Hurt Beneath My Skin, chapter 1
Katherine stumbled out of the lower bunk and stood up, grabbing the side of the moving tour bus to make sure she didn't fall over. She slowly made her way to the kitchen area and sat in a chair on the table. Almost immediately a coffee was placed in front of her. She look up at Mike, her eyes barely open and groaned dropping her forehead onto the table and closing her eyes.
"Jetlag?" Mike asked she nodded. She heard someone else stumble into the kitchen and her best friend, Chloe, sat next to her.
"Who's this?" Mike asked.
"Chloe, Mike, Mike Chloe," Kat introduced them, not lifting her head from the table.
"Hi, I take it you're the friend Kat brought on the tour?" Chloe just groaned. Just then two men walked through the door.
"KAT!"
"DAD!" Kat was suddenly awake.
Billie Joe ran up and hugged his daughter, holding on tightly. He hadn't seen her in two months and he had missed her so bad. He stepped back and looked at her. She looked like him, he smiled. She smiled back.
"I take it your Chloe?" he turned to the other teenage girl in his bus. Chloe nodded but her eyes were on Tre who was now saying hi to Katherine. Billie and Tre sat down and Mike placed food in front of everyone. The bus lurched to a stop suddenly and everyone grabbed their plates to stop them falling off the table.
"Sorry, guys and gals, traffic lights!" yelled the driver. Kat yawned and Billie looked up from his scrambled eggs. He had a look in his eye, kind of happy and exited but nervous as well.
"How're Jake n Joe?" Billie asked.
"Fine, though bloody annoying."
"How?"
"Playing fucking xbox at three in the fucking morning," Kat moaned. Billie laughed.
"What would you think to another sibling?" Billie asked while he was still chuckling. Kat's head snapped up.
"What?" she growled. Billie looked at her.
"Your moms pregnant." Kat did nothing for a minute and then looked at Billie.
"I hate you." She dropped her fork on her plate and walked back into her and Chloe's 'room'. Billie looked up at Mike and Tre, hurt in his eyes. He ran after her.
"What? Why? I thought you'd be happy," Billie said. Kat turned to look at him, her eyes gleaming with tears.
"Happy? How could I be fucking happy? There is going to be yet another brat I have to share you with!" she spat. "I never see you, when your at home your with mom or Jake or Joey and then when your not at home everyone goes to see you when I'm away on a fucking school trip and when I do get to see you on tour mom and everyone are there and there are loads of fans and I just end up on my own, with money you've given men for shopping. Why'd you think I brought a friend?" she screamed at him. Billie looked taken aback. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.
"Kat, I...I'm sorry...I...I never knew. I always thought you were fine...I..." he wrapped his arms around her and she cried into his chest. He kissed the top of her head.
"It's just you and me now though," he whispered, "No mom or Joey or Jake, just you, me, Chloe and the guys." She looked up at him.
"I'm sorry," she said softly, "for yelling at you and saying I hated you, it's not your fault. It's just so fucking hard, never seeing you." Billie nodded and hugged her tighter.
"How about today we all go shopping, when we stop? Which is in about an hour? Yeah?" Billie asked looked at his 15 year old daughter, pushing her black hair behind her ear and wiping the tears from her emerald green eyes. She nodded. He smiled and led her back to the kitchen.
"Sorry," she mumbled her apology to everyone. They just nodded and carried on talking. She smiled. She loved it on tour, no matter what she said this was home. Being with the guys and her best mate and her dad was the best feeling in the world. She had only been on tour on her own once before and she hadn't bought a friend and in the evenings when Green day were playing shows or being interviewed she got increasingly bored and frustrated. So this time she had bought along her best mate. Chloe hadn't known where they were going until they were in the car of the crew member who had been assigned to picking them up.
FLAHBACK
"Kat, seriously where are we going?" Chloe asked for the millionth time that evening. Kat just smiled. She saw the guy with the sign that said KIT KAT (Tre's nick name for her) and walked over to it.
