Kat slipped her hideous orange with brown hem smock over her head. She slid her arms into her coat, then draped the smock over her arm.
"Bye." Kat announced. She gave a short wave to her manager, high in the booth above the registers. The sliding glass doors swooshed as they parted for her to walk through into the brisk fall night air.
She lifted the sleeve of her jacket and checked the time on her watch. Miles should arrive any minute. Giving a sigh she watched the bustling Avenue connected to the market parking lot, where she worked. Cars whipped by with beams of white light. The stars sparkled against the black night sky.
Her mind was interrupted by the all too familiar clanking and rattling of a car. She watched Miles' black Chevy pull into the lot and stop in a spot in front of her. Securing her purse to her shoulder Kat walked to the back door and dropped into black cloth seats.
~§~
Miles pulled up along the grass of his front yard, leaving his car. He would walk home with Dave later from the Staffords' house, allowing both guys to drink freely.
"I can't wait for payday on Friday." She said exhausted from a repetitious shift at the register ringing up groceries for most of the neighborhood parents.
"What are you going to do with it?"
"Clothes." Scott interjected with sarcasm. He scoffed. Kat shot him a look of 'so what'.
"At least I work. You're so lazy, Scott" She countered.
Getting a small part time job, would alleviate having to ask Steve for money for unnecessary items. For her it was not even an option to ask Steve for money. She resented the fact that Scott would.
Scott huddled over, crossing his arms, then rubbing them as a soft wintery breeze wisked by them. Kat shook her head at him freezing. The boys never dressed warm. Wearing short sleeves and a thin sweat jacket up til the first snowfall. Reminding them that it's almost winter was useless. There seemed to be an unwritten rules that boys had, the first to give in to the cold was apparently a wimp.
"Denise Downs came in tonight." Kat mentioned. She knew Miles had a crush on Denise. Kat gave him a slow nudge with her elbow. He gave her a half smile, looking down to conceal his infatuation.
"Who cares, Kat." Scott snapped.
"Miles does." She answered firmly. Then looked at Miles. It was supposed to be a between the boys. But she had overheard them talking in the living room about Denise plenty of times.
This was one of the huge double standards at home. She was never supposed to know what was going on with the boys, but her life was somehow an open topic of their conversations. It was completely unfair.
The roar of a car and piercing white beams slowly crept up behind them. Scott glanced over his shoulder then forward and stuffed his hands in his pockets.
"Crap, it's Jimmy." He faintly announced. Kat turned her head to see a shiny red Camaro approaching.
"Who is he?" Kat asked as the rumble of the car grew louder. She wasn't familiar with anyone in a Camaro, especially a sparkling new cherry red one. No one she knew had that kind of money.
"Remember Jerry Williams', the kid Sean beat up? It's his younger brother, Jimmy." Scott informed as his voice quivered.
The car stopped along the sidewalk beside them. The two doors swung open and four kids exited. Following Scotts lead, Miles and Kat stopped, and faced the car. Miles ran his hand through his thin long brown hair removing it from his face. He tucked it behind his ear, preparing for a confrontation.
"Hey, losers." Jimmy smirked.
Kat's eyebrows came together. The arrogance of this jerk to come into their neighborhood and call them losers! He had to be crazy.
This kid obviously was looking for some sort of retaliation for Sean putting his brother in the hospital last year. A part of her couldn't blame him. Sean would do the same thing if something happened to one of them, but Jerry asked for it. He teased that their dad died to get away from them and out of the projects. That's why Sean went after him. Which is the reason why Officer Holloway felt bad arresting Sean. It was difficult for Kat to even repeat it in her head, let alone ever do say something like that to anyone.
"Look Williams, we aren't looking for any trouble, we're just going home." Miles said. He knew Jimmy best. They were in the same grade. Miles hated fights, that was one of the biggest reasons Steve never minded Miles hanging around. Miles kept Scott out of trouble.
