Water Under the Bridge ›› n.h. mature

Five

Kate Marshall

I looked in the mirror at my hollow reflection. The concealer hadn't helped one bit. I look like shit and it's so obvious I cried myself to sleep.

I picked up my duffel and headed downstairs.

"I'm going to go," I told my parents.

"Now? It's only Saturday. I thought you were staying all weekend."

"I know but I need to get back. I have a lot to do before getting back to work," I lied. I mean, I have laundry and cleaning but nothing that really makes me have to leave more than a day earlier than planned.

"Katherine, I'm putting my foot down." Mum gave me a hard stare. "We've barely gotten to talk to you the whole time you've been here."

"I just want to get back to London. I already switched my flight."

"Well switch it back. You're staying."

"Carol, you can't force her," my dad said from behind his newspaper.

When I played sports as a kid, I always heard it's a good thing if your coach is yelling at you. It's because they believe in you and your ability. When they stop yelling, it means they've given up on you.

If that applies to parents, I think my dad has given up on me.

...

I still can't believe last weekend. Niall actually left immediately. All of a sudden he just vanished. He seemed perfectly happy to be there and then that changed so quickly.

I feel hurt and embarrassed but I also feel stupid. I just thought it would help pull me out of this rut. Shitty as it may sound, I thought I could just use him the way he uses others and it would help me get over Connor.

That's really not like me at all but Niall is no angel so I don't feel too bad about it.

"Hi, Jake. How've you been?" I blew into the studio five minutes late.

"Not bad. Crazy traffic today?"

"Crazy me today," I tried to joke. "Sorry I'm late."

"It's okay. So is Anne." On cue, Anne came in as well.

"Sorry I'm late!" Jake and Anne are part of the writing team at my label. They're taking a chance to see if I have any writing talent. If not, they'll do all the writing for me (along with various others at the label) and I'll just get told what songs I have to cut. I don't know if I have writing talent but I'm going to try my best so I have more input. I was always good at writing in school but I don't think research papers equate to artistic talent.

"It's fine, Kate was too. Let's just get started." Jake settled in with his guitar.

"Kate, here's your latte."

"Huh?" I turned around to see a kind but meek looking girl handing me a coffee. "Thank you but you really didn't have to do that."

"Well, it's my job." She kind of laughed and just stood there like she didn't know what to do.

"Thanks," Jake said to her as he took his drink from her cardboard carrying tray. "We have a lot of work to do." That was his not-so-subtle way of telling her to get lost.

She quickly nodded and darted out with red cheeks.

How rude of him.

"What's her name?" I asked.

"I don't know, she's just one of the assistants who works here. Kate, we really need to get started."

"Okay. Yeah, let's do it."