"Hey, I'm Kat aka Kit Kat, and this is Chloe," she held out her hand for the crew member, she was a little disappointed that her dad wasn't here but you can't have everything. The guy picked up her and Chloe's bags and indicated for them to follow him. They did and came to a limo, waiting for them just outside the airport. Kat slipped in and Chloe followed, staring around in amazement. Kat laughed, looked in the fridge in front of her and produced a can of coke, she offered one to Chloe who accepted and then Kat turned on the tv. American Idiot blasted out and Kat laughed as she watched her dad strumming and singing at the same time.
"Kat. Seriously, where the fucking hell are we going?" Chloe asked. Kat pointed to the TV screen, Chloe looked at it and then looked back at Kat.
"No way," she said shaking her head, "No fucking way." Kat laughed.
"Katherine Josie Armstrong at your service." She said smiling at Chloe.
"Holy mother fucker," was all Chloe could choke out.
END OF FLASHBACK
When they arrived at the mall Chloe and Tre were deep in a conversation about gay sex and Kat, Billie and Mike were talking about what song Green Day should release next. They wondered around for a bit and Billie was spoiling Kat whilst Tre was paying for Chloe. They were all taking a break and having a drink outside a cafe when they heard someone yelling.
"Let go of my dog you fucking wanker!" echoed in the air. Everyone turned round. A guy with black dreds, wearing all black was yelling at a jock who seemed to be hitting and kicking something. Suddenly a small chestnut brown bulldog streaked away from the jock. He headed up to the café and under Kat's Billie, Mike Tre and Chloe's table. Kat bent down and began to stroke the dog, which was shaking violently. One of his legs was bleeding and when Kat retrieved his lead he limped out from under the table. The dredlocked guy walked over and Kat stood up. The guy had a single red dredlock at the front of his hair and was quite tanned, Kat thought he was pretty hot, but she hadn't dated anyone since John so she just stood there.
"Thanks," he mumbled, "that bastard never liked me. Hey vender, you ok buddy?" He bent down to examine his dog.
"He's hurt his leg and he's pretty scared but otherwise he seems cool," Kat said, mentally kicking herself for sounding like a vet in training or something and handing the lead over.
"Uh...Cheers, I'm Steven by the way," he extended his hand, Kat took it
"Katherine or Kat." She replied, blushing slightly. He was talking to her!
"I haven't seen you around, you new?" Steven asked.
"Uh, no, I'm just visiting my dad, while he's erm...on tour," she stammered.
"Wicked, is he in a band?" the guy asked, smiling at her.
"Yeah I am," Billie intervened.
"Oh, erm...hi," the guy stuttered slightly. "What band?" he recovered.
"Green Day."
"Oh, well no offence but I'm not really into you guys." Billie shrugged.
"What music do you like then?"
"Metal."
"That means you're a Satanist!" yelled Tre. Kat stared horrified at Tre, he had just wrecked her chance of getting a very hot guy!
"What?" The guy spluttered. "No I'm not, I'm a Christian actually," he sounded pretty offended, Kat mentally kicked Tre.
"You can get Christian metal bands?" Billie asked, astounded.
"Yes dad!" Kat sighed. Steven looked at her, smiling slightly.
"Hey, how can I thank you for catching my dog?" he asked.
"Oh, you...you don't have to...it's fine," Kat stammered again.
"I want to, can I take you for coffee sometime? Say tomorrow, at 12?" Kat looked at Chloe who was nodded furiously.
"O...Ok."
"Cool, here's my number, ring me tonight and I'll figure out where you're staying and stuff, I'm guessing your staying in a hotel right?" Kat nodded as he scribbled down his mobile and home number. "Cool, call me later then!" And he walked off. Kat stared at the piece of paper in her hands. She looked at Chloe.
"First guys number in a year," she said.
"You need to get back in the dating game. Forget about John and all, have some fun, fuck up a few guys for yourself rather than the other way around," Chloe said.
"I leave all the screwing to you Clo," Kat said, jumping out the way as Chloe tried to hit her.
"Bitch."
"Fucktard."
"Whore."
"Slag."
"Okay guys, break it up," Billie said standing between the two, they began to laugh.
"C'mon, we got shopping to do!" Kat said and walked into a nearby shop, everyone following.
That evening Kat picked up the phone her hand shaking slightly. She was sharing a room with Chloe and the guys had decided to invade their room tonight, so everyone was in the suite.
