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Short Story / Kat - Not Katherine
Let me tell you who I am.
I go to high school. Okay, so that’s not enough for you? I won’t bother to tell you my name, though, because I’m sure you’ll hear it somewhere. If you haven’t already, that is.
I’m not stupid. Really, I’m not. I just don’t like them. Them? Yeah, them. ‘Them’ as in…every freaking person in my school. Teachers included. No, teachers especially.
You see, I never meant to hit him. It just happened. Like a thunderstorm of everything all bottled up that had been ready to hit for months, just hovering above its unsuspecting victims. Like champagne when it’s first opened, shooting out like a cannon of bubbles. But like I said…it really wasn’t meant to happen.
Danny Giovanni. The senior jock and captain of the football team. Dumb as a rock and strong as an ox. What a combination!
Now, just because I hate him doesn’t mean he has a reason to hate me. No matter what that compulsive liar would tell you, he does.
Have you ever felt like you were the one, single object of a person’s anger?
I’m Danny’s.
Three minutes.
The locker door slammed shut after I had gathered my stack of numerous books into my arms, only… I hadn’t closed it. As I looked up slowly, almost nonchalantly, my eyes met those of the most vicious beast of the school, Danny Giovanni. What a lump of stupidity, I thought bitterly as he stood staring into my deep chocolate eyes. I could throw a freaking rock at his head and he’d never be the wiser. I almost laughed at this, and although the thought was dreadfully amusing, I knew better than to laugh in the face of the one thing that could ruin my whole entire school year.
As I stood still, looking less than amused, I waited for the purpose of this most appreciated visit. When I found out what it was, I wasn’t surprised. How could I be? He was the jock. I was the goth. What else was to be expected? Sighing and rolling my eyes for emphasis, I looked up at him. ”Can I help you, sir?”
Two minutes. I was about to be late for class.
He stood there a moment, just staring at me, as if he’d forgotten what he wanted in the first place. When he figured it out, he smirked. ”Yeah, Katherine. Carry my books,” he sneered, his dark locks falling into his eyes. For a jock, he kind of had a ‘skater boy’ look about him. He was attractive, I guess. If you like that sort of thing. But that was about the only thing he had going for him. In my view, at least. Being ‘cute’ meant nothing to me when it came to boys. He had no character, no brains, and no manners. I could hardly stand him. But there I was, right in front of him. Standing. Ha. I think I should also mention that I HATE being called Katherine. My mother calls me Katherine. No one else calls me Katherine. I go by Kat. Don’t forget it, either.
With another roll of my eyes, I turned away and reopened my locker, pretending to rummage through for something else that I had forgotten. Casually, I replied, “Not a chance, Prince Charming.” In the back of my mind…I could hear the intercom confirming my suspicions in my ear. World Word III has begun.
With one minute left to class, he walked away from me, sneering all the while. I could tell that wouldn’t be the last of Danny I had to deal with that year. And that was that. That was how it all got started, really. That stupid dweeb trying to get my to carry his stupid books. But that time I got off easy. Danny didn’t feel like punching my guts out that day. Either that, or he didn’t have his dumb goons standing nearby to back him up.
So what else do you want to know?
There isn’t really much more to tell you, really. I hate school. With a deep…burning passion. I before, too, I guess…but that was different. That was just a normal kid’s hate of learning. My feeling towards school now are purely caused by Mr. Giovanni and his goons. So, you’re still wondering what happened, I bet. Between me and Danny? Well if you’d shut up and be patient I’d tell you. Gosh. Don’t you know you can’t rush a good story? And believe me. This is a good one. Because when I tell you where I am…you’re going to want to come after me with pitchforks like an angry mob and lynch me like that stupid kid in Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry. And speaking of angry mobs…
Monday of two weeks ago. Gym class.
”Tick off, Dan!” I snatched my basketball away from the big ogre and glared at him hard, wishing death to strike him down dead in front of me at that very moment. Well…that definitely isn’t what happened. He just laughed and moved closer to me.
”Come on, Shorty! I just wanna play,” he persisted, moving closer to me. He placed his hands on the plastic ball and just stared at me, a stupid grin plastered on his face, as if challenging me to challenge him back. As I glanced over his shoulder I could see the mob of people behind him, watching and waiting patiently for my reaction. This was a ridiculous thing to do, of course, considering the fact that they already knew I wasn’t going to back down. I never backed down. Especially not to a bully like Dan.
”Go play with yourself, Danny,” I said, rising to the challenge, grinning. I could almost hear the intake of breath from everyone standing behind him – including his dumb goons.
”At least I don’t play with people of the same sex,” Danny returned, pivoting around nonchalantly as he began to walk away from me.
I think this would be a good time to mention that I’m only five foot three, I’m bi, and I’m goth. I think I may have mentioned the last, though. Oh well. You’re going to have to deal with a little more repetition if you want to get through this story.
