Catherine Thoms left the biggest party of the first semester, Adam’s Back-To-School Bash, soaking wet. Cathy was grinning as she wrung out her hair in the empty street. She knew before she had even arrived at the event that something like this would happen, since getting thrown into the pool was practically a right of passage for the supplier of pizza or sodas. That was Cathy tonight, but she didn’t mind.

Everyone she knew had been at this party. Even Dwight Levanti, who never went out to these things. Catherine had spent the first few hours of the party - which had started around five, but never really started until around seven or eight - just catching up with whomever had attended, and figuring out who was fun to talk to, and who was just there to say they went. It was a half and half crowd, and Cathy made sure to stick with the former half.

Before she started shivering, Cathy thought that this was a perfect night, but much like the cold, her next realization set in before she even felt it. Her eyes suddenly lost their warmth, and she dashed inside Adam’s house to find her cell phone.

Three blocks away from the biggest party of the semester, Liam Marshall was standing in his friend’s living-room style basement. He stood in the archway beside the stairs and held a cup in his hand, which made him feel cooler than he felt was earned by attending this party.

The host of the party, a young man that was a grade below Liam, was Teddy Drumont. He had invited Liam halfway through the summer, along with the rest of his guests. In total, there were twelve people in attendance. Two seniors, six juniors, and 4 sophomores (one of which was Teddy’s sister). The group had spent the last few hours in multiple game “tournaments” within the group. Liam had won the Super Smash Bros. Tournament, and had come in second in the Mario Kart 8 Tournament. Lisa Torbini, a quiet sophomore, was the surprise winner of Mario Party.

Liam was halfway through a story about how he’d managed to beat even Teddy in a Super Smash Bros. match, and he caught sight of the clock. A chill ran down his spine. He glanced at his phone, which was sitting on the table beside him. 12 missed calls from Mom.

When Cathy needed to be somewhere on time, she ran. She ran until her legs were sore. She ran until her lungs were sore. She had at least a dozen and a half missed calls from her mother, and double that amount from her father. Catherine tried to ignore it, but every time there was a sudden buzzing in her back pocket, she knew that this was unavoidable.

“I am five kinds of dead.” She muttered to herself.

Barreling down the streets of the city, Liam panted out non-vulgar curses to himself. He was lucky enough to have at one other friend at the party who could drive him at least this far. Unfortunately, it was a sophomore, who had limitations on how far he could go and a overbearing sense of morality towards his mom’s rules. Liam was at least grateful to be a few block over few minutes faster. He began to find his bearings on he ride over, but everything began to fall into place when he was let out on a street corner. After thanking Connor for the ride, he was ready to get going.

There were no buses running this late, which meant that he’d be walking, or more likely running, home. Liam had listened to his mother’s voicemails - she'd left three within her now 20 missed calls. The last message contained a wager, which his mother was known for when it came to punishing her children, which were Liam and his two sisters.

“Liam Peyton Marshall, I’m willing to make you a deal.” Her voice has said, quite calmly, “I won’t punish you, you’ve got my word, if I find you in your bedroom by 2am. If you can make it in time, I think you’ve earned a ‘Get Out of Jail Free’ card.” She laughed a bit to herself, and ended the call with her usual goodbye, “I love you, Sweetie. Be safe.”
Checking his watch, Liam rolled his eyes.

It was 1:30 and at least a mile to go, plus the time it would take to actually get up to his 5th floor apartment. “Wonderful.” Liam muttered, “Just wonderful.”

Catherine could see the lights of the passing cars long before they reached her. It was so late that some of the street lights had begun to flicker, and the headlights filled that darkened space. Cathy wasn’t rushing to get home, nor did she try to rush. Both of her parents would be asleep by this time of night anyhow, so she had no real threat by assumption.

“Catherine Jae Thoms!” A voice screeched from behind her.

Maybe she spoke too soon.

Cathy whipped around, and stared at the approaching car, like a deer in the literal headlights. She saw her father leaning out the window as his large truck roared down the empty street. He was a stocky man, with a full mustache and a combover. He looked furious.

