin says with a happy smile like usual, but Kat couldn't help but zone out.
Happy social gatherings really were not her thing or idea of fun. Feeling watched Kats eyes slowly look around the support group landing on the guilty eyes that stared at her.
Charley squirmed uncomfortably as Kats eyes landed on him, and Kat wasn't the only one suspicious by this behavior. Rhonda had a lollipop in her mouth but glared at Charley who sank in his seat more.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" Rhonda mouths to Charley who winces and just looks to keep his wringing hands.
"Charley? Is there something you'd like to share with the group?" Mr. Martin asks noticing the guilty symptoms as well but hearing his name the boy looked startled.
"N-no. Sorry just..... it's that time of year where I died so.... Guess I'm just reliving some things." He lies making Mr. Martin look unsure before continuing his lecture.
But Katherine's eyes never once left Charley, something about his behavior felt directed towards her.
And she really had no idea what about until he looked at her with a glance to see if she was still staring at him. Seeing she was he couldn't help but then glance at the yellow folder sticking out of Mr. Martins bag by his chair.
Being a ghost Katherine couldn't really get any paler but somehow she felt like she did. Her face went slack and her mouth opened slightly as her eye brows furrowed in concentration.
Had-
Had Charley somehow read the folder?
At first Kat thought it was a crazy theory but- she had left it on the coach's desk the previous night..... And the group had been curious of her past so........ did he take it upon himself to figure it out?
Katherine's eyes then went to Rhonda who looked confused and glanced at Kat unsure as to why the girl looked so surprised. Then Kats eyes went to Wally and he looked concerned for her and sent her a concerned look from right next to her.
But Kat simply bit her lip to keep it from trembling and looked down at her feet as she crossed her arms.
She didn't want to relish in it anymore and cry in front of the ghost support group. And she wasn't just saddened by this revelation- she was pissed.
After support group Wally tried to take Kat to the library like she usually would do but her eyes were trained on Charley. He was helping clean up the chairs with Mr. Martin as everyone else left.
Taking his sweet time at it too, he even kept glancing to see if Kat had left yet.
"I uh- I want to apologize to Charley alone. I'll meet you at the library though." Kat says with a forced smile as Wally slowly nods looking conflicted.
"Okay..... I'll see you there then." He says before turning and walking away, as he got to the gym doors Rhonda sat leaned against the wall giving the same duo a stare similar to Wally's.
"Their both acting really fucking strange today right? It's not just me?" She asks as Wally nods also looking confused but also concerned.
"You ask Charley about it and I'll ask Kat.... Figure out whatever this is." Wally says with his "football leader voice", making Rhonda roll her eyes but mutter an agreement.
As Mr. Martin walks away Kat approaches Charley with her fists clenched and her teeth gritted into a scowl.
"That was private...." Kat mumbles trying to show angry she was but- her home life made it difficult to express anything but sadness. "I- I know. I know okay I'm sorry I just.... I saw you and Wally working on it in the library yesterday and I just..... after what was said at lunch I just wanted to know more about you that's it. Not to be nosy I just-...... I want to make sure you feel welcome here. I was maybe trying to see if we have anything in common that we could become friends over I didn't know.... I didn't know what was in there I swear." Charley rambled as Kats eyes pricked with tears.
"Yeah well now you know. You know something I literally took to death, something I didn't want anyone to ever know, and something I never planned to tell anyone here. I only told Mr Martin so he'd understand why I was struggling with the stupid obituary project. Y-you can't tell anyone." Katherine says in realization that he now knew her darkest secret.
"I would never do that. I'm a gay kid who got outed in the 90's okay? No one knows better then me what it feels like having your secrets spilled." he whispers the last part lowly making Kat feel bad briefly.
Remembering what he'd done and knowing he technically didn't deserve her concern after infiltrating her private writings. Katherine was going to smack him, storm away, cuss him out or- something. She wasn't going to just let him get away with it but- hearing what he said made her stop and sigh.
".... I'm sorry." Kat apologizes for seemingly nothing as she storms away trying to busy her crazed mind.
At first she didn't go to meet Wally in the library, instead she sat in the same spot she'd died in. She couldn't help but rub the floor crack that had dried old blood still shoved in its crevice. Katherine was trying to control her anger and she didn't want to snap at Wally for something he hadn't done to her.
It took a good ten to fifteen minutes for Katherine to relax before heading to the library. Wally sat in his usual chair staring at her empty one with focus and concern. Hearing the library door open his eyes shot up in hope and this time he wasn't disappointed. Kat walked in staring at the ugly carpeted floor as Wally stares her down for signs of distress.
"Hey- how uh- how did it go?" Wally asks trying to sound nonchalant as Kat shrugs and sits beside him resting her head in her hand. She looked almost sick as she sadly stared at the table playing with her fingers.
