Sean and Dave dropped them off at the party and went to pick up their girlfriends and returned to the house. They weren't much into going out to party anymore. They preferred to stay home and drink with Miles and Steve.
"I'll be back at 11:30, alright?" Kat walked up the lush lawn, crossing her arms from the chill of the fall night air. She stepped through the front door behind Scott into the foyer. She shook off the chill and looked up.
There he was, his gorgeous smile, bright blonde hair, he was hot as hell. A smile leaped onto her face as Billy looked her way. She waited as he came to meet her where she stood.
"Hey Kat, you look nice." He laid his hand on the back of her arm.
"Thank you." She smiled back.
"Can we go get something to drink?" Kelly pushed.
"Sure, it's in the kitchen." Billy was surprised at how quickly Kelly, quite forward, no small talk, just straight to partying, but he didn't mind. It was Kat he wanted to talk to.
They followed behind Billy as he strolled into the kitchen. Billy lifted four cups from a stack of clear plastic cups on the counter.
Billy handed two cups to Scott. Billy then turned to the sink and turned on the faucet filling a cup with water for Kat. She bit her lip lightly with a smile, as she waited for it to fill, then Billy handed the cup filled with water to Kat. He was such a gentleman.
Kelly and Scott shuffled back out to the crowd of teenagers in the living room, leaving Billy and Kat behind in the kitchen.
"Hey Kat," a kid gave her a shout out as he descended the basement stairs. It was a boy from her computer class. Billy slipped his hand in Kat's and walked back into the living room to find Kat's friends.
~//~
Scott and Kelly were already looking for a room. The two chatted small talk. Billy and Kat stood in the dining room getting to know each other. Kat's back faced the kitchen when they heard a voice.
"Kat. Oh, Kat?" She heard sarcastically. She and Billy whipped their heads to the kitchen doorway. Jimmy leaned on the archway, staring at her with the grin of a cheshire cat. Her heart raced. His arms crossed with his gang standing behind him. Jimmy pushed off the doorway and stepped toward her.
"Well, well. If it isn't the golden girl of Garden City." Jimmy snarled. He and Kat locked eyes. She gulped then took a breath and straightened up, suppressing her nerves. She drew from strength inside herself, just as she had done in the foster home against the bullies.
"What do you want, Jimmy?" Kat asked firmly. Her eyes rolled to the ceiling. She knew what he wanted...Sean.
Kat stood before him tall. Jimmy wouldn't be foolish enough to try anything, not with her brothers around. Unlike the home, this was her town.
"Kat Stafford. Well, well, what do you know. Another Stafford. Jesus, how many of you are there?" He tilted his head.
"Four. I'm the last." She answered. It didn't matter if she told him. Everyone else knew and he would eventually find out.
"Hey, Is there a problem here?"
"Shut up little McCray. This is between me and the Staffords."
"It's okay Billy. I know him." She said. The last thing she wanted was for Billy to be brought into this circus.
"So. The golden girl is Steve's little sister. I should have known, you have Sean's smartass mouth." Jimmy shifted his weight to one foot and crossed his arms.
"Whatever, Jimmy." She answered. Kat tucked a lock of hair behind her ear trying to keep calm.
"So tell me, Kat, what do I need to do to get your brothers to fight?" Kat raised the cup to her. lips She casually took a sip. This is such a ridiculous conversation. It was like he was purposely bothering her because she was the girl of the family, the easiest target, because she wouldn't fight back.
"They don't fight Jimmy, you know that!" Her voice rose. Kat took survey of the room. They had attracted the attention of nearly half the party. Wide-eyed stares and silence replaced chattering teenagers. A little embarrassed she would let Jimmy get to her in front of everyone. But Jimmy seemed to be relishing the attention.
"Come on, Kat. I want your brothers! You better set up a fight!" Jimmy pressed. His dark chocolate eyes unflinched on hers.
"You had your chance already and you left. You don't get a second chance." Kat stated firmly. She was not going to be bullied by him. Her confidence strengthened.
All she could think about was boldly standing against the boy at the foster home, his rage, shoving her, then her jettising into the fireplace. She took her arm placing it over the scar.
"Hey, come on, if you have a problem with her brother you should go to him." Billy interjected. He stepped close to Jimmy. Kat appreciated his concern and coming to her aide.
"I'm not talking to you!" Jimmy leaned in close to her, his annoying shrill voice. "You better set something up, golden girl." He demanded.
"Jimmy! I am not Sean! If you want to fight him, go talk to him!" She snapped and twirled around away from him. Jimmy and his group stomped off, through a crowd of stunned teens. Chattering commenced, drowned yet again by the blaring music.
Kat turn her head apologetically to Billy as he stepped around to her. To her surprise, he caressed her arm gently.
"Are you ok?" Billy asked. His face plagued with concern.
"Yes. I'm fine." She gave a forced smile. Maybe it wasn't so bad taking Jimmy on in front of the everyone. She was being propelled into instant popularity and catching the eye of the guys and some of the girls too. And Billy was there, by her side with a watchful eye. Just a freshman, she was in with an older and tougher crowd and holding her own.
"I wasn't sure if I should step in. I didn't know what was going on." Billy confessed, baffled by the encounter.
"It's okay. There's nothing going on, but it's getting late, Sean will be coming soon. I'd rather meet him outside. I don't want Jimmy to see him. I don't want them fighting." Kat said in a calm tone, downplaying the situation.
She took comfort that Billy jumped in to back her up without knowing the situation. He could have ended up in a fight, but he jumped in anyway.
"Yeah, I agree with you. I'll go find Scott and let him know we're leaving. Stay with Sharon. I'll be right back."
"Okay." Kat said agreeably. Sharon laid her arm across Kat's shoulders. The two stood in a small group of Billy's friends. Who were standing close by, watching the confrontation.
Kat rubbed her arm and the questions from her friends ensued. Kat downplayed the situation as a small squabble.
Kat felt a hand on her lower back. "Kat, Scott's outside. Are you ready to go?"
"Yes. Bye Sharon." Kat gave a short wave to the group. Billy led her to the door and out onto the lush lawn.
"You were great in there tonight." Billy proudly stated, escorting her out.
"Thanks." She smiled and locked in on his heart warming baby blue eyes. Her knees felt weak. Billy leaned in for a kiss, Kat puckered her lips and gave him a peck, then pulled back not quite ready for a serious kiss.
Billy stepped back. His eyes widened and his eyebrows came together.
She panicked for a moment, but just then the corners of his mouth slowly curved upward. Kat smiled back. He seemed ok with just getting a quick kiss. She took a deep breath of relief.
Sean's car pulled up to the curb. He hopped out and darted up the vibrant green manicured lawn straight at Kat. His palm landed on Billy's chest and Billy stumbled backwards. Taking her arm, Sean turned her to his grey Mustang. He put his hand on her back and ushered her to his car. Scott jumped in the opposite side.
"God damn kid!" Sean slammed his door. Kat couldn't hold back her smile, she gave Billy a short wave to him though the window, keeping her hand low against her chest, but Sean caught her, her smile dropped, then slowly rose again.
ns 18.68.41.148da2