"Just fucking call him!" Chloe yelled from the couch, where they were all sitting. "Christ he asked you to!" Kat laughed slightly. She dialled his number and it rang a couple of times before he picked up.
"Hello?" came a woman's voice.
"O, er...um...hi, could I speak to Steven please, it's Katherine."
"Yes, hang on a minute dear," the woman sighed slightly. Kat heard her yell for Steven and heard footsteps coming down what sounded like stairs. Then someone else came to the phone,
"Hey, you finally called."
"Uh, yeah, well you know, I'm so popular I've been calling people all evening, not," she joked. He laughed.
"Yeah, anyway, tomorrow. I'll come pick you up, where you staying?"
"Er...Hang on...dad, what's the name of this hotel?" Kat covered the mouthpiece of the phone.
"The Royal or something shit like that!" Billie answered. Kat returned to the phone.
"The Royal, I think."
"O yeah, I know where that is. Ok, well I'll come pick you up at about 12? It's only a short drive from my house so it's cool."
"You drive?" she asked.
"Yeah, I'm nineteen." Kat stood stunned for a second. A nineteen year old was asking her out? Kind of.
"O...er, cool." He laughed slightly.
"How old did you think I was?" he asked.
"Dunno," she replied.
"OK, well now you know my age I should know yours."
"Fifteen," here it comes, the excuses.
"That means I have to be on best behaviour doesn't it?" he asked.
"Depends what your bad behaviour is," Kat flirted, he laughed.
"Would you like to find out?"
"Maybe," she replied. He laughed again, she loved his voice.
"OK, well I'll see you tomorrow at twelve, don't be late!"
"Ok, bye,"
"Bye," and he hung up. Kat smiled to herself.
"So?" Chloe demanded.
"I got a date!" Kat yelled and began to jump around in front of the TV doing a little victory dance. Tre and Chloe joined in. Billie looked disgruntled.
"Awww, don't worry daddy, you know you'll always be my number one man! And you got mum to screw!" A pillow promptly landed on her head.
"Mr Armstrong was that a challenge?"
"I believe it was!" he smirked. Kat grabbed a pillow and began to beat her dad, who snatched the pillow from her hand and began to chase her around the sofa.
"Mike, save me!" she screamed, leaping behind Mike. He laughed and stepped out of the way. Billie dropped the pillow and started to tickle his daughter mercilessly.
"Mike...I...fucking...hate...you," she managed to say. He laughed.
"Then it's a mutual agreement?" she tried to kick him but failed as she was trying to get Billie off her at the same time. Billie stopped tickling her and looked at her.
"Oh no," she said, "I know that look." He looked at her puzzled.
"Your worried," she said, getting up and sitting on the couch.
"What? No it's just, what about John?" Kat stiffened.
"Can't you forget about him?" she asked.
"No, not after what he did and...well...what if this guy...is...well...you know...like..."
"Dad not every guy is like John. I'll be careful, I've learned my lesson, ok? Steven's nice, I can tell." Billie nodded. Kat smiled at him.
"Don't worry about me." He looked at her.
"You're my teenage daughter and you have the same sort of attitude I did when I was your age, how can I NOT worry?"
"I'm a lot more innocent than you were! I don't go fuck every guy I see! And I only get drunk occasionally, and as for getting stoned..."
"You get stoned?" Billie yelped.
"Er...no...I was just...er..."
"I wish I was better than I was when I was a kid, I wouldn't sound like a hypocrite!"
"Billie, you're a parent, you're allowed to be hypocritical," Mike reminded him.
"Oh yeah! Kat if you ever get stoned again you'll lose all that months pocket money." Kat shrugged.
"I got enough money!"
"Damn, oh well."
"Caring father," Kat replied sarcastically.
"You're hardly likely to listen to me are you!"
"True!"
"It's late, get to bed," Billie yawned.
"Yes sir," Kat saluted him and he threw a cushion at her. She caught it and laughed.
"Katherine Josie Armstrong! It's 11 o clock and you have a date in one hour!"
"Ugh! Fuck this! What happened to evening dates?"
"I don't know, just get your lazy ass out of bed NOW!"
