....
Michael entered the hall, jumping up the stairs two at a time. He was tired and not wanting to face his parents after their disagreement. Though he was just sixteen, he felt like he carried the whole world on his shoulders. That's what made him angry, that's what made him tired. At times, he didn't care, he just wanted everything over with. He felt like that the other night- again.
But Cate.
He tossed his things near his closet and stopped. Not once did he worry about the fight, or the fact that he would have to face some sort of grounding for lashing out when he was with Cate. She made him feel like everything was okay. He took a deep breath and picked up the picture frame that held his team picture and brushed off the shards of glasses that still lay there. Luckily the picture was still intact. He placed the frame gingerly on his desk and started to look for the wood handle he had been whittling at. "Where is it?" He asked himself, scanning his room. He couldn't have lost it, Michael placed it right on his swivel chair just before supper. He started throwing back his things and his covers onto the carpet, looking for that piece of wood. Michael growled in disgust a few minutes later at not being able to find it. " How could I have lost that dang piece of wood!" He cried out, collapsing on the floor with his hands cupping his chin. Michael's head darted up as his phone sounded off underneath his clothes he had tossed on the rug. He rummaged through them and picked up his phone.
Hey, you know what to do with the essay Mrs. Meek assigned to us?
I'm stumped.
...
Cate read and re-read her notes that she had written in the haste of the average student. They made utterly no sense at all. She bit the end of her pencil as her phone buzzed.
Ummm, yeah. I wasn't really paying attention.
Cate chuckled, of course he hadn't been paying attention. Michael probably was going over football plays in his mind.
Of course not.
Wanna meet up and go over the book
and my notes so we both don't fail?
Yeah, my house or yours? And what time? Michael asked.
Cate leaned out of her door and called for her mom.
"What is it, Cate?" Her mom yelled back.
" Can Michael come over? We need to study for an essay!" She yelled, her voice sounding through the dim hall and down the staircase.
" Yeah, but only if his parents let him!" Her mom asked, coming to the bottom of the stairs and drying her hands on a dish towel. Cate nodded.
" Yeah, he can. Tell him in an hour, I should have dinner ready by then."
" Thanks, mom!" She said with a smile and ran into her room and grabbed her phone.
Yeah, my house and in an hour. Want me to pick you up?
..
Nah, I'll walk. Your house is past the creek right?
..
Yeah. The first house to the right. Cate responded.
..
Great! I'll see you in one hour.
Cate jumped on her toes, happy that she would be having a friend over. She grabbed her dirty clothes and put them in the hamper, tidying up the room hastily. Taking her covers, she shook them out so she could straighten them, but as she did so, something clattered against her bare foot. " Ouch!" She yelped and looked at her foot. A little spot of red started to form on the top of her foot as a tiny piece of metal shining in the soft overhead light. Quickly she bent down took it in her hand and clenched it in a fist.
"Hey, hon- what's in your hand?" Asked a strong voice from behind her. Cate gasped and turned on her heel, dropping the object in her pocket. Her mother stepped in.
" Nothing." She replied, a little too quickly.
" Open your hand."
Cate sighed and rolled her eyes, opening her hand to reveal that there indeed was nothing in her palm," See mom? There's nothing there."
She crossed her arms," Let me see your arm."
" But mo-"
" Let me see your arm, Catherine!" She demanded. Cate's hand shook as she lifted her sleeve to reveal a small, white arm etched with fading marks and lines.
"See? I haven't done it for a long time." She replied as her mom's eyes took on a relieved air. She leaned down and kissed her daughter's forehead.
" Good, that sets my mind at ease. You're strong, Cate." Her mom said with a smile and walked out. " Is Michael coming?"
" Yes ma'am, in an hour like you told me to say."
"Good. I can't wait to actually visit with your 'little friend'." She said with a wink and earned a groan from Cate.
" Mom!" She laughed," Leave me be so I can finish my room."
Her mom chuckled and closed the door behind her. Cate fell to her knees, shaking profusely. Carefully she slipped the object from her pocket and into her hand. The sharpness of it known only to her skin and the cool metal felt soothing in her sweaty hand as she stood and placed the blade and walked across her room to her dresser. Placing the small rectangle underneath her underclothes, she slammed it closed.Changing into some sweats and a "Go Big or Go Home" turquoise tee, she ran her fingers through her hair and smoothed it out, making it lie flat against her shoulders.
Cate took out her computer and sat down, leaning herself against her bed and began to type and waited for Michael to come. The soothing sensnation of metal still fresh in her mind.
....
