Freeing Katie

Ch. 1 First Impressions

CHASE POV

Get your head out of your ass fucker!

Hearing my phone ring caused me to miss my target, getting cursed at by the guys on my team.  They do know it’s a game, right?  I laugh it off, shooting ‘DezNutts1369’ in the process, ultimately ending our game through friendly fire.  It was getting boring anyways.  

I throw my headphones off before the more than likely 13-year-old rips me a new one.

It’s rare that I don’t have my phone on silent, but who knows what drunk me had in his thoughts last night.  I lean over and switch it on speaker as I turn my console off.  “Yeah?”

Hey Chase, it’s Bethany!

“Oh hey, what’s up?”

Nothin’ much.  Inviting a few people to my house- parents are out for the day.  You in?

Bethany thinks she’s trying to lure me in, but I know better than to fall for her tactics by now.  We hooked up a few weekends ago at a party, and she’s trying to make it happen again.  I start flexing my muscles in the mirror, making sure I still got it.  Am I smug about it?  Yea, but if you take pride in your bod, why not admire it like everyone else does?  Going to the gym on the regular has its perks.

“Nah, I’m good.  Drank more than I should’ve last night and just going to lounge around the house today, but I’ll see you at school, k?”  I hang up before she could try to convince me again.  She’s sometimes too persistent.  It was only the second time we hooked up, but I’m nowhere near relationship status, and that’s exactly what she’s hoping for. 

I dive into bed and smash my face into the pillow, groaning.  I didn’t lie, though.  I definitely drank more than I should have, and I’m feeling it.  I flip over and situate to rest my eyes, praying for a nap to come along.  As soon as I feel the pull to sleep, I hear some kid yelling from outside. 

Damn, he’s loud. 

I could almost hear him word for word, talking about how big his room is and that there’s a pool.  I try to ignore it, but then I hear that annoying reverse beeping from a truck, and I know it would be a while before I could get some peace.

I decide to get up and see what all the fuss is about.  I go over and look down from my window, then see a movers’ truck right next door.  New neighbors, huh?  When Ms. Bess moved out, she did say there was a small family to come take her place, but that was over two months ago.

I see the kid causing all the ruckus, running around the front yard with a nerf gun shooting anything that would be considered a target.  I smile, thinking of how I used to do the same thing at his age.

He acts like it’s not 30 degrees outside while running around without a jacket.  As soon as I think that, a woman walks out on the porch and throws a jacket on his head while telling the movers to be careful with whatever furniture they have.  Guess that’s his mom.  Hopefully she’ll be chill like my last neighbor and let me and my friends have a go in the pool during the summertime.

Seeing that I probably won’t get a nap in anytime soon, I decide it wouldn’t hurt to pop by Bethany’s to see if there’s truly people there.  If there is, it can be a chill time; if there isn’t, I can drive the rest of the way to J.R’s and bug him for the afternoon.  

I take a quick shower, hoping to wake myself up, and throw on some clothes.  Hopefully I won’t be outside for too long, so I just grab a hoodie and head downstairs.

I go to the kitchen to grab a snack, then groan by the lack of food we have.  Guess I’ll have to go to the store today as well.  I grab a soda and the cash dad left on the counter.  I laugh counting it out.  He’s learned not to give me too much, knowing I’ll spend it on dumb s**t- just enough for the basics.  I shoot him a text to see if he wants anything in particular, and grab my keys.

Most parents wouldn’t even consider leaving their teenager home alone as often as he does, but with his job, that’s just how things are.  Although I go to the occasional party, I know how to be responsible.  No jail or getting girls pregnant- that was the promise I made to him, and I don’t plan on breaking it.  We’ve had enough stress in our lives and I don’t plan on adding to it.

Once I open the front door, the cold air blasts my face and I almost would rather crawl back into my warm bed.  I look across the way and that kid, who now has a jacket on, is still on a rampage, and I laugh, wishing I had his energy and forgetfulness of this stupid weather.

A car rolls up with loud music blaring as I make my way to my car.  My interest is peaked when a girl around my age pops out.  If she isn’t homeschooled, she’ll go to mine, which would make it even easier to have access to that pool. 

First impressions?  Dark.  Hair dark.  Black baggy hoodie.  Black baggy pants.  She’s not bad looking from what I can tell, but her dark rimmed glasses hog up her face.  I’m not an asshole- I get along with almost everyone, but her looks give off the vibe of ‘f**k off, I’m a loner’.

When I open up my car door, yet another car pulls up across the street, one that I recognize.   I smirk as I shut my door back.  So, McCulley knows my new neighbor, huh?  This should be interesting. 

