Chapter 7

Fiona knocked stoutly on the door and waited; there was silence and she took out her key and slid it into the lock. "Boo!" A voice called from behind her and Fiona turned to see a tall brunette girl, soaking wet and dressed in a towel. "I've been expecting you. Been expecting you all day."

"Yeah I've been at the Police Station," Fiona muttered and Kathryn just shrugged as Fiona opened the door.

"Wasn't saying anything," she murmured and licked her lips. "I went down with the Principal and we moved all your stuff in here." Her eyes sparkled and she pointed towards the left hand side of her new room, bigger than her old bedroom. "I've hung up your clothes in the wardrobe and I've put everything in your drawers in your drawers." She gave a wry smile and looked at her. "I mean everything."

"Oh that."

"Yes," Kathryn giggled. "Including that." Fiona blushed as the girl walked past her and sat on the bed. "I heard what happened," she said slowly. "I'll ... I'll..."

"I'm fine," Fiona snapped as she closed the door gently. "I've been told to go for counselling which I don't want to do. As if talking about it to a stranger is going to help me." Kathryn shifted on the bed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "If you want someone to talk to..."

"I don't," Fiona snapped. "I've had Greg trying to get me to do that." Kathryn glanced at the door and knelt down underneath her bed, pulling up a big box of chocolates and a bottle of wine.

"It's not anything fancy but I thought we could have a drink and a chat, put some music on. Get to know each other." Fiona pursed her lips together and Kathryn hesitated. "Maybe."

"That's really good of you," Fiona muttered. "Can I just have a shower, get out of these clothes first."

"Sure." Kathryn blushed and bit her lip. "Ummm ... I might get ready myself and ... ummm ... well I sleep nude. Is that a problem?"

"No," Fiona replied with a smile. "That's no problem at all."

Fiona was certainly shaken and from her ordeal and the first two nights awoke several times from her sleep, sweating profusely and shaking from her nightmare. While Kathryn was not previously a good friend (Fiona swore that she didn't have any "real friends" at the school), she was certainly more than a passing acquaintance, and although Fiona opened up a little to her when talking about her ordeal, still exceedingly quiet and withdrawn in her demeanour.

Fiona had been left with strict instructions to telephone her parents on a daily basis, and her mother added to calls from the Principal, Kathryn and Greg (who visited after his school had finished lessons) to seek some counselling, but Fiona was adamant that it was not needed.

"It's admitting they got to me," she snapped at Kathryn when the subject was broached on the Thursday evening. "And I won't do that."

"But it has," Kathryn said as she put down her Mathematics textbook. "Everyone's been saying how ... quiet you've been." Fiona hummed and Kathryn picked up a magazine throwing it across the bed at her.

Fiona glanced at the pictures of tattooed people on the front cover and shrugged. "And?"

"I love people like that. They are what they are, totally honest. No bullshit. They know they look a bit freaky but they have chosen their path in life and everyone else has to accept it. And that was you. We knew that you liked a roll in the hay and was just Fiona. Never shy, or afraid to say something. Called a spade a spade. And now, you are all meek and scared to say what you think."

"I am not," thundered the blonde teenager, scrambling to her feet. She waved her finger in Kathryn's face and screwed up her face angrily. "I was attacked and..."

"I know," Kathryn interrupted calmly. "I know Fiona. And..." She sighed as she trailed off and held out her arms to her room-mate. Fiona pushed her away, but Kathryn was insistent, and sniffed as the brown-haired young lady stood unmoved and embraced her room-mate. Kathryn squeezed the schoolgirl who burst into tears and sobbed into her shoulder, apologising as she did.

"It's fine," soothed Kathryn and watched as Fiona pulled away from her and wiped her eyes. "Honestly, talk to me. Don't bottle it."

"I'm fine," Fiona muttered. "Just got to me a bit."

"A lot of people in this school like you," Kathryn told her. "Loads. They like you for who you are."

Fiona shook her head and sat back on her bed. "Rubbish."

"In the spirit of Angel with the tats, I'll be honest. You are more popular than you think because people like how honest you are. Sure, a few don't like what you stand for but who cares 'bout them? If you love yourself enough then you won't care what they think and you will be happy."

Fiona scowled. "I didn't understand a word of that. What the hell are you on about?"

Kathryn groaned. "OK who are you? Describe yourself." Fiona floundered and snorted, dismissing the girl with her hands. "OK. Female. Teenager. English. Cumbrian. Blonde hair. Like those things 'bout you?"

"I guess."

"Yes or no?"

"Yes," Fiona admitted.

"Determined. Like that?" Fiona nodded. "Middle class. Like that?"

"Yeah," she eventually snorted.

"Greg's girlfriend. Like that?"

"Course."

"Sexually active?"

"Certainly."

"So what is there, that you don't like about yourself?"

Fiona shrugged. "Not much, I guess."

"Then why act like you do?"

"Because ... I'm just not wanting to stand out at the moment."

"So you will let people who dislike you, tell you want to think. And you will let them change your opinion of you. Loads of people admire your tenacity. Don't let them change that."

Fiona sighed. "They hate me, and you and the dozen or so, on scholarships here because our parents don't pay for us to come. Sure, my Granddad pays for the accommodation bit, but we don't pay the fees."

"You mean, we are here because we are intelligent. Sophia's here because her Daddy owns a bank. Which is better?" Fiona smiled and Kathryn leaned back on her bed. "Y'know, I'm surprised you wanted to stay."

"Won't let them win." Kathryn raised her eyebrows at her new friend and stretched her legs on the duvet. "But Mum and Dad are coming down at the weekend to try and take me home. I don't want to go. Not yet."

Kathryn sighed. "Everyone keeps asking me, what really did happen with you that night. No-one wants to ask you as you are being quiet. I've heard some rumours going 'round. Some say that you were arrested for drug dealing, others reckon you had your boyfriend over and there are some really wild suggestions.

"Tell them," Fiona shrugged. "Tell them that I was attacked by Jenny, Michelle, Sophia and Annabelle, and that I was raped. All because I am on a scholarship and have sex with my boyfriends," she snapped. "I don't care."

Kathryn looked at her and gave a groan, before giving her a sultry look. "Would be better to just talk about it," she replied. "Much better. Therapeutic maybe?"

Fiona flicked the magazine onto the next page. "That's nice," she muttered to her room-mate as the young lady frantically dried her hair. Kathryn turned her head to look at the picture of the tattooed lady and nodded.

"Like that one," she replied and pointed to a stout woman covered in garish body art. Fiona studied the photo for a moment, making out all the different pictures and then forced a smile.