Chapter 4: Shelter

"Will you two quit bickering for five seconds?" Ms.Sinclair groaned as she walked through the school's parking lot with both girls trailing behind her.

Kitty glared in Spikes direction, before turning her attention to Ms.Sinclair. 

"We wouldn't be bickering if you'd sent us to a normal detention."

"True, however I believe a direct approach is the best to help you two." She responded as she opened her car door and gestured for the girls to enter.

"I don't even see what it is we need help with." Spikes grumbled as she stepped into the car. Followed by Kitty and Ms.Sinclair.

The rest of the ride was carried out in silence as Ms.Sinclair drove the short distance to her home.

"Ok girls, we're here. Remember if you break anything, you replace it." She reprimanded the girls as she stepped out of her car. 

Kitty shrugged and exited the car, while Spikes remained slumped over within the car.

"Carissa, you will need to get out of there eventually so I suggest you do it sooner rather than later." Ms.Sinclair stated, opening the door for Spikes before she would finally get out of the car.

"Your house is so pretty Ms.Sinclair!" Kitty announced as Spikes exited the car.

It was a small two story house, almost cabin like with several windows letting in the light. Flowers encompassed almost the entirety of the property.

The girls stepped inside, both in awe of their teachers home. Artwork hung from the walls and cluttered the room, it was a messy sort of beautiful that smelled lightly of mint and oil paints.

"You have such a nice house, Ms.Sinclair. How do you afford it on a teacher's salary?" Kitty asked as she continued too look around her teacher's house.

"Oh, it's really not very-"

"I don't know where you're from, but don't you know it's rude to bluntly ask people shit like that?" Spikes growled, interrupting their teacher's response.

"How so? I was only asking a question!" Kitty hissed back at Spikes.

"Because for us normal people who have to struggle to survive, finances can be a touchy subject." Spikes retorted. Spikes stomped to a corner of the room, dropping herself onto the large seat.

Kitty took a moment to breathe instead of shouting back before moving to take the seat opposite of Spikes.

"Ms.Sinclair, I apologize if you considered my question rude. I didn't realize it may be a sensitive subject." Kitty held her head high as she spoke, though she kept her eyes on the ground and fidgeted with her hands.

"We're not at school girls, you can just call me Nadine," Their teacher replied calmly, smiling sweetly at Kitty. "There is no need for you to apologize dear. I do actually get a bit of help from my significant other."

"Oh, are you married, or is it just a boyfriend?" Kitty inquired.

"It's actually a bit more complicated. I uhm-"

"Sugar daddy?" Spikes interrupted Nadine. Kitty turned to glare at the dog but began to laugh at the seriousness in Spikes's eyes.

"And yet you said I was the rude one? I'm sure that accusation is far worse than asking about money." Spikes turned her head to avoid Kitty seeing her blush as the cat continued to laugh.

"It's not that funny." Spikes muttered under her breath.

Nadine rolled her eyes, but smiled as she watched the two girls interact. If it hadn't been for the snide remarks and occasional glares Nadine felt they could almost be mistaken for friends.

Which was something both girls sorely needed.

...

Time passed quickly after the first day of detention the girls served at Nadine's house.

Detention turned into an after-school ritual, and Nadine turned into a maternal figure for both Kitty and Spikes.

She would help them with homework and provided them with a safe place for them to talk and be themselves.

Eventually as both girls talked, laughed a little more and insulted each other a little less each day, they became what could almost be considered friends.

At school they still typically avoided one another.

However what used to be glares turned into small smiles of acknowledgement.

Summer soon turned into late fall and both girl's continued to deny the friendship forming between themselves given the passing kindness they would display for the other.

...

"Guess who got a driver's license!" Kitty cheered as she burst through the front door of Nadine's house.

"I'm assuming the spoiled cat who's going to be the owner of a new shiny bright aqua car this weekend?" Spikes rolled her eyes, hiding her grin in her hair as she set down her cup of coffee.

"Haha Spikes, you're so funny," Kitty stuck her tongue out at the dog before taking a seat on the couch.

"I'm proud of you Katherine. Perhaps now you'll be able to drive yourself and Carissa home." Nadine joked, winking at Kitty.

"I wouldn't mind that at all. It'd be a lot easier on you for me to drive us." Kitty smiled back, happy to be of some assistance. "And I'm actually going to get a simple used car for now. No sense in getting an expensive one until I'm more accustomed to driving."

"That's very mature of you Kath-"

"When the fuck did you grow up Kitty?" Spikes's laughter interrupted Nadine. Kitty rolled her eyes at Spikes, but smiled as the dog continued to laugh.

"Anyways, I don't have anything planned for you two today." Nadine commented as she stood from her seat. "Perhaps you'd like to do some painting today?"

"Ok!" Both girls cheered in unison as they stood from their seats, making their way to where Nadine stored the painting supplies in her house.

Kitty glanced up at the overcast skies as they stepped outside. "I hope it doesn't start raining." She hissed under her breath as she set up her station.

"Seriously? Are you really so much of a cat that you hate water too?" Spikes chuckled as she set up her own station, a gleam of amusement in her eyes.

"Maybe," Kitty muttered quietly, her eyes still on the sky. "It's mostly that it's just so gloomy and depressing. I just don't like it."

"I've always found the rain soothing, but I am a fan of water unlike you." Spikes joked. 

Kitty rolled her eyes before they both fell into a comfortable silence, both working on their own pieces.

Spikes glanced over her shoulder to see Kitty painting what seemed to be a man who bore an uncanny resemblance to the cat. 

"Who's that?" Spikes asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"My late father." Kitty responded simply enough. 

"He died in May just before I transferred here."

Spikes stared at Kitty, finding herself speechless. She had never thought of the cat as someone who'd lost a family member.

"I... I'm sorry Kitty. I never realized that you... well actually suffered." Spikes muttered, ashamed to admit she'd assumed Kitty's life was perfect. "How did he die?"

"He was murdered." Kitty's tone turned menacing and cold. Spikes turned to glance at Kitty before immediately turning back to her own painting and choosing to change the subject.

"What about your mother?"

"She's missing." Kitty's voice was still cold, though it was not as venomous as before. "She vanished, abandoning me within my first week in this town."

Kitty sighed, shaking her head as if to shake the bad memories away. She refused to focus on a past that she could not change.

"So what are you painting? Your paintings are always so beautiful, but they're so dark. Is there a reason?" Kitty quickly asked to avoid Spikes asking anymore personal questions.

"It's cause I'm a dark scary person." Spikes laughed, flicking a bit of water in Kitty's direction.

"Don't mess with me dog." Kitty hissed through her smile as she backed away from Spikes. "Seriously though, why so dark all the time?"

Spikes hesitated for a moment. She wondered if she should open up to the cat, if Kitty was in fact trustworthy, or if she was even ready to talk about it.

She inhaled deeply, setting her paint brush down as she prepared to speak. 

"I know how hard it is to lose a loved one... and the reason everything is so dark around me." Spikes inhaled deeply, focusing on speaking instead of the words.

"After my brother died... I couldn't see the light anymore, so I fell into darkness."