Nope. Not Cas.

The kitchen is running fairly smoothly. I had a bit of trouble with one of the Junior boys, but literally every girl in there turned and glared at him and silently threatened him with whatever they had near them (Knives, frying pans, mops, serving trays, cheese graters and cucumbers) and he shut up.

I'm not sure how I did it, but I haven't broken down and started crying in front of everyone yet, so I think I'm doing pretty good. Not emotionally, I mean acting wise.

We got fairly good news. Dad called back in, but now that the kitchen thing is on my shoulders... I haven't gotten a moment of emotional peace.

I'm just very, very stressed out. So today, I happily, but a little tiredly waved everyone out of the kitchen and started to work on the menu for the next week.

But I couldn't focus, so I left.

There are these tiny little balconies off the library and that's where I went, slipping out the doors and letting the white curtains slide shut behind me.

The summer breeze is very calming, and normally that's all I need to calm myself down. Sit outside, breathe and look at the stars.

But not tonight. I ended up curled in a little ball, knees tucked to my chest, crying.

Sometimes you just need to get tears out of your system, so I sat and cried as silently as I could. I was just about finished when I heard footsteps behind me and the curtains swishing open.

Great.

 I sighed and said "I'm really not in the mood."

Nothing.

"I'm fine, Cas. I just don't want to talk about it."

"Fine." A voice that was diffidently NOT Cas said. "I'll just stand here."

I whipped my head around. Alex. Bloody Alex.

Crud..

Well, it kind of was too late to hide the fact that I was sobbing by myself, but I tried.

"Oh, hey!" I said, in a fairly normal voice, which would have been extremely convincing if my throat wasn't clogged up and if mascara wasn't running down my face.
"What are you doing? What do you think of my crying? I've been practicing FOREVER to get it right. It's so hard to get the sniffle right, you know...." I probably would have kept babbling on, but Alex snapped "Would you cut the crap? Since when have you had to pretend around me?"

The happy but very fake smile dropped away, but it wasn't Sad Me that appeared.
"Since you lied to me, tricked me and had me tortured?"

"First of all, it was interrogation, NOT torture..."I snorted but he kept going "And second, it was training, Nobody got hurt...."

"I've got split lip selfies that tell a different story."

"That wasn't supposed to happen. Kat, I wouldn't hurt you...."

"Can you even hear yourself?" I screeched. "You lied and acted to get close to me, and then used everything you had learned against me."

"I wasn't even in charge of your interrogation process! What are you getting mad at me for?"

"You had no idea what they were doing with me? Then why did you have the bloody fake split lip?"

"That? That was for one of the other girls. The dark haired senior who  doesn't like seeing other people getting hurt. Why? What does that have to do with you?"

"Idiot" was all I said as I went to walk past him. He grabbed my arm and asked. "What? What is that supposed to mean?"

I face burned. There was no way I was going to tell him that they had used him against me. And that it had worked.  "If you care so much, go look at the security videos."
Startled, just stood there as I jerked my arm free and walked away. "But don't worry. It won't work ever again."  I called over my shoulder and walked out of the library.

I couldn't go back to my room, not like this. So I walked down and out the front door and went for a quick run in the woods. When I left, Alex was still standing in the balcony door way.

-K

Fruit Ninja. Gallagher Style

I was in the P&E Barn practicing my sword skills. All Gallagher Girls have to be proficient in two weapons. Mine are hand guns and knives. I prefer knives to swords because I feel like they are easier to use. I use double knives to fight and work on knife throwing.

Sometimes I use a sword though, because Lily and The Twins came up with a fruit ninja game last year.
Using real fruit of course. No bombs, sorry. Headmistress Morgan said we couldn't do that. Party Pooper.

Luckily, Lily fixed the mechanism so that it doesn't take two people (one to run the fruit launcher and another to chop) so I was out...well, chopping. I decided to make a fruit salad.
(Since Louis isn't here, I've been making most of the food ever since I tried Headmistress Morgan's food *Gag* )

Anyway, a band of boys came in. (Alec wasn't with them) They had never seen the fruit ninja machine, since it was under a tarp in the back.

