Lunchtime was a circus, but luckily for Katherine it wasn’t as crazy as a public school. Even so, since each grade got out for lunch, there was quite a bit of students gathered in the lunchroom.

  As she approached and sat at a table with Maylin and Kyle, Maylin gave her a little smile, patting a spot next to her. Katherine sat across from her, and Maylin frowned.

  “What’s the matter, Katty? Did something lower your spirits?”

  Katherine glowered. “I told you not to call me that.”

  “Katty?!” Kyle chuckled. “That’s a new one.”

  “It’s not anything to be concerned with,” Katherine said with a wave of her hand, her voice dangerous as if warning anyone else to say it.

  “I don’t think she likes the nickname, May,” Kyle’s little brother, William Cartwright, said. He had decided to join them for lunch and looked like he regretted it already.

  William was a freshman, a kind and soft-spoken kid with a warm heart. Quite the opposite of Kyle.

  “Thank you, Will,” Katherine said.

  Maylin sat up with a jerk, pointing an index finger at them. “How come you guys can use nicknames but when I use them it’s off limits?” She grabbed William and tousled his hair about as he tried to pull away from her.

  William wiggled free and straightened his blonde hair, tugging at his little ponytail that was tied at the back, his warm green eyes glancing bashfully at the floor.

  “Because,” Katherine said. “Will is actually the shortened version of William, just as May is short for Maylin. Whereas Katty just doesn’t fit.”

  “Oh, so you’re making assumptions now, are you?” Maylin said, raising an eyebrow. “What if Katty is actually the short version of Katherine, hmm? And if not, certainly Kat is.” She followed that up with an imitation of a cat meow while making a pawing motion with her hand. A quick and curious look crossed her face before pulling out her phone to check, because she obviously didn’t know.

  Katherine sighed and turned to William. “William?”

  William met her eyes, shifting nervously. “Do you mind the nickname Will? Or would you prefer William?”

  “W-will is fine,” he said, his face going red as he rubbed the side of his neck.

  “That settles that,” Katherine said, looking to Maylin as if it had indeed been settled, even though everyone knew Maylin wouldn’t drop it.

  Maylin placed her hand on the top of William’s head which made him go even redder. “Of course, he’s going to say it’s all right when you’re all doom and gloom all the time, bringing that intense energy of yours at him. You think cute little William is going to challenge big-old-meanie Katherine when she can’t even handle something as lighthearted as a nickname like Katty?”

  Katherine frowned. “Can we talk about something else?”

  “Fine,” Maylin said, pointing a finger at Katherine. “You can’t call me May, then.”

  “All right,” Katherine said with a nod and pleased smile.

  “How about that English class?” Kyle said. “I can’t believe we got Henry Stegner. And he already assigned us reading on Romeo and Juliet of all things. Like, come on, dude, can’t you ease us in slowly? I mean, it’s an English class, right? So, how about we just talk for the first week? That sounds much better than reading some old story.”

  William lit up at the mention of Romeo and Juliet. “Oh, that is a good story. It’s a classic.”

  “Says the bookworm,” Kyle joked, bumping into him.

  Katherine couldn’t help but smile at the image of William squished between Maylin and Kyle.

  William deflated a little. “It’s a classic piece of literature, though. Which is probably why it was assigned.”

  “You know it’s a tragedy, right?” Maylin said with a frown. “Besides, you like it cause you share the name with the author.”

  “It’s tragic you know that,” Kyle said.

  “Wait,” Katherine said with a concerned stare. “How do you even know that?” Maylin was into gossip, being dramatic, things like this. But Romeo and Juliet?

  “I know plenty of things about tragedies.” Maylin said, jabbing her fork at Katherine. “Like how tragic it is that Katherine doesn’t want to date anyone.”

  Katherine stiffened. “I never said I didn’t want to date. I just don’t have time for it.”

  “Blah, blah, blah,” Maylin said, swinging her fork around. “You always have an excuse to get away from anything fun. Even Abigail would agree.”

  William shifted at the mention of Abigail’s name. “H-how is Abigail?” He blinked and smiled in a way that gave away more than he should have. Maylin and Kyle both smirked. Even Katherine gave him a knowing glance.