So with that last insult firmly placed on the table, I took the opportunity to take note that his pants were rather low on his behind. ”Hey Dan!” I called after him, fighting back a giggle as he continued to walk. ”Think fast!” With that, I tossed the ball at his rear, aiming for the baggy area between his legs. Perfect shot. The slight amount of pressure on his pants caused them to slip down his thighs and rests on the floor at his ankles.
I was later told that his face was as white as a ghost as this happened, but I can’t really be sure. What I did take notice of, though, was his boxers, and the howls of laughter coming from the large crowd surrounding us. His boxers, I should mention, were conveniently white with multiple pink and red hearts on them.
Danny: 1 Katherine: 2
The war was definitely on.
Let’s see…what else can I possibly tell you about me?
You practically know me already. I’m a Freshman, though, but I should be a Sophomore. I…missed a little school last year because of some…well…personal issues. I’ve had a few boyfriends in my time. Girlfriends, too. I’m not exactly popular… Okay…so…not popular at all. Whatever. I just don’t like hanging out with kids my age. They’re not exactly what you’d call…intellectually stimulating. I should tell you a little about my…history. In 6th grade I lived in New York, with my uncle Tony. He’s gay. I guess being gay can be partly genetics, right? I wonder if I get it from him sometimes, but I don’t really know, or care, for that matter. Being bi has really just been a part of me since I was in…what? Fifth grade? Yeah. That’s about it. I figured it out early.
The part of New York I lived in is probably exactly how you think it is. Dirty, grungy, and full of whores, drugs, and lots of gangs. And if you can believe it, I got tossed into the scene. The lifestyle, the drugs, the violence, and even the gangs. But mistakes are mistakes, right? Of course right. When I am I not right? Okay, don’t answer that. I’ll tell you. On my social studies tests! Gosh…I’m not even sure I could I could point out New York on a map. But I sure as hell know how to find the janitor’s closet on the third floor.
Children, please look away…
The locker door slammed shut, but this time it was my doing. Sort of. Now, if I haven’t mentioned this before, I’m not the type to go steady with anyone. That particular day I was with a girl named Charlotte, and at the moment, she was pinning me against my locker. Not that I objected, obviously, but that’s not the point. As she leaned in to kiss me – no one was around at the time, of course; we were hanging out after school together – who should walk up and catch us but Danny Giovanni and his pack of goons.
“Hey lesbos!” one of the goons called to us. Charlotte jumped back in shock. I, on the other hand, was a bit less startled. I wasn’t really fazed by the incident. I’d been caught a few times before. Why should that time be any different?
“Hello, dorkface.” I sighed and crossed my arms across my chest. “Feeling a bit jealous, are we?” I laughed and looked over at Charlotte, but she was as white as a ghost, which honestly didn’t make the situation any better.
“I dunno. I could use some action today. What d’you think, Dan?” the boy sneered, turning to Danny. Danny shrugged.
“I think we should beat their cute little faces in until they can’t even be properly identified by their parents. What do you say, boys?”
As if on cue – it certainly seemed like a line he could easily have taken from some cheesy Hollywood movie – they advanced toward us, two of them pulled switchblades from their pockets. If there was one thing I was good at, it was running. And that’s what I did. I ran.
I grabbed Charlotte’s arm and jerked her forward, bolting down the hall. I could feel my heart slamming against my rib cage, and in that moment I was almost sure it would crack the bones and split through my skin, falling on the floor just in time for me to trip on it and fall to my fate. We twisted through a few corners, but I could still hear their huge, loud feet slamming on the hallway linoleum and echoing back all the way down the corridor. Just as they started to gain on us, I spotted the janitor’s closet.
And that’s when I became a Christian.
We slipped in as quietly as possible before the boys could turn the corner and see us cramming inside. As I leaned against a pile of dirty mops, trash cans, and other useless janitor-serving items, I praised God for my quick feet. On top of the sounds of Danny and his gang cursing and stomping around in the hallway, I could hear Charlotte gasping for air beside me. Second date? I didn’t think so.
After that, I knew I had to stay away from Dan.
I was one tough cookie, but Dan wasn’t playing a game, and I wasn’t on his team. As it was, I was going to have to steer clear of him. And as for Charlotte? She never talked to me again. Oh well, right?
The one thing I can’t stand in a person is the inability to make rational decisions under pressure. This is why I’ve hated every president I’ve lived to know. They’re just a bunch of slow old men that have no idea what they’re doing in office or why they ran in the first place. But the government is one matter I was never well educated in. All I knew was that as an America citizen, I had the right of free speech, the right to bear arms, violence was a crime, and sexual harassment was illegal.
I knew the last back to front with my eyes closed.
“Hey princess, why don’t you give me a kiss?” Dan said, walking up behind me in the hall on afternoon before class. I rolled my eyes and turned around with a sigh. He was awfully close. I could already tell it wasn’t going to be pretty, but I had know idea just how ugly it was going to be.
