LOVE HURTS

V. Balance

     "What's it like? Being the daughter of a former karate champion?"

Caitlin's sudden question caught Sam off-guard as the two girls walked from the back of the backyard to the little house. The sun was just starting to go down. Caitlin had surprised herself and stayed for the rest of the day, learning the karate 'basics' and even getting to watch Robby and Sam spar.

"Um, it's fine, I guess." Sam looked over at Caitlin. "Why?"

The girl shrugged, kicking a few rocks in her path. "I don't know. You guys just seem to have a really good relationship, I wanted to see if it wasn't just for show."

"Robby told me about your parents," Sam said. "You don't have to talk about it, if you don't want to, that's fine. But I'm here for you if you ever need anyone to talk to." She gave her new friend a half smile and turned around to go inside.

That was the first time Caitlin had ever heard those words spoken to her before. She had always assumed everyone was too busy wrapped up in their own lives to care about anyone else. Obviously, not everyone was.

"Sam?" The girl turned around. "Why haven't you asked me about my accent, yet?"

She shrugged. "I figured you're sick of everyone asking about it, so I left it alone." Sam almost went inside before she looked at Caitlin one more time. "And, Caitlin?"

"What?"

"I think your accent is awesome. Australia's cool." Then she turned back around and walked into the house.

Caitlin walked home with a smile on her face. In two days, she had found two friends and started karate, a way out of her seemingly endless stagnant days and nights. Instead of going inside the house, Caitlin got inside her car and drove to Abigail's apartment complex to pick up Sebastian. If she was going to be honest, she would have preferred to just stay home and go to sleep, but Caitlin had to be responsible.

As the girl got out of her car where it was parked, she recognized a familiar figure walking away from a black and yellow Dodge Challenger with a taller, older figure next to him. Caitlin's eyes widened and she quickly made her way over to Abigail's apartment door, but it was unfortunately right next to the one Miguel seemed to be going right towards. Another unfortunately was that he noticed her right before he opened his own apartment door.

"You again?" he asked, smirking slightly. "What, you just had to follow me home? Am I that attractive?"

Caitlin rolled her eyes. "Hardly. I'm here to pick up my brother, definitely not for you."

"Right." Miguel didn't seem to believe her statement. "And what's your brother's name?"

"You don't need to know that," Caitlin told him, turning back to knock on the door.

The door opened, revealing the woman with her usual large smile on. "Caitlin! I'm so glad you're here, because Sebastian is becoming quite the handful closer to his bedtime."