The Girl Next Door Chapter 10

Rachel went back home the next day, and Kate promised to keep her updated on everything that happened with Sidney. Allison and Neal also left, going back to Columbus for school. All of a sudden, the house was empty again. Sidney was out of town for a game up in Buffalo, and would not be back until very late Friday night. So that week, in between school and getting back into shape, Kate hung out with her friends. Her friends knew that she had been hanging out with Sidney, but they did not know that she was about to go out on a date with him. The only friend she had told about her feelings for Sidney was Rachel. Allison and Neal knew, of course, and her parents knew she was going out on a date with him, but no one else, and she planned to keep it that way. But, her one friend, Stacie, whom Kate had been friends with for years, thought something was up.
“So,” Stacie began, while they were driving back from the mall that Wednesday night after Sidney had asked her out, “how’s Sidney?”
“Fine,” Kate said. “Out of town for a couple of games.”
“That’s what I heard,” Stacie said. “You two still hanging out, talking a lot?”
“Ya,” Kate said, wondering where this was going.
“You guys sure do hang out a LOT,” Stacie emphasized, and said in a bitchy tone.
“What are you getting at?” Kate asked.
“Well,” Stacie began, “you never hang out with all of us anymore, and now with hockey starting and practices…”
“What do you call this?” Kate asked her, raising her voice. “And you’ve never had a problem with me playing a lot of hockey, you’re always at my games!”
“You’re eighteen, and you’re not going to play college hockey,” Stacie raised her voice too. “Get over your little stupid girl fantasy and deal.”
“What the fuck?” Kate yelled. “What’s your point? This is not about hockey, what the hell is this all about?!?!”
“You never hang out with us anymore!” Stacie yelled. She then pulled the car over; they were about two miles from Kate’s house. “You’re never with us, no parties, you’re always with stupid, fucking Sidney.”
“Sorry if I don’t like driving my drunk friends home after a party!” Kate yelled back. “And I’m not always with Sidney!”
“Yes, you are!” Stacie exclaimed. “Why? Do you like him? Oh my gosh, that’s it! You’re dating him and not telling us! How could you not tell us?”
“I am not dating Sid!” Kate denied, even though it was about to be true. “We’re just friends.”
“Bullshit,” Stacie said.
“You don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about,” Kate said.
“You’re right, maybe I don’t. But whose fault is that? You never talk to me anymore! You know what? If you don’t want to talk to me anymore, because you’re too busy fucking the guy next door, maybe we shouldn’t be friends anymore!” Stacie yelled.
“I hang out with you all the time!” Kate yelled. “I call you, and I’ve been friends with you for years! I make a new friend, who’s a nice guy, and because of that you don’t want to be friends with me anymore? We’ve been friends since fucking kindergarten, and now you ditch me? And I am not fucking Sidney! We are JUST FRIENDS!”
“You never tell me anything anymore! And I can tell! You are definitely dating him!” Stacie yelled.
“I am NOT!” Kate screamed. “I tell you everything! You’re one of my best friends!”
“Ya, sure,” Stacie said in a tone that said she didn’t believe her.
“You know what I’ve wanted to tell you that no one else has the guts to?” Kate asked her. “You’re a bitch. A manipulative, condescending, spoiled bitch! I can’t stand you anymore! I can’t! None of us can! Fuck this, I’m out of here. Never fucking talk to me again. If you don’t trust me, fuck you. I can’t trust you.”
Kate got out of the car, and slammed the door. Stacie sped away, and Kate began the walk home. Kate felt like a huge rock had been lifted off of her, she had finally told Stacie the truth. Kate was usually on the shy side, and this was the first time she had ever really blown up at someone. She had to talk to someone about this. She dug her cell phone out of her purse, and called Sidney, who was in Philadelphia. They talked for the rest of Kate’s walk home, and more after she got home. When she got off the phone with him, she realized they had talked for an hour. Kate was just thankful both her and Sidney had the same cell carrier with free in-network calling, because if not, her parents would have been the next people yelling at her.