"Ok, Steph. Don't forget. Bring Gina, my clothes, and YOU! And its to the Madison at 5:00 tonight. See you later! Bye" I finished my phonecall on Nick's cell phone. "Ok, they'll be here at 5:00 later." The boys had my head bandaged up alot, and they wouldn't let me walk around a lot. They always had someone watching me, and right now, it was Nick. "Hey, Katie, about what happened last night, don't tell anyone, please?" "UH, I dunno, Nick, me not telling will come at a price. You'll have to let me walk around for a while. If I don't walk soon, I'll forget how to." "OK, fine, but only to the back of the bus, and maybe then we can play some videogames or something. And don't tell anyone about last night." "What about last night?" "Thanx." I got up and started walking to the back of the bus, but tripped over Nicks scuba gear. "Oh my God! Katie! Are you ok?" "Yeah, I'm fine, but if you move your scuba junk, I'll be better." "Nope, the scuba stuff stays. There's no where else to put it! Now, c'mon lets get you to the back of the bus before Brian gets back. He'll kill me if he finds out you were walking. So tell him I carried you or something." "I don't know. I can't lie to Brian. He's too nice. So If you want him think you carried me...." "NO WAY!!!!! I AM NOT CARRYING YOU." "Oh Bri-" "Alright! Fine I'll carry you."
'Jump, run, stop, If Sam ever finds out about last night she'll kill me. Jump. run. stop. wait. wait. wait. jump. NOOOOO!' I just jumped into a fireball from one of those venus fly trap flowers in the video game. 'Why did Katie have to kiss me and remind me how much I used to like her. Jump. Run. Stop. Go Back. run. Jump. I'm dead.' I fell down one of those bottomless pit things in the game now. "Game Over" flashed on the bottom of the screen while Katies character ran into the castle on the top."Yeah! I won again! You owe me another $10. Thats $40!!! Yeah!!! Haa ha!!!" Just then the doors in the front of the bus opened. "Hey, Nick? Katie? Where is everyone?" "We're back here!" "Okay! Woah!" Thud. Brian tripped over my scuba gear and landed on the floor. "NICK! GET YOUR FAT ASS OVER HERE AND CLEAN UP THIS MESS! YOU'RE GONNA KILL SOMEONE WITH YOUR SCUBA TRASH!!!" "And where am I supposed to put the gear, Frick? And it's nice to know that you look at my ass." Katie started cracking up at my reply. "Nick, you know, millions of girls and guys look at your ass every day." Then Brian asked "Katie, how did you get back here?" In a little-girlish voice, I replies, "Not the way I wanted to. I wanted a piggy-back ride, but Nick just threw me over his shoulder and carried me." Brian started laughing. "What??? All I wanted was a piggy-back ride." "You want a piggy-back ride? Too bad... You aren't getting one." Katie sat back in the seat, pouting. There was a knock on the front doors of the bus, and someone stepped on the bus. "HEllo? Is anyone here? Katie?" "We're All back here!" Stephanie walked back with two bags of clothes, and tripped on the scuba gear. "AHHHHHHH! Oh, My, God. What is that snorkeling stuff doint there? And who is he?" she said pointing to me. "I'm Nick." "YOU're NICK. And I used to make fun of you?" OK. There was definitly something up with this chick. I decided to watch out when I was around her. "Steph, lay off. Where's Gina?" "I'm right he- AHH! Why is there scuba gear in the middle of the hall?" "It's mine." "Nick?" I nodded. What was with these people? I leave for a few years, highlight my hair, grow a foot or two, and they act like they don't recognize me. "Yo, peeps! Where are y'alls?" "We're back here, AJ." "Hey, y'aaaaaaaaaa!" AJ tripped over the scuba gear and stopped his fall by grabbing Stephanie's shoulders. "As I was saying, before Nicky-boys scuba junk so rudely interrupted me, Hey y'all."AJ said still holding Steph's shoulders. Then he looked her up and down. "And who might this fine thang be?" "I might be Stephanie." "Nicky, is this the Stephanie you were--?" I nodded. "Woah.... She is my type." "Excuse me, But I'm not any type." Katie started laughing again. "Stephanie, you are just his type."
