Shattered(11)

Seth finally follows Trystan to the booth and sits down. He grabs a menu and then something weird happens.

The girl sitting across from them says, "If it's not my two favorite idiots." Katie sweeps her long hair over her shoulder, tosses a tip on the table and walks over. "How's it hanging, Trystan?" She places her fingers on their table and cocks her head to the side. "Cuz if you mess with my girl Mari, I'm gonna make you wish - "

"Mari's at home, and I didn't do anything to her." Trystan says, tightly. He wonders what Katie knows, if anything. She's Mari's best friend. They're always together.

Seth is watching Katie a little too closely. "Hey kitten, you want me to make you purr?" Seth grins at her and sweeps his eyes over her body, lingering way too long on her breasts.

Katie's mouth falls open. When she snaps back to life, Katie swings her purse and pegs Seth in the side of the head. He makes a noise like a pig bouncing out of the back of a pickup truck, and then clutches his head between his hands. "What. The. Fuck." He glares at Katie.

Katie's pissed. Her jaw is locked and when she talks, she sounds like she'll rip his face off. "Don't talk to me, Seth. So help me God - "

Katie is interrupted by the waiter. "Is there a problem over here?" the waiter asks, looking at each of them in turn.

Trystan beams and shakes his head. "Nope. We're ready to order though." He goes ahead, ordering three plates of food, fries, and shakes. When the waiter leaves, Trystan points at Katie and then the booth. "Sit down, Katie Scarlett," he says with a thick Irish brogue.

She lifts a dark brow at him. The girl could eat them alive. She'd spit out their bones and ask for seconds. There's a fierce thing going on with her, that's for certain. "You think I'm that vapid skank from Gone with the Wind? Seriously?"

"No," Trystan replies with a smirk on his face. "I just thought you liked big hats. Besides, that's the only famous Katie I know."

Seth offers, "Katie Couric."

Trystan inclines his head toward Katie. They lock gazes. Katie's expression is telling Trystan to piss off, but that look tells him that he's right. She'd happily slaughter them both with her purse. Seth got off easy. God help the poor bastard who dates this girl. "Katie Couric doesn't have the same spunk as Katie Scarlett."

"Who the f*ck is Katie Scarlett?" Seth blurts out way too loud. That pretty much sums up dinner. Seth and Katie bicker for an hour and Trystan tries to derail everything by throwing them off their game. It works, but not for long. It's as though they like fighting with each other. Eventually, he just sits back and watches and develops a deep respect for Katie in the process.

~MARI~

When I get home, I'm blindsided. I walk through the door and drop my book bag on the floor. I expect to be alone. My parents go out to dinner together on Thursday nights, but tonight they didn't go. Tonight they're home, waiting for me.

"Mari dear, pick up your school bag and put it away." Mom's voice meets me before I find her in the kitchen. I don't double back for my books.

"What's wrong? Why are you still here?" I glance around, looking for Daddy, but I don't see him.

Mother replies, "There was an important development with the lawsuit. That girl you punched in the face came by looking for you. Your father sent her away, but her parents called later." She moves through the kitchen getting a lunch bag ready. She puts in a sandwich and pours the coffee into a travel mug. She glances at me. "We worked everything out. If you apologize, they'll drop the suit."

"What?" I squeak. My hackles rise. I can't stand it. I can't believe she even said it. "You want me to apologize to her? You realize that this is the same person who bullied me every day for the past three years? This is the same person who - "

Mother gives me a look that makes me stop talking. It doesn't matter what I say. The decision was made without me. I press my eyes closed and sigh way too loud. I want to scream at her. I want her to act like she loves me and not like a goddamn robot all the time. She tries so hard to make my dad happy, like he's the only thing that matters. Why'd they even have me? I don't understand. I doubt I ever will.

Mother's voice carries a warning when she speaks. "Go upstairs and apologize. She's been waiting for you."

My eyes go so wide that they nearly fall out of my head and roll across the floor. "What? What did you say?"

"She's in your room, Mari. You've kept her waiting long enough already. Go apologize and you better be nice. If this blows up, your father won't like it." She glares at me and wipes down the counter. I stare at her. It's the only thing I can do. Screaming at Mother doesn't help. It's like she's a hollowed out shell. It doesn't matter how loudly I speak, she won't hear me. Mom would let me sign away my own life if it made my dad happy.

Gritting my teeth, I say, "Fine." I sprint-walk toward my room and fly up the stairs. When I pull the door open, Brie is standing in front of my desk. She was obviously looking through things.

"Hey, virgin," she beams and waves the tips of her fingers at me. "My daddy said you owe me an apology. So let's have it." She folds her narrow arms over her ample chest and tilts her head to the side, obviously pleased.