"Fine, I'm up I'm up!" Kat yelled at her dad, jumping out of bed. She showered, dried her hair, for once, put on a t-shirt, black billabong tie, black baggy bench trousers, black arm warmers, converse and studded belt. She applied some eyeliner and mascara and then stood in front of the mirror. Chloe came in.
"You're examining yourself in a mirror? Who are you and what have you done with Katherine?" Kat laughed evilly.
"I'm an alien from mars and Katherine is currently in my home there!"
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! My best mates on mars!" Chloe screamed.
Katherine laughed.
"So what do you think?"
"Sexy!" Tre walked in.
"Nice to know Tre! Anyway, Chloe, what do you think?"
"You look great. And it's five to twelve!"
"Fuck!" Kat panicked. She grabbed her iPod, wallet and phone and left, kissing her dad on the cheek as she passed him in the door and waving goodbye to everyone else. Billie looked behind him as she rushed down the hall. Then shrugged and grabbed her untouched breakfast.
Steven was leaning on the bonnet of his car. He saw Kat walk out of the hotel and come towards him.
"Hey," she called as she came closer.
"Hey," he replied opening the passenger door. She climbed in.
"So, where we going?" she asked.
"Well...considering it's 12 I was thinking lunch?"
"Sounds cool," he nodded.
"When it's with me, it's always cool!" he stated.
"Obviously!" She laughed. "So you live here right?" she asked. He nodded.
"Yeah, have done all my life. What about you, where do you live?"
"Oakland, California."
"In a huge fucking house, with a pool and hot tub and a million rooms?" he asked.
"Uhuh. And a walk in closet and a plasma screen TV in every room! Well, not quite. In my room, and downstairs and in mom and dads room, Joey and Jake are too young to have one!" He laughed.
"Rich bitch," he muttered.
"I heard that!" She hit his arm softly. He laughed.
"It's true!"
"How do you know I'm a bitch?"
"Cause only cool people are bitches. We're here." Kat looked up at the café. It was small, but it seemed friendly and sweet.
"Looks cool," she said.
"I come here, of course it's cool!" Steven said.
"Oh, you come here often? It's lost some brownie points then!" He laughed. When they entered a blonde girl walked up to them smiling, very unrealistically.
"Hello, what can I get you two?" Kat looked at Steven, who motioned for her to order. She smiled, she felt like an adult.
"Erm...I'll just have a burger and chips please." The girl wrote down her order and looked at Steven.
"I'll have the same," he said. The girl took their menus and walked away.
"I'm taking it you don't watch your weight?" Steven asked.
"Ha! I've tried, and failed, I've given up, why do you think I should?" she asked. He shook his head.
"Hell no, you look perfect the way you are," he smiled cheekily at her. She blushed.
"Alright...let's play the question game," she said. He looked at her.
"The what game?"
"We ask each other questions and we have to answer truthfully."
"OK, you start," She grinned mischievously.
"Ever kissed another guy?" He smiled slightly.
"Once, when I was drunk, I kissed my best mate." Kat laughed.
"Brilliant! Your turn."
"Ok, same question."
"No, never kissed another girl, at least not properly. My turn! Erm, how far you gone with a girl?"
"That's personal!"
"Further than kissing obviously. You ever fucked anyone?" He looked at her.
"Yeah," she grinned.
"I love this game!"
"Hey my turn, same question again! Have you ever fucked anyone, Miss Armstrong?"
"Yeah," she said quietly. He looked at her. Something was wrong.
"What -" he began to ask.
"My turn, erm, if you were gay who would you date?" she side-stepped the question she knew he was going to ask.
Their food came and they continued while they ate. A couple of hours later they had finished and were sitting and laughing together.
"I'm running out of questions!" Kat whined.
"Me too!" Steven agreed. Kat laughed. She looked at her watch, 3:30.
"It's three thirty," she said.
"Shit! I have to pick up my little sister, sorry! You can come if you want. I pick her up and then go see my mates."
"Sounds fun but I got to get back, maybe tomorrow?"
"Sure, I'll call you!" she nodded and scribbled down her number for him.
"Do you want a lift back to the hotel?" he asked.
"No, it's fine, you go pick up your little sister!"
"Ok, I'll call you later! I had fun, bye."
"Yeah bye!" She watched as he drove away and then called Billie to get him to pick her up.
