Chapter Twelve: The Girl Who Lives Across the Street

Finally it was Saturday and Katie was grounded to her room. Not that she had anywhere else to go. She goes over the conversation with Dom again in her mind. He had been pissed at her for getting in trouble but like Mia predicted as soon as she told him what a creep her principal was he directed his anger towards him. Katie had just barely managed to convince him not to go over there and beat him to a bloody pulp. Even though he was pissed at the creep he still grounded her for wearing what he had originally worn, but only for the weekend. Katie didn't mind, she had no friends to hang out with anyway. She was currently lounging on her bed, IN this moment's Big Bad Wolf blaring from her speakers and repainting her nails black. The sound of a  large truck rumbling to a stop across the street perks her intrest and she goes to the window. It over looked the street and at her old house. She watches as a huge moving truck parks in front of her old house, the driver hops out and opens the back door just as a red ford pulls up behind it. Katie watches as a man, women, and a girl her age piles out of the car. The girl had bleach blonde hair that fell half way down her back and was pushed back form her face with a bright red headband. Katie could only describe her outfit as Vampire Gothic. Black shirt with thumb holes in the sleeves, red and silver skulls running the length of the sleeves, a silver skull with red blood pooling from it on the front. Her pants were black cargo pants with chains hanging from it that Katie assumed made noise when she walked. When she turned her head Katie got a glimpse of her face, Black and red lipstick stained her lips and heavy black eyeliner under her eyes with black eyeshadow giving herself the look of a raccoon. Katie couldn't tell her eye color form her window but just the outfit alone peaked her intrest. This girl looked like someone Katie could get along with. The Family takes stuff out of the moving van and head into the house, making Katie's breathe pick up. That was her old house. Katie stares at the house a little longer, trying to work up the nerve to go say hi to them. Finally she manages to tear herself from the window and head down the stairs.

 

"Where do you think you're going?" Lisa says behind her. Katie turns around and sees Lisa emerging from the bathroom, her black hair wet and glossy. Her hands crossed over her chest as she looked at Katie, her eyebrow raised waiting to hear her excuse. Katie just flashes her a smile, she had forgotten that Lisa was home while the others were at the store, Han at the garage where he now worked, (after Bryan had given the owner a good recommendation)

 

"New family moving in to my old house, Wanted to say hi." She says and heads down the stairs. She can hear Lisa following her and waits to be told to get the hell back in her room, but Lisa doesn't. She turns to see Lisa looking out the living room window to check out the house across the street. Seeing that Katie was telling the truth she just nods her head indicating she could go and goes over to the TV. Katie watches as Lisa plugs in the Playstation and put in  a fast and the furious game, the one Katie had gotten her last Christmas, She was a sucker for fast car games, not that Katie blamed her. "Heading over now," She calls. Lisa just waves at her and goes back to the game. Katie snickers and nods her head, opening the front door and slipping out.

The September air was only slightly less hotter then August and a cool breeze brushes against Katie as she runs down the front steps. She crosses the street and stops short at the chain link fence to her old house. Staring up at it She suddenly looses her bravado and is rooted to her spot. Memories of the 10 years she lived there creep their way into her brain. Her old room, the dingy living room, the ratty curtains that were always drawn, never letting the outside light in, the dirty dishes piling high in the sink until her father would kick her to do them, the fridge that barely had enough food in it to feed them. She shakes off the memories and for once they retreat into the shadows of her mind before they could give her a panic attack. Closing her eyes she takes a deep breath and opens the gate. Walking quickly up to the front door she notices for the first time that her hands were shaking badly as she lifts it to knock on the door. Quickly taking her hand away she takes a few more deep breaths, trying to calm her nerves. Why was she so afraid? it's not like she was about to knock on the door and have her Father open it. He and her mother had moved maybe a year after she was rescued, her mother not even bothering to try and get her back, not that she blamed her, She was just as afraid of her father as Katie was. She probably thought Katie was safer at Dom's then coming back to live with them. When she was finally calm enough she lifts her hand again and this time it was steady. She knocks quietly on the door and steps back, waiting for someone to answer. Movement inside lets her know that someone heard her and a moment later the Gothic girl opens the door. This close up Katie could see that her eyes were a clear bright blue and that she had at least some Latino in her, her skin a smooth tan. The girl just stands there staring at Katie, a look of irritation on her face.

 

"If you're a sales person then get lost." She says before Katie can speak and starts to close the door. Katie shoots her hand in the crack before she can fully close it. The girl sighs in frustration and widens the crack to give her an icy glare, her Blue eyes cold, " I said Get lost! what do you not understand English or something?" She snaps rudely. That rudeness is what gives Katie the courage to speak up.

