Two Hours Away

Chapter Seventeen

I walked into class the next day.  The seat next to mine was empty.  I knew he wasn't here because he didn't want to talk to me.  Not a moment later, Kat walked in the room.  She walked in so... civilized.  I couldn't beleive it.  Her hair was tied back into a pony tail so the pink streaks were hidden.  She had gotten a new shirt that was buttoned up completely and neatly tucked into her skirt (which was pulled down to the appropriate length).  She was wearing black Converse All-Stars and no makeup on.  She looked so much like a normal person that I couldn't believe it.  Not only all of that, but she was on time.  She even looked... well... pretty.

"Ms. Tyler," she said in a normal voice, "can I talk to Jenni in the hall please?" Ms. Tyler, who was straightening some papers on her desk, turned around to look at her.  She looked so surprised that I thought she might burst.  

"Why, sure Katherine," she said, her eyes on Kat and I as we walked out of the classroom.  She led me out into the hall.  I stood and looked her in the eye and , for the first time all year, she looked scared of me.

"Jenni," she said.

"Kat," I responded.

She looked me in the eye and her mouth twisted into an expression that I could only distinguish as half pity and half pain.

"You know what's up don't you?" she asked nervously.

I nodded, "Yeah, I know."

"Look," she said, "I'm really sorry.  It's just that every single guy sees me as a slut and he was the only one that didn't.  He actually looked at me like I was a person."

"Yeah," I said, starting to choke back tears, "he does make you feel pretty special, doesn't he?"

"I'm so sorry," she said, " I know how special he was to you and I really wish I hadn't done that.  I can honestly say that I have never been more sorry."

"Look, just tell me one thing," I said.

"What?" she asked, "anything."

"How far did it get?" I asked starting to cry.

"Not too far, just a couple make out sessions," she said, 'Don't worry Jenni, I will never do anything again.  He's yours and I wish I had respected that"

"Don't worry about it Kat," I said, "He should have been faithful.  He wasn't and that's his fault."

"Thank you Jenni," Kat said, " I am going to try to turn myself around.  I knew what I was doing to myself when I started to get the bad reputation I have now and no one was willing to stand up to me.  I need to thank you for that."

"Sure," I said.

We walked back into the classroom after wiping off our tears.  When we got back in the room, everyone knew what we had been talking about.  The bell rang and class started.  All I could do was stare ahead.  Ms. Tyler obviously understood what was going on because she didn't ask me any questions.

The day went by quickly and I didn't smile the entire day.  I realized that teachers  all have some strange way of figuring out how their students felt because none of them questioned me.  My body was in class.  My mind was elsewhere and I couldn't really identify where that was just yet.  But I knew where I needed to be and with who.  I wouldn't let myself think it, though.  I knew that couldn't be right.  I didn't know anything anymore.

Finally, the bell rang.  Signifying the end of the day.  I scooped up my blue backpack and walked back to my dorm room.  I put my backpack down and proceeded to where I needed to go without even changing out of my uniform.  I knocked on the door and for the first time all semester, Austin opened the door.  He looked at me.