Yes, finally chapter 13 is here! However, there is nothing unlucky about this chapter. Just the continuation of an amazing romance story. As always thank you Tigersman for your help editing my story and letting bounce ideas off of you.
Scott parked his car at the high school and he and Sarah got out to head towards their lockers. He had convinced his sister to arrive early at school so he could meet Katie at her locker. All it took was promising to do her laundry. 'Why do I always have to do her laundry?' he thought to himself. He got what he needed out of his locker before making his way towards Katie's. He really wanted to talk to her the previous night after she had her appointment with Bernie, but she didn't answer him when he called. She did text him later though that she needed some space and that she would talk to him tomorrow at school.
He hurried to get to her locker before she would normally get there, but she was already there. She was putting things away and taking things out, but didn't seem like her normal self to Scott. He approached her and put his hands on her shoulders.
"Hey, doing any better?" he asked with concern in his voice.
Katie got the last thing she needed from her locker and turned around with a smile on her face. "Yeah," she answered. "I'm doing better."
Scott smiled back at her, although he was still worried. "So I take it your first session with Bernie was kind of rough."
"Yeah, it was," Katie said as she nodded, "but I think it is something that I needed to do. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off of me and..." she grabbed Scott's head, pulled him towards her and kissed him, "I think I'm going to be alright."
Scott relaxed and kissed her forehead. "I'm happy to hear that. Are you going to see him again?"
"Yep. I have three more scheduled appointments with him over the next three weeks, but only an hour each. Yesterday...was very draining. Unloading everything..." Katie didn't know how to finish her sentence, but Scott interrupted her thoughts as he cupped her cheek.
"I know. It's hard and when the wounds open, it is ripped open wide. Just know I'm here for you in whatever way you need me, including giving you space."
Katie kissed him again. "I know and that is why I love you Scottie."
"We all know you love him," Miss Bird said with a smile as she walked by, "but please keep the PDA down to a minimum you two."
Scott and Katie separated from each other and said sorry at the same time, both red in the face. Miss Bird walked away still smiling. While she knew she needed to enforce the school rules against public displays of affection, she was more than happy to see that they were together in a relationship instead of her bullying him. Then again, she never thought that they would actually be friends or even nice to each other. Strange how life works out sometimes.
Scott walked Katie to her first class, holding her hand. "See you at lunch," he said not wanting to let go of her.
"See you at lunch handsome," Katie said as she let go of his hand.
Scott watched her take her seat from the door and he walked away a few seconds later.
The next three weeks were much of the same for Scott and Katie. They would meet at each other's lockers before school, have lunch together and find a way to enjoy each other's company during English. The night after Katie's appointments with Bernie would always be rough for her and one night in particular she had trouble sleeping. However seeing Scott that following morning always made it worth it. Knowing he would always be there for her to emotionally support her meant everything to her.
At the same time, she found that her relationship with her dad was only getting better. They agreed to have a daddy-daughter dinner date once a month just to catch up and spend some time together. Her dad also arranged it so that he and his wife would go out on a date every once in a while so that Katie could babysit Carly and spend more time with her. Of course Carly absolutely loved spending time with Katie and was always sad when she had to go to sleep because she knew Miss Katie would not be there the next morning.
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"Come on Scott. You're taking forever," Liz said waiting for Scott to play a card.
"Don't rush him," said Steve.
Katie rolled her eyes, also growing impatient. "You have two choices. It is not that hard."
"Yes it is a hard choice," Scott said sternly. "This choice decides who wins the game."
"Scott, I love you, but just pick one," Katie pleaded.
Scott racked his brain about what cards had been played and which ones could be left. After taking another minute to think, much to the dismay of Katie and Liz, he finally played the ace of clubs. Liz took the cards as her ten of hearts won as it was the trump suit. She then played the queen of spades. Steve and Katie played cards that didn't match the suit, but Scott more than happily laid down the king of spades, taking the trick and winning this game of Euchre.
Katie shook her head, stunned and bewildered that Scott had for the fourth time picked the right card to lay down and keep the right one to play. "Seriously, how do you keep doing that? I know you aren't counting cards, otherwise you wouldn't be taking so long to decide what to play."
"His father is the same way," Jackie said as she walked into the kitchen. "Takes forever to play a card and somehow it is usually the right one most of the time."
"So did you and dad win?"
