Never Let Me Go

History {Part 1}

A/N: A lot of characters are introduced in this chapter and I know some of you are going to be confused, but that's good! You're supposed to be! Don't worry! All will be revealed in due time. Also! I was FINALLY able to get the links for the girls graduation outfits from last chapter, and this chapter, up too, so check that out if you want. :)

Flashback

Mid 1980's

"I feel for you, I think I love you," Seventeen year-old Catalina dances effortlessly to Chaka Khan's latest hit, "I Feel For You."

"Ya know," Catalina (Cat to most people) smirks, but continues dancing. "If I didn't know any better, I'd swear you were trying to tell me something." She rolls her eyes, and fixes her lips to say something, but decides to finish her routine first.

Raymond watches intently, never taking his eyes off the petite, but feisty, woman he's blessed to call his. His smile never leaves his lips. Then again, it hardly ever does when he's around her.

As the flexible Cat finishes her routine with a practically perfect split, her boyfriend of two years stands up and gives her a round of applause.

"Damn girl," he smiles proudly, rising up from the bleachers and walking over to the petite dancer. "Madonna better watch out now."

Cat laughs, crossing her arms over her chest, "I'm gunning for her." She moves her arms up in front of her when he tries to hug her. "I'm sweating. You know how I feel about you being touchy feely when I've just finished rehearsal."

He rolls his eyes this time, "So? That's nothing compared to when I finish football practice."

Cat grimaces, turning up her nose, "True. You be on some James Brown funk." A beat. "You staying for dinner tonight? Abuela is making your favorite - quesadillas."

"You know I can't say no to you," he says with a pained groan. "Or your grandma's cooking."

"Not many people can," Cat laughs, looking up at her handsome boyfriend. He really was a sight for sore eyes. Smooth, baby soft, chocolate skin, pearly white teeth that are almost inhumanly straight, killer smile and that body. Football kept him nice and ripped. His 6"2 stature was just the icing on the cake. "Your mom is probably going to be pissed off though."

Raymond rolls his eyes at the mention of his mother, "She's always pissed off about something."

"Not really," Cat shrugs. "Only when it comes to me and my entire family for that matter."

Raymond frowns at the change in her voice. If there was one thing he would wish for it would be that his mother would get off her damn high horse and learn to accept his relationship with and love for the James family. Catalina specifically. Yes, he loved the woman to death. She was his mother after all, but he hates how she treated Catalina. She had never even given the poor girl a chance. All she seemed to focus on was the James' family class. Milly believed her son should be with someone who had the same or even more wealth than the Hampton family had. His dad was another story though. He adored Catalina and her family. Sometimes Raymond felt like he cared more about Cat than he did his own daughter, Raymond's sister Shay.

"Hey," Raymond gently places a finger under his girlfriend forcing her to look up at him. "You know that I don't give a damn about what anyone says about us." Her lips form into a small smile, as he runs his thumb over her cheek. "Not my mom, not my sister, nobody." A beat. "I love you Catalina. It's you and me girl."

She smiles, planting a kiss on his cheek.

"Don't you forget about me."

"Never"