Free The Lighter Side of Life and Death by C. K. Kelly Martin

to help raise money for our local food bank. Students are reminded not to park in the designated staff areas in the back parking lot. If you do, expect to be towed. Attention, senior students traveling to Spain with Ms. Acosta: today’s lunchtime meeting is canceled. And so on and so on …
    On my way to English later I pass Hugo again in the hall, which reminds me that Kat’s likely having a shitty morning, and at lunch she proves it by coming over to where I’m sitting and planting her ass in the closest chair. Jamie sits on her other side, giving me this fierce déjà vu. He tries to cheer her up in this really subtle way and it works a little but when she stops talking her mouth still looks tense, like maybe she’s just pretending for him.
    It’s so familiar to hear them talk like this that next thing I know, I’m pitching in on the
Distract Kat
campaign, talking about the two Bs at home and how I’ve lost control over the basement because it has the only TV in the house and Brianna doesn’t seem to do anything else. Plus, the girl can’t stand me and I’m mortally afraid of Billy (the black cat), which doesn’t sound like a very frightening name but believe me, the thing is feral.
    “He can’t be that bad,” Kat says with a smile. “You should try to make friends with him.”
    “I’m not supposed to touch him,” I say with this deadpan expression. “How am I supposed to make friends with him? He doesn’t even come near me. He’s always lurking in corners, watching me like he’s waiting for the perfect moment to pounce. Anyway, Brianna’s worse. She’s one of those people who make you carry the entire conversation while she sits there scowling at you like you’re being an asshole.”
    “It must be hard for her, though,” Kat says sympathetically. “She’s just moved into your house, where she probably doesn’t feel that much at home since she’s living with the two other people that have always belonged there and she’s what? Thirteen or something? That’s such a weird age in the first place without having to fit into this whole new family.”
    “Right, but that’s not the point. You can make things easy or you can make them hard, you know?”
    Kat stares at the table like she’s thinking that over, and it feels like a conversation we would’ve had a month ago, like we’re just trying to figure things out generally, without having to watch our step. “Give her some time,” she says, that sexy hint of an accent in her voice. “There’s no way she can dislike you forever. She just doesn’t really know you yet.”
    Did I hear that right? Once I start to smile I can’t quit.
    “What?” Kat asks, a crease forming between her eyes.
    “Nothing.” I put my elbows up on the table as I look at her. “It just feels like things are finally getting back to normal with us.”
    “Normal?” Kat’s voice is tense. Her eyes hurl me a warning.
    I’ve been too deep into the conversation to realize this is something we shouldn’t be talking about so freely in front of our friends. Now I lower my voice and add, “Well, yeah, you know. It’s like you’ve been mad at me lately.”
    Suddenly I can feel Sondra’s and Michelle’s gazes on me from across the table. Jamie’s watching too, and Kat’s cheeks are turning deep pink. “Why would I be mad at you?” she demands.
    “It doesn’t make any sense to me,” I admit. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”
    “I’m not mad at you,” Kat insists. “That’s crazy.”
    “I don’t get it,” Jamie cuts in, peering at the two of us. “What’s going on with you guys?”
    “Nothing,” Kat replies definitively.
    “Don’t worry about it,” I say at the same time. “No big thing.” And because that seems to demand still further explanation, I tack on, “Something stupid I said.”
    Kat’s jaw has dropped and I immediately know referring to that Saturday night as “no big thing” was a critical mistake, even if I was trying to