The man in the red car picked up his radio and spoke into it. His eyes not leaving the figure of the young girl waiting for someone.
"I've found her John, I've found Kat. Over."
"Jetlag?" Mike asked she nodded. She heard someone else stumble into the kitchen and her best friend, Chloe, sat next to her.
"Who's this?" Mike asked.
"Chloe, Mike, Mike Chloe," Kat introduced them, not lifting her head from the table.
"Hi, I take it you're the friend Kat brought on the tour?" Chloe just groaned. Just then two men walked through the door.
"KAT!"
"DAD!" Kat was suddenly awake.
Billie Joe ran up and hugged his daughter, holding on tightly. He hadn't seen her in two months and he had missed her so bad. He stepped back and looked at her. She looked like him, he smiled. She smiled back.
"I take it your Chloe?" he turned to the other teenage girl in his bus. Chloe nodded but her eyes were on Tre who was now saying hi to Katherine. Billie and Tre sat down and Mike placed food in front of everyone. The bus lurched to a stop suddenly and everyone grabbed their plates to stop them falling off the table.
"Sorry, guys and gals, traffic lights!" yelled the driver. Kat yawned and Billie looked up from his scrambled eggs. He had a look in his eye, kind of happy and exited but nervous as well.
"How're Jake n Joe?" Billie asked.
"Fine, though bloody annoying."
"How?"
"Playing fucking xbox at three in the fucking morning," Kat moaned. Billie laughed.
"What would you think to another sibling?" Billie asked while he was still chuckling. Kat's head snapped up.
"What?" she growled. Billie looked at her.
"Your moms pregnant." Kat did nothing for a minute and then looked at Billie.
"I hate you." She dropped her fork on her plate and walked back into her and Chloe's 'room'. Billie looked up at Mike and Tre, hurt in his eyes. He ran after her.
"What? Why? I thought you'd be happy," Billie said. Kat turned to look at him, her eyes gleaming with tears.
"Happy? How could I be fucking happy? There is going to be yet another brat I have to share you with!" she spat. "I never see you, when your at home your with mom or Jake or Joey and then when your not at home everyone goes to see you when I'm away on a fucking school trip and when I do get to see you on tour mom and everyone are there and there are loads of fans and I just end up on my own, with money you've given men for shopping. Why'd you think I brought a friend?" she screamed at him. Billie looked taken aback. Tears were streaming down her cheeks.
"Kat, I...I'm sorry...I...I never knew. I always thought you were fine...I..." he wrapped his arms around her and she cried into his chest. He kissed the top of her head.
"It's just you and me now though," he whispered, "No mom or Joey or Jake, just you, me, Chloe and the guys." She looked up at him.
"I'm sorry," she said softly, "for yelling at you and saying I hated you, it's not your fault. It's just so fucking hard, never seeing you." Billie nodded and hugged her tighter.
"How about today we all go shopping, when we stop? Which is in about an hour? Yeah?" Billie asked looked at his 15 year old daughter, pushing her black hair behind her ear and wiping the tears from her emerald green eyes. She nodded. He smiled and led her back to the kitchen.
"Sorry," she mumbled her apology to everyone. They just nodded and carried on talking. She smiled. She loved it on tour, no matter what she said this was home. Being with the guys and her best mate and her dad was the best feeling in the world. She had only been on tour on her own once before and she hadn't bought a friend and in the evenings when Green day were playing shows or being interviewed she got increasingly bored and frustrated. So this time she had bought along her best mate. Chloe hadn't known where they were going until they were in the car of the crew member who had been assigned to picking them up.
FLAHBACK
"Kat, seriously where are we going?" Chloe asked for the millionth time that evening. Kat just smiled. She saw the guy with the sign that said KIT KAT (Tre's nick name for her) and walked over to it.
"Hey, I'm Kat aka Kit Kat, and this is Chloe," she held out her hand for the crew member, she was a little disappointed that her dad wasn't here but you can't have everything. The guy picked up her and Chloe's bags and indicated for them to follow him. They did and came to a limo, waiting for them just outside the airport. Kat slipped in and Chloe followed, staring around in amazement. Kat laughed, looked in the fridge in front of her and produced a can of coke, she offered one to Chloe who accepted and then Kat turned on the tv. American Idiot blasted out and Kat laughed as she watched her dad strumming and singing at the same time.