“Catherine Jae, you are in so much trouble!” He shouted in his deep, husky voice.

The young woman broke into a sprint in the opposite direction, making a beeline for the next available alleyway, which was between her favorite clothing shops. She slid herself between the two, and shuffled down towards the end, where there was an opening to a larger space, and a dumpster she could use to climb up to the fire escape, and onto the roof.

Liam was charging down the street a full speed when he arrived at his apartment building. It was past the normal curfew for any building attendant that he knew, and no way was Liam going to risk waking up a total stranger to let him in. Liam wasn’t going to call his parents to let him in for two reasons. One, his baby sister was asleep, and the buzzing of the room’s call-box would wake her up. That, or the phone mom keeps in her room at all times with the ringer on. Two, that would make him feel like a loser. If he came this close to winning, only to have his victory won with his mother’s help? No. This was a matter of principle now.

Liam looked around. Both sides of the building had a fire escape to climb up. If he could make it up one, he could go through the roof door - which was locked, but Liam sometimes tended the roof garden, which earned him an extra key - and take the stairs down to the fifth floor. Nodding to himself, he confirmed his plan and rushed for the side of the building.

Catherine was just climbing over the roof’s edge when she realized her dad’s car wasn’t on the nearby roads. She looked over every edge of the building, but there was nothing. No headlights, no roar of the engine, and no angry men shouting her name. Finally, Cathy let out a breath and sat down by an air conditioning unit. She grabbed her phone out of her jacket pocket, and checked the time.

It was 1:45, now, and Liam was only halfway to the top of the five story building. Clearing his throat, he continued up the fire escape, and pulled himself onto the roof. Immediately, he was met with a shocked young lady. One that he recognised, no less.

“Cathy?” Liam smirked, and paused to catch his breath, “What are you doing here?”

Catherine began to smile, “I could ask you the same thing.” She said.

The two stood up from the roof of cold concrete, and approached each other. They found a common ground near the door to the building. Catherine stood with her hands on her hips, while Liam crossed his arms. It was in their nature to try and look as sassy as they could when they spoke like this.

“I’m trying to get to my apartment before my mom flips her lid.” Liam told his companion. He showed Catherine the texts that he hadn’t bothered to swipe away from his phone’s home screen. They were the usual worried texts, mixed in with the “where are you” texts that included all capital letters and at least four question marks.

Cathy laughed at the sight, and grabbed her own phone out of habit, scrolling through the fresh texts and calls from her father. “Ed’s already flipped his lid,” She countered, “He’s driving around looking for me.”

“You outran him and Mammoth?” LIam asked, referencing the name Cathy’s father had for his behemoth of a vehicle. It really wasn’t something that Mr. Thoms needed, but after his hit the age of forty five, he began to want things like big trucks and a boat, both of which he bought within a matter of months.

“I told you not to call it ‘Mammoth,’” Cathy grimaced, “It’s a truck, not a dog.”

“Right. Sorry.” Lim mockingly apologized, his smirk returning.

There was a familiar silence between them. One that they were used to after so many years, and one that was refreshing, even now. Catherine looked around, as if waiting for her father to find her. Liam instinctively followed her gaze every so often. Finally, they spoke again, Catherine going first.

“Need me to pick the lock?” She asked, bluntly.

Liam let out a hard snort of a laugh, and bent forward with it, as if the air had been knocked out of him. “No, Cathy.” He chortled. He reached into his pocket and produced a key. He shoved it carelessly into the lock, and turned.

“Ah, so gardening does pay off.” Catherine stated in a teasing manner.

“Always.” Liam said. He leaned towards Cathy after the door was opened, and kissed her cheek, “I’ll see you soon, my love.” He whispered into her ear.

Cathy hummed in delight as a red hue appeared on her cheeks, “That you will, Liam.” She began walking toward the edge of the building to climb down, “That you will.”

With that, Liam entered his building, and began his journey down a few flights of stairs. Catherine began her descend to the street below, hopefully to be met with a clear path home, without an encounter with Mammoth. When she finally did reach the street Catherine realized something.

Even though she was still damp from the pool, and there was a slight chill in the air, she felt warm.