  “See,” Maylin said, pointing an accusatory finger at William. “Even Kyle’s little brother has more interest in dating than you, Katty.”

  Grrr. If she wanted war, Katherine would bring the battle.

  “I never said I wasn’t interested in dating, May,” William said, trailing off with a rub of his neck. “I’m just not desperate for it.”

  “Well, well, well,” Maylin said, tapping the top of his head again. “Aren’t we the brave one today.

  “Eh, it’s all good, bro,” Kyle said, slapping Maylin’s hand away. He tapped his little brother on the back. “Nothing wrong with a healthy dose of being attracted to a girl.”

  “I was just”—he shifted in his seat, his eyes darting about—"wondering how Abigail was doing is all.”

  “At least one Cartwright is a gentleman,” Maylin said, eyeing Kyle as if displeased at having her hand slapped away.

  “Hey,” Kyle said, leaning back and placing a hand against his chest as if offended. “I resent that.” He was totally kidding, which was evidenced by his sly smile.

  Katherine had been holding in anger, seething with a red face. “If you don’t stop calling me Katty, I’m going to divulge your secrets to everyone here.” Katherine had had enough of Maylin’s antics and complete disregard of boundaries.

  “Oh, ho-ho,” Maylin said, sitting up straight as if welcoming this challenge. “I have no secrets to hide, no skeletons in my closet, nothing you know that will work.” Her smile widened as she continued, and Katherine’s heart sunk because Maylin knew that she had a crush on Kyle. It was the thing that had led her into the bathroom earlier, had flustered her, and she was a complete fool to challenge the gossip girl that somehow knew everything about everyone. “You, on the other hand, have plenty of secrets I’m sure everyone’s dying to know about.” She jabbed her fork toward Katherine as she spoke.

  This time Katherine deflated, slumped, and lay forehead against her folded arms. “Fine, you can call me Katty all you want.” She had totally forgotten that she had divulged to Maylin that she did have a crush on Kyle. Entrusting Maylin with this was not a good idea, so she was the fool this time.

  “Oh,” Maylin said with a frown. “Now it’s no fun.” And that was usually how things went with Maylin. But still, the damage had been done because Katherine noticed that Kyle looked like he wanted to know her secret.

  “Now on the note of tragedies,” Maylin said. “Even though Romeo and Juliet has a tragic end, it is also a tale of pure, unbridled romance that shows us what is possible when you find true love. Which means our little William here has more romance than his big brother.”

  “He probably does,” Kyle said with a smirk and a wink.

  Katherine lifted her head and frowned. “You know that both Romeo and Juliet die at the end, right?”

  “Spoiler alert,” Kyle said.

  “Not by choice,” Maylin said, nodding. “It’s thrust upon them by the cruel world.” She made a stabbing motion against her heart before leaning forward as if dead for a moment. She then clasped her hands together, her eyes glossy and big. “A love like that, a love worth dying for, is the kind of love and passion I need.” Maylin let out a little sigh like that of an unrequited lover might.

  “You’re quite the hopeless romantic, aren’t you?” Kyle said.

  “No, she’s just hopeless,” Katherine said, making them all chuckle.

  Maylin puffed her cheeks out, then eyed Katherine’s food, and her single dumpling left, drool drooping at the side of her mouth. Her eyes were huge as she stared at the miraculous sight, pointing one finger at them. “Are those pork dumplings?” She gave a devilish smile as if she was going to pull a fast one and take the last dumpling for herself and made her move to take it.

  Katherine swished her chopsticks in a defensive movement, stopping Maylin’s fork in its tracks. “Not today, young grasshopper.” Katherine then snatched up the dumpling, and downed it in a quick bite and gulp. “Mmmm, it’s soooo good.” She wiped her mouth with a finger.

  “No fair,” Maylin said, sitting back and crossing her arms like a pouting child. Not a moment later she had forgotten about it as she pulled out a box of mint and fudge cookies and began munching on them. Katherine wondered how Maylin kept such a good figure while eating so much junk food all the time. Maybe it all went to her chest, as it was… generous.

  “You two are such a cute couple,” Kyle said with a sly smile, popping peanuts in his mouth.

  “What do you know?” Maylin said with a mouthful of cookies.