“No thanks,” I said tiredly, standing with my hands on my hips.
“Oh come on. You sure were cozy with that chick the other day. How was that, by the way? In the closet. I’m sure you had a blast. Yeah, your little friend told me where you guys hid. That was really all I could get out of her though. Didn’t really have much time on my hands, if you know what I mean…” He trailed off, leaving the rest of the scenario to my imagination.
Now this part’s a bit of a blur to me, but I know that I screamed and lunged for him. I was later informed that I’d tackled Dan to the ground and pounded on him until his face was basically painted red. And if you think that’s disgusting…I’m sparing you the details.
But wouldn’t you have done the same? I’m telling you right now, if I could go back, I wouldn’t change a thing. Not one single thing.
Dan deserved what he got.
And I’m glad that I gave him what he had coming.
What happened after that is hardly a blur, but I’ll spare you the details.
My mom was ticked. I got a shrink. The school monitored my every move. I lost all my friends. And I got stuck in detention with Danny! How stupid can a school be? Honestly. He started it. It wasn’t like I beat up the school jock for no reason at all. He provoked me, and he was totally asking for it.
15 minutes left of detention.
The two of us – Danny and me – sat in the back of the classroom, next to each other. The only thing we had to keep ourselves from going insane were our homework and whatever other paperwork we brought with us. (Dan tried to bring in his playstation portable, but Mr. Landon – the teacher assigned to ‘supervise us’ during our routine detentions – took it away from him. So me, being the lovely student that I am, chose to do anything but homework. I wrote in my journal, I drew, I listened to my iPod… and I watched Dan.
To be honest, he was terribly interesting. I couldn’t help but notice the things he brought with him every day we were there. A sketchbook, a book from the Chronicles of Narnia, his iPod, and not to mention…a skateboarding magazine!
His sketches were beautiful, and his poems – which he wrote in the same notebook, with the largest, messiest handwriting I’d ever had the pleasure of viewing – were deep and emotional. His music was basically the same as what I listened to, and when – on the last day – I looked over at the book he was reading, it was my favorite: The Magician’s Nephew. I also couldn’t help but notice that he read each one multiple times, and never in order.
He really didn’t seem like that bad of a guy, really.
I hate to tell you this, but on the last day of detention, he seemed different.
He actually talked to me like a normal person. In fact, he even complimented me on my necklace, which was a little dragon pendant I got from Hot Topic in the mall. (Hey, where else would a goth shop?) And made a comment about the book I was reading. (Lord of the Rings, of course.) As I left the classroom for the last time, my messenger bag slung over my shoulder, I couldn’t help but have a feeling that things were going to be different. Much…much different.
A week or so later…
When I reached my locker to put my things away and catch the bus, a small, white sheet of paper slipped from the top shelf onto the ugly purple linoleum floor, floating down gracefully. I reached down to pick it up and was almost shocked to see the large, untidy letters written there. Now it was my turn to go white. I simply couldn’t believe it. It was finally over. It was all about to end.
So, where am I?
I guess I can tell you now, seeing as I’ve pretty much finished my story. Or…I could have you guess. Or I could simply leave you hanging, like most authors do at the end of their dumb, pointless little stories. But this one wasn’t pointless. This one means something. To me, anyway.
Even with the wind and the chill blowing through my hair, I can focus enough to see the score board. With nothing better to do on my Friday night, I can tell you that my high school is winning. He’s winning.
I’m watching him run with the ball and score for the team now, and I’m actually glad I came. The game’s finally over, and I guess so is the whole drama with Danny.
Well…judging by the wink he just gave me…I’d say maybe not!
And what of the note?
The beginning or end? You tell me.
But I guess it doesn’t really say much. Just two little words.
~Sorry, Kat.
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You’ve got a fine breezy style, and you use it to good effect. I have to say, and you probably know this, that the great transformation is a trifle under-motivated. For one thing, I understand why Kat changed her opinion, but I don’t understand why Dan did—what made him change his sadistic ways, exactly? And why was a guy who digs Narnia such a creep to begin with?
I do like the image of the Goth girl at the game. I just think you need a little more plausibility in Dan’s character. Your narrator is definitely smart enough to perceive more about him, at least by the time they share detention together.
And let me say again, your command of your style is excellent.
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I liked the sarcasm in the story, but I was slightly turned off when you told the reader to “shut up.” I read somewhere that it’s not a good idea for a reader to not like the protagonist, and once the protagonist told me to shut up, I stopped feeling sorry for her and this situation with Danny. That one little line messed it up for me. Before that, I was enjoying what I was reading and learning once again how crazy high school can really be. I’m also wondering what does this line mean “I before, too, I guess…” Is there a word missing?
June 03, 2006
Deleted User
This was good. Well written and i could really see the “teenage” point of view. However, I was dissapointed at the end. I was expecting more of a dramatic punch of some sort rather than just a casual end. other than that it was alright.
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