Romance Reloaded

Kats POV

“Hello, Shiloh.” I said calmly, not even turning to face her. I couldn’t look her in the eyes after what she did. I’ll never forgive that bitch as long as I live. “Look at me then!” she ordered menacingly. I slowly turned around and looked at the floor. Slowly eyes drifted up to her. Just by her posture I could tell she meant business. “What do you want?” I said firmly. An evil smirk crept upon her pimple covered face. “Your boyfriend.” Her answer lowered my respect for her to nothing. “Now you know that’s not gonna happen.” I pulled the documents I was holding tight to my chest as I felt my fists beginning to clench. Shiloh laughed. “I think you misunderstood me, Kat.” She scoffed. “I want your boyfriend. I want him to suffer.” I glared at her in disgust. “That’s a little harsh don’t you think? Just because you can’t have him doesn’t mean no one else can.”

She stepped towards me and threw a punch with her right fist. I dropped the documents and blocked it. She immediately brought up her knee and imbedded it in my stomach. I cowered over in pain just as her other fist came up and punched my jaw, forcing my mouth to close; ripping my lip between my teeth. Shiloh laughed as I fell to the floor. I curled up on the floor, bring my hand up to inspect my damaged lip. That’s when I saw her foot heading right for my face. With brutal force she kicked my nose making a loud cracking noise as she hit my fingers too. I tried to scream but only a faint whimper left my bloody mouth. Looking up through teary eyes I saw Shiloh laughing as she walked back down the corridor.

After a few moments of laying on the cold marble floor, a pool of blood surrounding my face; I decided to get up. Carefully pulling myself to my feet I picked up the documents and slowly walked down the corridor, hunched over holding my throbbing abdomen. “Oh my god, Kat!” I stood upright and held my breath in fear but it was only Brie. “What happened?” I wiped the blood from my mouth and gulped. “Sh…Shiloh. “ Brie took the documents and supported me with her arm. “We need to get you to the hospital.” She said in a panic.

As we limped through the corridors students stared and whispered but right now I couldn’t have cared less. We came around a corner and almost walked straight into Andy. “Whoa, what the hell happened here!?” he said in a horrified voice. “No time to explain I need you to drive us to the hospital now, Andy!” he nodded to Brie and looked sympathetically at me. Andy scooped up my weary body and ran out the nearest door with Brie, he raced over to his car and sat me down on the back seat. I tried to rub my eye but cried out in pain as my hand met my swollen nose. “Careful, Kat. We don’t know how bad the damage is yet!” Brie warned me as the jumped into the car. Andy raced out of the car park and towards the hospital.

When we arrived Brie helped me out of the car and walked me into the ER whilst Andy went to find a place to park. We were immediately met by a nurse who ordered one of the doctors to escort me to a bed, the doctor took me into another room and Brie was left talking to the nurse. The doctor slipped on a pair of white latex gloves and began to examine my face carefully. “Well.” He began, as he injected my arm with morphine to relieve the pain. “I’m afraid to say you’ve broken your nose and your lip is going to need 2 stitches.” He walked away and began to search a draw for the necessary equipment. “What happened to you exactly, Miss Monroe?” I sighed painfully and cleared my throat. “I… I was assaulted.” He raised an eyebrow at me as the approached with a needle, surgical thread and Seri strips. ”You’ll have to inform your school of who assaulted you and the circumstances.” I nodded in agreement and watched him thread the needle.

“there, your lip is all patched up now, I’ll just get some gauze to bandage your nose up with.” I gently touched my swollen lip with my fingers before responding to him. “Okay then.” I said, deep in thought. He walked out of the room and I was left alone. I sighed loudly and looked around the room. It was the same room Frank was in after the accident. I crossed my arms, embracing my body for comfort. Shiloh was going to get away with this, I just knew it. If Frank was here she wouldn’t. If Frank was here maybe it wouldn’t have even happened. ‘If. If. If. It’s all ‘ifs’ he’s not here, Kat deal with it!’ words of my conscience were breaking my heart. he’s only been gone a month. How am I going to survive another 4?

Moments later the doctor came in and bandaged up my nose. He ordered me to have at least a week off school because stress can delay the healing process. I’m not sure I believed him but any excuse not to be around Shiloh. I thanked him and walked back into the waiting room where Andy and Brie were sat. “Oh thank god you’re okay!” brie said, relieved. I smiled sympathetically and the three of us walked back to Andy’s car.

He drove up back to school and dropped me off so I could pick up Frank’s car. “Thank you for your help.” I said as I got out of the car. “No problem, Kat. If you need anything just call us.” Andy and Brie smiled hopefully as I closed the door. They drove off into the night and I walked over to Frank’s car, unlocked it and sat in the driver’s seat. I let out a shaky breath as I drove off down the street. “I just want Frank back.” I breathed quietly.

A few days of being at home passed as slow as ever. I was so bored, by Wednesday I ventured up into the attic to retrieve my old art supplies. I hadn’t used them since I lived in Belleville. I pulled a box of paints out from under an old chest and blew the dust from it, everything in the attic seemed like it hadn’t been touched for centuries. Everything was so peaceful and quiet like I was the only person around for miles. I sighed deeply and carried the box down stairs.

I occupied a few hours painting in the kitchen. First I painted the house in all its creepy, almost abandoned looking glory; then Frank’s guitar ‘Pansy’ and finally my favourite master piece to date. A simple red rose. The rose reminded me of when Frank bought me that bunch of flowers, all of which wilted apart from one, that one rose seemed to be a bit more alive than the others, that one lonely rose. I signed off my painting in the corner ‘K.Monroe’ but I felt the picture needed something else. A message. “This ones for you, Frank. I’ll love you as long as this rose is alive.”

Smiling proudly at my painting I placed the canvas on the table. I’ll give it to him when he gets back, I thought. He’ll love it. One by one I put my paints back in the box and took them back to the attic, as I walked back down stairs I noticed Frank’s jacket hung on the banister. I picked it up and sat on the bottom step. I traced my fingers over the stitching and thought about the future.

I can’t stick around here, I’ll die of boredom. Frank’s lucky, he’s travelling from city to city, across the country. Never a dull moment, always new people, new opportunities, it would be so exciting. I miss living in the city but I don’t wanna go back to Belleville. I’d be surrounded by people from my old school, the ones who made my life hell. I wanna go to a bigger city, brighter lights, taller buildings. I wanna… I wanna go to New York!

Notes