Young Writers Society

"I was...busy," I said, thinking of all Kyle and I had discussed, "I'm sorry, Therma."
The broad woman sighed and stepped aside.
"Well, comme in, child. It's too cold to stand out there in the ice that might be air on a warmer night. Besides, your parents are waiting in the livingroom."
I smiled on the outside, I had always liked Therma, but I wasn't looking forward to seeing my parents. I was tired of thier insults. They just say it's 'because they care.'
'Because they care?' Yeah, care about what. Sometimes I wonder.

Therma led me through the foyer and into the living room.
"Your parents have already eaten," she told me over her shoulder, walking briskly toward the drawing room. "They're not to happy with you at the moment." Her tone was mild, as though she was secretly smiling.
"Are they ever happy with me?" I asked miserably as she stopped and knocked on the polished door that lopened into the drawing room. i could smell faint cigar smoke through the thick doors and knew my father was in there.
Therma knocked on the door three times, waiting for my father's crisp voice to answer.
"Enter," it said shortly.
Therma opened the door and let me through first.
"You are late Catherine," he told me impatiently. He was always telling me things I already knew.
"I know father," I said with a sigh as I went to sit in the fancy winged armchair.
My father was sitting in his favorite chair. His dark grey hair and tooothbrush moustache was as neat as ever and he was dressed in a black pinstriped suit. This was no indication of a special event, seeing as my parents were always dressed up. I expected my mother to come waltzing in any moment, dressed in a full-length gown made of China's finest silk.
"You cannot be late Catherine," he said, starting his usual speech. "In this household we cannot except tardyness, it is the basic rules of a home that makes a society function, and as ..."
He carried on, oblivious to my evident lack of attention. He only stopped when a ringing echoed through the house. We heard the sound of Therma scuttling down the tiled halls to retrieve the reciever and answer the phone. After a few minutes there was an other knock on the door and Therma rushed in, not waiting for a reply.
Her face looked grave and tuat. I couldn't understand what could spark such a look from our usually cheerful housekeeper.
She held the reciever in a shaking hand and spoke in an even shakier voice.
"It's him sir," she said, holding the reciever out to my father.[/i]

My father's serious face melted into a look of what could either have been terror or very deep concern. Perhaps it was both. This look only stayed on his face for a few seconds before turning into abrisk smile.
"Than you Therma. That will be all," he said taking the phone and motioning toward me with a nod.
Therma quickly left the room, dragging me with her by the hand. Before she shut the big oak doors I had one last quick glimpse of my father. He was still smiling as he put the phone up to his ear, but I knew it was a fake smile. There was no one to show it to after we left the room, but he would keep it nonetheless. You can tell from a person's tone of voice what thier expression is when talking to them, and whoever was on the other line, he didn't want him to hear that look in his voice that I could still see in my father's eyes.

A few hours later I still had no idea who had called. My father brushed him off to be some old colleague, but I knew he was lying. The hand holding the foul cigar trembled ever so slightly as he walked out of the drawing room to find my mother.
I gave Therma a puzzled look. A small frown creased her brow when she looked at me.
“Well, miss Catherine, I think it time you go to bed, hmm?” she said. It was way earlier than usual, but I didn’t complain. It was a ready-made excuse for them not to pay attention to me tonight.
She walked me up the grand stairs. They were carved in marble, with a greenish tint and darkwood railings. This seemed to me like gloating. Why couldn’t we have normal stairs like Kyle? They were rich to, but didn’t rub it in everyone’s faces. Most people this side of town are rich. It’s at school where we meet the other half.
“Good night,” Therma said in her deep voice.
“G’night,” I muttered.
Before I had a chance to close my door, a heavily ringed hand groped at the hand. It was a bony hand, one belonging to my mother.
She was clothed in a pale green silken nightgown, her curled blonde hair hanging loose. She still had most of her make-up on.
My mother had a strong face. It spoke of character and a will beyond reasoning. You could never argue with her. She’d say the ocean is pink just to make a statement.
“Good evening mother,” I said in a tight voice, knowing what’s to come.
“Where were you tonight?” her sharp voice asked, looking me up and down.
“No where you’d find interesting,” I said, turning my back on her and striding into my room.
“Marty Fisher said her daughter saw you going into Whiteman’s house,” she said, following me in with more determined strides than I could’ve shown.
“Did she now?” I said over my shoulder. I was leaning over my desk, looking for my escape.
“Catherine!” she snapped. “You cannot go prancing around with every boy in this god forsaken place! Do you know the stories that’ll come out if the wrong people see this?”
I was getting angrier. My hand holding the flier I’d been searching was clenching it into a coiled and ruffled ball. I tried to hide my anger and turn my voice calm.
“I don’t ‘prance’ mother,” I said in a voice of forced calm. “We were doing a homework assignment.” This was the lie Kyle and I had agreed upon if anyone were to ask. “And besides mother, he’s my friend, if you haven’t noticed yet.”

