Page 8 of Already Callin’ You Mine

Crap…do I know this woman? She doesn’t look familiar, but if she recognizes me, then I must have known her back in high school. I was only here for the one year before leaving for UNC. I’ve barely been back to see my parents in the years since then.

“Ummm, maybe? I graduated from Knox County High, but it’s been, like, seventeen years.”

“You would have been a senior my freshman year then. I’m Kitty.”

She introduced herself like I should know her based on her first name alone. But just like how she doesn’t look like anyone I know, her name isn’t ringing any bells either. And I feel like I would remember someone with a name like⁠—

Kitty.

Kitty Cattaway.

The memory slams into me like crash test dummies into a brick wall. Kitty Cattaway. How could I forget such a name?

I look her over again, and she still doesn’t look like anyone I remember. Although now that I stand here and think about it, I’m not sure I ever really knew what she looked like. Her reputation preceded her, all the boys in my grade talking about the freshman girl who was willing to meet them under the bleachers and show them how she “purrs.”

Yeah, that part I remember very clearly.

I know I shouldn’t judge her for the reputation she had in high school. I don’t even know if those rumors were true, or if it was all just something some of the dumbass boys made up because they were bored. Knowing teenage boys, it was the latter. But there is something about looking at her now, I can’t help but think that this woman might not be the friend I’m looking for.

“Pres,” my dad says, placing a protective hand on my back. “The guys selling those wood toys are here. I want to take Otis to see them.”

“Okay,” I answer without thinking.

“Where is he?”

What?!

I turn to my dad, my heart clamoring against my ribcage. He’s joking, right?

“He’s with you.”

“No, he’s not.”

I step back from the display table, panic starting to set in. Scanning around us, I forget all about Kitty, whatever anyone thought about her in high school, or whether or not that may have changed. Because that is the least important thing in the world right now.

A crowd surrounds us, but not one so large that I can’t see between people, making it very clear that we are now a party of three, not four. Making my heart stop.

Otis is gone.

Shit!