  “I know a lot.” Kyle smirked. “Like, if you eat cookies and dumplings like that, you’ll probably gain weight.”

  Maylin leaned back in shock, and even Katherine looked abashed as she let out a little hiccup and covered her mouth.

  “Whoa, that’s crossing a line, buddy,” Maylin said, standing quickly and spitting out pieces of cookies from her mouth.

  Katherine on the other hand, after gulping down the dumpling, looked ashamed, staring down at her stomach. She did eat a lot of carbs, and… No, she couldn’t doubt herself, not now, not in front of Kyle. Not in front of them all. And his comment was quite uncalled for. “Why would you say that, Kyle?” She spat his name angrily and pushed her nose in the air. While it wasn’t untrue she wasn’t going to let him know that.

  “Is this how you guys usually are?” William looked like he wanted to leave and go find other people to sit with. He had only joined because Kyle had told him it would be chill. Plus, he really wanted to go sit with a group of freshmen and a cute girl that was in his last class.

  Maylin noticed William eyeing a girl at another table. “Oh ho-ho, is that Samantha Ashe you’re eyeing?”

  William turned away in quick movement. “No! I-I wasn’t looking at anyone.”

  “Sureeee,” Maylin said, shoving another cookie in her mouth. “Maybe you should go say ‘hi’… Who knows, maybe she likes the silent and shy type.”

  “Leave it alone, Maylin,” Kyle said, his voice a bit harsh in that moment. He was getting fed up with her antics.

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  “Fine,” Maylin said, frowning. “I’m just trying to help.”

  The table went silent for a moment at the rising tension.

  William shifted in his seat. “I suppose I am interested in her.”

  Maylin and Kyle smiled at this. William lifted his hands in front of him, waving them about like a shield. “But I don’t want to go say ‘hi,’ all right? And”—he gulped—“I-I don’t want her to know, okay?”

  Kyle gave him a playful little tap, looking pleased himself. “Don’t worry, bro. Your secret is safe with us.”

  “Yeah, it’s definitely safe with us. My lips are sealed.” Maylin made a little motion as if zipping her lips shut.

  Katherine and Kyle looked doubtful as Maylin tended to gossip. But if it was for William, she’d probably keep the secret. Hopefully. She did have some secrets she was able to keep.

  Katherine, not sure why she was saying what she was saying, suddenly spoke. “I think you should go over and talk to her.”

  Both Maylin and Kyle leaned back with shock. And while William may have gone against what Maylin and his older brother told him, Katherine was a different story.

  “I was watching her,” Katherine said, looking in the direction of the table in question. “And I noticed her looking over at our table, and not because Maylin and Kyle’s bantering is obnoxious, but because she noticed something about you. Did you talk to her in class?”

  “I said ‘hi’,” William said, squirming on the spot.

  “And, what else?” Katherine said, as if lecturing Abigail, which she was quite used to these days. Younger students, and siblings, often needed a pep talk.

  “Nothing,” he said, shifting on his seat and rubbing his neck. “Just a little conversation.”

  “Did she say anything back?”

  “Not much,” William said, thinking. “She smiled though.”

  “Hmm,” Katherine said, tapping a finger against chin. “Go over there and tell her you’d like to sit with her. That way you’ll know if she likes you or not. If she lets you sit, you have a chance. If not, well, then at least you’ll know.”

  “Yeah, but it’s scary,” he said.

  “Life often is,” she said, placing a hand upon his gingerly, which made him blush, but he didn’t pull away. “If you don’t do it now, you’ll regret it forever. And it’s better to know than to not know, right? Especially with something you want to do. Trust me.” She smiled warmly.

  He gulped, looking from her unwavering confident eyes to the table Samantha Ashe sat at. He then looked at his brother as if to get his approval. “W-what do you think?”

  “I think,” he said, steadying himself and glancing at Katherine as he always enjoyed her genuine and caring nature. There was truth in what she said, and he nodded and smiled. “She’s right. Go do it.”

  “Do it, do it, do it,” Maylin chanted with encouragement, slamming her fist on the table, which got looks from Katherine and Kyle. “What?” She said, leaning back with bafflement. “I can’t encourage him, but you two can? Sheesh.”

