Page 48 of Things Good Girls Don't Do

That stung a little, and Katie wondered why Steph was being so dramatic. “Why are you being so down on Chase? You don’t even know him. I dated Jimmy for years and you never liked him, but you were never this adamant. Is this really about Chase, or something else? I don’t think I’ve changed that much, and if I have, it’s because Chase makes me stronger. He makes me not want to be the meek little mouse and stand up tall and say what I think. What’s wrong with that?”

“It’s notwrong. You just used to care if you hurt people or made them feel bad, and now it just seems like you’re only out to please yourself,” Steph said.

“And what’s wrong with that? I have done what other people wanted my whole life. Why can’t I, just once, do what I want? Be happy and not constantly worry about what other people think!” Katie said, her voice rising.

“Because you’re better than that!” Steph yelled back.

“God, I am so sick of everyone saying that. I’m too good, I’m better than this and that and whatever. It’s my life and I want to live! You of all people should get it and support me. You’re my best friend, Steph, not my mother,” Katie said firmly, trying to calm down.

Steph’s face went red and she snapped, “Yeah, well, if she was here she’d be ashamed of the way you’re acting.”

Katie felt like she’d eaten six bad tacos and they were all making her sick at once. She had never been a violent person, had never even been in a fight before, but right now all she wanted was to slap Steph’s horrified face. Of all the things Steph could have said to her ...

And part of you thinks she’s right. Your momwouldbe ashamed of you.

It was one thing for Mrs. Andrews to say something like that, but for Steph, it was almost unforgivable. She had said the one thing she knew would hit Katie the hardest ... and hurt her the most.

Katie’s eyes stung as she growled, “Get out of my house.”

“Katie, I’m sorry ...”

“I want you out of here now!” Katie yelled, her vision blurred with unshed tears.

Steph turned with what sounded like a sob, opening the front door with a jerk, and burst out of the house. Katie slammed the door behind her and leaned against it, trying to stop the tears from overflowing. Straightening up, she walked into the living room to sit down on the couch, swiping at her wet cheeks.

Steph was wrong about her. She was just having fun. Trying something new. And as far as Chase went, they were good together. She was happy, and Steph hadn’t respected that. Hadn’t respected her.

I’m sure she didn’t mean it. She was just worried about you.

Katie knew that Steph was protective of her. They had been friends since preschool, and Steph had always been there to support and defend her. While Katie had smiled and taken things with all the grace her mother had instilled in her, Steph had been outspoken and sometimes impulsive, shooting off her mouth without thinking. She had been Katie’s champion more times than she could count, but that didn’t give her the right to push her opinions on Katie now. Especially about what her mother would say or do.

Steph had loved Katie’s mother too, but that hadn’t stopped her from telling Katie that she needed to stand up to her. Tell her she was an adult. Funny how Steph had forgotten all that rebellious talk today and tried to use her mother to control her.

But it had worked, like kryptonite; Katie couldn’t stop thinking about what her mother would say.

“Didn’t you learn your lesson the first time, Katie? Boys only want one thing and if you give them that, you might as well show them the door.”

Another knock pulled her out of her own self-doubt, and she tried to sound normal as she called, “It’s open.”

Katie heard the rustling of bags and Chase said, “So I got you a caramel mocha and a chocolate chip muffin, since Gracie said that’s your usual. And I was actually thinking we could take a drive to Hailey instead of Boise ...” He was standing by the couch and she tried to hide her red eyes, but he’d already seen them. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she answered, wishing her voice didn’t sound so nasal.

Setting the food down on the end table, he sat next to her and turned her face toward him. “Why are you crying, Firecracker?”

She shook her head. “That’s a stupid nickname.”

He tilted up her chin, studying her. “Maybe so, but I don’t think me calling you Firecracker really bothers you; you’re just changing the subject.”

“I’m fine. I just had a fight with Steph is all.”

“Already? What happened?” he asked.

She stood up and said, “I don’t really want to talk about it, okay? I want to get my hands on this mocha you promised me.” She grabbed the mocha off the end table and walked away from his penetrating gray eyes and his questions. She wasn’t in the mood to deal with either of them right now.

CHASE LET THEfight go, but he knew that something was really bugging her. They ate their muffins in the kitchen in relative silence, though he was afraid he knew why Steph and Katie had been fighting.

“Please, Chase, you can barely afford lunch. How are you going to pay for prom?”

---