"Okay I guess..." Kat says softly making Wally nod before looking uncomfortable, he really couldn't help himself but asking. He would say it was out of concern which- it partially was but there was a bit more.
"What happened back there? You both were acting strange." Wally says it as a fact making Kat glance to him in curiosity wondering if he too had snuck a glance at her folder.
He had woken up before her today of all days? Just to go out and do some supposed workout?
"Charley read my folder last night." Katherine says simply but her eyes pierce wally waiting to see some sign of guilt or indifference. Instead Wally's eyebrows shot up as he gasped in slight shock.
He could see Rhonda snooping but Charley? It made Wally angry that Kats private writing had been snooped on. But Wally also couldn't help but feel jealous knowing Charley probably knew more about Katherine then even he did.
"That's- that's really messed up." Wally seethed he was very upset with Charley now as Kat looked away from him.
She felt bad for doubting him and thinking maybe he'd done the same thing.
Wally was someone she could say she was beginning to trust he had been nothing but kind to her. And she was sure maybe..... maybe she could tell him her secret one day too.
"It's fine..... he promised not to tell anyone else and I hope he keeps his word. It's not exactly something I want everyone knowing about." Kat mumbles awkwardly.
"Still- he shouldn't have done that in the first place. I'm really sorry kat." Wally sighs rubbing his forehead as if he were stressed out by the situation somehow.
"Well thank you but let's uh- talk of something else." Kat insists making Wally try and think of what to speak of. Katherine didn't really speak of herself much but he wanted to know what she was like in certain aspects.
"So- sports?" He asks and the girl immediately gave a nose scrunch to the topic.
"Awe come on at least one thing you gotta enjoy?" He asks and she just winces in return. "Not really." Kat laughs softly as he looks to have a realization. "Swimming. Everyone loves swimming." He says with a big smile as Katherine winces once again. "I can't swim." She says softly making him look surprised before acting like he was having an idea.
"I COULD TEACH YOU!" Wally says with excitement as Kat looks mortified, the one time she tried to swim thinking it was no big deal she sunk like a brick.
"I don't know-" Kat says wearily but Wally gives her a reassuring smile. "Sports is my calling I can teach you. Come on say yes.,. PLEASE!" He sounded so excited Kat sighs and give a subtle nod to which he cheers to.
"Alright first lesson is tonight at 8:30 when the swim match ends." He says with excitement before running out of the library doing an excited fist pump. The second he left Kats fake smile to fall and for her to look unsure.
Swimming? She was going to drown but- it's not like she could die again right?
___________________________________
It was exactly 8:30 when Kay approached the schools swimming pool. She hadn't seen Wally since he left her in the library making the girl wonder if he even remembered. She wouldn't mind if he forgot...
Of course Wally Clark was sitting in a pool floaty wearing nothing but swim trunks and sun glasses. Kay didn't understand why considering the lights were off and the only light was coming from the pools water. It made a faint blue tint cover Kats skin hiding the obvious blush she had at the sight of a shirtless Wally.
"The names Clark. Wally Clark." The boy says with a fake James Bond accent his eyes peering over the sunglasses as Kat smiles softly at him. She was clearly nervous.... And about more then just swimming.
"So uh- your going to have to change into a swimsuit obviously uh.... There's some new ones in the closet for the swim team." Wally says awkwardly due to Kats lack in answering.
"Y-yeah uh thanks." She says scurrying to the closet grabbing the swimsuit in her size before ripping the packaging open as she makes her way to the female locker room.
Kat changes quick in case someone decided to enter the locker room, Kats bruising was more on her stomach area and it was slowly disappearing much to her relief.
The swimsuit was a simple one piece, navy blue with an open back that crossed behind the shoulders.
Katherine felt bare and vulnerable with the lack in clothing, she always wore long sleeves, sweaters, sometimes turtle necks if she had marks left there from her fathers hands.
Taking a shaky breath Katherine grabs one of the towels from the locker room finished laundry baskets.
She wraps the towel around her self and walks out to the pool seeing Wally had thrown his floaty out of the pool and now leaned against the pools wall. He was in the shallow end so the water came to about his waist.
The towel was her security blanket as she approached but walking to the end Wally was leaned on Kat anxiously removed the towel sitting down on the pools ledge dipping her legs in slowly.
She could feel Wally staring at the side of her face with deep concentration as she kept her eyes on her toes under the water. Watching how the reflection warped them around into funny shapes.
Wally finally clear his throat breaking Kat from her thoughts making her look to him with a shy smile.
"Well- first things first is getting in." He says with a big smile offering her a hand making the girl wince. The water was like ice, it being night the pool was colder then normal. Taking Wally's hand and allowing him to guide her down into the pool.
Unlike Wally, Kat was definitely on the shorter side so the water came to her belly button.
