False Pretense

"I don't think I'm going to go see Mike." I admitted to Billie as we sat in the hospital cafeteria. Billie had the munches and seemed to rather enjoy the stale food.

"Why not?" He stabbed the green jello with his fork and brought it up to his mouth.

"Well, first, he's under sedation. Secondly, I don't do well alone is hospital rooms. I hate seeing people in pain." I chewed on my plastic spoon, determined not to eat anymore.

"That's what I don't understand. You hate hurting people yet if Tre knew what has happened between us that's exactly what he'd be in. You're kind of going against yourself, you know?" He smirked; pulling my tray of food toward him.

"It's not my fault I like you." I shrugged, setting my spoon down on my napkin. Billie raised his eyebrows and ate some of my jello.

"You like me?"

I opened my mouth to speak I couldn't seem to bring myself to say a thing.

"Well, yes, I mean, I don't hate you....so yeah, I like you and your assets." I watched in amusement as he nearly choked on his water.

"Thanks, I like you and your....assets as well." I rolled my eyes and picked up my own water.

I set my glass down. "This is so unreal."

"What?"

"Not knowing."

"Not knowing?" He set his plastic fork down and rested his chin on the palm on his hand.

"Yeah, like, I like Tre, I do," Billie raised his eyebrows in surprise and I sighed. "Surprising? Yeah, the way I'm treating him isn't exactly the way you act when you like someone. But, then there is you, and I do have some sort of feeling toward you, regardless if you are indeed the biggest asshole I've ever met in my life." I joked; smirking as I locked my eyes with his--which seemed to be darker than earlier.

He didn't seem to know what to say at first, he moved his hand from underneath his chin back to fork; stabbing the jello rather fiercely. I felt bad, but I thought he'd know I was being honest. He wasn't the nicest person to me and he knew it.

As we sat in uncomfortable silence, I started to worry that it was the 'in my life' bit that got to him. I mean, I was twenty-one-years old and I had met a large quantity of people in my lifetime.

"How about you talk to Tre and figure out what the hell it is you do want." He hissed; grabbing the two trays and standing up. I was taken aback by his sudden outburst and it took me a moment to realize what was going on.

"Billie, where are you going? I didn't--"

"Shove it, blondie." He yelled, walking away from the table then. I turned to yell after him but saw Tre walking towards us. Worst timing, Tre.

I watched as Tre and Billie talked for a few minutes, ending with Tre patting Billie's back in reassurance. Once my eyes locked with Tre's, a smile spread across his face and I felt my twist in pain. I wasn't looking forward to the next few minutes.

"Hey! So this is where you've been." He chuckled as he sat down in Billie's seat. I forced a smile and nodded my head once; not wanting to be evident in what I needed to say.

"Yeah," I sighed, "How is Mike?"

"Oh, numb. He's awake now, but I don't think I should say fine. Broken elbows, man, that's gotta be weird."

"He's going to be here a while. Just sitting." I smiled sympathetically, knowning very well Mike couldn't see me.

"Yeah, I feel so bad for him. But, god, Traci is still a wreck. I think she apologized at least fifty times while I was in there."

"Not to mention that all four of you are currently coming off a high. Mike had to be confused." Tre started laughing and I figured I was about to hear about it.

"When he woke up, the first thing he said was, 'I think I fell asleep.', because he thought he was still in the basement. He was in for quite the surprise." I laughed at his story; picturing the moment perfectly.

"Tre, I think I need to tell you something." I admitted, eventually, no longer able to keep it off. He sensed my tone and I watched his face falling slightly.

"What's up?" His cupped his hands together and set them on the table.

"Something's happened and I think it'd be best if we didn't see each other anymore." I spoke softly, looking and my hands in my lap.

"Can I ask what's happened to make you think that?"

"Um," I looked up at him and his face was calm as he waited for an answer. "Well, Billie and I kissed one night, about five weeks ago. Then that night I brought him home from Gilman when he was drunk...he woke up...turned on because I had been playing with his hair while he slept. I ended up doing sexual favors with him, and that's what caused our month of separation. I couldn't handle being around him. Now--"

"Now? There's more?" He yelled; startling me.

"Yes. Just a few hours ago I went up to his bedroom to talk to him and we ended up kissing some more...and...well, one thing led to another.." I watched as his face change from calm to downright anger.

"I don't believe this! So it wasn't Sam he had sex with--it was you!" He stood up from his spot just as Billie had done. He stalked off in anger and I turned in my seat. Great job, Kat.

"Tre! Please don't leave like Billie did," I yelled, not caring about others, "Let me explain!"

I watched as he stopped walking and slowly turned around to face me. We stared at each other until he sighed; walking back toward me.

~ ~ ~

"Fucking bitch." I muttered under my breath as I pushed Mike's hospital door open.

"Who's a bitch?" I heard Mike ask, stopping me right in my tracks. I hadn't expected to see him to be awake.

"Kat." I saw Traci sitting at the edge of Mike's bed, facing him so they could talk.

"What happened now?" Traci asked as I sat down in the chair that was a few feet away from them.

"She had the courage to insult me to my fucking face." I ran a hand through my hair and sighed; studying Mike. He had a wrap around his forehead, a busted lip, and two big casts.

"What'd she say?" Traci inquired, rubbing Mike's calf back and forth.

"That I was the biggest asshole she's ever met." Mike and Traci both laughed and Mike rolled his eyes.

"You know, she's right, right?" I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, but still! Ah, forget it." I waved my hand at them.

Within the next five seconds, Mike's hospital door flew open and a huffy, red Tre burst in. He pointed at me and I jumped from my seat.

"You two-timing asshole!" He yelled, stopping a few feet from the door.

"Me? That's her! I'm just the regular asshole!" I defended; internally kicking myself.

Tre threw his hands up in the air and stuttered over his words.

"What's going on?" Traci asked, standing up from the bed.

"Billie had sex with Kat!" He yelled.

"WHAT?!" Traci yelled, beating Mike to the punch.

"In my defense--" Tre's punching the wall stopped me.

"Billie, you have no defense! She's gone and she admitted to everything! She even told me you agreed it'd be best if she left!"

"What? I never agreed to such a thing!" I yelled, anger rising within me.

"She said you two agreed it'd be best if she left because she couldn't be what I promised she wouldn't be: somebody to come between the band."

I was speechless; my mind was blank.

"So...she's just gone?" Mike asked, breaking the silence that had come down on us.

"I don't know," Tre whispered, "She said she was leaving, whatever that means, and that she wishes you all the best in your recovery."

I watched Mike smile slightly, and I scoffed.

Not only had she broken her promise, she left me to take the blame.