  William set his fork down, rubbed his hands on his pants, and nodded. “Okay, I’m going to do it.” He pushed out a breath. “Here goes.” He rose from his seat and shuffled over. They watched him intently, all of them eager to see what would happen for different reasons. He had left his plate half-eaten, and as Maylin reached for his leftover brownie, Kyle slapped her hand away.

  They watched William arrive at the table. He said some things and nodded his head, then… sat. So she agreed then? Interesting. The two of them slowly turned to Katherine, who, in her usual style, was zoned in on watching William, leaning against her propped-up arm with a pleased smile. When she noticed them eyeing her, she was pulled out of her reverie.

  “What?” She frowned, knowing immediately that she was about to get barraged with questions.

  “What… was that?” Maylin said with a baffled tone as if the unexpected just happened. It just wasn’t Katherine’s style. So, why had she done it? Maylin was curious, and Kyle didn’t disagree as his silence and piercing eyes were penetrating.

  Katherine felt her nerves rise, her tone serious and stern. “I just said what I felt was right.”

  “Reeeaally,” Maylin said, squinting her eyes.

  Kyle seemed to agree as he sat back and nodded, looking pleased.

  Maylin, on the other hand, was not pleased. “But why… Why’d you do it?” It wasn’t in Katherine’s nature to encourage something like that. Something she wouldn’t do herself, so it was suspect. Maylin leaned forward as if interrogating a suspect.

  Katherine shrugged. “Why not?” While Katherine never cared for this kind of comeback, it had its uses. An easy escape.

  “That’s not a reason,” Maylin said with that same, cautious tone. She knew it was a nonanswer, so she wasn’t going to let up.

  “It’s reason enough for me,” Kyle said, which finalized the manner, even if Maylin didn’t want to budge. Still, she was outvoted this time, so she let up, for now. She’d pounce later, as she wasn’t going to just let Katherine off the hook that easily.

  Katherine always appreciated this about Kyle. He was usually smooth, chill, and easy-going, but when he got serious people took it seriously, especially Maylin, and so she had backed off.

  Katherine had a sinking feeling from the sly little smile Maylin held when she had devious thoughts that she would ask again later.

  Still, this is why Katherine liked—No, she couldn’t have those thoughts about Kyle, so she cut them off before admitting them. But she also had an additional sinking feeling that they wouldn’t just go away. If anything, they would increase, so she’d have to do something about that as well. Sigh.

  Maylin continued to stare, though, with arms folded, and Katherine knew she would not let this go, so she’d have to come up with an answer that sufficed or suffer her wrath. Perhaps she’d provide Maylin with an offering and sweet distraction in the form of some goodies from her father’s café to help distract her.

  Yeah, that would work. She hoped.

  When William returned, he had sat down with a black stare, one that reminded Katherine of a person that was frightened of roller coasters or at least claimed they were. And after persuasive powers led to said person going on said roller coaster, the person enjoyed themselves, and then sat there with that same look William now had. Add onto that the growing pains of young teenagers and their raging hormones and increased sense of tension toward the opposite sex and dating. William’s look of cluelessness with a mixture of awe made sense.

  And Katherine knew that the outcome was good.

  “So, how’d it go?” Kyle asked, giving him a playful nudge.

  “Yes, please tell us the goodies,” Maylin said, tapping her fingertips together while bouncing excitedly

  Katherine already knew the outcome. She knew that look, and she knew her instincts, so when William smiled and said, “I asked her to go hang out sometime, and… she gave me her number,” she simply smiled. He even lifted his phone showing Samantha Ashe’s number saved in it, incredulous and dumbfounded, but smirking.

  “Way to go, bro,” Kyle said, clasping his shoulder, the movement making William almost drop his phone that he frantically grabbed at as if it is was his lifeline. And those very moments, especially for adolescent boys, feel like life and death, even if they really aren’t.

  “Our young, little bashful warrior has flown the nest,” Maylin said.

  Katherine couldn’t help it at this point, and decided to tease him. “That’s too bad,” she said with a feigned frown. “Abigail was really looking forward to spending time with you.”

