“Does Michelle know you go around telling other girls they’re beautiful?”
“Michelle doesn’t care what I do. She has no say in what I do.”
“She’s been your girlfriend forever.”
“Since tenth grade. Not forever.”
“You’re getting married.”
“Who said that?”
“She did. You forget—I’m on the yearbook and newspaper staff. I know what all the seniors wrote for their plans for the future. She wrote, ‘marry Brett and have kids.’”
Kathryn shook her head. Such a lofty goal…what could one expect from the head cheerleader who had cotton candy for brains? Michelle Bates was another one of the beautiful people who never lowered herself to talk to Kathryn. Not that it mattered much. Michelle was hardly what she wanted in a friend.
Neither was Brett Falcone.
“We might get married,” Brett said. “I don’t know.”
“You didn’t hand in a goal sheet for the yearbook,” Kathryn said. Why she remembered that, who knew?
“No.” He cleared his throat. “Not yet.”
“It’s almost March. We go to print in a few weeks. You better get it in.”
“Yeah. I suppose so. Look, about that soda—”
“I can’t. But thanks.”
“Okay. Next time maybe.”
Right. “Maybe. I’ve got to go. I’ll see you here Monday after school.”
“Sure you can’t do it tomorrow?”
“Positive.”
“Okay then.” He shrugged. “Monday it is.” He sauntered out of the room and down the hallway.
Kathryn gathered her books—and her nerves—and walked down the hallway to Mr. Phillips’s office. She peeked her head in, told him the first session had gone well, left the building and walked the three blocks to her home.
Her skin was hot, and then cold. Sweat covered her brow, and her heart thundered.
Damn. Now was not a good time to be coming down with a virus. She inhaled, then threw her backpack on the counter and reached into the refrigerator for a soda. She downed half of it before she realized she was still remembering Brett’s touch on her lower lip.
Chapter Four
Carefully Kathryn unfolded the weathered note.
“I’ve been carrying that around for twenty years,” Brett said.
Kathryn’s skin chilled. Sparks settled low in her gut and rushed between her legs as she began to read.
Dear Kath,
I wish I knew where you were, how you’re doing. I wish I knew why you left. I thought we had something special. I know it was special to me, at least.
I got the grade I needed in Math thanks to you. I’m going to college in the fall. Michelle and I are getting married tomorrow. She wants to live in an apartment off campus. We’re not having a big wedding. Just family at the courthouse. Then we’ll find an apartment and college will start in month.