"No," Jackie admitted, "I was the one who needed to pick the right card and I chose...poorly."
Scott rolled his eyes at his mom. "You don't need to do that line from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade every time you, dad, Sarah or I make a poor decision."
"Your mom can't help it, she was trained by your dad," Andy said with a smile on his face. "So, it's the boys versus the men."
"More like men versus the old men," Steve shot back.
And in the end, the "old men" beat the younger men by a score of 10-4.
"Next time you might not want to open your mouth so fast," Scott suggested.
"Yeah...sorry about that," Steve apologized.
Andy couldn't help but laugh at his son. "You had several chances for each points and passed up on them. Never pass up easy points in hopes for a perfect loner."
Now it was Steve's turn to roll his eyes at his dad. "I know Dad, but sometimes it is worth it to take risks. I mean look at Scott and Katie. If Scott didn't take the risk of actually apologizing to Katie, they would not have ended up together."
"Well he didn't apologize to me just to become my boyfriend. Although I will admit, I'm happy it turned out that way," Katie said as she kissed Scott on his cheek.
"I'm happy as well," Scott said with a big smile on his face.
A few seconds later Luke walked in with his wife. "If everyone is done playing Euchre, I have pizza and boneless wings from Domino's that are ready to be eaten." Keith got plates out for everyone as they grabbed several slices of pizza and wings. Scott and Steve separated themselves from everyone and went down to the basement to eat.
"So how are things going with Liz?" Scott asked.
"Overall good," Steve answered after finishing his bite of pizza. "We have our rough spots, but honestly...we miss hanging out with you."
Scott started to feel guilty about not being with his two closest friends. "I know that. I've been spending a lot of time with Katie and focusing on my relationship with her. It's just...there just seems to be a lot we need to work on between us and deal with."
"I heard from Liz who was told by Sarah that you somehow convinced her to see Bernie?"
Scott nervously smiled and laughed. "Yeah...kind of watched her have a meltdown when I showed her the punching bag in the room."
Steve did a double take not sure if he heard Scott right. "Wait, you actually showed her the room?" Scott nodded his head and Steve's eyes nearly popped out of his head. "What on Earth possessed you do that? Didn't you think about what effect it might have on her knowing that is the room where you used to vent your frustration out about her when she bullied you?"
"She didn't meltdown because of that." Scott took a moment to gather himself. "She hit the bag once starting to vent out some of her own anger and rage about what happened with Jack onto the bag and then she hit it again harder and again. I stopped her from hitting the bag and she wanted to keep hitting the bag. Let's just say she told me a lot of things that I want to keep between us."
"What about the stuff she tells Bernie?"
"That is between her and him and I have told her I won't ask about her appointments with him. If she wants to volunteer what she talks to him about, that is her choice."
Steve gave Scott a look of disbelief. "I know you better than that. You are worrying and playing scary scenarios in your head of what she might be telling him."
Scott in turn gave Steve a dirty look. "And this is why I don't want to hang out with you more. You know me too damn well for your own good."
Steve smiled. "Someone has to besides Sarah. At least I know when to shut my mouth."
"Why do you say that?" Scott asked having a sneaking suspicion.
"Sarah might have mentioned that she caught you two sleeping together on the couch and was very quick to tell Liz." Scott was about to get up from his seat from the couch but Steve stopped him. "Don't even think about it. You can deal with Sarah later after everyone is gone."
Scott shook his head, trying to quench the anger that was building inside him. "God dammit she can be an annoying sister sometimes. I would love it if she just stayed out of my business for once. I mean she has a freaking boyfriend that she should be focusing on."
"Speaking of Colin...he needs help in the confidence department." Scott was starting to give Steve another dirty look before Steve raised his hands to try to calm Scott down. "No no, not to do anything he shouldn't be doing with your sister. I mean actual confidence. He's always nervous and doesn't know what to say or do."
"What do you want me to do? I was always nervous around girls before Katie and I became friends. Hell, even my Homecoming date with Angelica was nothing but me being nervous the whole time. She basically asked me to make out with her and I asked if she was sure."
"Well...what helped you stop being as nervous around Katie?"
"I don't know," Scott said as he shrugged his shoulders. "We just got used to each other and opened up more. She knows more of the things that I struggle with and I now know more of the stuff that she is still having trouble dealing with."
"So you two became more vulnerable with each other."
"Yeah, I guess."