  William’s jaw dropped, and he almost lost hold of his phone. “R-really? Well, tell Abigail I-I’m just going to hang out with her, it’s not anything more than that, I—”

  Kyle gripped his shoulder, shaking him out of his sudden stupor. “She’s teasing you, bro.” He let out a little chuckle, giving Katherine a look.

  “Sure,” Maylin said, puffing her cheeks out in a pouting motion and crossing her arms in an angry huff. “When Katherine does it, it’s totally fine. But when I do? Nope.”

  “My little bro’s becoming a man,” Kyle said, squeezing his shoulders as William just smiled awkwardly.

  Maylin glanced from the table that Samantha Ashe sat at, noticing how she was smiling, and… glowing? Even the young ones were connecting and falling in love. What about her, though? She clenched her hands into fists as she grabbed her backpack and chomped on it. “Why, oh cruel world, can’t I find love?”

  “Probably because you’re like that,” Katherine said.

  “I’m sure there’s someone out there that matches your… particularities,” Kyle said with a chuckle.

  She glowered. “At least I have particularities, unlike you who will fall into bed with anyone.”

  Katherine and even William gave a start at her forwardness.

  “That’s not quite true as I wouldn’t fall for you, whether a bed or otherwise was involved.” He popped open a can of soda and slurped away. “Besides, I don’t fall for anyone, they fall for me.”

  “Cocky much?” Maylin leaned back as if disgusted. Then, her eyes moved to Katherine, her smile turning sinister. “What about you, Katherine?”

  As all their eyes fell on Katherine, she couldn’t help but hiccup. Why did Maylin have to suddenly shine the light on her? Cursed Maylin and her prying. Katherine did her best to not react, minus the hiccup. She simply took a cracker from her bag and munched away at it while covering her mouth. “What does it matter?”

  “We just want to know,” Maylin said while pressing her fingertips together and nodding while they all looked at her expectantly.

  Katherine scoffed. “If you want to find love, Maylin, then you should go do it and stop projecting your desires onto me.” That was good, right? It seemed to have sufficed for William and Kyle. Yet why was she being so defensive?

  Maylin pouted, her lip quivering as if she was going to cry. “I’m still working on it, okay. And I do not project.” She laid her chin on the table and frowned as a sadness glittered in her eyes.

  Katherine continued going on the offensive. “Well, you better get on it.” There was a little delight in her voice, and was that a pinch of sarcasm? “You only have the rest of the semester to find someone.”

  “You’re right,” Maylin said, sitting up and clenching her fists as if she was going to jump into battle. “I need to put together a strategy.” She then clamped her hands together, her eyes big and glossy as she looked up in a praying motion. “I mean, I need to find Mr. Right. So, I can’t be messing around? Or perhaps my dreams of having a reverse harem will crumble like Rome.” She looked sinister as she pondered the possibilities, chuckling like a demon.

  They all just stared blankly at her. Katherine was satisfied, though, as the attention had moved away from her, which was often the case when Maylin went on her little random rants.

  “And I’m in this for the long haul, unlike playboy over here,” she said, jabbing a thumb at Kyle. “He just wants a piece here, a piece there, a piece everywhere.”

  “Do you… listen to yourself?” The other two looked like they wanted him to stop as if it might make Maylin blow a gasket, but he kept at it. “Like record some of the stuff you say, put it on playback and repeat, and like really listen?”

  “I speak the truth.”

  “Well,” he said, leaning back in a lounging fashion, a little nod of his head. “I do enjoy a piece here and there, but not as much as the whole thing.” He gave her a wolfish grin. “But don’t worry, I want none of what you got, cause you’re a little bit too top heavy, and I ain’t talking bout intelligence.”

  She clenched her fists in front of her and growled but had nothing to say. “You wish you could taste a piece of this, or at least grab it.” She grabbed one of her breasts and squeezed, and Kyle just shook his head.

  “You really need to think before you speak, or do… anything, May.”

  Kyle knew he had gone too far as both Katherine and his little brother glowered at him as well.

  “Okay,” he said with a shrug and raise of his hands. “I submit. Cuff me, lock me up and throw away the key.” He chuckled. “Y’all need to lighten up. What’s wrong with wanting to have a little fun? Besides, what I do and who I do it with is up to me. My choices, whether you agree with them or not, don’t have to be yours.” And with that, he flicked a little toothpick into his mouth.