 

"For your information I live across the street from you,this house you now live in use to be MINE. I just wanted to see who was living in my old house." She snaps back, crossing her arms and giving the girl a glare of her own. The girl steps out onto the front porch and gives Katie a once over. Seeming satisfied with what she saw the girl smiles at her, showing of a dazzling white smile.

 

"You're pretty cute you know,' She says her voice instantly flirty she sticks her hand out for Katie to shake, "The names Melina Morales, you?" She asks. Katie's face flushes red at the clear flirtation and manages a quick hand shake.

 

"Katie, Katie Hendricks." She says letting go of the girls hand. She shifts uncomfortably and Melina notices, a look of embarrassment crossing her beautiful features.

 

"Oh sorry for the cute comment, I forget how some people are uncomfortable around lesbians." She says shrugging. Katie just shakes her head and smiles at her.

"Nawh it's fine, you just took me by surprise that's all. no harm done." She reassures her only to have Melina smile that dazzling smile again, making Katie's stomach flutter in a weird way. "Oh hey I like your style, vamp goth is it?" Katie asks trying to distract herself from the fluttering. Melina looks down at her clothes then back at Katie nodding.

 

"Yeah, the rents totally hate it but Eh its my life right?" Melina says. Katie just laughs and nods, understanding completely. Melina goes over to the porch swing and plops down, patting the cushion next to her for Katie to join. Hesitant at first Katie shakes it off and sits down. Melina was instantly likeable and Katie was grateful for someone her own age to talk to.

 

"Yeah I know the feeling. My Guardians don't like my style but they deal with it." She says looking over at her. "How old are you, not to be rude or anything?" She asks blushing. Melina just giggles.

 

"Oh My Gosh your blush is so adorable!" She squeals making Katie blush more and give her a shy smile. "I just turned Seventeen last month, what about you?"

"16 last week of August."

 

"only 16? you look so much older then that, Oh and I like your style too, I forgot to mention. Totally sexy" Melina says in a excited rush. Katie has to look down to see what she was indeed wearing. Right now she had on skin tight tights with a leopard print on them and an off the shoulder black shirt that hugged her body in all the right places, and showed off just a bit of her stomach. "S**t Sorry there I go again," Melina says lowering her eyes. Katie just smiles.

 

" I said I didn't mind, Gay Straight, it doesn't matter to me." She tells her. Melina looks at her and suddenly hugs her, and to her surprise she finds herself hugging her back. She could tell they were going to be fast friends.

 

Han had just gotten home from the shop when he spies Katie across the street talking to a vampy blonde. The two looked like they were genuinely talking and getting along and he smiled when he saw the two hugging. He turns from the girls and walks in the house.

 

"Who's the girl across the street with Katie?" He asks Lisa as he flops onto the couch next to her. Lisa was currently zoned out on her video game and didn't hear him. "Lisa Heeelllloooo" He says waving his hand in front of her face.

 

"Qué coño, what the f**k!" Lisa cries in Spanishnd swears when she crashes hercar in the game. "What do you want you gilipollas. Shithead?" She says and turns her angry dark brown eyes to him.

 

"Who. Is the girl across the street with KaKatie He asks again. Lisa just shrugs and gets up heading for the kitchen for a beer.

 

" A family just moved in to that house, probably their daughter. Want a beer?" She says over her shoulder.

 

"Nawh I'm good." He says and heads to the window to look at Katie and the girl. What he sees stuns him beyond anything. The girl was leaned up against Katie KISSING HER! "Holy s**t!" he mutters under his breath as his chest constricts in jealousy. He leaves the window and heads upstairs in a rush. Lisa coming out of the kikitchenith a corona in head just tilts her head.

 

"Qué pasa? What's up?" She asks. Han just shakes his head and heads to his room. Lisa goes over to the window and sucks in her breath as she spies the two girls. " Damn girl, who knew." She whispers to herself and turns from the window to give the girls privacy.

 

"Melina, wait stop!" Katie says breaking their kiss. It had happened all too fast for Katie to process. It wasn't like she minded, she just didn't know if she liked girls in that way. Melina jumps away fast and blushes red, her already pretty features becoming more beautiful with the blush.

 

"S**T I'm sooo Sorry!" Melina apologizes. Katie takes a deep breath and looks at her smiling.

 

"No no, its fine, its just. I don't know if I like girls that way, that's all." She says. Though she had to admit, she liked the kiss. "Haha Why don't we just be friends before things like THAT happen hmm?" She offers trying to ease Melina's obvious embarrassment, Melina smile and nods eagerly

"Deal, lets shake on it." She says and sticks her hand out. Katie giggles and shakes her hand. Her first Real friend in her whole life.