Michael rapped on the front door, books and pens in hand. He smiled as a short brownhaired woman answered the door warmly.
" Good evening, Mrs.Olsen" He said, with a polite grin.
" You can just call me Mrs. Jess. Come on in, Cate should be up in her room if you want to go see." Mrs. Jess replied, leading the boy inside the foyer. "You can stay for dinner. I hope you like pasta." She told him, walking off back into the laundry room. Michael nodded and took the stairs two at a time. He stopped at the partially closed door and listened as a melodic and raspy voice filtered through.
"
When all seems like a lost causeAnd I'm runnin' out of hope,
I can see that you're beside me
And won't leave me behind
You won't leave me alone
."
Michael held his breath as she came to an end and burst through the door dramaticly. " Bravo! Bravo!" He exclaimed in a British accent.
" Oh what the- Michael!" She growled, catapulting the pillow she had in her hands right at his head. He dodged it with a laugh.
" Nice to see you too!" He replied, looking around her room." Your room is really nice. " He said, looking at the many pictures adorning the surrounding walls. Cate rolled her eyes and brought herself back to normal.
" I'm glad you think so. I just cleaned it up."
" I doubt it was that dirty. Who's this?" He asked, walking over and tapping a crystal encrusted picture frame. Cate walked towards him.
" Oh that's Tanner. She was my best friend."
" Tanner? I didn't know Tanner could be a girl's name." He said, finding the fact interesting. Cate nodded.
" Her parents were out there with the names."
" Where is she?" He asked, looking closer at the smiling girls near a ribbon of water that shimmered in the evening sunlight.
" We moved, that was the last time we got to hang out." Cate replied and went to her desk. Flipping open her laptop she turned to the football player. His back was turned to her, but still, for some strange reason, she found his company rather comforting. She smiled softly, when she was around him, she felt human again. Maybe... Cate bit her lip, reproaching herself for thinking in such terms. She didn't and couldn't have feelings for him. She hated that, but she knew she couldn't. He was just too young and she didn't want to put him through hell with all her crap. It's better to stay just like this... friends.
....
Cate stacked the papers neatly on the floor with a huff. " That was harder than I had expected." She anounced, standing up. Michael gave her a look of surprise.
" Harder than you expected?! It was impossible! How are we supposed to find the motive of Mr. Hyde if the book doesn't tell us right off the bat?" He asked, obviously frazzled with how his own essay was coming. Cate chuckled, offering him her hand.
" Oh my dear Watson, you must deduce and read between the lines. A good author always leaves it for the reader to discover."
" But I don't want to ' discover'." He pouted. Cate rolled her eyes and left her room with Michael in tow.
" And I don't want to hear your pouting. Let's go downstairs, dinner is ready." She said skipping down the stairs. Michael chuckled and shook his head, following.
"Oh good evening my dear studiers. How fares the essays?" Mrs. Jess asked, plating alfredo pasta onto some plates.
" Horrible!" Michael moaned. Mrs. Jess laughed.
"Well, Michael. You are in good hands when it comes to essays, Cate excels at writing."
" Mom!"
Mrs. Jess shrugged and handed a plate to Michael," It's true, she's a great essay writer."
"Thank you, Ma'am. I am glad that I find myself in good company then!" He said, winking at Cate. The girl rolled her eyes and took the plate that was handed to her by her mother.
" Go on and sit at the table. The others will be home shortly." Her mom said, placing forks on the table.
"Where are the other two?"
"Anna is at Chaselyn's staying the night and Gabe should be coming home from riding hi-"
" I'm home!" Came a shout and a slamming of the front door. All three at the dinner table cringed and Cate turned to her friend.
" That's my little brother, Gabe." She said quietly as a robust and sweaty youngster ran through the opening in the hall to meet his family. His hair, matching his oldest sister'sin color, was frizzy and curly and his eyes a bursting vibrant green scanned the table for his plate. He was small, Michael guessed around eleven. Mrs. Jess glared at the little boy with accusing eyes.
"Look at your clothes! What did you do?!" She cried, standing from her seat and walking over to her youngest," Slide in a mud puddle!"
Gabe's eyes grew wide," How did you see that? I was at Johny's!"
Mrs. Jess pointed upstairs," Now!"
" I will not have a muddy print on my chair. Go change, bathe, just clean yourself then you may eat." She said. The little boy looked disappointed, but as he turned to go upstairs, he saw Michael in the corner of his eye. He gaped and pointed.
" I didn't know that Cate had a.... b word." He said, voice lowering to an almost whisper. Michael raised an eyerbow. But Cate glared at her brother.