*

*

KATIE POV

I love how this four-hour drive seemed to take forever.  With the broken CD player and no adapter for my phone, I swear it felt like eight.  Most of the time, all the radio stations were straight up static.  Thank god for my cousin, Becca, who was ‘oh so willing’ to talk to me for the past hour.  I even convinced her to come visit our new house. 

Most teenagers wish for fancy new cars, parties, or the latest fashions.  Not this girl.  I just wanted to move away and forget…. To leave all the pity-filled faces behind.

It may have taken a couple years, but I finally got my wish.  Mom has worked her ass off, and refused to let me work when I turned 16, so saving money hasn’t been easy.  We cut down all unnecessary costs- limited cable, walking to the store instead of driving, pay as you go phones.  I even told her not to waste money on me for birthdays and Christmas, but she still found a way to get me something, despite my protests. 

But here we are- finally!  Once mom found out she could transfer her nursing position with a pay increase, we started looking immediately.  Then we found this house.  It needed some TLC, as it was dated as hell, but the old woman who lived here at the time also works at the hospital mom is transferring to, and gave us a great deal.  It even came with a pool!

I step out of my car and stretch.  I see my brother running around like he didn’t take his ADHD medicine this morning and I roll my eyes.  We were in quite a rush during breakfast since everyone overslept.  All I had time to do was throw my hair up.  I even drove in my PJs, that I just threw a hoodie and sweatpants over.   I can’t wait to get my bag and take a hot shower and get into some real clothes.

I pop my trunk and grab a box.  As I walk towards the porch, I get hit three times in the head with those stupid nerf darts.

“Jason!”  I set my box down and look around the yard for his scrawny ass.  Suddenly, he jumps on my back, laughing as loud as a banshee.  “Get off me you little brat!”

“Make me!” he counters.  He also grabs my ponytail and sets my hair free falling all over my damn face.  He jumps off and start running circles around me as I make grabs at him.  “Too slow!!!” he chants over and over.  Ugh this little kid!

Laughing draws my attention and I turn and glare at my cousin.  “He’s only ten Katie…. Catch him,” she taunts, gesturing to the monkey boy.

“Ha-ha.  Jason, give me my hair tie please.”  He slows down does what I say without issue.  We have this thing- he knows when to play and when to not.  If I say please, especially out of desperation, he straightens back up.  “What time do you have to be back?” I ask Becca, putting my hair back up.

She comes up and throws her arm around Jason’s shoulders as he reloads his nerf gun.  “I can stay until dinner time.  I’m getting free food, right?”

“Rebecca?  What a nice surprise!  What brings you here?” my mom asks, walking out of the house.  Becca goes to hug my mom and I can’t help but compare myself to her.  They look more alike than I do with my own mom.  As they are both blonde, blue eyed, and petite, I have dark brown hair (more like black due to the recent bad dye job), hazel eyes, and definitely not petite with the curves and height that have been coming in the last two years. 

A poke in the side draws me out of my thoughts.  I look down and Jason sticks his tongue out at me, and I push him away rolling my eyes.  I love that kid.   “Becca!  Come help me get my crap from the car!”

She trots down and shakes Jason hair, then links our arms as we march to my car, both of us laughing as we take wide strides to my trunk.  “How’s Tyler’s car treating you?”

Tyler is her older brother who’s in the army.  He’s on his second tour overseas and I was thankful that he needed someone to take care of it while he was away.  It’s definitely not the best, but it gets me from point A to point B.  “It runs, which is all I need,” I laugh off.   She crawls through the back seat as I grab another box in the trunk.  A close cat-call whistle makes me jerk my head, and I see a guy approaching us.  Immediately my guard goes up.

“Oh god… what the hell do you want?” my cousin groans.  I look between her and him, who is wearing a large smile.  I guess they know each other?

“Ah, come on McCulley, don’t be like that in front of my new friend,” he says playfully, looking at me in the process.  His steel blue eyes twinkle as he runs a hand through his hair.  I suddenly feel my face heating up.  Am I f*****g blushing?  Given the smirk on his face, I am… ugh!

“Um, no,” my cousin states.  She turns me to face her.  “Katie, stay away from him- he sucks.”

The guy bursts out laughing and I try not to do the same.  This girl, a whole three years older than me… who is an English major in college… couldn’t find any other words than ‘he sucks’?

“I’m not even sure what’s going on… so…” I say, still looking between them.

“Don’t worry Katie.  She’s just mad because one of my friends is her ex.  I guess guilty by association?” he says innocently.

“You’re also a man w***e, just like him.  Who knows what kind of diseases you have,” she dryly states.

