Alone but United

Chapter 15

Karmen opened the down for Carter. It was definitely his home classroom, and there on the windowsill was a small glass box for the class pet. Karmen being the class respective he has his own set of keys for his home room and getting into various other places around the school. Allowing him the ability to hold meetings with other class reps.

"Go ahead and take a seat," he told her.

Carter grabbed one of the bar stool chairs that she'd seen the teacher use when giving their massive speeches. Karmen went to the cage and grabbed the animal. It seems that it had been lying dormant in the wood chips for a while.

"Here,"Karman walked over to her,"please hold her."

Karman left the animal on Carter’s lap. Carter looked down at the creature. It was an adorable hamster with an orange and whiter fur coat. Moving her hand softly she could feel the rise and lower of the hamster's chest and its silky fur. She cradled the sleeping hamster in her two hands.

Looking up, Carter saw Karman started to clean the cage,"So um-"

"You don’t own me an explanation. You just looked like you were in a sticky situation."

"How'd you know?"

Karman stopped for a second and looked at her,"I was talking with my buddies in the lunchline when I saw you talking to Tristah. She gave you that look that she'd give to many of her boyfriends when she wanted an explanation. Me being an awesome buddy, I've gotten really good at getting my bros out of those pickles,"he looked bad to the cage,"I thought you'd be glad to get out of that situation."

"Believe me, I am." There were several moments of silence shared between them,"But I can't escape from it. She deserves to know."

Karman threw out the old bulkmurch and placed a fresh layer,"Then you should tell her. As long as you've gone to school here I've seen her by your side. Playing, talking, laughing, and crying. She seems more and more like your sister. If she doesn't accept you for you or whatever you've been keeping from her then she should go find someone else to bother."

Carter wished she had a shell that she could just disappear into. Everything seemed so overwhelming. She knew he was right, but if Trish didn’t accept her then their friendship wouldn’t be the only thing on the line. Her whole future is on a balancing act over a huge canyon, and she can tell she's starting to lose balance.

She can hear the rushing water that Karman turns on. The crashing of the water against his hands seems to be the only thing that wasn’t letting her get lost in her own thoughts and fears. The faucet cries off and it is silent once more. Carter started to be overwhelmed with her feelings of uncertainty. The fear of more dishonor from more than just living where she wasn't wanted, but not living up to something that her dad would be proud of and what her mom could heal from.

Carter snapped out of the haze from the touch of Karman's warm hands. Something a lot different from her own life, from her own mind.

He scooped the hamster from Carter’s lap and turned his back to her, he placed it back in its home,"Friendship isn't jokes and games 24-7. It is a bong that has been strained over disagreements and misunderstanding, and yet still refuses to break."

Carter took a second to really think about what Karmen was suggesting. He had a point, whether she wanted to admit it or not. Her and Trish’s relationship hasn’t really had any real fights. Except for Carter getting upset for Trish spending money on her. She remembered that conversation well.

“I really don’t want you spending any money on me.”

“Why!! We go shopping all the time and you never get anything, while I have to arm loads of bags filled with things.”

“Especially clothes,” Carter said jokingly.

“I know.” Trish brought up the dress to Carter's body, imaging it on her,“When I saw you looking at this dress. I knew you wanted it, even if it was for a second. I want you to think of yourself for once.”

Carter took the dress and inspected it. If she was going to take a gift from anyone, it had to be in top condition. The sleeves were poofy with a white ribbon around the edge, with blue fabric. The same dress that Carter wore for her date with Karman.

Carter smiled at the dress. She lated recalled the last time she wore a dress was when her dad’s family was celebrating the company’s anniversary that he and his dad worked at.

It was a happy time. Her Grandparents still wanted to be a part of their lives, Mom was able to move around on her own, and Dad was still alive. It was 2 months later that the crash happened. Carter’s smile desalved, bad memories returning to the fount of her mind.

“Don’t you try and get rid of that smile Carter. I saw it!!” Tristah told Carter off,“You can’t hide it that you wanted this dress from me. Why didn’t you get it? You never get anything, or let me get you anything.”

Carter gave an apologetic smile,“I just have very strict parents. They don’t want me to spend money so easily because my fate can still be mulled. Into a Kat, or Ratt. Unlike you Trish.”

Tristah felt the truth of it. Carter was right, her parents were right. But that didn’t mean she liked any bit of it,“True, but you need to think of yourself sometimes. You have a job at the Duke Bros. You should be able to spend your check as you please!!”

