Chapter 15: It's a sappy day, isn't it!?

When Kate awakes the very next morning, she just lies on her back, thinking. Oh, great! She thought now. And grunts and moans only. When she hears the door suddenly open up, and see Sebastian to stick his head in to the room, smiling toward his little sister.

"Hey! I thought I heard you're awake by now."

He comes in, opening the door a little wider, so their Mom could come in also. Before Kate could even think of anything to say to them both, they start to sing Happy Birthday for her already. And Kate is just pulling over her blanket, to hide herself from embarrassment under it. When both her mother and brother are finished, Sandra would lift up the blanket from her daughter's face. While sitting down on the edge of the bed next to her.

"Happy Birthday, Marie!" she would say again, and bends herself forward to kiss her not-so-little girl on to her forehead, loving.

Kate just makes a face, in embarrassment. But is actually smiling toward her mother, a little shyly but clearly smiling. Then she sits up straight, while Sebastian crawls right onto the middle of her bed now. He comes toward her, literally on his hands and knees, to kiss her left cheek. And whispering into her ear, some more birthday wishes first.

"You have some visitors downstairs, already!" Sandra tries and lures her daughter out of bed then even. But Kate only frowns at her and her brother's last comment in her ear. She reached for her cell phone beside her bed next. It was only eight thirty-nine in the morning. Who was paying her a birthday-visit at this early hour and without any coffee in her system even already?

Kate just moans, "Who is it?"

Sandra looks toward her son, shaking her head at him before saying.

"Come downstairs, and you'll see!"

With this out in the open, Sandra and Sebastian are getting off of the bed and turning for the bedroom door again.

"Uh, Mom!" Kate moans some more. "You're mean to me on my birthday even!?"

Sebastian chuckles only on his way out the room. While her Mom still lingers between the hinges, smiling a little sheepishly toward Kate though.

****

When Kate comes downstairs, she half expected to run into her new ex-boyfriend and this awkward feeling rising over them once again. But he wasn't in the house. However Ruby, his mother was. And JC. Yes! JC! Oh my god! What is he doing here? Kate only can think. Before she is swept into a big birthday hug by Ruby out of a sudden, then.

"Happy Birthday, Kathy!" Ruby wishes, with a slight wink in JC's direction. As Kate noticed a little embarrassed even.

Kate just smiles shyly toward her. "Thanks, Ruby! Thank you!"

Then Kate did see JC move a little closer toward her. Kate didn't feel like standing awkwardly before him in her ex-boyfriend's house right now. And she just keeps hugging Ruby now. And whispers toward her. "Ruby? Where's Dean?"

"He went out really early this morning. Why honey?" Ruby answers, hugging her still loving.

"I just really thought I could talk to him, you know." Kate response silently, and shrugging it off also. Ruby then gestures in direction of JC slightly, to tell her he is here and the one to talk to now. Kate smiles in response to her only. And Ruby winks slightly again toward her. That he also looks kind of cute. Making Kate blushing right there again though. Ruby squeezed her quickly another time before exiting herself from the room. When Kate is just standing there frozen to the spot, with JC coming closer and closer every bit. Until he is right in front of her. Kate tries smiling weary at him first. He bends himself down toward her, kissing her on to the right cheek.

And whispering near her ear next. "Happy Birthday, Kismet!"

"Thank you!" Kate only could say, and feels weird for emphasis the word you even though.

"What's wrong now?" JC asked, worrying even now. "I can't believe I am standing here before you, on your birthday. Can you?"

Kate stills for a second when he says it like that. But more because she see somebody stepping in the room behind JC next.

"Oh! Hey, Dean!" Kate says only. Looking in between him and JC then, feeling unsure suddenly. "JC just did come over to -."

But she couldn't finish her sentence even. As Dean was already turning on his heels and had left again. Joshua did turn his head to look at him at the mention of Dean's name. But turns toward Kate, looking slightly confused at her though.

"You're alright, aren't you?" JC asked. "You know. With me being here. Us?!"

Kate takes his face in between her hands just. And kisses him passionately on to his lips.

****

The before noon went by quickly though. And even JC couldn't stay any longer after that kiss Kate gave him last. He promised to pick her up later though. Kate didn't get a chance in talking to Dean anymore during the day. So, she decides to look into what she'll wear for her first not-a-date, but clearly first hanging out together, with JC then.

While Kate was looking for the right clothes, in her bedroom she shares with her brother, after lunch. A knock on the door is jolting her from her thoughts right then.

"Come in." Kate calls out, to whoever is standing in front of it now. She looked up, when the bedroom door opens. And just sees Sebastian sticking is head right in, shyly.

"Bastian!" Kate says to him, truly grateful for being here. "Come in. come in. Please!"

Sebastian steps in then, looking curiously around what his little sister is doing even. "You're alright, aren't you? Not avoiding anybody, do you?"

"No! I am good. Just trying, you know, taking one step at a time." Kate says, shrugging. And going through her pile of maybe chosen clothes next. "What do think of this outfit, Bastian?"