It was sickening, watching Stephanie flirting with Nick. And poor Nick looked so uncomfortable. I looked down at my watch. It was 10:00, and we were two hours away from Stephs house. "Stephanie, isn't your curfew at midnight?" She nodded. "Well, if you don't leave now, you'll be late." She looked at her watch and then said "Oh, you're right! We better leave then. Bye. And Nick, can I have your cell phone number? Just to keep in touch with Katie." Nick gave Stephanie his cell phone number, and then we practically kicked her off the bus. "So, Nicky, You couldn't handle one-on-one flirting? Do you prefer one-on-2 million flirting? Ya know, you looked really uncomfortable before." "Yeah, well, you'd prefer millions of people screaming at you to having to answer one persons every question. Wouldn't you?" "No." "Yes you would." "No I wouldn't" "Yes you would." "No I wouldn't" "No you wouldn't" "Yes I would-- Hey! Thats not fair. You tricked me." "No I didn't. You tricked yourself." "Whatever, Nick. I'm going to sleep now. Goodnight." Nick pulled my blanket upto my chin and kissed me on the forehead. "Goodnight, Katie." "Why do I all of a sudden feel like a toddler?" "Because this is how parents say goodnight to toddlers. Goodnight Katie." Then he left the room. "GOODNIGHT BRIAN, KEVIN, HOWIE, AJ, AND NICKERS!!!!!" "Don't call me that!" "Good night Nick!"
I was having a good dream, running down the beach with Nick, AJ, and Stephanie, but then I heard my fathers voice saying "KATHERINE JANE SCHWARTZ! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?" Then I ran into a tall thing and fell backwards. When I looked up to see what I had run into, I saw my father. Brian, Kevin, Gina, and Mrs. Pratchet appeared. They started circling me, along with my father, Nick, AJ, and Stephanie. My father started screaming at me, and then he started beating me. None of the other people did anything to stop him. I woke up screaming. Everyone, except Nick, came back two see what was wrong. "Get away from me! Stop it! Leave me alone! Get away from me!" I was swinging at them, so Brian and AJ grabbed my arms so I wouldn't hurt anyone. "Let go of me! Let me go! Stop it!"
"Shh. Katie, its ok. Stop crying. Its ok. Shhh." Kevin said. I looked around. 'These people helped me.' I thought. 'But in my dream, they didn't, and dreams tell the future, sort of.' "Get away from me. I mean it. Get away from me." They let go of my arms, and backed away. "Get away. Stay away. Please, just leave me alone." They left the room, and a few seconds later, Nick walked in. "Whats up, Katie? Something wrong?" I pushed him away from me. "You didn't help me! You just sat there and watched while he hit me. You didn't do a thing. Get away!" "Huh? Oh, yeah. Katie, that was just a dream. It didn't really happen. Its not real." "Dreams can happen sometimes, but with me, its mostly the bad ones. Get away now." "Alright, but if you need me I'm right in the other room. Goodnight." "Go." Nick left the room, and I sat awake until about 4:00 AM, or at lease thats the last time I remember looking at the clock.