“Well, I prefer to save it,” Cater rubbed the back of her neck nervously,“I don’t know what the future holds. All the money I can get will help, I could become a Ratt.”

Tristah raised her hands up to her face, still clinging onto the dress,“You can’t say something like that!!! You work harder than anyone I know!”

“Trish…”

“No!!! You’ll be a Kat, you’ll be the greatest. Your father's business will be fortunate!”

“You know there are plenty of people that don’t make it.”

“You just have to though. You have too much drive!”

Carter knew she wouldn’t be able to get Tristah to understand. Just one spot on her record or even speck, could mess everything. Especially in this district’s tattoo parlor. Tristah had no idea about her mom’s condition, and the death of both her father and brother. Along with losing her job at Duke Bros because she didn’t have a Kat in the household.

“Look!! There’s a sale!” Carter started to run to the nearest store.

Tristah started to run after her,“This isn’t over, but first THE SALE!!!”

“...carter...Carter?”

Carter looked up at Karmen,“Sorry, I got lost in thought.”

“It’s ok,”he gave her a warm smile,“While I’m ready to go.”

Carter headed to the door, allowing Karmen to open the door for her. The fresh air hit her in the face, and her mind started to clear for the frizzy feeling that had overwhelmed her.

“Carter?”

She turned to Karmen and noticed that she only moved barely a step from the door. Carter’s face met Karmen’s chest. Placing her hands on his breasts she looked up at him to apologies,“Oh, sorry Karmen.”

He was looking away from her, seeming to get a pink tone to his cheeks. After looking examining his face for a second or two, she gently pushed herself from him. Then head off to return to the lunchroom until she was sharply stopped.

Looking back it was Karmen, his hand holding onto her wrist. Carter looked at his grip on her. His grip was differently secure but tender. Compared to her’s, his was two times bigger. She dragged her hand to his face which was still looking away from her own. Unlike earlier, his face seemed to be much crimson.

She focused on his eyes,“Yes?”

“You’d you, ummm-”

Carter had never seen him like this. Yes, she hasn’t really known him very well, but he’s been in the same school together since they were little. She now began to worry that something had to be seriously wrong.

“Are you ok,”Carter went to feel his forehead, but she was too short. Not like she wasn’t used to dealing with this situation. She went to pull him down by his shirt then decided against it sense he was wearing a dress shirt. She tugged her hand that Karmen had a grip on behind her,“You do feel pretty hot.”

“Wh-, what???” his face gave off another wave of heat and his popil seemed to be unusually more dilated.

“Your right, I can’t be sure. We’re going to the nurses office.”Carter started walking to the room, allowing Karmen to keep his grip on her.

“But I not sure yo-”

“Don’t be one of those boys you don’t want to see the nurse because of the whole ‘it’s weak to go see help’. Because that’s just dumb. What if you have something serious? I guess it’s better than those Kats that are always looking for attention, but still it’s stupid.”

Arriving at the nurses office they’re greeted with one of that older nurses,“Hay sweeties, how can I help you today.”

“Hi, I was wondering if you could check him for a possible fervor?”

“I’d be happy to. You can sit her in my chair and you young sir,” the nurse took Karmen by the shoulder,“can take a seat on this bed.” The nurse took out a thermometer and placed it in his mouth under his tongue, then checked Karmen’s forehead and eyes,“What symptoms have you noticed?”

“He seems to be hot to the touch and his eyes look a bit dilated.”

“I see.” the thermometer started to beep. The nurse checked it then shoved it back into Karmen’s mouth,“Now keep it under your tongue, young sir,” she said sharply.

Cater slightly giggled to herself then looked back to the nurse,“Would you mind writing me a note to give to my teacher?”

“No worries deary, I’d be happy to do so. Who’s your next teacher?”

The thermometer beeped once more, and the nurse looked at it. It was normal. Cater had her eyes on the note that the nurse had written her, checking that it was written correctly,“What is his temperature?”

The nurse looked at Karmen and finally connected the dots,“Oh the young sir has a small fever. Nothing major, but I think he should take a little break from socializing.”

“Really? Well, I hope you feel better Karmen.”

“Yes he will deary, I’ll keep a good eye on him. Now you get going to class.”

Once Carter was down the hall, the nurse started to laugh,“Out of all my years I don’t think I’ve had anyone that clueless.”