How can you look at me and pretend

 

Kat cried herself sick that night after Gavin stayed for dinner. Of course, a part of her wondered why she was so upset. 

She had a labubu, just not the one she wanted. She ended up giving Chloe the one that Darry had given her. Why did she have to be so stupid? Besides, was the labubu going to stay in her underwear drawer forever?

It took a lot out of her to hand over the thing. Otherwise, she would have no peace about the labubu that Gavin had given Kat. 

They weren't much different. Still, she liked the eyes best from the one that Darry gave her, but she let her sister have it who cuddled it as if they'd found it out in the cold and needed to be nursed back to health.

Kat decided not to fuss with her much. Other than the promise not to take it to school, another squabble. "Well, you're taking yours to school!" Chloe promised no one would steal it at her school.

Kat gritted back, wishing she didn't have to wear hers on her lanyard at school, but no way was she keeping it on her backpack, and besides, Gavin wanted her to tell everyone who gave it to her. Thankfully, her grandmother stepped in and said that the labubu needed to stay at Chloe's pillow and nowhere else.

This business of going steady was new to Kat. Of course, some of the girls told her she was too young to have a boyfriend. Naturally, she didn't pay them any mind. It was a dreadful day. She almost spilt ketchup on her labubu. She even wore it to P.E. and got in trouble. The teacher told her she could choke to death, so Seymore stayed at the bottom of her backpack for the rest of the day. 

As soon as school was over she rummaged through it and put the lanyard on, donning her labubu that bounced about on her walk toward the Youth Center. On her way, she saw Darry alone. He looked half asleep. She hated to ask him what was wrong, but she couldn't avoid him either.

He talked about Junie. "She's in a coma."

"A coma?" Kat didn't like the sound of that. "Yeah, she's-" Well, he didn't know if she was OK or not. It was the waiting game. 

"Sorry." Kat nodded. About then, a little black car drove up. The girl had black hair, and she was waiting for Darry. Of course, Kat about lost it when someone came up from behind her and picked her up. It was Gavin.

Darry reprimanded him immediately. He gave them both a sour look, but said he had to go.

"Oh god," Kat practically rolled her eyes at Gavin, but he playfully took her hand as if it were some sort of exercise. His grip was hard, and she said, "Ow."

She pulled away and looked at him as if she'd give him her fist yet.

"Did you name him?"

"Yes." She pouted.

"Cool." Gavin grinned back. His heavy blonde hair fell in his face as he fiddled with the doll. "So?" He looked at her blankly. "What's his name?"

"What if he's a girl?" She practically hissed.

"He's green, isn't he?"

"King of," she pressed her lips. "It's Seymore." Her serious eyes looked him over, thinking he must be on drugs to be this interested in her, but he kept staring at her as if he needed to look at her closely.

"Seymore," Gavin chuckled, exposing his perfect white teeth. "I like it." Before she knew it, he had his arm around her. She could tell he was just as uncomfortable as she was. So she took his hand, but somehow they entwined in a hug, and it made her laugh for no apparent reason. Maybe it was because he smelled of gummy bears and Dollar Tree cologne.

"What's so funny?" He wanted to know.

"You are." She hated to smile at him, but she couldn't help it. Maybe this was just what she needed. But she hoped he wouldn't be too crazy. She was certain her grandmother would want her to wear her red overalls to the dance. Too many buckles and buttons for him to bother with.