Chapter 2

I am currently sitting in the school canteen. Yup! The canteen with Catherine. Yes! Catherine and I'm smiling Yeah! Smiling for the first time in freaking 6 years. 

Okay, maybe that's an exaggeration, I do smile sometimes but it's rare for me to smile in the same room as Natalie. 

"Yeah, and then my brother got a green bean stuck up in his nose" Catherine said laughing.

She was telling me about the pranks her brother and her play on each other and all I do is smile. As funny as it is, all I did was smile. 

Catherine's laugh almost filled the canteen that all eyes were on me. Okay on her, no, on us.

The laughter on the jocks table cleared as everyone was now looking at Catherine who was eating her food, still talking and laughing not noticing the stares and glares she is receiving. 

"um... Kate?" I tried to caution her but she isn't listening.

"funny right?" she says closing her eyes, throwing her head back, still laughing. 

Then clicking of heels were heard. My eyes widened as I spot Natalie and her minions,  Jeanette and Eleanor moving towards us. 

This can't end well, I thought. 

Catherine still oblivious to what was happening stopped when Natalie banged her hands on our table. 

I jump slightly but tried to hide the fear on my face.

Catherine opened her eyes to a furious Natalie. She smiles "hi" she said not caring about the looks on Natalie's face. 

"So, you prefer sitting with this loser than..." Natalie started but was cut off by a voice.

I'm certain it's not mine. 

"I can take physical, mental and spiritual abuse but what I can't take is abusing my friend. Especially" she pauses looking at the reaction on Natalie's face 

"my best friend" she completed as everyone gasps. I didn't miss the smirk on Catherine's face. 

Is it my ear or did she just call me her best friend? No, it's only my eyes that have defect not my ear, I heard that correctly. Maybe she is trying to piss Natalie off which is totalling working. 

If it's in cartoons like Tom and Jerry, Natalie's face would have been red and swell like a balloon.

"So, this ugly nerdy loser" Natalie repeated again, looking at me with disgust. 

"...is your best friend" Natalie ask finally switching her gaze to Catherine. 

"Yup, do you have a problem with that?" Catherine said smiling. 

Everyone "ooh"again enjoying the scene

"You know, nobody talks back... to...to me" Natalie said embarrassed. 

"There is a first time for everything" Catherine replied smirking at me cuz she said the same thing to me. 

"You know you will regret this" Nat said and starts walking away. 

"Nice meeting you too" Catherine shouted back nicely.

"Hey Natalie, you know I could cut the sleeves of my clothes for you to join to your clothes so it will cover you a bit, I'm humane, you can thank me later" everyone laughed at this. 

This time, Natalie glared at me. If looks could kill, I would be toast right now. 

Why me?! I wasn't the one who embarrassed her. 

I was mentally thanking Catherine for what she did. I mean nobody have ever been able to talk back to her. She was feared. 

Natalie and her minions stomped outside. Even her toyboy was laughing. 

He winked at me. 

Okay, I need to wear two glasses at a time cos I think I'm seeing things now. 

Kendall winked at me?!

Just then, the bell rang for next class indicating the end of lunch. 

"What do you have now" Catherine asked as if nothing happened. 

"Chemistry" I said. Trying my best to ignore it too.

"Great, I have chemistry too. Let's walk to class together" She said standing up adjusting her hair. 

I stood up too "uh...sure" I said but I couldn't stop thinking about all that happened today. 

I was more than embarrassed today that I had to miss my first period, I made a friend who called me her best friend in less than 5 hours, My new friend embarrassed my bitchy cousin and my bitchy cousin's toyboy winked at me. 

I will never forget you, Catherine, even though you leave me. 

Finally, the bell I dreaded was rung. The bell where I have to leave this hell hole to an ultra hell hole.

"Hey mel, what you thinking about?" my best friend interrupted my thought. 

"Nothing, I said, what will you be doing after school" I asked her in an attempt to change the subject. 

I haven't known her for 24 hours yet but I know she is stubborn. 

We picked our bags and head out. 

"I have an after-school job, so I'm heading there after school. It's a restaurant. You can come there anytime" Catherine said. "What about you, what you doing when you get home?" she asked 

"Who? Me?" I laugh. "Nothing, just do some revision while listening to either Ariana Grande or Taylor Swift song" I said adjusting my backpack. 

"You really are a nerd" she pouts jokingly and we laughed. 

"You should really search for a job if your parent will allow you" Catherine said 

If only you knew my parent are no more. 

"Having a job can be stressful but I guarantee you, it's a lot of fun" she smiles as if remembering something. 

Then a body bumped into me "Watch where you're going, bitch? Natalie barked. 

"Hey, what's your problem with Mel, uh? " Catherine asked taking a threatening step near Natalie.

I held her back to avoid her involved in a fight and getting suspension on her first day in school. 

Natalie saw this and smirked "Coward" she said and trotted away, her heels clicking on the floor. 

"That slut need to be taught a lesson, why'd you hold me back" Catherine asked annoyed. 

"What was I supposed to do, let you get involved in a fight and get suspended because of me? Nah! Not gonna happen" I said trying to force a smile. 

She hugged me. "You're the best" she said and a very fancy and I guess very expensive car stopped in front of us. 

"That's my ride. Ya need a ride home" Catherine asked. 

"Nah, I'm good" I told her. 

"Are you sure" she asked looking into my eyes for any sort of lie but in the last few years, I've learnt to hide my feelings. No one can read me. 

"Yeah sure. Don't keep your dad waiting" I said pushing her with my finger. 

"My dad?" she asked and laughed "That's my driver till I get my license which is in a few weeks or days from now" she replied laughing. 

I mouthed an "oh"

If her family is that rich then why would she need an after-school job.

We exchanged numbers and she said goodbye "see you tomorrow, Mel" she said as she opened the car door and entered the passenger's seat. The car moved while Catherine still waved until she was out of sight. 

I got home and was happy that no one was at home. I hurried to my room and locked the door. 

If there is one thing I'm grateful to my aunt for, it's giving me my own room. My school tuition fee is payed from the money my parent left for me and the ones they had in their account which my aunt selfishly had for herself and her family. 

I turned my laptop on, it was my father's and I had kept it safely with me. Even my aunt didn't know I had it else she would have sold it and used the money to buy clothes for herself or jewellery or heels. 

I posted about me looking for a job and I started doing my homework waiting for replies. 

The first reply came and i clicked on it to check it out.