Never Say Never (20 page)

I look back outside, secretly wishing for Cameron’s car to drive up, even though I have no right to.

“Just say whatever it is you want to say to me,” I tell her without turning around.

“Kat, please look at me.”

I twist around, looking straight into her eyes with hate piercing through them.

“Your father wanted to tell you, but I asked him if I could be the one.”

I feel my hands folding up into balls, before she speaks again.

“Before everything happened, your father asked me to marry him...and I said yes.”

Jesus, could my life get any worse than it is at this minute? I don’t even know how to react as she keeps talking.

“I want you to know that I’m not going to try to replace your mother.”

I turn away, trying to hide the tears as they begin to form, “You’ll never be my mother,” I say struggling to get each word out.

I feel her grab my shoulder, forcing me to look her way, “I know, but I wanted to share something with you.”

“What?”

“I know you don’t know this, but I lost both my parents five years ago. It was a horrible accident, they both died in a car crash. I didn’t think I would ever get over it. I never really did, but time does heal your heart...a little. It will get easier.”

Oh, great now she thinks we have something in common.

“I don’t really care,” I say with no regard to her feelings.

She pulls back, “I just wanted you to know that if you ever need someone to talk to, I’m here.”

With that she walks out, leaving me alone as I cry more than I ever have in my life.

My father is remarrying, her parents are dead, my mother is dead and I push the one guy who’s ever meant anything to me, away. Right now, I need him to hold me, to tell me everything is going to be okay, but I don’t dial his number.

I pick up my cell that is lying on my bed, “Jess, I need you,” I say as she answers.

“I’m so glad you called...I was afraid when you didn’t. It’s been a week.”

“Are you ready for this? My dad is marrying that witch, Rebecca.”

“What? Are you serious?”

“Dead serious. She just told me.”

“Your dad didn’t tell you?”

“Nope. She wanted to be the one, can you believe that? He let her tell me.”

Silence.

“Kat, maybe it’s for the best...I mean you’re leaving and he’ll be alone.”

I don’t answer because I know deep down she’s right. He deserves to be happy even if I’m not.

“Kat, what have you decided to do? Are you coming here for the summer?” She asks.

“I don’t know. Maybe I should just get out of here.”

“I think it would be good for you...to help you forget.”

“I’ll never forget,” I start to say, but she cuts me off.

“I didn’t mean it like that. I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay,” I tell her.

No one speaks for one whole minute before she asks, “What’s going on with Cameron?”

“Nothing. I told you I broke up with him.”

“I don’t think you should’ve. You need him more than you know.”

“Don’t remind me,” I say thinking about our night, our almost perfect night. I could have stayed in his arms forever and been perfectly content.

“I have to go. I’ll call you tomorrow,” I lie, hanging up, because I can’t have this conversation anymore.

I’m lying on my bed, attempting to fall asleep, because I refuse to go downstairs and face the two of them. I hear my father, coughing to make me aware of his presence. I sit up.

“Kat, are you okay?”

“Do you care?” I retort.

“Don’t be ridiculous, of course I care. I love you,” he says as he sits on the top of my bed. I watch as he swings his feet up, lying beside me.

“Rebecca told me about the conversation between the two of you.”

“So?”

“I’m sorry if you’re mad Kitty Kat, but I love her and I need someone in my life. I need you to understand and support this.” He says as his eyes stare into mine.

“It’s just so soon, after mom and all.”

“I know and I’m sorry about that too. You have to understand, it’s been almost a year, and your mother...well even though she was around, she wasn’t my wife for a really long time.”

I do understand, but hate everything about it. I don’t even know why, but I ask.

“How did Rebecca find me on prom night?”

“She went through your things. She found Gabby’s cell number.”

“And you’re not mad at me?”

“For what?”

“For Cameron answering the phone when she found us.”

“What are you talking about? She told me you answered the phone in the room,” he asks as the crease on his forehead starts to crinkle.

Oops! Maybe she wasn’t as big of a witch as I made her out to be. She didn’t tell my Dad that Cameron and I were the one’s sharing a room, not me and Gabby.

“Oh, it’s nothing,” I say turning my face.

“Katherine, is there something you want to tell me?”

“Absolutely not,” I respond nervously.

“Did you spend the night with him?” He asked, almost whispering.

I don’t answer. I’m nervous as hell, because he usually knows when I’m lying about something so big.

“Kat, I’m waiting.”

I turn to face him, tears build up in my eyes, “Yes, I did. But, Daddy I love him.”

I watch as his closes his eyes briefly, “Please tell me you were careful.”

“Of course we were. Besides it’s over, I broke up with him.”

Why the hell am I sharing this information? I have no clue, but it feels good to tell him. I didn’t think it would, but it does.

“Why did you break up with him?

“I don’t know. I guess because of Mom and the fact that college is right around the corner. He’ll just leave anyway.”

He reaches out and grabs my chin, “Don’t let your mother’s death ruin your life...you’ll never find happiness if you do.”

“I know that.”

“Kat, I’m not even going to further address the prom with you right now, but I think you’re making a bad choice. I saw the way he looks at you. Give the kid a chance, huh?” He says, before he stands up and walks out.

Wow, I didn’t expect that. Not only did I not get in trouble, but he wants me to still see him.

