Bernard, looking afraid and embarrassed, scrambled off the ground.
“Is that your father?” asked Catherine.
Bernard replied in an angry voice, “My stepfather Ernest. My real dad died a long time ago.”
“Bernard! Get your sorry ass in this house right now! Don’t make me come after you!”
Bernie, clearly embarrassed, turned to Catherine.
“I have to go,” he told her dismally.
Catherine watched as the boy ran to the ill-kempt house. As he reached the porch, she saw Ernest Finkle grab the back of Bernie’s shirt and push him in the house as shouting and swearing poured out of the windows, disrupting the serene calm of the countryside.
At the noise, Grandma Westfeld came rushing out of the house to Catherine’s side.
“Make me a promise girl,” she urged.
Catherine looked at her grandmother, a worried look taking over her features.
“Do not get involved with that boy. He is nothing but trouble.”
*
Jack would never forget the first time Catherine’s spoiled, rich girl persona was shattered, and he learned who she really was. Jack was at his locker after eighth period in junior year. He had just gotten out of detention for chewing gum in class, and he was trying to collect his books before going home. After grabbing several text books, and his three-ring binder, he slammed his metal locker shut with a bang. He heard the ominous clicking of high heeled shoes hitting the cold, marble floor. “Shit!” he exclaimed under his breath, fully expecting Vice Principal Burlanker to come swooping around the corner. But then the clicking became louder, faster. With a perplexed look on his face, he peered around the corner, staying out of sight in the shadow of the dark hallway.
Catherine was rushing down the hallway, textbooks weighing down her arms, legs moving as fast as they could. She kept looking behind her nervously, eyes wild and afraid. From the far end of the hall, Bernard Kendricks was chasing after her.
“Catherine, it was a joke!” he shouted after her.
“It was a sick joke!”
“I was just kidding! Honest!”
“No you weren't! Stay away from me!” she commanded.
Catherine was running as fast as she could down the hall, approaching where Jack stood hidden in the dark at an alarming rate. Kendricks, reaching the end of his patience, grew red-faced and enraged.
“Get back here, girl!”
“No!”
Jack watched as the fear in Catherine's eyes began to give way to tears. Kendricks was right behind her now, reaching for her arm. A fury rose within Jack, none like he had ever experienced before. He lunged from the dark corner and came between Catherine and Kendricks, startling Catherine half to death. Jack stared at Kendricks’ face as an expression of deep malice and discontent formed on Kendricks’ face, causing Jack's upper lip to snarl upwards in distaste. Jack steadied his jaw as he lessened the distance between himself and the self-righteous prat who stood before him.
“Problem?” Jack demanded, attitude clear in his voice.
“Mind your business, Morrow! This has nothing to do with you.”
“Sorry, no. I witness you chasing a screaming girl down the hallway. That makes it my business.”
“Get your nose out of my business!”
“Catherine,” Jack said, “Go home, I'll make sure he doesn't bother you anymore.”
Catherine gave Jack a shocked look nodded and rushed through the double doors into the stairwell that led to the school yard. Jack waited until the door slammed behind her to turn his face back to Kendricks.
“What the hell is your problem?” Jack shouted.
“She is mine. Keep your hands off of her.”
“I think you're the one who needs to keep your hands off. Chasing her down a hallway like some psycho.”
“Call me psycho again! See what happens,” threatened Kendricks.
Jack tilted his head as a devilish smirk slowly appeared across his face. Shrugging his shoulders, he let the word come off his tongue again. He couldn't help it. Kendricks was entirely too easy to bait.
“Psycho.”
Rage exploded from Kendricks, as if someone had flipped a switch. His right arm wound up into a fist, pummeling forward fast, intent upon knocking Jack's teeth clear out of his mouth. Jack, seeing it coming, grabbed Kendricks’ oncoming fist with his right hand pushing it upwards, as his left shoved Kendricks’ jaw upward with a snap. Quickly, Jack pushed his weight in against his attacker, arm across his chest, holding him against the wall.
“Think you're gonna hit me?! Think again!”
“Get off of me!” pleaded Kendricks.
“Leave her alone, or you'll have me to deal with.”