... " Is he now?" she snapped with a look of fury on her face.
My face turned a scarlet red. " We're friends, mother! " I shouted.
" Do not talk to me that way, missy!" she snapped and slapped my cheek.
I rubbed my cheek and glared at her. " Good luck on your own!" I cried.
" I don't need it." she whispered.
"Oh believe me you will!"
I ran out of the house, my mother yelling after me, Therma brandishing me with a feather duster, and my father with a look of fury upon his tanned face.
" Catherine! You get back here!" my father roared.
I din't look back as I made my way across town, the mansions casting shadows after me. I just kept on running until I reached Kyle's. I was going to get back at my family somehow. They were never understanding or caring and now they were going to pay the price. I sat on Kyle's porch, the sun illuminating my face, the leaves brushing against my legs, and the fury overcoming me.
I sighed and rang the doorbell. Kyle would be able to help me out. Maybe I could live with him..
Kyle answered the door surprised to see me back so soon.
" What are you doing here?" he asked. I wondered the same thing....

"Uh," I said, wondering what to say. "I, um, need my bracelet."
A puzzled expression crossed his face, but after a few seconds it cleared.
"I haven't had time to search for yet," he said, his right hand rubbing the back of his neck, as though he was embarassed.
"Oh that's okay," I said.
"Kyle? Who's there?" a voice asked as a girl our age appeared next to Kyle. She had curly blonde hair that perfectly framed her delicate face. I saw Kyle blush as she placed an arm around his waist.
"Hi," I said, as the silence started to stretch. "I'm Cath."
"Stacey," she said. Her tone was friendly, but a suspicion clouded her green eyes.
"Stacey's my -"
"Girlfriend," I finished for him, hoping my voice didn't reveal my surprise, or perhaps my disappointment.
He nodded, his face turning a deeper crimson.
"Well," I started, " I've gotta go." I turned on my heel to go, but Kyle called me back.
"Wait," he said, coming up to me. "We're going on with the assignment tomorrow, right?"
"Right," I said, wanting desperately to escape from under Stacey's steely eyes. "See you guys tomorrow."
With a waveI turned once again and walked out into the street. I walked untill I herd two doors close, then flopped down on the side walk.
What now? i thought desperately.
There was only one thing for it, I had to go to Matt.

I kept a tear that had gathered in my eye from rollong down my cheek, and brushed my hair aside as I stood up. I tried to ignore my quivering legs. That happened alot when I was frightened.

There's no reason to be afraid of Matt, I told myself, after all, there was a time when we were... My voice cut out, and I heard another in my head. I could have sworn it was someone talking to me aloud, but knew very well that couldn't be.

Friends, the voice finished.

I saw no sign of my mother or father, not even Therma. I guess they didn't even care enough to come after me. After all, it should be obvious where I had gone.
I shivered, the night air was cold, and I had forgotten my jacket in my haste. No matter, I wouldn't need a jacket where I was going.
I searched around in my pocket, and finally found what I needed. Three quarters. Not much, but enough to hotch a ride on the city transportation system.
There was a busstop not far from Kyle's house, only a few blocks. I rubbed my arms with my hands, and finally let them rest on my elboes. Glen view was only a two-hour ride, if traffic was light. I began walking to the busstop.

No, we were more than friends, the voice suddenly said in my head.

I shook my head. I didn't want to be more than friends with him. There was a time that I'd thought him amazing. He was incredibly hot and sexy and everything, but a dark edge played around his features that I only recently noticed. It scared me for some reason.
Before I knew it, I'd reached the busstop. I couldn't understand why it was so quiet. It wasn't that late. Usually people'd be walking or running around, dodging speeding bmw's.
It was a while before the bus arrived. I looked up at the swamping yellow light with trepiditioin. The doors opened with a groan and a squelch. With a depressed sigh I climbed in.

It was quiet on the bus. No one talked and the only sounds to heard were those of passing cars and the old radio blaring Billy Joel's 'Uptown Girl"
I picked a seat near the back. The only other passenger was another kid listening to a walkman. I wished I had mine with me. The driver kept throwing glances back at me as the bus pulled away, heading for the city.
"Where ye headin sweetheart," the bus driver called back to me with a piggish smile.
"No where you'd wanna go," I said, turning so that i was fully facing the window.
Luckily the driver didn't speak to me again the whole ride. I breathed a sigh of relief as I climbed out of the bus, hoping the stink didn't stick to me.
The kid with walkman bumped into me as he climbed out to, yelling for me to get out of the way. I ignored him and looked up at the apartment block infront of me. It was all but run down. Matt's mother was some victorious supermodel. i sighed as I pressed the button to Matt's apartment. What if he wasn't even there?
But this thought escaped my mind when Matt's voice sounded over the intercom.
"Jello," he said.
I thought of just turning around and going back to Kyle's, but a moment later Matt's voice spoke again.
"Cath, is that you?"
"Yeah," I said shakily."
The buzzer sounded as the gates infront of the doors swung open and I walked up the staris to number 415, and knocked on the door.