One of them looked especially interested, (they aren't terrified of a knife throwing mad man. woman. girl. whatever. I don't think they like Peter...) and while the rest of the boys pretended to spar, he came over right away. I recognized him as one of the seniors. He eyes lit up and he asked if he could try it. I had barely said yes when he sprinted off. He came back with his sword case and pulled out his rapier.

He went at the fruit with a skill and joy I had only seen once. When I ran out of fruit, he stood, light footed, breathing lightly and grinning like a child at Christmas.
"I've got to introduce you to Tansy" I said thinking of the tall thin senior who loved her rapier.

I had to leave about then to make dinner, so I told him how to run the machine and showed him the practice targets, which were fruit shaped foam. (Even we don't have THAT much fruit) and then I left for the kitchen.

Tansy is going to enjoy this semester. Finally someone who she can talk to about rapiers. Seriously if I had to listen to another "Rapier Vs Something Inferior" talk or He's not holding his rapier right comment about a movie, I think I would have shoved something down her throat.

-K

My Punishment

So I bet your wondering what my punishment would be.

 

 Well, Headmistress Morgan assigned me to "Boy Duty"

So guess what.

When all the boys show up, tradition is, they pick a guide. The first time they came, they just chose any girl they wanted from their grade. Well. Headmistress Morgan has some rules about that now. Basically, the boys can choose from a list of girls who sigh up for the position. We don't have many more girls (in the Sophomore grade) then we do visiting Sophomore boys. Which means one or two girls can decline. Anyway, as my punishment, I have to sign up.

Goodie. I was one of the girls who was going to sit this thing out. Wheee.

You may be thinking, well, maybe the boys will pick some one else....after the whole knife throwing incident.

No such luck.

There are 15 visiting Sophomores.

The first 15 girls who sign up get a slot.

So.... I'm stuck.

At least it won't be Peter.

Oh, if you're worried about Peter (AKA Annoying-Boy) he's totally fine. I wouldn't KILL a guest! Honestly, what kind of person do you think I am?

He had a book. (I think it was a fourth edition of Hacking in the Himalayas...) He stuck it in a breast pocket of his jacket. I know right? How even has a breast pocket in their zip up hoodie? I though that was only a suit coat thing....

Anyway, the knife barely went through the book to his skin. He had a tiny poke. Just hold your finger over it for a minute and you'll be fine!

It did look a little creepy. You should have seen all the boys with their eyes bugging out of their heads.

That's right! You don't mess with a Gallagher Girl!

-K

Impaled A Dinner Guest

 
So I walked into the dinning hall. (sounds like the beginning of a bad joke)  I'm used to it being empty. It's nice. I can eat whatever way and want and everything.

Anyway, have I ever mentioned I have REALLY good hearing? Seriously.


I noticed "Alec" (if that even was his real name. I still don't trust him) wasn't starring daggers or anything. So he didn't hold a grudge. That's good. I saw another boy lean over and whisper.
"Check out those legs."

I assume I wasn't supposed to hear...but still.

So, I tucked into a somersault roll thingy, and popped up by the near by table.

"Well, aren't you a drama queen." you might be thinking but

A. You have NO idea

B. Even though the table was, like, 5 steps away, they would see me going for a knife, etc.
Plus the roll is faster, and it doesn't register right away that I was going for a knife.

Anyway, I stood up and threw the knife in one fluid motion. I saw Alec's eyes going really wide as he and the boy on the other side of Annoying Boy ducked behind the table. But Annoying-Boy was still looking around him, waiting for a laugh. A returning joke or insult. Not a angry knife throwing girl.

He took a knife through the shoulder. The boy on the far side of Alec jumped up and run to help. Annoying Boy stared at his shoulder.

And I?

I calmly sat down and began eating my supper.

Hey! I cooked this tuna casserole and I'm going to enjoy it.

I am expecting someone will come and talk to me. I am in the library right now. I finished dinner fast. Not because I'm worried. (More like annoyed). I just always eat fast. Life is too short to spend it all at the table.

So yes. I went to dinner, impaled a guest, calmly ate my dinner and went to work on my blog. I'm thinking of changing the background.
-K