Love, Kat
Chapter 3
I think of my life as a big routine: wake up, go to school, do homework while waiting for Kai's football practice to end, go home, sleep (with the normal meal times every once and a while). Everyday is the same (unless a book club meeting is called), other than that nothing new nothing old. I'm like a robot wired to be this way, and a good 75 percent of the time-I hate it.
Don't get me wrong sometimes it's good to have a schedule; it cuts out any time for mistakes and mishaps. But even the most anti-social, organized, perfectionists wish they had a crazier life; I'm a teenager after all. Regardless of what I want, at the end of each day, my homework is done, a book is finished, and my plate is still half eaten at the dinner table.
"Hey, I thought steak was your favorite?" My father sits at the head of the table like always, at 'always' on the days he's actually home. Being an on-call doctor really takes his time away from home, some days he can't even make it to Kai's practices. In fact, seeing him even at the dinner table is a kind of weird for me.
I set my fork down and look up from my hardly touched food. "I'm a vegetarian, dad." Clearly, we don't really spend time getting to know each other, how could you when there are three other boys to hang around with and talk football to.
"A veg-since when?"
"Freshman year, besides I had a huge lunch."
Mom glances up and looks at whatever part of body she can see. She is also a doctor, daily checks aren't uncommon whenever they are home.
"Did you? Farah said you and Noah were talking in the hall during lunch." I've suddenly decided I don't like Farah and her loud mouth. Also, I don't like Kai either.
Kai has only done this to spite me. He knows exactly how my parents feel about Noah.
"I'm sorry, did you say Kat and Noah were talking?" My dad drops his fork onto his plate with a 'clang!'. Kaleb, our youngest brother jumps in surprise before joining the staring party mom, dad, and Kai are having in my honor. "Kat?"
"Really? He's Kai's best friend why is it such a big deal?" Throwing my hands up, I push my plate away. "I'm sorry he asked me to help in Spanish, what am I going to do, deny him a good grade?"
"Kat, we know he's Kai's friend and we love him like our own, but he's a good boy with bad intentions. We've heard what's he's done with girls." Mom tries calming me down. I'm a strong advocate for equality so there's no point in them really trying.
"Kai is the same way! They've practically made a 'hump-and-dump' club together!" I point at the thing I call my brother, who only glares in defense. I swear there is something wrong with this family and every member in it including me.
Dad frowns. "Kai is an immature, yet mature boy. He'll grow up soon."
"And I'm a mature girl, thank you for stating the obvious dad."
"Kat!"
"Mom!" I yell back.
"Kaleb!"
"Shut up, Kaleb." I snap at him. I go back to my parents. "All I am doing is helping him in a class he's not doing so well in. He's your best friend, Kai and he's one of your best players, dad; he knows better and so do I."
There is moment of silence where both my parents glance at each other and speak using telepathic communication. Together, they sigh.
My dad is the first to speak. "Because we know him and trust you, fine, but no going upstairs together, UNLESS Kai is there."
"Okay, promise. Can I be excused?" This battle has strung the life out of me, and now all I want to do is sleep.
"Sure."
Leaving my plate where it is, I walk from the dinner table and head toward the stairs. Plopping onto my bed, I wait cause I know someone is going to walk in here not two minutes later and try to have a heart-to-heart.
Unfortunately, it's Kai.
"Thanks for throwing me under the bus, Kaidan." Faking kindness, I get up and shuffle around my room, tidying up a bit.
"It's not like I meant for it to blow up. It's just awkward for me; I don't like you around my friends for the exact reason dad doesn't want you there. I know what goes on, I am what goes on, and it's not something you should get involved in." He takes a seat on the chest lying at the foot of my bed.
"Since when does tutoring turn into a make out sesh? Geez." I throw a pile of dirty clothes from my bathroom into the dirty clothes hamper.
"You are so sheltered, Kat."
"Look, I don't even see any of your friends doing that with someone like me. If you haven't noticed we don't mix in the same crowd." I gesture between the two of us.
"Kat, we have the same genes; you're naturally good looking. What can I say? It's a blessing and a curse."
"You really think of yourself that highly don't you?" At least one of us does.
"Just be careful. Go to bed, you need the beauty sleep." He gets up and heads for the door.
"You just called yourself ugly!" I call out as he shuts the door in his leave.
For once in my life, I wake up on my own. Which, by all means is a little strange seeing how I'm practically a rock and don't wake up for shit. Glancing around the room is still dark, but the smell of waffles floats all over the place. Throwing the blankets off my body, I slide my feet into my grandpa shoes and run to the bathroom.
