new kid / h.s

11

K A T

"Harry's in danger." I told Caitlyn as soon as she picked up the phone. The other side of the call was dead silent. "And I don't know whether or not to leave and keep myself safe or help him to keep him safe as well."

Caitlyn scoffed. "The answer is clear. Keep yourself safe, Kat. It's only human nature to want to keep yourself safe. You don't even know him well."

"I know him well enough to know that he's in a gang and they're out to kill him." I said defensively. "He even told me that Noah is in on it."

"Oh, please." Caitlyn groaned. "How could Noah be in Cali for all of High School? News flash, he hasn't left a year."

I thought about this for a moment. "There was summer vacation." I explained. "That's enough time for gang involvement."

"Either way," she droned. "I don't think you need to be bothered with him. It isn't safe. I've told you this and you're only just now listening."

Maybe talking to Caitlyn wasn't worth my time. I thought she'd be here to support me, not press me to see things her way. "He saved my mom, Caitlyn. I trust him."

And with that, I hung up.

"Sweetie!" Dad called from downstairs. He must've just gotten home, and hopefully mom was asleep like she said she was going to be by then. I could only hope. "Come downstairs for dinner, I brought Thai!"

My favorite.

I slipped on my house shoes and trekked downstairs-- only to see Harry sitting at the dinner table with my dad.

"Oh-- um, hey Harry." I was almost at a loss for words, but he grinned and waved at me. I could detect in his green eyes that something was wrong, that there was more to his visit than getting food.

"Hi Katrina." he said slowly. He had never called me by my full name, until now.

Dad dished out the food onto our nicest china plates. Mom would not be happy with that. "You like thai, right Harry?"

"Yes sir." Harry said lowly, his eyes keen on me.

I wondered what was wrong with him.

His curly hair was held back in a black bandana this time, and his shirt was black to match. He wore the usual dark skinny jeans and brown boots but today, something about his appearance seemed odd.

"Hey Harry," I started, hoping he would catch on. "I think I have your workbook upstairs with me. Wanna come check it out real quickly?"

He glanced at my dad. "Yeah, okay." he said, and we started up the staircase.

"What's going on?" I asked in a hushed whisper. "You're acting weird and you were here earlier."

"I almost got ran over today." Harry said when we got to my room, and as soon as he told I could see why he looked so shaken up. "I was walking across the street to get to my car and a van came out of nowhere. I saw who was behind the wheel."

"Who?"

"Hanna." he sighed. "The girl who never gets picked for dodgeball. She must be in on it too."

This was all confusing me. I understood what Caitlyn was on to, about the two different locations thing. "How could Hanna be in a gang if she'd been here all four years of high school, and never went on vacation once?"

Harry looked at his shoes. "They've brought the gang here." he said. I could tell that saying these things out loud only made it seem more real and scary to him. "And their main goal is to kill me or to swear me back in to the gang. And I don't want to go back."

"Why not?" I asked, even though I didn't want him to go back either. Then he would be hated again, and thrown into even more danger. "Why do they want you dead? Why did you join in the first place?"

He shook his head. "We can't do this now, Kat."

"Yes, we can." I grunted and pulled him closer to me by his shirt. It wasn't forceful and abusive, it was wanting to know too many answers that I would most likely not receive.

"Fine." he gave in easily. "But only because you're one of my only friends."

That put me at ease and worry all the same. I was his only friend? No one else had chosen to support him.

He started again. "I joined because my girlfriend was in it. Her name was Julia."

"So Noah was telling the truth at the party." I assumed. "Because he was in the same gang."

Harry stared at me blankly. "But I didn't kill her." he said, emotionless. "Do you really think that I would do that?"

I didn't know what to believe. "Harry, can we talk later?"

He shook his head, a sudden wave or worry washing over him. "I thought this could wait but I need to tell you now."

My heart was pounding and my head was spinning in circles. First I found out that my ex and maybe his best friend were in on this dangerous gang that was out to kill Harry, and now something else. I wasn't sure who to trust anymore.

"W-what is it?"

"You weren't supposed to know all this." he said in a hushed whisper, warily looking around the room. He pointed to my boom box.

It took a minute to figure it out, but when I did I walked over and blasted my newest Beyoncé cd as loud as the volume allowed, granted permission for us to still hear each other.

"We're being watched." he sighed. "I knew it would be dangerous to tell you... I just didn't want you finding out another way."

I faintly smiled. "You're doing the right thing." I said over the music. I didn't know what this quite meant for my wellbeing, but I sure did know it would have been worse if I found out another way, plus the danger that came with knowing.

"You're going to have to keep an eye on yourself, Kat." he frowned. I could tell he was really worried about me. "I know what they're capable of doing."

"Okay." I complied.

"And Kat," he started, turning down the music. "Stay away from your ex."

He walked to my open window and slammed in shut, and immediately there was a yelling noise and thud.

"Noah was never the best at spying." he said with a smile, and we both laughed together, despite the circumstances.