Understanding Caitlyn -Chapter 13-

Caitlyn 131

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The little Caitlyn walked around her block with tears streaming down her red face. She couldn’t stop crying, it was as if someone pushed a crying button and forgot to switch it off. She started talking to her self, walking on the sidewalk, “Why’d he leave me? Why does daddy have to get so angry?” She sniffed and rubbed her sore shoulder. “I miss how our family used to be. How we were happy. That was when mommy and daddy didn’t come home half asleep, but they came home with McDonalds for Willy and me.” Tears fell faster. As she turned the corner she saw a figure turn and look, then quickly turn the corner. “Willy!” Caitlyn screamed, and then started running full blast, despite the pain in her battered little body. Cait ran around the block twice before she stopped. Her breathing was heavy and her legs ached. She dropped down to her knees and screamed Willy’s name. She knows she saw him. It had been a week or so since he left her. Little Caitlyn didn’t understand why he didn’t want to see her, but Caitlyn knew something needed to happen before her mommy and daddy got more mad. 3

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“Morning Caitlyn,” Kyle said as she got in his truck to go to school that morning. Caitlyn grunted a good morning and leaned back in the seat and closed her eyes. Kyle put her hand in his and held it while he drove to school. “Have you got anything new about where your brother is?” He asked quietly. He was still debating whether or not to tell her the news that Hunter had told him on Sunday.5

“Nope, I talked to Michael last night though, and asked if he knew anything. He said he didn’t and then changed the subject.” She said agitatedly then yawned, making tears come to her eyes.6

“Did you get any sleep?” He grinned lopsidedly. She looked like crap, but still beautiful. Her brown hair was tied sloppily back with a hair tie, and her eyes looked out of it. “You looked like you’re stoned.”7

Caitlyn sat up at this and half laughed. “Thanks, Kyle, that’s like saying I look like shit without saying it.”8

“You know I don’t mean that,” he said then kissed her hand. She still blushed when he did that, he liked being able to do that to her.9

“Sure, I know you think I’m ugly.” She said flirtingly. 10

“Yup, you’re ugly Caitlyn, you’re the ugliest thing I’ve ever seen,” he said without grinning, then looked at her and stuck his tongue at her.11

“I don’t want to go to class today.” Caitlyn said to him and yawned again. “I hate my classes; I’m not passing two of them.”12

Kyle laughed then said, “Well, that’s a good reason not to skip then.” The B-Honor-Roll student said. He had started to skip class more since he knew Caitlyn, but his teachers loved him, they didn’t mind every now and then. “Plus, don’t you have a test in Algebra Two?” 13

“Ugh, don’t remind me. We should just go hang out at your place,”14

Kyle’s heart skipped a beat at the thought of hanging out with Caitlyn alone, but his gut kept saying no, that they needed to go to class. “How about after fourth period we hang out, you need to take your test. Which two aren’t you passing?”15

Caitlyn mumbled some words that Kyle couldn’t understand. 16

“Huh?”17

“Computer class and Spanish”18

“Caiiitlyn.” He said sighing.19

“What?”20

“Those classes are simple! Didn’t you take Spanish at your old school?”21

“Yes, that’s why I don’t like going to it or doing the work! It’s too simple. Anyways, you’re not my mom, don’t get on my case!” she said half-heartedly. They tended to have this argument a lot, it always ended with her saying he wasn’t her mom, no matter how hard he tried. It was a joke. Kind of. 22

“That’s always a good thing,” Kyle said and parked the car then kissed Caitlyn hard on the lips. “If I was, we couldn’t do that.” He said then winked and got out of the car. “Let’s go.”23

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“Caitlyn,” Her father said and smiled. He never would forgive himself of what he did to her. But he loved talking to her and seeing her now. Jail had been an eye-opener for him. He finally understood what he really was doing to Caitlyn, and how he had messed up. He also understood that he ruined his life. He didn’t remember when it all started falling down, but he did understand that landing was a rough, hard hit.25

“Hi Michael,” she smiled at him. She wasn’t able to bring herself to call him ‘Dad’ or ‘Daddy’ again. He understood that though.26

“Are you still looking for him?” He too had problems saying some names.27

“Willy? Yes, of course.” She said smiling. “But I want you to meet a friend of mine. 28

Michael, this is my friend Kyle. Kyle this is Michael.” She watched as the two men shook hands, wondering what would happen next.29

“How are you, Sir?” Kyle said, ever polite. He heard Caitlyn whisper soflty /suck up/. He grinned.30

“I’m great, call me Mike. So, what are your intentions with my daughter? Have you two had sex?” His face turned serious. Caitlyn’s eyes widened and Kyle blushed. “I’m joking!” he burst out with laughing. 31

Caitlyn and Kyle chuckled.32

“Are you two hungry?” Michael said, his face still grinning from the joke. “Let’s go eat, let me get to know you.” He looked at Kyle and Caitlyn.33

“Sure.” They said at the same time.34

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Caitlyn and Kyle suggested the diner that they had gone to for weeks now, silently dubbing the diner theirs. They even sat at the same booth that they sat in when Caitlyn had told her secret to Kyle. Caitlyn ordered a Dr. Pepper and fries while Kyle ordered a cheeseburger, Michael stuck to coffee.36

“How’s high school Cait?” 37

“Caitlyn,” she corrected automatically. “It’s going good I guess, the classes are too easy.”38

“You always were the smart one.” He said proudly, grinning.39

Caitlyn and her father had an unwritten rule of not bringing up the past, but Caitlyn knew who he was comparing her too. He too didn’t think it was a good idea to find Willy. But both of them were too polite to get into a heated argument about it.40

“So what do you do Kyle?” He forced himself to act fatherly, it was more difficult than he thought. 41

“I played football for a while, now I’m just working on passing school.”42

“Football huh?”43

“Yes sir, I mean, Mike.” Caitlyn gripped Kyle’s hand underneath the table.44

“What position? I played football when I was in high school.” Caitlyn hadn’t known that before, she raised her eyebrows in interest.45

“Running back,”46

“That’s a good position,” Mike said and grinned. “But I like quarter back myself,” he said and winked.47

Caitlyn looked from Mike to Kyle and grinned. It was turning out okay.48