"Kat. Seriously, where the fucking hell are we going?" Chloe asked. Kat pointed to the TV screen, Chloe looked at it and then looked back at Kat.
"No way," she said shaking her head, "No fucking way." Kat laughed.
"Katherine Josie Armstrong at your service." She said smiling at Chloe.
"Holy mother fucker," was all Chloe could choke out.
END OF FLASHBACK
When they arrived at the mall Chloe and Tre were deep in a conversation about gay sex and Kat, Billie and Mike were talking about what song Green Day should release next. They wondered around for a bit and Billie was spoiling Kat whilst Tre was paying for Chloe. They were all taking a break and having a drink outside a cafe when they heard someone yelling.
"Let go of my dog you fucking wanker!" echoed in the air. Everyone turned round. A guy with black dreds, wearing all black was yelling at a jock who seemed to be hitting and kicking something. Suddenly a small chestnut brown bulldog streaked away from the jock. He headed up to the café and under Kat's Billie, Mike Tre and Chloe's table. Kat bent down and began to stroke the dog, which was shaking violently. One of his legs was bleeding and when Kat retrieved his lead he limped out from under the table. The dredlocked guy walked over and Kat stood up. The guy had a single red dredlock at the front of his hair and was quite tanned, Kat thought he was pretty hot, but she hadn't dated anyone since John so she just stood there.
"Thanks," he mumbled, "that bastard never liked me. Hey vender, you ok buddy?" He bent down to examine his dog.
"He's hurt his leg and he's pretty scared but otherwise he seems cool," Kat said, mentally kicking herself for sounding like a vet in training or something and handing the lead over.
"Uh...Cheers, I'm Steven by the way," he extended his hand, Kat took it
"Katherine or Kat." She replied, blushing slightly. He was talking to her!
"I haven't seen you around, you new?" Steven asked.
"Uh, no, I'm just visiting my dad, while he's erm...on tour," she stammered.
"Wicked, is he in a band?" the guy asked, smiling at her.
"Yeah I am," Billie intervened.
"Oh, erm...hi," the guy stuttered slightly. "What band?" he recovered.
"Green Day."
"Oh, well no offence but I'm not really into you guys." Billie shrugged.
"What music do you like then?"
"Metal."
"That means you're a Satanist!" yelled Tre. Kat stared horrified at Tre, he had just wrecked her chance of getting a very hot guy!
"What?" The guy spluttered. "No I'm not, I'm a Christian actually," he sounded pretty offended, Kat mentally kicked Tre.
"You can get Christian metal bands?" Billie asked, astounded.
"Yes dad!" Kat sighed. Steven looked at her, smiling slightly.
"Hey, how can I thank you for catching my dog?" he asked.
"Oh, you...you don't have to...it's fine," Kat stammered again.
"I want to, can I take you for coffee sometime? Say tomorrow, at 12?" Kat looked at Chloe who was nodded furiously.
"O...Ok."
"Cool, here's my number, ring me tonight and I'll figure out where you're staying and stuff, I'm guessing your staying in a hotel right?" Kat nodded as he scribbled down his mobile and home number. "Cool, call me later then!" And he walked off. Kat stared at the piece of paper in her hands. She looked at Chloe.
"First guys number in a year," she said.
"You need to get back in the dating game. Forget about John and all, have some fun, fuck up a few guys for yourself rather than the other way around," Chloe said.
"I leave all the screwing to you Clo," Kat said, jumping out the way as Chloe tried to hit her.
"Bitch."
"Fucktard."
"Whore."
"Slag."
"Okay guys, break it up," Billie said standing between the two, they began to laugh.
"C'mon, we got shopping to do!" Kat said and walked into a nearby shop, everyone following.
That evening Kat picked up the phone her hand shaking slightly. She was sharing a room with Chloe and the guys had decided to invade their room tonight, so everyone was in the suite.
"Just fucking call him!" Chloe yelled from the couch, where they were all sitting. "Christ he asked you to!" Kat laughed slightly. She dialled his number and it rang a couple of times before he picked up.