CAMERON

It’s a week before graduation. Saturday, and I’ve done everything I can to give Kat her space, even though when I look at her, it kills me. I’m driving toward her house, not sure if I can get the nerve to stop and ring her doorbell. She’s made it perfectly clear she wants nothing to do with our relationship. The only problem is that I can’t stop remembering her last words. She still she loves me, she’s just scared. I need to make her see that I’m not going to walk away from her.

I pull in her driveway. I’m sitting in my car, seeing her face as I close my eyes. My hand instinctively turns the keys, cutting the engine. I’m nervous, I have no idea what I’m going to say to her when I see her. Her eyes pierce right through me, whenever I look into them. I don’t know how to deal with her eyes when they’re sad and crying. I’m expecting it today. That’s if she’ll even see me.

As I stand in the entryway that leads to the entrance of her house, the door opens. Standing in front of me is a woman that I don’t recognize.

“Can I help you?” She says.

“Yeah, I, uh am looking for Kat.”

She opens the door wide, “Kat’s not here. You must be Cameron?” She asks, smiling.

Okay, she knows who I am, but I haven’t a clue.

“Yeah...and you are?”

She smiles softly, “I’m Rebecca.”

This isn’t good. I know Kat hates the woman that is standing in front of me, opening the door like she owns the place.

“Come in, please,” she says, gesturing with her hand.

“Uh, actually I just wanted to make sure Kat was okay,” I say not moving a step further.

“Please? I’d like to talk to you.”

Oh, this should be good.

I walk in, looking around for anyone else.

“Are we alone?”

“Yes, please take a seat. Can I get you something to drink?” She asks walking toward the kitchen.

“No, I’m good.”

“Sit, Cameron.”

I do.

She sits across from me, before she speaks again.

“I’m a little new to all this, but I know you’re important to Kat and that’s what matters. I know that you two broke up, but I need you to do something for me...well for her.”

I’m completely confused, but I say, “Sure, whatever.”

Her eyebrows furrow as she tries to read me.

“I need you to get Kat to Colorado with you. She says she’s not going, but Mr. Harper and I both think she really needs it. She’s going through an awful time, and I think you’re the one to help her. Of course, Bill thinks Savannah is the better solution. But, I know from experience that she needs you, even if she doesn’t know it yet.”

I’m sitting, listening to this whole drawn out speech, knowing there is no way Kat will even consider going with me anymore. I want her to and if I’m getting the go ahead, I’ll do whatever it takes to get her there.

“She won’t go,” I say fumbling with the placemat on the counter.

“She might. I don’t think you realize how much you mean to her.”

“She told you that?”

“No, her father did. We both know about prom night. Bill assures me that Kat would never have done anything with any boy, if she didn’t think for a moment you weren’t special.”

I’m still trying to get a hold of myself, realizing they both know about the best night of my life. It’s weird knowing that they know.

I don’t respond to anything that she just said, instead I get up. “Do you know where she is?”

“She’s at the park.”

I smile back as she looks at me, “Thanks.”

I can’t get out of there fast enough. I’m completely freaked that they know all about us. It shouldn’t bother me, and it does in some weird way. I could never tell my parents anything like that, well...maybe my Dad. It’s not something you share over the phone and he hasn’t been around lately.

She sees me as I approach her and she stands right up, gathering her things. I don’t say anything as I watch her, come toward me.

“Cameron...you need to stop doing this. It’s over, I’m going back to Savannah.”

“When?”

She looks away before answering, “In June, Jess will have graduated already and we can spend some time together.”

She starts to walk past me, I grab her wrist, turning her.

“Don’t walk away from me, again,” I say pleading with her because I can’t bear to see her do that again.

She looks back up and into my eyes, “What do you want from me?”

“I want you to stay. I want to make this right...you and me, together.”

“What for?” She asks.

“Do you still love me?” I ask because I need to hear it, either way. I’m holding my breath waiting for her answer.

She turns her head, looking away, “No.”

What? I know she’s lying. How could she just say that to me?

“You don’t mean that, I know you.”

“Please, just forget about me?”

“Don’t think I haven’t tried. I just don’t know how to.”

She looks back in my direction, I’m completely focused on her face. Her eyes start glassing up, before she pushes me away and runs away from me.

I yell out, “Kat, please don’t do this...don’t run away.”

She doesn’t listen, she keeps pushing forward.

I’m left standing alone, wondering how the hell to get through to this girl. I don’t want her to walk away crying. I want to hold her, be the one to assure her everything is going to work out. She doesn’t give me a chance, as I close my eyes, I hear her voice saying no repeatedly in my head.

KAT

I walk away, again. I couldn’t just stand there, hearing his voice, his words. I hate telling him that I don’t love him anymore, but I see no other way out of it. I hated staring into his eyes and saying it, seeing his expression. I wanted him to wrap his arms around me, kiss me like he did before. He’s the only boy that I’ve ever loved and quite possibly the only one I’ll ever love like that. It was almost impossible to keep going as he yelled out my name.

I make my way down Jefferson, heading home. Although I hate going, because Rebecca has now partially moved in. I feel horrible after my run-in with Cameron and the last thing I want is a motherly lecture from her. It seems like everyday she has something new to say to me. Some adventure or some story that she thinks we might bond over.

I open the door, they are both sitting in front of the television when I walk in.