We Could Make It Right

I saw Katie getting off the bus alone. Baby-blue backpack latched over her right shoulder which was covered by a t-shirt that had the Union Jack on it. Maybe she's homesick?

She looked somewhat pissed or something with her face saying it all. Her earphones sitting snug in her ears as she walks straight towards me, not acknowledging me. I turn around to face Jake so it doesn’t look like I’m expecting anything. Or so I thought anyway.

"Garrett, hey" her voice so humbly spoke from behind. I turned around and there she was, standing there with her brown hair moving swiftly over her face due to the light breeze in the air.

"Katie," I acknowledged her in a hug since it looked like she could go for one. While doing so, unintentionally inhaling the perfume that Vee got her.

I felt that people were looking at us. But the thought of care escaped me for the first time when I was around her.

Vaguely remembering the hell Pat & I went through just for a shopping trip. "What's up?"

"Nothing much," she sighed. "Nothing at all" she plastered a small smile on her little face. Her eyes telling me something she won't.

"C'mon, tell Gare what's wrong" I said , but didn't intend it to sound as cheesy as it came out. All she did was shake her head like little kids do if they did something they wouldn't admit to.

“Garrett, honestly nothing’s wrong” she said nervously. “E-Everything’s fine” she spoke as Vee and that Keith person walked by. Metres away, seeing John and Halvo talking and emphasising shit. John looking like he’d rather be dead and Halvo wishing John would lighten up.

“This about Brennan and Vee ?” finally came out of my mouth.

“Sorta..in a way” she finally broke out as we finally started walking towards the main building.

“Hah! I knew something was up,”

“You got me,” she rolled her eyes, walking a little faster; further away from me.

“Shit” I whispered under my breath. “Katie, come back!”

“Why? You’re gonna think I’m stupid,”

“I am?,”

“You barely know me, of course you will,”

“I’m not quick to judge – try me, besides what better way to change the barely knowing you?,”

She formed a little smile, something I thought I wouldn’t see after my first choice of words.

“I’ll tell you later, yeah?” she informed just as the homeroom bell went off. “I’ll see you in Ancient.”

“What are friends for?” I replied as she got only a few centimetres away from her previous position.

“I never said we were friends” she said with a wink.

***

It’s a Monday afternoon and as per normal, we’re spending the next few hours at Vee’s place. We ‘try’ to do some homework, but after a while it just turns into a massive conversation about what happened during the day and shit. We all stay downstairs by law according to Craig Stephenson. The only time the boys are allowed upstairs is if we need to use the bathroom.
“Vee, you don’t get it—”

“What now John? You’re gonna say how he’s not right for me or that he’s only dating me to what was it again? ‘get in my panties’?,”

“He’s only going to break your heart into tiny little pieces,”

“And what you won’t?”..

“So..” I whispered while the little fight was occurring.

“Gare, you wanna help me get snacks and stuff” Katie brought up to escape the madness.

“God I thought you’d never ask”

We made our way through to the kitchen which luckily for us was detached from the rest of the home. I sat on the island counter that was placed in the centre of the small area while Katie was getting the snacks out of the pantry.

“Well that was awkward,”

“Always happens when one of them get into a relationship, you’ll get used to the spin,”

“Always?,”

“Vee has a different approach though , but generally always Katelynn”

“Scoot over” she giggled as she got onto the same counter I was sitting on. “Cheez-it?” she offered, making the most sweetest little smile ever. But I wasn’t gonna tell her that.

“Sure” I said, dipping my hand into the cardboard box. “I thought we were getting snacks for the others..”

“Would you rather go back in there where the lovely occurrence of a fight is happening or would you rather stay in here and eat cheez-it’s and play 20-questions, with me?,”

“You drive a hard –bargain..gonna have to go with 20 questions” I shot a smirk her way.

“Great! Me first” She exclaimed. “Okay.. 1. Do you really have a dog?”

“Funny, you mention that I actually do have a dog, her name’s Sammy”

“How adorable… do you think I can take back that comment I made about your dog when we first met? Kinda..really sorry about that”

“Of course, now my question..this a real accent?"

"Does this answer your question?" She spoke in a strong British accent.

"No way.."

"Yep, John and Vee's being getting me to speak more 'Americanized' so I get used to it"

"And the British just comes naturally?,"

"Uh-huh"

We spoke about various things that stemmed on from that. Her accent is probably one of the most unique things I've seen in ages. Not only did it sound unique, but more real. Ever since I asked her about the accent, she wouldn't stop talking in it, like she almost just wanted to speak that way forever - and oddly enough, I don't have a problem with it.

"My turn, so ..uh ,who is Katelynn Reeves ?”

“Katelynn Reeves? She is the youngest of two, half Spanish & English, her father’s a dickhead and my mum’s –”

And then she stopped talking.

"And your mom is..?"

"My mum's dead"

A few seconds later, I saw a little tear stream down her face. I didn't know what to do, not knowing what to do ruined me. I wrapped my arm around her waist,pulling her in closer, letting her cry onto my shirt. she tried to hold some back, but she just couldn't.

"You still want to know why I was upset this morning?,"

"You wouldn't mind telling me?,"

"Gare, I trust you enough not to tell anyone, promise ?"

"I promise"

"It started off this morning, Vee was telling me about Keith and her dad walks in, tells her how much he cares for her and here I am, wondering where I went wrong, how my dad couldn't give a flying fuck about me, but he does about his other daughters, And uh.. it's my mother's birthday today, and how John wouldn't shut up about how jealous he is of a sophomore and nobody even bothered to ask me if I was okay today and.. this makes no sense at all and Garrett I'm sorry for letting it all out on you"

"It's fine Katie--"

Moments later,our speaking is stopped. Kennedy, in all his glory walks in.

"What is going on here?" he chuckles, probably recalling the conversation we had prior to Josh's party.

He moves closer to us, seeing how puffy and red Katie's eyes are. "Gare, why is she upset?"

"She..She's--"

"Don't tell him" she whispers soft enough for only me to hear.

"She's just a little homesick, nothing big" I said, "Don't tell the others, she doesn't want to make a big fuss over it"

"Will do, keep smiling Katie. It'll get better" he says.

It'll get better, easier said than done.