At first, I was confused in regards to her amusement, then I spotted the purple highlights in her hair and turned on the living room lights. Crossing my arms over my chest, I glare at the girl dressed in lace-up combat boots, fishnet stockings, and a tight red dress paired with a familiar leather jacket.
Even though Katrina can be perceived as wild, crazy, obnoxious sometimes, annoying as hell, and fucking intolerable… I still love my cousin which is why I'm trying so hard to reign in my anger.
I roll my eyes when she unceremoniously topples to the floor and cross over her sprawled form to pick up the TV remote. Switching the TV off, I grab both my blanket and bowl of popcorn and walk towards the open kitchen.
Looking up, the time reads 11:30 pm on the granny clock above the archway leading into the kitchen and I sigh, knowing soon my parents and brother will be back.
Just when I was enjoying some alone time.
Throwing away the crumbs, I dump the bowl into the sink and turn to see Katrina standing in the hallway with a huge grin on her face and her arms spread wide open. Like me, she has amethyst eyes and lovely platinum blonde hair, with very pale skin. We're almost translucent.
She rushes to tackle me in a hug but I hold my hand out, stopping her in her tracks. "How long this time?"
Pouting, she drops her arms to her side and replies with a casual shrug. "No hello?" I don't reply but instead, cross my arms over my chest.
Realizing she wasn't getting a response out of me, she rolls her eyes in exasperation before responding. "A week, I'm here for a week."
"Your parents?"
"Already visited them in San Francisco," I narrow my eyes in suspicion and she grins knowingly, raising her hands in the air like a girl scout she affirms. "I swear I did."
With a nod of satisfaction, I drop my hands and jump on her with a squeal. "I missed you so much, you psycho!"
Her breezy laugh fills my ears as she wraps her arms around me and twirls my body around. "Me too Tatty."
Settling me down she pulls back and holds my face between her hands with a pout. "Hey, you got taller!"
"Uh-uh, I'm 5'ft10 now. Which is way taller than you." I wink with a mocking grin, pulling her hands down from my face. "So how's England?"
Shrugging, Katrina's smile deems as her head drops to the side, eyes having that familiar guarded look whenever someone asks about her private school. "It's fine. Same old, same old."
Nodding, I ignore the same evasive answer she gives and tries not to be upset, I've learnt long ago not to bother pestering her for more. She won't tell me anything. Ever since she started attending that private, boarding school in England, it's like I don't know her anymore.
I hardly see or hear from her through the school term, and even when she's around for holidays or breaks she's always on her phone and acting sneaky. She doesn't answer when I try to contact—wait, that's wrong… I can never get in contact with her because her phone is always switched off!
I once asked why she switches off her cellphone but she gave some flimsy lie about the school prohibiting cellphones. I only know she lied because her left eye twitched in its telltale sign and she avoided eye contact.
Katrina is not just my cousin but she's like a sister I never had, she's someone I can tell everything to, but for the last year I'm starting to think otherwise.
"Mum, dad, and Brian went out to dinner so it's just the two of us." She nodded in understanding and I frown at her empty hands. "Where's your stuff?"
Halting, she gazes at her hands with a puzzled frown. Cursing beneath her breath she rolls her eyes and rushes outside. Following with a shake of my head, I stand by the door and watch her rush down the driveway despite the pouring rain to a red Ford and pull out a black duffel bag.
Locking the doors, she rushes back with a grin and raises the bag to show me. A little drenched thanks to the rain. "Here it is, I can be so forgetful sometimes. Any-ho, why didn't you join them for dinner?"
Smiling, I step back into the house and she follows, closing the door behind her. "Because I saw an opportunity to watch Walking Dead without mum breathing down my neck. She's always ranting about how "am too young for horror movies"," I mockingly mimic her voice. "Plus, I also don't have to worry about Brian trying to watch it with me only to end up having nightmares."
We made our way to my room upstairs and she drops her bag on the edge of my bed, zipping it open to arranging her stuff into my walk-in closet she yells so I could hear from inside.
"I think she's right, you are too young Tatty!" Walking back into the room, she makes a face. "I don't get why a 16-year-old would love gruesome films."
"Hey!" I point an accusing finger in her direction, offended. "I don't insult your taste in all things witches and spells Katrina, so don't insult my taste in movies."
I've always hated the thought of people finding me weird or strange because I have a thing for violent, horror movies. I mean it's bad enough most of my friends do. I don't need Katrina saying so too… most especially when she's just as weird as I am.
It's not just because of my taste in movies that makes people see me this way though, there's how I look with my pasty white skin, long eyelashes the same colour as my platinum blonde hair, full crimson red lips, and deeply coloured amethyst eyes. I've even been mistaken for an albino on many occasions.
From birth, I learned it's not going to be easy to live without being labelled a freak when you look like me. Though things at school aren't so bad now that I'm the captain of my school's popular dance group, I joined the archery team, and I'm dating a popular football player. Josh is in line to become the captain of the football team and a quarterback when we become seniors.
"So tell me," Katrina's voice yanks me from my thoughts. "How are things going for you, any new changes?"
"Nothing really, though I made captain of the dance team last month."
"That's all?" She frowns, almost looking disappointed.
"What were you expecting Katrina, some life-altering change?"
"No," She mumbles softly, her tone unconvincing as she casts her eyes down so I wouldn't see her left eye twitch. "I mean I've been gone awhile and was just curious how you've been."
"I've been the same since you left without a word goodbye," I reply, not being able to hide my bitterness. Her expression takes on a guilty look and I sigh, pulling the covers back to settle in bed. "I'm going to call it a night if you want to stay up and wait for everyone feels free."
"Tatty-" She starts, but I cut her off, not giving her a chance to get the words out.
"No more excuses Katrina, I already know this routine so I'm not going to bother trying to get answers anymore. I'm tired, goodnight."
Without another word I threw the comforter over my head, shutting down the further conversation. And rather than pushing the issue, she thankfully got the message and quietly resumed unpacking.