“Becca!” I whisper yell, as she shrugs her shoulders unapologetically.

“No glove, no love!” he states proudly, then holds his hand out to me.  “I’m Chase, I live next door.  And despite being friends with her cheating boyfriend, I rarely have any flaws.”  His smile makes him look trustworthy- an unfamiliar trait I’m used to, and it does something to my insides. 

Before I can even think to give him my hand to shake, Becca grabs it and turns me in the other direction.  “Go away Chase, and leave my cousin alone!”

“It was nice to meet you!” I rush out, locking eyes with him yet again before I get jerked towards the house.  “How do you even know him?  You’re not from around here.”

“Ugh, came to a few parties with Ray.  They have a mutual friend.  Don’t fall for his trap,” she practically begs.

I laugh at that thought.  “Please.  I don’t plan to.  Not his or anyone else’s for that matter.” 

*

*

I dust my hands off from a job well done.  I still have three boxes left, but everything else is unpacked for my room. 

Becca’s roommate called about a water pipe bursting, so she left earlier than intended.  She knew I was nervous about starting in a new school, but supplied nothing but encouragements.  “It’s a new start, for you and your mom and brother.  Don’t forget about that, okay?”  Once she said those words, I’ve been more upbeat and actually looking forward having people not know us or our past.  I’ll just be ‘the new girl’ that no one knows anything about, and that’s perfectly okay with me.

Mom calls me and my brother down for dinner.  Jason tries to make a race out of it, but the only energy I have left is pretending as if I’m going to catch him, making him haul ass.  It’s the simple things that make me smile. 

When I get to the kitchen/dining room, mom already has the Chinese spread out on the counter.  “Looks awesome, mom,” I smile out, grabbing a carton of noodles.  Jason is already two spoons deep into the fried rice.

“You get everything unpacked?” she asks, taking her own carton of rice and mixing on a plate with some orange chicken. 

“Mostly everything.  Clothes and bathroom stuff- the important things.  I’m so ready for a hot shower.” Mom nods while eating, and I can see how tired she is.  Jason and I still have a day before we start at the new school, but mom has to go to work at 4am.  “Need me to do anything tonight?”

“No, like you said, all the important things are unpacked.  I’ll probably head to bed as soon as we’re done eating.”

I give her a soft smile.  “I got Jason.  Since we don’t have internet hooked up yet, I’m sure he’ll go to bed early.”

“I thought we were going to watch Avengers?”  I try not to roll my eyes at his request.   There’s only so much I can take, and watching that movie for the millionth time….  “Do you really have to work momma?  We just got here,” he somewhat pouts.

“Yes, baby, I do.  I told you before we moved the first few months are going to be difficult to get a steady schedule.  Perks of being the new person,” she sarcastically says, and I shake my head while pushing my brother’s shoulder.

“So, you’re stuck with me dweeb.  Better make friends fast,” I say, earning his tongue sticking out. 

We talk about the new schools and how close they are.  It’s only a couple of weeks into the second semester, so we are good on supplies and stuff.  Just not sure how far behind or ahead we’ll be.  Despite my mom dreading her work schedule, I can tell she’s excited to start fresh like me.  Her new position will also give her opportunities to move up in rank, so I know she’s looking forward to that.

After we all help out cleaning up the kitchen, mom kisses us both goodnight and goes to her room.  Jason barely made it halfway through the movie before he was knocked out, thank god.  I made sure all the doors were locked then dragged his ass upstairs.  After stubbing my toe on one of his many boxes in his room, and stepping on an action figure, I was so ready for the damn shower.

As I washed the day away, I thought about what to look forward to.  It’s going to be hard to start new in the middle of the school year, especially my junior year.  All cliques/friendships have been formed and with only a year and a half to go, so I don’t expect too much in that department.  Jason isn’t too excited either, but since he’s only ten, it’ll be easier on him, socially.

After putting some fresh, comfy PJ’s on, I swivel some boxes around to be unpacked for tomorrow.  As I turn off the light, the back yard light glows through my window and I walk over to take a peek.  The back yard will need a lot of work during the spring time, especially that pool if we expect to actually swim in it.  The bushes that line the fence will take a weekend in itself to tame.

I glance over into the neighbor’s yard- simple with a small patio set and storage shed.  I smile, thinking how my cousin reacted to that guy- Chase, was it?  He looked about my age, maybe a little older, so we might be going to school together.  It would be nice to make at least one friend.

Becca said to stay away, but it’s not like I’m looking for anyone, romantically that is.  Not even if they have deep blue eyes and sandy blonde hair, and have a smile that can send butterflies to your stomach.