  “You are quite the guy, Kyle,” Maylin said.

  “Thank you,” he said, then leaned forward, his eyes falling on Katherine.

  Oh no.

  “All jokes aside, do you have someone in mind in the dating department, Katherine? Someone that sets your heart ablaze. I mean to tell my little bro to do something so brazen and brave like that, you must have some experience in this area, or someone in mind?”

  Maylin looked ecstatic at this turn of events, completely forgetting that Kyle was just making fun of her chest size. Katherine, on the other hand, did not expect that, not from Kyle.

  Gulp. Granted, the logic was sound, so how was she to get out of this one? She thought she had deflected Maylin’s annoying probing for today, but now the heat was on her. Stupid crisscrossing curse.

  Katherine pushed her tray toward Kyle, lifting her nose as she let out a little snort, then pulled out one of her textbooks, plopping it on the table. “When I find someone of interest, or decide to fall in love,” she said, opening the book in a frustrated movement as if to let them know to back off or else. “I’ll be sure to shoot you a text.” There was no smile, no tell on her face, yet the sarcasm was heavy. And even though she wasn’t smiling physically, she felt an inner smirk at this turn of events because she certainly was not going to give into Maylin’s nor Kyle’s little games.

  “Can you be serious for once,” Maylin said with a frown, tapping her fingers against the table as if knowing that they were so close to making Katherine crack and admit that she liked Kyle. She practically looked like a giddy school girl, well… she was a school girl, but—gah, Katherine was so frustrated by it all.

  “Come on,” Maylin said, bouncing her bottom against her seat in excited anticipation like a kid wanting candy. “Just tell us who you like.” Maylin knew exactly who she liked, and she wanted her to say it. This was one piece of gossip she couldn’t tell anyone, and she was dying for Kyle to know. Yet trust was an important thing to her, especially when it came to Katherine. Still, it was so pathetic that Katherine wouldn’t just come out and say it. She was a hypocrite as she had just gotten William to face his fear as if it was nothing, but then had turned away from her own fear, her own truth.

  “I am always serious,” Katherine said, turning the page in her book with a swift motion. She was totally taken away by the content, scribbling notes on her notepad like a diligent student. She would not get caught up in this dramatic romance stuff. Certainly not. Even if her heart was beating as fast her scribbling on the page. She slid a folder from her backpack, pulled out the syllabus and flipped through it. “Just not about the things you want me to be, Maylin.”

  “Well, she has a point,” Kyle said, shrugging and glancing at the clock as lunch was almost over. “Katherine is serious about school and getting good grades and all that. We best not disturb her. Just let her bring about those results like she did with my little bro.” He leaned in and lightly laid the ends of his fingers against Katherine’s hand, his voice low. Katherine did everything she could to not implode and blush like a blooming rose. At the same time, part of her wanted to scream and berate Kyle for doing it, but she held steady. “If you’re ever game, though, I’d love to learn from you sometime.”

  Crap, why’d he speak like that, touch her hand like that, look at her like that?

  She broke, at least her pencil did as the tension from her grip split it at the end, her cheeks crimson. Still, she wouldn’t say it, she wouldn’t admit it. But, did he know? He couldn’t. “W-would you stop doing that?”

  “Doing what?” he said with an innocent smile, that boyish charm oozing through as if he knew exactly what he was doing, and that perhaps he knew exactly what Maylin knew. He pulled his hand away, and Katherine felt a tingling sensation move through her hand and up her forearm and over her body and… No!

  She tensed and fought the sensation, letting it lift. Once it had faded, she let out a sigh and slammed her book shut for emphasis as she was able to break away from his spell, especially in front of prying Maylin that was watching her like a hawk. She shoved her book and things back into her backpack and lifted her eyes to Kyle, then to Maylin, keeping her face as straight as possible as she snatched up her lunch tray with a jerking motion. “If I did have someone in mind, do you really think I’d tell either of you? I think not.”

  She zipped her backup shut and stood in a swift motion, shrugging it over her shoulders before pointing to the clock. “Lunch is over, best not be late.”

  Then she stepped to the trash and emptied her tray and turned and made her leave as the bell rang.