Sebastian looks at the outfit his sister was holding toward him just. A knee-length green colored skirt with pink long sleeve T-Shirt with a low round neck.

"Isn't it a bit early for that kind of skirt yet?" he asked her, shaking his right hand sideways, in a way I-don't-want-you-to-wear-these-kind-of-clothes-when-you-will-be-with-him.

"Bastian! I wore this skirt like a million times this summer already. And I actually already did wear it when I first did meet him. So, will you please stop acting like this!" Kate told her brother, annoyed. "And please accept my decision, too!?"

"Marie!" Bastian says, taking away the clothes his sister still holds in front herself. "Marie, can we talk? Please! I feel like we didn't talk like in forever though."

Kate turns toward the mirror, to look at herself with her chosen outfit, from every other angle, ignoring her brother's request.

"Marie?" Sebastian tries to get her attention back again. But then saw that she was changing the long sleeve top, for one with no sleeves and just spaghetti straps and a V-Neck also. And he stands in front of the mirror, before his sister. Frowning at her.

"No way, you'll be wearing that one! Do you hear me?" Sebastian says angrily pointing toward the spaghetti straps and V-Neck next. "I'll not let you leave in that top with that guy! Never, do you hear!?"

"Oh, my gosh!" Kate bursts out now. "You. Are. Not. Serious. About. This. Are you?"

Sebastian glares at his sister just. "Oh, yes! I am!"

"Would you stop being like this, Bastian!?" Kate said loudly. And slowly feeling really angrily about his behavior also. "I know Dean is your buddy also. But would please not act, like I am the bad guy and he is all super great and all that stuff! I feel guilty for that by myself already, okay!?"

"You do? Doesn't look to me like you even do, sis! Sorry!" Sebastian said, frowning at her while she still looks through her clothes that she bought on this vacation only. Kate puts her latest put together outfit onto her bed then. Before turning again on her big brother.

"Bastian!" she tells him, and really has to fight her feelings just a little bit harder, when speaking to her big brother.

"Would you stop telling me what I can wear and what not! You know I hate that!"

****

A couple hours later, Kate wasn't even close to choose what to wear either. Bastian, her brother has not talked to his sister after their disagreement, too. And Kate had sat all afternoon in her room, trying to think of what she would like to wear on her first not-a-date-thing with Joshua S. Chasez. She sure was nervous about what he had planned to do with her. But also was feeling kind of calm, and self-surrendered in anticipation for the evening. It was nearly six P.M. and Kate had still scattered her clothes all over her bed by now. And looked at them just. When her Mom came into the room and saw her daughter standing in front of the bed with all her clothes on it, she had bought with her.

"Oh! Hey! What's going on?" Sandra asked her daughter, slightly frowning. "Isn't JC picking you up in half an hour? You aren't even dressed yet, are you?"

Kate gestures toward her pile of clothes. "I have nothing to wear! I can't do this, Mom!"

"Wow, slow down honey! Yes, you can! You've gone out countless of times with Dean before. And remember how nervous you were on your first night out with Dean even?" Sandra said, and stands beside her daughter, looking at all her clothes. She frowns slightly. Then picks up a light pink sweater and holds it toward her girl's chest next.

"Okay! This one says, you're cute and trendy. But still casual. Although not too casual, but that you're overly concerned with what you're wearing. Wear this with you dark blue jeans, let your hair fall loose and put some lip gloss on. But not too shiny. And off you go!"

"How?" Kate frowns at her mother, in awe. "I looked at that sweater for over an hour and it was just some stupid sweater. Then you come in, and make it in an entire outfit, in five seconds! How do you do it?"

Sandra smiles, and looks pleased. "Years of experience in front of a closet like you just now. No big deal. Come on now. Let's get ready!"

"Mom?" Kate asked next. "Do you think I am selfish for going out the day after I broke up with my boyfriend?"

"Sweetie! No! No way!" Sandra says, hugging her daughter. "Where is that coming from now even?"

Kate only shrugs in answer though. Then let's out a sigh and smiles, weary.

****

Another half a hour later. JC was already at the front door, to pick Kate up. He felt a little weird standing in front of the house his new girlfriend's ex-boyfriend and family are living in, but takes a deep cleansing breathe. And rang the door bell next.

It's opened by Dean next. And he just grunts something inarticulately though and turns his back and goes inside again. Leaving the door just a little bit kept ajar. JC frowns slightly, pushes the door a little bit open and peaks inside. When a woman suddenly steps in front of him. He remembers her, it's Ruby, he thinks.

“Oh! Hey, there!” she greets the young man. And invites him in next. “Come in. I'll go see whether Kate is ready. Make yourself at home!”

JC nodded toward her only curtly. “Okay. Thank you!”

As Ruby turns around to go upstairs then, Sandra, Kate's mother, just comes down also.

“JC! Hi!” Sandra says. “Kate is coming down in a bit. Want something to drink?”

JC declines her offer respectfully. And shakes her head, smiling weary. When he heard a shoe clicking on the upstairs landing out of a sudden. He looks up. Totally amazed how Kate changed into this confident, incredible young woman, within just one day, as it seems.