'Whats wrong with Katie? Why was she so mad at me? She said something about a dream. I'd have to make a point of asking. I'm worried about her. Bri said she didn't freak out at D. though. I wonder why. **Yawn** I should get some sleep.' I thought as I drifted of to sleep in my bunk after I checked on Katie. Why did Kevin wake me up? It was too early... I was sitting on the beach with Sam. The sun was just setting. Then I heard Katies voice. "Are you sure no one'll mind that we're missing?" Then I heard Brians voice. "They won't even notice. Kevin and Howie are in a meeting with some up-and-coming girl-band, and AJ is out at some club picking up girls, and Nick is on a date with that slutty girlfriend Sam. None of them will be back until late. They'll never know we're gone. C'mon." What was she doing with Brian? "Alright, where are we going?" I couldn't take it anymore! I jumped away from Sam. "YOU'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE!" I turned around and expected to see Katie and Brian, but all I saw was the sand dunes. Then I heard Sam saying, "AJ, this club is so much fun! C'mon, lets dance!" I turned around to where Sam was, and she was gone. The beach was getting smaller and smaller, until there was only about a square foot of sand left. Then a boat sailed past my little pile of sand. On the boat were Katie, Sam, Brian, and AJ. They were all laughing and happy. "Guys! Help! Help!" The water was rising. It was up to my knees, but they weren't coming to help. The water was at my chin, and still rising. I couldn't swim. My feet were anchored to the sand. I woke up right before the water covered my head. That was definitely the weirdest dream ever. I dozed off again, and another dream came. I was running down the beach with Katie, Stephanie, and AJ. Then I saw sparkly glitter stuff in front of my eyes. Then I heard a deep voice saying "Katherine Jane Schwartz! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?" Then Katie ran into her father, and Brian, Kevin, Gina and Ms. Pratchet appeared. We all circled Katie, and watched her father beat her. No one did anything. We all just watched as she called for help, but we didn't do anything. I tried to pull my feet of the ground and go up to her and help her, but I couldnt move any closer to her. Only in a circle around her. Then I heard Sams voice calling, "Nikolai, C'mon, We have a reservation in a half hour." Sam, Get out of my head! I don't care!!! I woke up in a cold sweat. Did Katie have the same dream, from her point of view? Oh, God. If she did, no wonder she didn't trust any of us... Except Howie. I had to see if she was ok. That dream really scared me. It was about 3:00 AM. I got up and ran back to where she was sleeping, and she was sitting awake. She didn't notice me when I first stepped into the doorway.....
"Katie?" I heard my name and tensed up. I looked up and saw Nick. "What do you want?" I asked, hugging my pillow. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry I didn't help you. I'm sorry I just stood there and watched him beat you. I'm sorry that I didn't do anything sooner. I don't know how I could have not helped you. My feet wouldn't move." My God! What was this insane boy talking about? "Nick, you were never there when my dad hit me. He never hit me in front of other people." "No, the beach, my feet wouldn't move off of the sand. I felt like my feet were buried in the sand! I'm so sorry. The dream, it was just so... God, I'm sorry." Then he came over and hugged me. "Though I don't exactly know how you know what happened in my dream, its ok, Nick. Now if you don't mind letting me sit up before you start hugging me again, I'll be able to hug you back." Nick let go, and I thought I saw tears in his eyes. I sat up and put my arms around him again. "Shh, Nick, its alright." "I'm so sorry Katie, Really I am." "If I didn't believe you, do you think I'd let you hug me?" He nodded. "Well, I wouldn't, Dumbass, I'd be scared as hell of you." "Thanx, Katie." We just sat there talking for a while before Nick looked at the clock. "Woah. Its almost 4:00. I better go." "G'night." "G'night, Katie. Sweet dreams." *~*The Next Morning*~* Nick's P.O.V. I heard my cell phone ring, but I was in the middle of a video game. "Hey, Katie, can you get that? Its probably just Donna or someone." The phone stoped ringing and a few seconds later Katie yelled "Hey Nick. This girl, Sam Cleaver, claims to know you. She says that she's your girlfriend." Shit. Sam? I told her not to call me for a while! Great. "Hold on a second." I hit pause and ran to take the phone. "Hi Sam." "Hi Nicky-poo." I cringed. I hated that name. "So, whats up, sweety?" "Nothing really. I just missed your voice. Who was that girl, and why did she answer your phone?" "That was, Katia, uh, Bri's girlfriend." "Oh, Katia. What a, sickeningly sweet name. Are they happy together?" "Um, I hope so. Hey, I was, sorta in the middle of a video game." "So, does that mean that you don't want to talk to me?" "Uh... um... er...ah... eh..." "Well, since you don't want to talk to me, maybe you dont want to see me. Its over, Nick. Since you cant make a little time to talk to me, why should I want to talk to you? Whay should I want to even be with you? Goodbye." Then she hung up. "Bri's girlfriend Katia, Nick? Bri doesn't have a girlfriend. Was she really your girlfriend?" "Not anymore." Then I ran off to my bunk to write in my journal.
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