"Hello?" came a woman's voice.
"O, er...um...hi, could I speak to Steven please, it's Katherine."
"Yes, hang on a minute dear," the woman sighed slightly. Kat heard her yell for Steven and heard footsteps coming down what sounded like stairs. Then someone else came to the phone,
"Hey, you finally called."
"Uh, yeah, well you know, I'm so popular I've been calling people all evening, not," she joked. He laughed.
"Yeah, anyway, tomorrow. I'll come pick you up, where you staying?"
"Er...Hang on...dad, what's the name of this hotel?" Kat covered the mouthpiece of the phone.
"The Royal or something shit like that!" Billie answered. Kat returned to the phone.
"The Royal, I think."
"O yeah, I know where that is. Ok, well I'll come pick you up at about 12? It's only a short drive from my house so it's cool."
"You drive?" she asked.
"Yeah, I'm nineteen." Kat stood stunned for a second. A nineteen year old was asking her out? Kind of.
"O...er, cool." He laughed slightly.
"How old did you think I was?" he asked.
"Dunno," she replied.
"OK, well now you know my age I should know yours."
"Fifteen," here it comes, the excuses.
"That means I have to be on best behaviour doesn't it?" he asked.
"Depends what your bad behaviour is," Kat flirted, he laughed.
"Would you like to find out?"
"Maybe," she replied. He laughed again, she loved his voice.
"OK, well I'll see you tomorrow at twelve, don't be late!"
"Ok, bye,"
"Bye," and he hung up. Kat smiled to herself.
"So?" Chloe demanded.
"I got a date!" Kat yelled and began to jump around in front of the TV doing a little victory dance. Tre and Chloe joined in. Billie looked disgruntled.
"Awww, don't worry daddy, you know you'll always be my number one man! And you got mum to screw!" A pillow promptly landed on her head.
"Mr Armstrong was that a challenge?"
"I believe it was!" he smirked. Kat grabbed a pillow and began to beat her dad, who snatched the pillow from her hand and began to chase her around the sofa.
"Mike, save me!" she screamed, leaping behind Mike. He laughed and stepped out of the way. Billie dropped the pillow and started to tickle his daughter mercilessly.
"Mike...I...fucking...hate...you," she managed to say. He laughed.
"Then it's a mutual agreement?" she tried to kick him but failed as she was trying to get Billie off her at the same time. Billie stopped tickling her and looked at her.
"Oh no," she said, "I know that look." He looked at her puzzled.
"Your worried," she said, getting up and sitting on the couch.
"What? No it's just, what about John?" Kat stiffened.
"Can't you forget about him?" she asked.
"No, not after what he did and...well...what if this guy...is...well...you know...like..."
"Dad not every guy is like John. I'll be careful, I've learned my lesson, ok? Steven's nice, I can tell." Billie nodded. Kat smiled at him.
"Don't worry about me." He looked at her.
"You're my teenage daughter and you have the same sort of attitude I did when I was your age, how can I NOT worry?"
"I'm a lot more innocent than you were! I don't go fuck every guy I see! And I only get drunk occasionally, and as for getting stoned..."
"You get stoned?" Billie yelped.
"Er...no...I was just...er..."
"I wish I was better than I was when I was a kid, I wouldn't sound like a hypocrite!"
"Billie, you're a parent, you're allowed to be hypocritical," Mike reminded him.
"Oh yeah! Kat if you ever get stoned again you'll lose all that months pocket money." Kat shrugged.
"I got enough money!"
"Damn, oh well."
"Caring father," Kat replied sarcastically.
"You're hardly likely to listen to me are you!"
"True!"
"It's late, get to bed," Billie yawned.
"Yes sir," Kat saluted him and he threw a cushion at her. She caught it and laughed.
"Katherine Josie Armstrong! It's 11 o clock and you have a date in one hour!"
"Ugh! Fuck this! What happened to evening dates?"
"I don't know, just get your lazy ass out of bed NOW!"
"Fine, I'm up I'm up!" Kat yelled at her dad, jumping out of bed. She showered, dried her hair, for once, put on a t-shirt, black billabong tie, black baggy bench trousers, black arm warmers, converse and studded belt. She applied some eyeliner and mascara and then stood in front of the mirror. Chloe came in.
