A/N Bit of a shorter chapter today,  but the content should make up for that :)

Hopefully :/

Thank you all so much for your votes and comments and follows! Half of this book is you guys deciding to read my writing <3

Enjoy!

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*Kaitlyn MacDonald*

I hole up in my room for most of the weekend, only coming down for meals. Burying my head in my books is a good distraction from Drew and Chelsea and whatever the heck is going on between the two of them.

I'm pretty sure Drew knows about Chelsea's and my history. Right?

Even if he doesn't, it still hurts.

Grandma and Jordan have tried to talk to me about Friday night, but I refuse to talk to them. I think I'm entitled to at least a few days of wallowing in self-pity before I should have to face the world again.

Beth called me for details early on Saturday morning, but I didn't answer. Besides, my phone was halfway across the room charging, and I couldn't be bothered to get up from my laptop to go get it.

Monday morning comes all too soon.

I drag myself out of bed slowly and into the shower, not bothering to look in the mirror. While in the shower, I almost start crying, but then I slap myself.

"Get ahold of yourself, Kaitlyn," I growl out, teeth gritted. "Drew does not like you. Drew likes Chelsea. He is allowed to like whoever he wants. You were never dating him. You've known him for all of half a month, probably. Pull yourself together, now!"

That seems to do the trick. I blink, and the tears disappear from my eyes.

Wait, why am I talking to myself again?

Because you like Drew, my brain says.

Yeah, brain. I know. I'd think it was rather obvious with the way I've been acting this whole weekend.

But no matter. I just have to suffer through tutoring sessions with him once a day, and that's all the interaction I have to have with him.

The first step of getting over someone is admitting you like them. Check!

I'm shaken out of my reverie by someone banging on my bathroom door.

"Kaitlyn!" hollers Sam. "We're going to be late, let's get a move on here! I have a test first hour and I cannot be late!"

"Coming!" I yell back. "Keep your pants on!"

"Will do, sis!" comes the reply.

Ten minutes later I am dried off, dressed, and drowning my sorrows in a strawberry smoothie.

When I glance at the clock, I sigh in relief. It's only 7:10, plenty of time to make it to school.

<.>

After Sam and I get out of the car, he disappears like normal. Usually I would fine-tune my mind to school, but I decide to follow Sam for a little bit and see what he does in the mornings before class starts. Besides, I'm not in any hurry to meet up with anybody right now. Anybody being Drew.

I spot him rounding a corner, and casually stroll around it a few seconds later. Looking around, I see him talking.

With a girl?

I'm about to go up and confront them, but the warning bell rings, and I lose them to the throng of students making their way to their first hour class.

The rest of the morning passes by in a daze. At least twice a teacher had to call my name to get my attention, and at least twice I had to smile and ask them to repeat the question.

By lunchtime I'm about ready to give up. Plodding my feet down the junior hallway after fourth hour, I stop at my locker and slowly change my books. Just as I'm about to shut it after grabbing my lunch, a voice calls out my name.

"Kaitlyn!"

My head whips around, a half smile on my face. However, it quickly drops as I take in who's calling me.

Chelsea Tempest.

"Kaitlyn!" She says again. "I saw you at the game last night! Wasn't it great?"

I wince internally. I'm way too out of it to deal with this level of cheerfulness.

"Yeah. It was great." The apathy in my voice is evident, but either she doesn't notice or she chooses to ignore it.

"So," she begins, leaning on the locker next to mine.

Drew's locker, I think to myself.

"I wanted to talk to you about Drew. You didn't have anywhere to be, right?" she laughs, a high-pitched clear laugh.

So annoying.

"No, I don't. What about Drew did you want to talk about?" Part of me is curious, while the other half is just about ready to slap her across the face with my lunchbox.

"Just... how his mood seems to have changed lately. He's usually pretty moody, but over the past couple of weeks, he's seemed to be happier. Would you happen to know why that is?"

Her voice is light enough, but I can see in her eyes an ulterior motive.

"Not that I can think of," I say, choosing my words carefully. "If I may, why do you care?"

Her eyes flash dangerously. "Why do I care? Let me tell you why I care. I care because I care about Drew and his happiness, okay! A better mood means a happier Drew, and I just want to know what you've been doing to make him happier! So. Tell. Me. What. You. Did," she finishes, poking my chest with each accentuated word.

I quickly back away from her sharp nails and sharper words. "Excuse me? Why do you think it's me making him happy when he seemed so content with you Friday night?"

"Because it's obvious he likes you!" she cries out. "Are you so blind that you can't see it? I've heard him talk and talk about you to his sister when he thinks no one else is listening."

"Lies! Why would he be talking about me when you two obviously like each other?" I scream in frustration.

Chelsea throws her hands up in defeat. "Done! I'm done! If he hasn't told you by now, I guess I'm wrong about him liking you. If something like this were going on with me, I would definitely tell whoever it was as soon as I could."

"Tell them what? Why?"

"To avoid stupid arguments like this!" With that, Chelsea Tempest storms away from me, and down the hall.

I stand in a shocked silence for a few moments before locking my locker like nothing had happened.

"Well," I say out loud. "That was certainly interesting." And I go to lunch, wondering what just happened.

<.>

I'm still mad and confused later on, and during our tutoring session Drew notices.

"Nerd, what's wrong?" he asks. "Did something happen today?"

"Wouldn't you like to know," I grumble.

"Kaitlyn, seriously," he says, putting his pencil down and taking my hand. "Look at me."

I do, but it takes me a few seconds more than necessary to meet his eye.

"What?" I spit. "One girlfriend isn't enough for you? You just have to have me too, huh?"

Drew drops my hand, a puzzled look on his face. "What are you talking about? I'm currently single and ready to mingle."

"Don't lie to me!" I laugh, the harsh sound cutting through the otherwise silent room. "I know about you and Chelsea. I've seen you two together. How else do you explain Friday, after the game?"

To my surprise, Drew starts laughing. Hard. Head thrown back and white straight teeth showing, Drew McCarthy is laughing.

"Why are you laughing?" I seethe. "What is so funny? Don't you two like each other?"

"Of course not!" He grins, eyes still full of mirth. "She's my cousin."

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A/N

SKADOOSH! WHO SAW THAT COMING?

I didn't do my homework today. oops

thoughts on this chapter?

any predictions for/theories of future chapters?

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-veggie straws are tasty

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