Despite my pleas, my parents insisted on putting a mirror smack dab in front of the toilet so I can enjoy the view of myself peeing every morning. So here I sit, with my bed head game strong, watching myself wipe my ass while the smell of waffles wafers through the air. Just keep that in mind when the idea of my household being normal ever crosses your mind.
Pulling up my panties, I decide to fuck trying to control this hair and make my way downstairs with my XL t-shirt hanging mid thigh down my legs. It is very rare for anyone to cook breakfast in this house. With three lazy ass kids living by themselves a majority of the time, someone getting up early enough to do so just isn't worth the thought. Which is why I am so curious as to who the hell actually made the effort to do so.
"Kai?" I call out when I get to the last stair. I hear pots and pans moving around and the sound of running water.
"In here."
"Did you actually make--Noah?" I stop mid sentence to see my brother and Noah chilling in the kitchen. Of course, Kai is at the table munching on some good-looking pancakes, and Noah is behind the waffle maker making waffles.
"No, I didn't make Noah, leave that to Mr. and Mrs. Caster. Nice bed head though." My hand flies up to my hair damning myself for not controlling this bird's nest. Noah smirks and gives my attire a quick look before continuing his waffle making rant.
"Why is he here?"
"Nice to see you too, Kat." Noah frowns. "I didn't think 'The Walking Dead' was your type of shirt, but you proved me wrong." Pointing to my TWD t-shirt, Noah grins.
"Hey, stop looking at her shirt." Kai barks and throws a plastic knife at Noah's head.
"Right, I'm going to get dressed and wake up Kaleb."
"Eat first."
"I'm not much of a breakfast type."
"Or a lunch type either apparently. Its just breakfast, most important meal of the day." A grin forms across his face as he pours more batter in the waffle maker. Shifting his eyes side ways at me, he waits for me to answer. Noah has these really pretty grey eyes that make you wonder what he's thinking all the time, so right now I don't know if that smile and look is for me or someone else.
"If I don't catch a shower now, my whole day will be off, so I'll eat on the way to school."
"Oh yeah, Kat! Noah is taking you home today, I have a job interview right after practice and I can't miss it so I'm living ten minutes before practice ends." Kai swallows a mouthful of orange juice and points a white fork at me.
We still haven't figured out why Kai wants a job so bad seeing how my parents have more than enough money and he already has his own car, but no matter what we say he still wants one. He used to work at the local car repair store, but it took too much time so he's trying for a more low-key job.
"I can get a ride from Luke."
"Well you're tutoring him after football so why does it matter? Plus, dads got a football meeting at seven so you would be waiting all day if you waited for him. Go home with Noah, no one else."
"Kai, sometimes I wonder why your hair isn't grey from acting like your dad's age."
"Ha, get dressed Medusa."
A hot shower, blue jeans and a knit sweater later, I am back at the kitchen and almost ready to go to school. The only difference to the room is one missing senior.
"Where's Kaidan?" I set my bag down on the counter and look into the dining room for my missing brother. Noah looks up from his phone when I come back.
"Kaleb wanted to go to school early so Kai took him. He's going to meet us over at the school."
"You and I?"
"We are the only people left in the house."
"Oh, okay." I take this opportunity to do a once over on Nick. He's dressed in khakis that look rather nice and fitted on his legs, and a casual grey button down that shows how much working out can really do for you. I think it's safe to say Noah does a better job with dressing than Kai could ever do.
"Are you done checking me out so we can go?" Noah smugly remarks. I freeze and bring my eyes to his, the feeling of embarrassment running through my whole body.
"I-I wasn't checking you out." Which could've been the stupidest thing to say because clearly, I was checking out this fine specimen. Noah smirks and grabs his backpack from next to his combat boot clad feet. God this boy dresses nice.
"Sure, Kat, whatever you say. Let's go." I roll my eyes and follow Noah out the front door, pulling my key from my bag to lock the door on the way out. We walk across the driveway to a nicely parked Audi TT sitting on the curb.
By now you've probably figured out that the town of Westfield is everything but poor. We have nice houses and fancy cars, and all the students at Westfield Academy have to pay a scholarship of 7,000 dollars a year, but compared to Noah we all look like a bunch of rag-n-tags. His dad owns car dealerships up and down the east coast, and his mom is pretty big in the food world, meaning she's a widely known chef. She's cooked for everyone, from the Queen (meaning Beyonće) to Ellen. At least with all that money they keep him grounded, knowing Mr. Caster, this car does not belong to Noah.
"Where's your bike?" I ask referring to the bike Kai and Noah built all last year.
"Home. I figured you didn't want to take the bike, but if you insist, we can stop at my house and switch?" He unlocks the door and I let myself in.
"This is fine." I quietly say and wait for him to start the car.
"Your choice." He whispers to himself before pushing on the gas pedal.