"You're examining yourself in a mirror? Who are you and what have you done with Katherine?" Kat laughed evilly.
"I'm an alien from mars and Katherine is currently in my home there!"
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! My best mates on mars!" Chloe screamed.
Katherine laughed.
"So what do you think?"
"Sexy!" Tre walked in.
"Nice to know Tre! Anyway, Chloe, what do you think?"
"You look great. And it's five to twelve!"
"Fuck!" Kat panicked. She grabbed her iPod, wallet and phone and left, kissing her dad on the cheek as she passed him in the door and waving goodbye to everyone else. Billie looked behind him as she rushed down the hall. Then shrugged and grabbed her untouched breakfast.
Steven was leaning on the bonnet of his car. He saw Kat walk out of the hotel and come towards him.
"Hey," she called as she came closer.
"Hey," he replied opening the passenger door. She climbed in.
"So, where we going?" she asked.
"Well...considering it's 12 I was thinking lunch?"
"Sounds cool," he nodded.
"When it's with me, it's always cool!" he stated.
"Obviously!" She laughed. "So you live here right?" she asked. He nodded.
"Yeah, have done all my life. What about you, where do you live?"
"Oakland, California."
"In a huge fucking house, with a pool and hot tub and a million rooms?" he asked.
"Uhuh. And a walk in closet and a plasma screen TV in every room! Well, not quite. In my room, and downstairs and in mom and dads room, Joey and Jake are too young to have one!" He laughed.
"Rich bitch," he muttered.
"I heard that!" She hit his arm softly. He laughed.
"It's true!"
"How do you know I'm a bitch?"
"Cause only cool people are bitches. We're here." Kat looked up at the café. It was small, but it seemed friendly and sweet.
"Looks cool," she said.
"I come here, of course it's cool!" Steven said.
"Oh, you come here often? It's lost some brownie points then!" He laughed. When they entered a blonde girl walked up to them smiling, very unrealistically.
"Hello, what can I get you two?" Kat looked at Steven, who motioned for her to order. She smiled, she felt like an adult.
"Erm...I'll just have a burger and chips please." The girl wrote down her order and looked at Steven.
"I'll have the same," he said. The girl took their menus and walked away.
"I'm taking it you don't watch your weight?" Steven asked.
"Ha! I've tried, and failed, I've given up, why do you think I should?" she asked. He shook his head.
"Hell no, you look perfect the way you are," he smiled cheekily at her. She blushed.
"Alright...let's play the question game," she said. He looked at her.
"The what game?"
"We ask each other questions and we have to answer truthfully."
"OK, you start," She grinned mischievously.
"Ever kissed another guy?" He smiled slightly.
"Once, when I was drunk, I kissed my best mate." Kat laughed.
"Brilliant! Your turn."
"Ok, same question."
"No, never kissed another girl, at least not properly. My turn! Erm, how far you gone with a girl?"
"That's personal!"
"Further than kissing obviously. You ever fucked anyone?" He looked at her.
"Yeah," she grinned.
"I love this game!"
"Hey my turn, same question again! Have you ever fucked anyone, Miss Armstrong?"
"Yeah," she said quietly. He looked at her. Something was wrong.
"What -" he began to ask.
"My turn, erm, if you were gay who would you date?" she side-stepped the question she knew he was going to ask.
Their food came and they continued while they ate. A couple of hours later they had finished and were sitting and laughing together.
"I'm running out of questions!" Kat whined.
"Me too!" Steven agreed. Kat laughed. She looked at her watch, 3:30.
"It's three thirty," she said.
"Shit! I have to pick up my little sister, sorry! You can come if you want. I pick her up and then go see my mates."
"Sounds fun but I got to get back, maybe tomorrow?"
"Sure, I'll call you!" she nodded and scribbled down her number for him.
"Do you want a lift back to the hotel?" he asked.
"No, it's fine, you go pick up your little sister!"
"Ok, I'll call you later! I had fun, bye."
"Yeah bye!" She watched as he drove away and then called Billie to get him to pick her up.
The man in the red car picked up his radio and spoke into it. His eyes not leaving the figure of the young girl waiting for someone.
"I've found her John, I've found Kat. Over."
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