Between Universes

Chapter Eight

Her grades had slipped toward the end of the semester, and Katherine stayed up many nights so that she would be able to ace the finals to get them back up. She didn't want to ruin any of Kat's plans, especially because of her own emotional problems. She didn't want to go to the courtwarming dance. Aaliyah was going to make her go, but she really didn't want to. She didn't want to go to any of the dances anymore. She wanted to solve the mystery of Kat's dad's murder and then she wanted to go home. There was nothing more that she wanted, now that she thought about it. Going home would make her sad for a while, but eventually she would get over it, and Kat would be back where she belonged.

When Aaliyah and Josephine came over to help each other get ready, Katherine tried to smile. She put on a nice dress, one of the dresses that Aaliyah had worn to a dance a couple years prior. Her makeup made her eyes shine and she tried to get comfortable with the idea of having fun and not following her new goals that she had set. The three went out to dinner before the dance, and Josephine thought it would be a good idea for them to take at least one picture altogether, since they hadn't done so at any dances prior. Her smile was fake, and when Katherine got her phone back, she knew that they'd be able to tell. Arriving at the dance didn't help either. The music didn't make her want to dance; it made her want to run.

When Katherine spotted Henry and Maddie together, her face turned into one of confusion. "Did Henry and Maddie come together?" She knew that she had no right to be upset. Just because her and Henry's relationship was improving, it didn't mean that they were together. It didn't mean he couldn't ask someone else to the dance.

"Yeah, I was going to tell you but I thought you already knew. Maddie and Henry have been going to all of the dances together since Freshman year," Aaliyah replied, and Katherine nodded, tearing her eyes away from them as she was pulled to the center of the gym.

Katherine tried to have fun, she really did. Aaliyah spun her around the dance floor, laughing loudly as she did so. Josephine would follow them, shaking her head at their antics but swaying along with them. Katherine smiled, but her eyes kept trailing toward the sitting pair. Henry and Maddie looked great together, she supposed. They both sat on the sidelines, drinking the school's cheap red punch and looking toward the dance floor with judging eyes. Henry's eyes never even glanced in her direction.

After lots of dancing, Katherine had a much-needed break. She stepped out of the stuffy gym, her bare feet enjoying the cold tiles of the hallway. With shoes in hand, she made her way out of the front door of the school and sat down on one of the brick walls. She looked down, and at the bottom of the wall, a couple of feet from her, was a couple making out. She grimaced and closed her eyes, trying to enjoy the fresh air.

Her surroundings were quiet for a while. She hummed to herself and the couple that was making out left soon after that. She was about to jump off the wall and return inside when a voice startled her.

"You okay?" Henry grabbed her wrist before she could fall off of the wall when she jumped. Her eyes locked with his in confusion.

"Where's Maddie?"

"Inside, I think. I don't really care." Henry helped her off of the wall and, despite being taller than him with her shoes on, they were now almost face to face. She was only a few inches shorter than him.

"You don't care? I thought she was your date?" Henry laughed.

"No, my dad put me up to asking her. She would be my last choice, if I was given one." Katherine nodded moving a little bit away from him.

"I," Katherine started, turning away from Henry. "I went back to try and find Andrew."

"Katherine-"