part0050

For the next month or so Kathy went directly to her classes and did her best to avoid everyone. Whenever she saw Sarah she would feel herself stop for a moment, then turn and run the other direction. She couldn't keep her mind on her schoolwork and it was starting to affect her grades.

Mrs. Brookholds tried to talk to the girl to find out what was bothering her, but only got a cold "Leave me alone." as Kathy stormed out of the class.

In art class Kathy couldn't focus on the given assignments. Every time she brought a brush or pencil to a canvas she would see Justine or Sarah's face. One time the teacher told the class to draw a portrait of themselves and brought out a bunch of large mirrors for the student to use. Kathy looked at the person who looked back at her and couldn't believe that was really her. The girl in the reflection looked even more like a boy, her baggy silk shirt completely hid any sign of her small breasts, her eyes were dark with circles under them and her hair, which was usually neatly cut short, was now a mess and looked more like a lions mane than anything else. Kathy suddenly stood up and threw her canvas to the ground screaming, then ran out of the class.

One day while walking down the hall she saw Sarah standing outside of drama class. She couldn't look at Sarah without feeling like she would break into tears, Sarah was fighting with a black cape, and one of her friends was trying to help her get it to tie straight.

Kathy rolled her eyes and grabbed the cloak from the girl's hands. Sarah didn't even see Kathy appear and stood there in shock as the girl threw the cloak over Sarah's shoulder and began to tie it. The two didn't say a word. Sarah couldn't take her eyes off of Kathy's, who made sure she only kept her eyes on the task at hand. When Kathy was finished she brushed the wrinkles out of the cloak and looked the girl over. For a brief moment their eyes caught and they stared at each other. Kathy quickly turned away. She proceeded to stroll down the hall and around the corner.

Someone came running after Kathy, "Hey, Wait!" The girl called out.

Kathy turned around to see one of Sarah's friends running towards her. The girl was very tall for her age. She must have stood nearly 6 ft tall and had short curly black hair. "Yes?" Kathy asked calmly.

When the girl spoke there was hatred in her voice, "What is it with you? Do you have any idea what you are doing to Sarah?" She snarled, waving a hand in the direction they just came from.

Kathy looked the girl in the eyes, no emotion showed at all, "Yes, I do." She uttered coldly.

The girl was fuming, "You... You bitch!" Suddenly she slapped Kathy across the face.

Kathy did not move, she simply straighten her head and turned away without so much as a word.

"Hey, Aren't you going to even say anything?" The girl yelled down the hall.

Kathy stopped in her tracks, "Tell Sarah... I'm sorry..." She pleaded softly, "And watch over her for me would you?" She left the baffled girl and continued down the hall towards the office.

Inside the office she stepped towards the counter and was about to announce herself to the secretary when she saw the principal wave her into his office. She took a deep breath and walked past the little swinging gate into the principal's office, and sat down when he gestured at a chair.

The principal settled into his chair. He didn't look pleased at the news he had for Kathy. To him the girl had a lot of potential. He could tell that she was very troubled and it wasn't entirely her fault that her grades were slipping. He let out a deep sigh and spoke, "It looks like you have been missing a few classes."

Kathy nodded, she was too tired to protest. She just wished that the principal would pull out a gun and shoot her on the spot and end her miserable life right now.

He leaned over his desk, "Listen. We both know that you are going through a lot. I mean with getting out of the hospital and all. So maybe it would be better for you to go to another school until you finish your other classes."

Kathy only blinked, She knew this was coming. She was prepared since the day she stepped onto the school grounds that this place was too good to be true. They didn't really want her there, they were looking for some poster child and what they got was a psycho, plain and simple.

"I've heard that your doctor has arranged it so you only need to take two classes a semester so you won't be as stressed." He continued. Kathy assumed the real reason the doctors let her get away with two classes was because they thought she was dumb and couldn't handle more. She would be fine if people would just leave her alone and let her work. That included the ghost in her mind.

"I've decided to let you go for now." The principal tried to think of how to put things lightly, "There are a lot of less strenuous schools out there and when you finish your primary classes, then you can return here to continue your studies in arts here. How does that sound?"

It sounded to Kathy like a 'goodbye and don't let the door hit you on the way out'. She looked at the ground and tried to hold herself together. Slowly she was learning how to shut off all of her emotions. She stood up and looked at the principal. "I'm sorry." was all she could summon the will to say. She then turned around and walked out the door. She quickly stepped out of the office and ran down the hall to her locker where she cleared out her things before she leaving the school. She didn't stop until she was outside and the building was well behind her.

She stopped and took one last look at the old school. Silently she bid everyone farewell. A single snowflake drifted down and touched her cheek. She looked up as the first snowfall began. She felt a tear begin to escape her eye. Slowly she turned her back to the school and walked away, disappearing into the snow. She took the same path as that first day she met Sarah. Entering the flower shop to buy the same Lily, then ventured on, towards the cemetery. She wove her way through the headstones till she came to the resting place of her lost love. Here she stood in silence while the snow slowly built up upon the ground. She sat on the cold ground leaning against Justine's gravestone. Huddling the flower close to her body as the snow gathered on her figure. Shakily she pulled out her small note book and wrote:

"Here I huddle up close to her headstone, eyes closed, relief at long last. As snow blankets my love and me and mother nature blows me a kiss good night, released from the pains and worries am I, for now I join the endless sleep of Death."