Twenty

Katherine Thorne:

“WHAT?” Kate shrieked, slamming her locker shut. “You kissed Alexa—” The rest of her sentence came out muffled into my palm because I had to cover her mouth before she told the whole school that Alexander had kissed me.

We were by the lockers in the hallway and students were all around us, I didn’t want to be the topic of any gossip. And some students had their attention drawn to us already at the mention of the word ‘kiss’.

“Shut up, Katie. People may hear you.” I scolded her, letting go of her mouth gradually. “And no, I didn’t kiss Alexander, he kissed me,” I explained to her in a near–whisper.

“How on earth!” She asked, the curiosity in her tone was almost whole enough to slice with a knife.

“Well, when I got back to my apartment and got off the phone call with you, he was right behind me.” I began my narration. “He started off by being the annoying jerk he usually is, then went on to ask me to tutor him.”

Katie’s eyes widened, “He wants you to tutor him? Wow, this just keeps getting better.” She was full–on grinning and I wondered what was so amusing about Alex asking me to tutor him. It was anything but amusing, it would be hellish and a thorn in my flesh.

“Yes, he does. He said he wants to be better for me, so he wants to boost up his grades.” I stated.

“So cute, he’s trying to be a better version of himself for you. I can’t wait to see you break his little heart, ha.” Katie laughed, although I couldn’t find it in me to laugh along. I wasn’t planning on having any relations with him, I just want him to go away from my life and I don’t care about playing him right now. I’m already in a lot of trouble with my mother just because of his reckless actions.

“I’m not doing that, Katie.” I crossed my arms decisively and she pouted.

“Come on, Katherine. You have to teach this guy a lesson. He needs to get a taste of his own medicine!” Katie pleaded and I rolled my eyes, here we go again.

“Katie, I’m not going to play a game with the devil himself. I’m not going to tutor him and I’m not going to have anything to do with him. Nothing at all!” I was very firm about my decision. It was unchanging, I want nothing to do with Alex. My mother was right, boys are too much of a distraction especially boys like Alex.

“Well, you can’t un–kiss the kiss he kissed you.” Katie smacked reality in my face, matter-of-factly and I felt like having the ground open up and swallow me whole, yet, my mind was replaying images of the kiss in my brain and I felt my lips tingling and remembering how good he tasted…

Get a hold of yourself, Katherine! Remember, you want nothing to do with him. Focus on better things and not that asshole.

Katie chuckled, “I see you’re silent. That’s because you loved the kiss so much more than you’d like to admit.” A teasing smirk played on her lips and I wish I could wipe it off, and wipe off the existence of the stupid kiss Alexander and I shared.

“Katie…” I drawled her name in response to her teases as she snickered.

“I can’t believe Alexander Walters is your first kiss,” Katie stated, and then it dawned on me properly.

I had completely forgotten about it. He was my first kiss huh, I haven’t even had time to process that yet. The time I was supposed to use to process it, I was engaging in a heated argument with my mum. I also can’t believe that he was my first kiss, who would’ve thought? The handsome star football player, every girl's dream guy, m Alexander the great was my first kiss.

Wait, did I just admit that he’s handsome?

“Uh, speaking of the devil himself. Alexander and Nathan are heading this way.” Katie announced and I didn’t even need her announcement to realize they were nearby, the squeals from his fangirls were more than enough.

I stiffened at the spot and my insides began to fret. I wasn’t ready to meet with him just yet, this was a guy I kissed, the first and only, so far. I’m not ready to see him yet and I’m well damn sure he would try to talk to me about it if he spots me.

I swung around and saw Alexander and his friend, gliding down the hallway in complacency like they owned the whole world. I panicked.

“Oh shit, hide me, Katie.” In a fit of my panic, I tried to hide behind Katie.

“Stupid, how can you hide behind me and expect him not to see you?” Katie pointed out the obvious. Damn, I don’t know what’s wrong with me.

“Right, let’s go to the bathroom.” I decided and grabbed her arm, leading her away from the hallway and into the girl's bathroom. I shut the door behind us. The bathroom was obviously empty.

I let out a relieved sigh as I walked to the water faucets to splash water on my face.

“You know, you can’t keep hiding from him forever.” Katie reasoned, I saw she had her arms folded in a reprimanding manner through the sink mirrors.

“Yes, I can.” I dismissed, splashing water on my face.

She rolled her eyes and sighed. Just then, the door to the bathroom opened and I was startled. The startling soon turned into annoyance when I saw we had company, and not the palatable type.

“Look who we have here.” She paused on sighting me, folding her arms and staring me down in a condescending manner.

“If it isn’t Katherine ‘Little Miss Perfect',” Samantha added. She was accompanied by two of her other blonde minions, Sarah and Lennie.

“What are you doing here Samantha?” I questioned, the last thing I wanted was her trouble.

Her brows creased, “Do I now need your permission to visit the public bathroom?” She fired back at me. Way to completely misunderstand the context of my question, Samantha.

“Anyways, I think I didn’t make myself very clear to you the last time we spoke Katherine because it appears like you’re still doing the exact same thing I told you to quit.” Samantha began and I knew exactly where this was heading to.

“Stay away from Alexander, Katherine. I will not like to repeat myself again. Do you get me?” She delivered her warning stern and clear before taking another demeaning look at me then she and her minions turned around and exited.

What about using the public bathroom? Did she actually follow me in here just to display her jealousy and insecurity?

Katie and I shared a look and then broke into a fit of laughter.

“I can see you’ve gotten yourself your number one enemy, Katherine,” Katie said amidst her laughter.

“Sure. Man, it would feel so good to see her constantly being in pain from me dating Alexander.”

“Then do it.” Katie urged. I paused my laughter.

“Do it, Katherine. Date him and kill two birds with one stone. First, you’d teach Alexander a lesson since he’s hell–bent on wanting to date you, you’ll give him what he wants and break his heart. And secondly, you would cause so much pain to that blonde bitch, Samantha.” Katie stated the pros of following through with her plan.

I reasoned within. Samantha really needs to be put in her place and the only way to do that is by using what she cherishes the most against her. And Alex too needed to be taught a lesson, he has broken far too many girls’ hearts.

He needs to know how it feels, firsthand.

I gave a sly smile, “Alright Katie, you win. I’ll date Alexander and teach him a lesson he would never forget.