"I prefer Blue"
He snickered and shook his head. "What's yours?"
"Mine?" She turned to him with a confused look.
"Your name" he rolled his eyes like she was dumb or something.
She almost felt like punching him again but just continued walking.
"I heard that asshole call you Katy. Is that your name?" He asked.
"It's none of your business"
"I just saved your life"
"No" she turned to him again. "You only saved him from getting kicked in the mannies by me"
"Mannies?"
"You know..." She didn't want to look down there because then she would have to look up at him again and that just felt very tiring. Plus, she didn't want to give him that satisfaction that he was so tall that she had to look up at him. So she just pointed.
"Wow, okay" he threw his head back with a laugh. "You're funny, Katy"
It was the second time he would be calling her 'funny'.
She ignored him and walked away. Thankfully he didn't follow her this time.
Kate joined Noelle and Parker at the food court. She and Parker had one more class for the day. Parker studied Law so apart from general classes, they had literature together. Noelle was free for the rest of the day so was heading to the bar after lunch.
"Kat, when will you get a car?"
Kate turned to Noelle. "That's a pretty specific and odd question"
"Well, I'm tired of you whining at me when the music is too loud and Parker is tired of your scent lingering in his car. He says he doesn't have sex there anymore because girls think he already has a girlfriend"
"Ew, Parker!" Kate frowned and threw a french fry at him.
"I never said that, Noelle." Parker argued.
"Well, that's what you meant" She turned to Kate again. "But seriously, you need a car"
"I don't have the money to get a car"
"Yes, you do" Parker shot. "You just don't like spending your money on yourself"
"That's not true!" Kate whined. "Elle, tell him it's not true"
"It's not true, Par" Noelle said drily.
"Okay, now I feel like you're mocking me" Kate folded her arms.
"Bitch, when was the last time you bought yourself a nice dress. Or went to the mall and just threw money around?"
"I don't have money to throw around"
What were they even talking about?
"Sure you don't" Noelle slurped from her cup.
"I have no idea what you both are saying"
"Just think about the car" Parker squeezed her shoulder softly. "Come on, we're late for class"
Kate reached for Parker's unfinished tray when Noelle suddenly gasped loudly.
"Kat! What the hell!?" She grabbed her hand and inspected it. "What happened to you?"
Kate put her hands under the table and untied her jacket from around her waist to wear it. She was wearing a singlet top so the red marks on her arm from Justin were very visible. She had forgotten to wear her jacket because of the convo with Blue. Gosh, had she walked here with all her marks visible? People must have stared.
"It's nothing," she said and adjusted her jacket around her.
"Hell, it's nothing. Did Justin freaking touch you again!?"
Kate's mouth hung open in disbelief. It was only once she had told Noelle about Justin holding her forcefully. How could she guess it was Justin just like that?
"N-no. It was..." She turned to Parker, hoping he wouldn't get angry. He had beaten Justin to a pulp the last time this happened. Well, they had both beaten each other to a pulp but Parker wasn't the one with the bandages on.
"Did he touch you?" Parker asked, trying to mask his anger.
"No. I mean, I swear I took care of it"
She turned to Noelle with a pleading look but her 'bestest bitch' turned her face away.
"Maybe you should pay him a visit, Par" Noelle said.
"Elle!" Kate scolded and then held Parker as he was about to stand. "Just stop it okay? I said I took care of it. Damien was there. Everything is fine!"
"Damien?" Parker and Noelle suddenly turned to her.
She blinked. Weren't they just mad and about to commit murder a few seconds ago? Now they were looking at her, all eyebrows wiggling, eyes twinkling. What was happening?
"Uh-"
"I see, Kate" Parker nodded. "I thought you didn't know him" he mocked.
"I don't"
"But then he magically saved you from asshole Justin?" Noelle said with a kind of seductive look.
"Um, yes?"
"Okay" She sing-sang.
What?
Parker stood up and picked up his tray. "I promise not to visit Justin."
"The way you say it sounds like you would," Kate said and followed him as he walked out. She was going to keep an eye on him, make sure he didn't get into more fights. Parker knew her whole story, the things she had gone through, so it was normal for him to act all possessive and big brother-ish when it came to her. He also did the same for Noelle.
***
It was almost 5 p.m. when Kate finally made it to the bar. She had kept Parker on a leash and thankfully, Justin was nowhere to be found after their class. They both came to the bar together because Kate wanted a ride and Parker wanted some girls... again.
"This is why you should get your own car!" He yelled as she ran into the bar.
"Kat!" Noelle yelled at her from the counter.
She was almost running to her when she stopped, seeing Damien and his friends. He smiled at her and she also smiled back but then remembering the last time they were all here and the things he had said to her, she frowned.
She ignored them and joined Noelle behind the counter.
"Hey, Elle"
"Look who finally stopped by" Noelle nudged her, referring to Damien.
She gave her a stern look and then wore her apron.
"Hey lady"
She looked at one of the guys who was greeting her with a smile. It was the one she had tagged as the friendliest. But after what happened the other night, none of them were friendly. She noticed that there were only two guys with Damien. The third guy, the one who had chased her and Noelle, was nowhere in sight.
"Kat, you're being rude" Noelle said when she didn't answer the guy's greeting.
"I'm always rude" she said as she cleaned the drink glasses.
Parker walked in and sat next to one of the guys. He greeted them before turning to Noelle for his drink.
"Hey, Par, did you see Justin?" Noelle asked.
"Nah. He must've already gone home. And someone kept following me everywhere I went" his eyes shot daggers at Kate but she only shrugged.
Noelle nodded and then turned to Damien. "Thank you so much for what you did for Kat, Damien"
"Kat?" Damien looked at Kate with a smirk.
"Like the animal, cat?" One of the guys asked her.
"No like- ouch!"
Kate pinched Noelle to shut her up. No way in hell she was going to tell these idiots and Blue her name.
"Yes, like the animal cat" she answered the guys.
"I thought you were Katy?"
Kate paused her cleaning and finally looked at Damien. He was giving her that stupid smile again. She rolled her eyes and continued cleaning the glasses.
It had just been a few minutes then James came and told Kate to take out the trash. She hated when he did this but right now, it was just what she needed to leave the stuffy environment of the bar.
She struggled through the backdoor with the trash bag. Just what did people here eat that made the trash so heavy? She dumped the bag into the bin and dusted her hands. Her eyes caught sight of the bruise on her arm and she rolled her sleeves up.
Kate sighed and closed her eyes. It wasn't the first time she would have bruises like this, but she was hoping it would be the last. She shivered at the scary memory of a child hiding inside the kitchen cupboards to escape the scary monster.
"Did he hurt you?"
Kate quickly rolled her sleeves back and looked into the darkness.
He was resting on a wall opposite her and seemed to have been watching her for a long time. He dropped a cigarette stick on the floor and walked to her.
Damien.
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Kate? Katy? What exactly is your name Katherine? Oops I just said it : )
My catchphrase 😌 And add up to your library ❤️