"Alright now what?" Kat says with a trembling voice due to the chilly air that nipped at her skin. She was growing used to the water from the waist down but now her exposed top felt cold.
"Come here." He says lightly guiding her to the pool ledge before smiling at her with some mischief. "First things first- gotta be used to it." He says and before Kat could process his words the boy grabs her effortlessly and dips her into the water.
His laugh rings out as Kat screams at the cold contact but she laughs despite the temperature. "Y-y-your an ass." Kat laughs breathlessly her body trembling as she stands up straight.
"I've never heard you swear- it's h- different." He says clearing his throat before once again taking Kat to the ledge.
"Alright first lesson- is learning how to kick." Wally says while getting her to lift her legs up but not kick yet. He soon guides her in the different forms of kicking before nodding with a smile.
"That's half the battle right there." He says with encouragement as Kat pants tired from the physical exercise. Like she said- sports wasn't exactly her forte.
"N-now what?" Katherine asks as Wally begins showing her arm motions through the water. His front was covered fessed to her back as he puts his hands over hers. He pushes her hands through the water showing her different strokes and describing them in detail.
Sometimes he'd kind of stop and Kat would have to urge him to continue. He seemed distracted as he would shake his head for clarity before coughing.
"Alright uh- since we are in the shallow end I want you to try those kicks we practiced- along with the- front crawl." He says standing back as Kat nods knowing she was about to absolutely obliterate this.
At first she was doing fine, so Wally moved them slightly deeper. Nothing crazy, the water still didn't go over Kats head in fact it now only reached her shoulders.
As Kat begins doing the stroke again she felt herself beginning to panic out of no where doing more of a flailing around then swimming. She stood with a huff rubbing her forehead with frustration.
"What was that? You had it?" Wally asks confused as Kat sighs and shrugs looking to him slightly ashamed.
"I just- I got scared and I just started to panic. I'm already dead yet here I am scared of drowning." Kat huffs with annoyance as Wally looks to think of something.
"Do you trust me?" He asks making Kats eyes look to him immediately. He stares at her as if he's trying to assess what her expression means. Kay slowly nods not removing her eyes from his to show how much she meant it. With a smile Wally walks closer to her, he goes to her side and puts an arm behind her back.
"Lean back." Wally instructs making Kat slowly follow what he says to do still a little anxious. Soon his arms go under her knees laying her horizontally on the water. Kat felt weightless at how effortlessly he held her body weight up in the water.
"Now I want you to relax okay? Just lay here in my arms and float. No kicking or moving your arms just- hold completely still..... remain relaxed." Wally says in a comforting voice as Kat takes deep breathes trying to control her breathing.
But- she was doing it his hands still below her, they soon inched away little by little until finally Wally smiled at her with a huge grin.
"Your doing it Kat- your doing it." He says with a proud smile as Kat begins to wear a giant smile of her own. "It's- actually kind of calming." She admits enjoying just laying there feeling the water around her body yet- no fear.
"You wanna try it again?" He asks referring to the slightly deeper end making Kat nod and take deep breathes to keep her calm energy she'd just gained.
The girl once again begins to do the strokes and kicks and this time she does it just like she had been. Kat still struggled a bit but she definitely was doing better then she did before this lesson.
"You said you trust me right?" He asks a smile creeping onto his face as he inches towards her once again.
"For the most part- except earlier when you dipped me in." Kat teases making the boy laugh remembering how she screamed.
"Come here." He says softly Kat slowly comes close to him and he grabs her by the legs wrapping them around his waist before slowly going a bit deeper into the pool. They were definitely where it would go over head now and that made Kat cling to Wally terrified trying to look at the bottom.
The pool bottom was slight brick but Lat couldn't tell if the water was distorting how it looked bottomless.
Like if she drowned she just keep going down and down and down.
"We- are gonna try it here. And I'm going to be next you the whole time.... Plus we can't exactly die again so you'll be fine." He adds the last part with a laugh trying to lighten the mood but Kat still clung to him for dear life.
"Okay- I'm gonna guide you into it and then your gonna do it yourself. I'll be right here." He says as Kat slowly tries to do it herself before just going right back to hugging onto him.
"M-maybe we can try this another time?" Kat says shakily and Wally looks down at her.
He doesn't answer making Katherine look up at him confused since he didn't say yes or no. He was just staring at her making the girl blink slowly unsure why some attention was on her like that.
"Wally?" She whispers with uncertainty making the boy blink and shake his head an awkward laugh bubbling from him. "-Ah sorry. Yes we can uh- we can do this tomorrow." He insists taking her to the edge and letting her climb out before following suit. The two part ways at the locker rooms as Kat changes into her bra and boots underwear she smiles softly before a gasp ringing out makes her whip around.
Rhonda stood there with her eyes staring at the bruises that faintly littered Kats bare torso....