"Shut up, Miles!" Jimmy snapped leaning into Miles.
"Don't tell him to shut up!" Kat interjected. She had to defend Miles. He was a sweetheart. He was caring and companionate, despite his tough exterior. Kat was as protective of her friends as she was to the little kids in the foster home.
"Well, well. Who do we have here? Who are you?" Jimmy turned his head to the female voice, who he had nearly escaped his taunts. Jimmy took two steps and stood facing Kat. He comfortably crossed his arms.
"Back off Williams!" Miles spat. Miles threw his arm between Jimmy and Kat, keeping Jimmy at a distance from her. Kat wasn't surprised Miles would guard her. He was the nurturing type, and not surprised Scott didn't bat an eye not to protect her. Typical Scott, unless she was in dyer trouble, she was on her own.
Jimmy swatted Miles' arm away.
"Bring it on Miles! I'm ready. Anytime. Anyplace. But I want Sean there!"
Kat shook. The raised voices brought her back to the foster home and the bullying boys. Putting on a strong exterior meant she wasn't a nervous wreck on the inside. She clutched her arm. Her only comfort was that Kat knew a fight would never happen. After Sean's arrest, their mother forbid them to fight and Steve enforced her rule making sure none of them got in anymore trouble. Jimmy refocused on Kat.
"Hey, why don't you dump these losers and we'll take you home?" Jimmy suggested. Kat was disgusted, what a creep, no wonder Sean hated him.
Miles' stepped up. "If you bother her, Steve will kill you. Go home." Miles voice raised.
"Oh, really? Who is she? The Golden Girl of Garden City?" Jimmy chuckled.
"Get lost Jimmy!" Miles reiterated.
"Come on Miles! Let's fight! Right now!" Jimmy threw out his hand to Miles' chest. Miles stumbled, but caught himself.
"Get off him asshole!" Scott yelled and leaned forward thrusting Jimmy back from Miles.
"Hey! You got a problem?" A familiar deep voice cut through the night air.
Everyone's heads whipped to the street. It was Steve with Sean and Dave behind him. Kat's shoulders dropped. It was Steve. Just like before he left, she could always count on him. He was always there. She smiled. Steve wasn't going to take their crap. He wasn't going to fight either. Steve would get their butts out of the neighborhood peacefully. That's why everyone loved being around him. He didn't take crap from anyone and didn't fight, but got the issue resolved. He was amazing.
"Do you have a problem?"
Steve, focused on Jimmy, with Sean and Dave behind him walked toward Jimmy. She never saw Steve afraid of anyone. Especially, not some punk bothering his family.
A small smile grew on Kat's face. Her shoulders dropped. Steve really would have brought her home as soon as he could. Steve stopped in front of Jimmy. He looked toward the sidewalk and nodded to Scott.
"Scott, take Kat home." Miles took his place behind Steve, with Sean and Dave. If there was a fight, it was four on four now. The odds were as even as they could possibly get.
Jimmy casually stepped out into the street with crossed arms. He stopped in front of his car. His friends gathered behind him as he focused on Steve.
"Well look who it is. Miles was right. We found the golden girl that brings out the Stafford gang." Jimmy stated sarcastically.
Steve locked his eyes to Jimmy's. He pointed aggressively at Jimmy. "I'm warning you. If you touch that girl, I will lay your ass out!"
"Hey, whatever." Jimmy smirked and threw up his hands as if it were all a joke. "We were just fooling around. We're leaving anyway." Jimmy's gang retreated to the glistening red Camaro.
As they drove by the gang, Jimmy rolled down his window and shouted "I'll be seeing you later Sean!"
~§~
At home, Steve was filled in on the whole story.
"So he doesn't know who Kat is then?" Steve asked with concern.
"No." Miles answered confidently.
"Good. It's probably better that way." Frustrated with this new situation on his hands, Steve continued as he stood making his way to the stairs, "Christ you guys, watch your back when you're out, alright? And watch Kat."
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