" He's not, now go upstairs and do what mom said." She told him, her neck becoming flush.
Gabe clapped his hands over his mouth," Oh, Cate's got a boyfriend, boyfriend! Cate's got a boyfriend and dad doesn't know!" He sang, dancing up the stairs just out of reach of his angered sister.
" Cate! It's okay, he likes to joke. That's just what boys do." Michael said, trying to down play the enjoyment that he was sure shown on his face.
" Your friend is right, Cate. Just leave it be and eat." Mrs. Jess said with a smile.
" Mom," Cate said, taking a bite of alfredo," where's dad?"
" He's still working, sweetheart." She replied and Michael noticed there was sadness to her voice. She turned to Michael," So, how'd you meet Cate? She's shy and isn't one to make friends easily." Mrs. Jess said, waiting for his response.
" Well," he sipped some water," she was sitting alone and listening to some music and I heard her singing, and I thought that she sounded good and I wanted to compliment her on her voice. We kind of hit it off there. Been friends ever since that day." He replied.
But you wanted more than that.
" Well that's nice. I was worried she would be graduating without any friends in the upcoming year. I'm glad she met someone like you."
"So am I." Cate said, butting in," He even taught me to throw a baseball, mom."
Mrs. Jess looked impressed," Really now? Are you any good?"
Cate went to shake her head, but Michael stopped her," She's great! With just a little bit more practice, I'm pretty sure she could play shortstop for the Patriots Baseball team too. " Her mom looked at Cate in pride and Cate tried to hide a small smile.
" Well! I'm glad that she's getting good. It seems like she has a good teacher."
Cate turned to her friend and nudged him with her elbow.
" I do, mom." She answered. Now it was Michael's turn to smile.
" Well, thank you ma'am. I play football, but I do enjoy playing some baseball here and there." He said, finishing up his dinner. Mrs. Jess stood and started clearing the table.
" Come the last few games, we'll have to come and watch you play."
"I'd like that very much."
The two teens stood and helped gather the cups and plates and place them in the dishwasher. Michael slipped a peek at his phone and looked at Cate. "It's time for me to go."
Cate frowned," Already?! Okay, let's go get your stuff." They both went upstairs and into Cate's room to grab his things.
" Thanks for helping me." He said after getting his rough draft and pencils. Cate patted his back.
" My pleasure! Thanks for giving me some info about it too." She replied, walking downstairs and to the front door. They both walked out and stood there.
" No problem. Thanks for having me over. Your mom's incredible and your brother's a trip." He said, chuckling. Cate groaned playfully.
" Wait till you meet my sister. She's a motor mouth."
"Sounds like someone else I know." Michael said, stroking his imaginary beard in thought. Cate gave him a swat on the back of the head.
" Shut up! I don't talk that much."
" No you don't." He said, agreeing," But I wish you did."
" You do?" Cate asked. He nodded.
" Not only do you have a pretty singing voice, but you also have a pretty talking voice too."
Cate could yet another wave of color come to her neck and creep up the sides of her cheeks.
" No one's ever told me that before." She said quietly. The soft setting sunlight in the distance setting off her complexion perfectly, it was breezy as they stood on her porch underneath the brightening lantern light that lit the whole porch. Michael wanted to take his hand and at least touch her cheek- just once. He was tempted to, but his hand stayed glued in his pocket unable to move.
" Well you do. I really have to go now before I get chewed out for staying too long." He said lightheartedly. He leaned forward and drew Cate into his arms and he could feel her own wrap around his torso delicately. He closed his eyes for a brief moment as her warmth radiated from her small body. His arms wrapped around almost nothing as he squeezed her.
" Goodnight." She whispered, her breath warm and tickling against his ear. He felt chills go down his neck. He let go, lingering only a while to capture her essence in the setting red light behind him.
"Goodnight." He said just as quietly, walking away and down the sidewalk. He looked at her one last time with a soft smile. The wind slowly making her shirt and hair dance. Michael turned and walked on into the woods beside her house.
****
Cate watched him leave, her eyes planted on his back. She never had a friend like Michael, he was different than the rest. He was real. She sighed contentedly and eased her way back into the house and up the stairs. Her eyes darted every which away and her stomach already churned up and making her nauseated. Cate pressed a shaking hand to her midsection as she tiptoed into the bathroom. Eyeing the scale in the corner next to the shower and then the toilet. She knelt down and closed her eyes. " I have to do this," She whispered to the nonexistent audience she felt she had. I have to be beautiful....
I bring it up only as something for you to think critically about in this chapter and in your other chapters whenever you go to edit this piece. 
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