Keeping Her Warm(3)

“I’ll call you later, Ma,” I throw over my shoulder as I close the door behind me and head for my cruiser. I give my shoulder a good roll as I feel tension already building in it.

I shove the paper into my pocket and feel the other one I’d put in there earlier. I pull it out and study it for a second. I bring it to my nose for some reason, wanting to smell it, but there is no smell.

I shake my head at myself as I slide into my cruiser and take off toward 4th and Shine.





2





Catherine





I tuck my hands into my sleeves, trying to keep my hands warm as I make the long walk to school. It’s colder than normal today, but maybe it’s the wind making it feel that way. It feels like it’s cutting through me and I swear I can smell snow in the air. The thought makes my eyes water.

I don’t know how I’m going to make it much longer without the right winter clothes and, well, heat for that matter. I’ve come so far already. Over two years I’ve been making it on my own. Graduation is so close, but it looks like everything is about to crumble around me.

I pull my jacket tighter, trying to shield myself as best as I can from the wind, but my old coat has seen better days and I don’t have the money to spend to buy another. I barely have any money at all. I’m down to eighty dollars. I’ve been spreading my money thin since my dad’s pension stopped coming in. I was lucky I’d had it as long as I did.

My dad disappeared over two years ago without a word, but the checks kept rolling into the bank, so I went on, paying the bills and making ends meet the best I could to keep the house, a roof over my head and some food on the table for me. I was too scared to get a job in town, worried people would start asking questions. I tried to remain invisible as much as possible, not wanting to draw attention to myself.

Then the checks stopped coming. I don’t know why and it’s not like I can call and ask. In fact, I’m pretty sure it’s against the law for me to have been using them. I also should have reported my dad missing. At first it was because I thought maybe he was just off on one of his benders, but as the days passed and he never came home I started to get more worried.

Then I was scared I’d waited too long to say something. Scared that I’d be taken away and thrown into some foster system again, so I just kept going, pretending everything was fine and that my dad was around but on bed rest because of his knee.

Now, with the checks not coming in, I’m losing everything. The house was foreclosed on last week. I’ve still been sneaking in and sleeping in my old room, living there as best I can even without running water or heat, but I have nowhere else to go at the moment. I need to find a job, and quick. Maybe I could work somewhere low key. In a backroom stocking shelves or something.

At least now that I’ve turned eighteen I don’t have to worry about being tossed into some system. I just want to finish school and get my high school diploma so maybe I can find a half-decent job when I leave this town.

I wiggle my toes, trying to get a little feeling back in them. When I finally make it to the school I let out a deep breath as I open the door and warm air hits my face. I keep my head down as I make my way to my locker. I can hear the quiet giggles as I walk by. You think it would get old making fun of me, but apparently it doesn’t. I don’t even play into them, pretending I don’t hear them.

“Cat got your tongue?” I hear Jannie snicker, thinking she’s clever playing off my name. As if they haven’t been saying the joke forever. I guess that hasn't gotten old either.

“Don’t listen to them,” Ren says, leaning up against my locker. I glance over at him as I slide my coat off and put it into my locker, wondering what he wants. He never talks to me. He doesn’t make fun of me either, though. In truth, I thought he didn’t even know I existed. “Jannie is a bitch.” He says that part loud enough for everyone to hear. I suck in a breath.

“Fuck you, Ren,” Jannie shouts at him. Tension builds in my stomach. I want no part of whatever this is that is going on. My eyes are still on Ren; he’s just smiling. His smile seems nice, but his eyes still hold a hardness to them. I try to shift a little away from him, but he moves in closer to me. He towers over me like everyone does. I’m barely five foot two. His dark eyes keep on staring at me.

Every girl in school has a crush on Ren and I’m wondering why all of a sudden his attention is on me. It makes me feel uneasy. I shut my locker and pick up my backpack off the ground. I don’t say anything to him as I turn and head toward my class. He follows me. I know we have the next class together; he falls into step next to me.

“Not even a hi?” he asks. I glance over at him. “I know you can talk. Heard you talk to the teachers before. I don’t think the cat really has your tongue.” He licks his lips. I give him a half-smile. Not because I want to but in hopes that will get him to leave me alone and I can go back to being invisible.

I slip into class and head for my usual seat in the back of the room. Ren follows me, but Ben is in the seat next to mine like always. He’s just as quiet as I am. I take my seat next to Ben. Ren stares down at Ben, not saying a word, but Ben gets up and moves. I bite the inside of my cheek. I want to say something to Ren. He’s a freaking cocky jerk and I don’t like that he keeps trying to get close to me.