12 The New Boy
Baseball practice was done for the day and the boys were tidying up and leaving as Kat waited patiently for Jamie outside the boys' locker room. She finally caught sight of him when he came out with his hand drape over another boy's shoulder who was none other than Jake, her target.
"Hey Kat, waited long?" Jamie said. "Sorry I got held up with the boys. Anyway I guess you two haven't officially met. Let me do the honours then" he said as he looked at both of them.
"Kat this is Jake and Jake this is Kat" He introduced the both of them.
"A word with you Kat" he said as he took her aside. "Listen I have told Jake all about your piece for the school paper but he did not sound too enthusiastic about it. So the rest is up to you"
"Thanks Jamie, I'll do my best to change his mind" she replied.
"Jake why don't you two catch up. I'll have to leave now otherwise M.J. would die of waiting" he said as he walked away .
"Hi" Kat began as she turned towards Jake."Do you to grab a bite to eat? I'm starving "
"Ok let's go" he shrugged.
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As they left school Kat's steps led her to Gladys Bakery, the girls favourite hangout place. In no time they were settled in the corner with her side facing the door. Kat waited for him to say something as she munched on a cupcake with chocolate milkshake.
"So you're Jamie's Kat? I have heard a lot about you from Jamie" he began.
"Good things I hope" Kat replied. "And you're Jake, the star player who won us the championship game"
"You make it sound as if I was the only one doing all the work. It was a team effort" he countered.
"Yes I know but the whole school believes differently " she said.
"I gather you don't agree with the rest " he smiled.
"No doubt you did turn the game around but as you said it was a team effort " she replied
"So Kat, what do want of me?" he asked.
"Well as Jamie must have told you, I write for the school newspaper and Sally my editor believes that I should write a piece on you since you are the guy that's on everyone's mind. She thinks you are a mystery and she wants me to uncover you" Kat explained.
"Sorry to disappoint you but I'm no mystery. I'm just an ordinary guy playing the game I love" he shrugged.
"But you are an outsider. Sorry, no offense" she stated. "In a small town like Roseville people are bound to be curious. I'm just asking you up front what is in everyone's mind. So could do an interview with me please?"
"Guess I should feel honoured for such an interest" he replied "Since Jamie's a friend I guess it wouldn't hurt to talk to you. What do you want to know?"
"Why Roseville? Why settle here? You don't have the look of a small town boy so you must have grown up in the city?" she asked.
"I'm not that much of an outsider. My father is from around these parts before he left in search of greener pastures. He met my Mom who's Greek, founded his own company and the rest is history" he explained.
"Why did he came back to Roseville?" she asked.
"Maybe he got tired of city life" he offered.
"And you just went along? How could you just uproot yourself like that leaving behind your friends and all you ever knew?"she was incredulous.
He shrugged it off as if it was nothing. Kat was exasperated.
"What about siblings? How many do you have?" she asked.
"Only child" he replied.
And so on and on Kat bombarded him with questions one after the next from the start of his love for baseball right down to his favourite colour.
"Am I being too inquisitive?" she asked after a while.
"I think all good reporters are" he smiled.
"Yes I firmly believe in leaving no stone unturn for writing a good story" she said proudly. " It's my dream to be a famous journalist one day though its the one thing Jamie and I disagree on. He thinks my calling lies elsewhere. Just wait and see one day I'm going to prove him wrong and then he'll eat his own words. Stupid Jamie"
"Wow I have never heard anybody calling him stupid before" he said.
"Only I get to call him that" she replied.
"So you and Jamie seem pretty close" he observed.
"Yes we are. We grew up together. Being an only child, he too hangs out with us that is with me and my sisters a lot" she offered.
"Sisters? How many do you have?" He was curious.
"Well there are 3 of us, me then there is Red and M.J." she replied.
"Red? Is that really a name?" he asked surprised.
"No her name is Sarah but the name stuck because of her auburn hair" she explained.
"What about you? Is Kat short for Katherine?" he genuinely asked.
"No Kat is just a nickname Jamie came up with and I guess it kind of stuck" she replied.
"So what is your real name?" he asked.
Before she had a chance to reply she was halted by the sound of Jamie's voice.
"My God Kat, you are still here. Do you know what time it is? Aunt May was getting worried about you"
"Jamie what are you doing here? What about M.J.?" Kat was incredulous. She turn to look outside the window and it was really dark outside. How did the time flew by so quickly she wondered.
"I gave her some sums to work on and hightail my way out of there. You do know how clingy she could be" he shuddered.
"Anyway if you are done let me take you home" he said as he held her hand and pulled her towards him.
"Ok I'm done lets go" she said.
"Thanks Jake. It was nice meeting you. I hope you'll like the article" she said as she held out her hand for a firm handshake.
"The pleasure was all mine" he smiled as he held her hand and let it go.
"Bye Jake see you tomorrow man" Jamie said as he nodded towards him and walked away pulling Kat behind.
That night Kat couldn't sleep so she sat in front of the computer screen and worked on the article. She thought for a long time finally settling on a name for her story entitled "The story of a boy". She typed away retelling the story of the boy she met that day though his eyes. As she lost herself in the story she remembered every act every nuances he did in the short time they spent together. He was indeed goodlooking from up close and it was no wonder every girl in school swoon over him, but it was his eyes that held her mesmerised for he had a beautiful pair of steel gray eyes. Eyes that spoke volumes dragging out a part of her she never knew existed. In all her 14 years she had never once been interested in the opposite sex finding other ways to indulge herself than spending time crazy over a boy. Besides there was always Jamie by her so she did not feel the need for any male company. But meeting Jake today was an eye opener. She was attracted to him right from the start and whenever he smiled at her or held her hand, her heart beats increases by leaps and bounds. She found herself being nervous around him and covering it up by talking way too long which was just so unlike her. Settle down Kat she told herself but a part of her knew that this was the start of something new.
