• CHAPTER TWO - Breaking Point
    A car door slams outside, but Catalina is already awake. She glances at her clock, where the florescent numbers say 1:37 AM. Mother's home early.
    "Where have you been?" Cat hears her stepfathers voice, quiet and calm, unlike the past few weeks. They've stopped hiding their arguments from the kids, and since it usually takes place in the kitchen, Ally and Cat always have front row seats. They share the room above the garage, and their door leads out into the kitchen/dining room.
    "Someplace."
    " 'Someplace'. You think you're so smart, don't you? I know 'Someplace' is the name of that f-cking bar you and LeAnne go to." Silence. Cat glances at Ally's bed to see her sister still sleeping. Always oblivious. Cat, creeps out of bed and down the stairs to the door to hear better. " Were you with him?"
    "I dont know who you're - " He slams something hard onto the table
    "I found this in your car! Explain that to me Terry!!"
    "It must be a friends wallet, someone I gave a lift home, or someone I had lunch with once." He just laughs.
    "I cant do this anymore Terry, I cant. I know you're f-cking around on me." Silence. Cats mind is reeling. Why isnt she denying it ...why isnt she telling him no?
    "You want a divorce." Not a question. Why is she just saying it? Why isnt she telling him not to divorce her? Why does she want him to go? Sure, he's not been the best father, but he's something. And something is always better than nothing, right?
    "Cat? What are they saying?" Ally is behind her now, being careful to whisper. Cat just shakes her head.
    "No Terry, I dont. But you do. Thats what this is about. Im too old. I cant satisfy you anymore, not with my back injury and everything. You have moved on to younger and healthier things." The sound of a chair scraping the floor, and the familiar sound of his boots across the floor, and Cat and Ally know its over. Its all going to be different now.
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    The next day starts like any other. They all four get up, eat , and get ready for school. Marissa waits with Ally for the middle school bus, before getting a ride with her friend to school, and Cat and David jump in his car.
    "So how bad is it this time?"
    "Divorce."
    "Oh. Dammit! Do Ally and Marissa know?"
    "Ally does, she said she wants to tell Marissa. I said OK." David is silent, and for once, Rock music isnt blaring on they're way to school. Thats how Cat always knows when he's upset, because he never has NO music.
    "Are you okay?" Cat is surprised by the question.
    "Yeah, 'course Im OK. He's not my dad. He's Ally's." David whips into his spot and locks the doors. He turns in his seat to look at Cat.
    "He may not have been the one to get Mom pregnant, but he's the closest you've got to a father. And he's the only dad you have thats ever cared for you, and raised you. He raised you me and Marissa when he damn well didn't have to. And when Ally came along, he didn't show preference to her as his only biological kid. Respect him, even if you can't love him, or even like him. That's what I do." Cat simply nods. She can't think of anything to say. David's right. He unlocks the car and smiles at her knowingly. "Sorry, kiddo, I know you don't want him to leave. This is going to be hard, but we'll pull through." She nods again, and gets out of the car. She doesn't wait for David, and she takes the side entrance straight into the band room, so she doesn't have to face everyone in the halls. She is so glad today is a band day, she really just feels like concentrating on the new music for the concert.
    "Hey, kitty Cat. Where ya going to in such a rush, we have Band today." T.J.'s smile disappears when he sees Cats face. "Are you okay?" Cat doesn't even stop for him, just pushes by, finds her sax in the instrument room, and takes her seat in her section, pulling out her sax for practice before class. "Catalina, you stop right now and tell me whats up?" Cat starts playing louder, in order to drown him out. She can't stand to look into those fiery emerald eyes, not today. They'll see right through her.
    No one can know whats happening. No one can know that her already screwed up family is falling apart. Especially not T.J., not the one person who knows all about this situation, the one person who will understand. She has gotten so close to him this year, spending time with him at marching band, and the games and competitions they played at, and she can't stand the thought of him knowing exactly how messed up she feels right now. He just can't see her like this.
    "CAT! STOP!" He jerks the neck of the sax, pulling the mouth piece out mid-note. Cat looks up, but not at him, at everyone in the band room now staring at the two of them with looks of confusion, worry, and even a little amusement. After a couple awkward moments of silence, they turn back to their own conversations, and Cat ducks her heard before T.J has a chance to mesmerize her with his gaze. "Cat? Whats wrong?" He speaks so softly, and the concern in his voice is the last straw. Cat drops her sax, not caring if it gets damaged, and buries her face in her hands, sobbing silently. In seconds T.J has her wrapped in his arms. Cat can tell by the drop in volume in the room, that everyone was watching out of the corner of their eyes. She doesn't care. Right now, the only person in the world she cares about is T.J.