You'd think that the escapades of 'the bunny boiler' would be well and truly over after her little breakdown at the restaurant, but it turns out that that was just the beginning. The good thing about that 'episode' was that it made me and Jamie stronger - it reinforced to him that breaking up with Kate was definitely the right decision and we said goodbye to that evening knowing that everything was out in the open and no longer needed to keep things quiet.
Jamie picked me up on Monday morning and drove us to college. The chilly British weather was more evident that morning than ever. A thin layer of frost had enveloped almost everything in sight, and the freezing wind made it difficult to leave the car...that, and the fact that I really didn't want to face anyone just yet. I had told my friends about the encounter we had with Kate and I could imagine them all now sitting at the college cafe waiting for me to arrive and fill them in with the exact details.
And I was right.
The Gossip Hyenas were waiting at the far table, waving me over through the busy crowd. I kissed Jamie goodbye as he departed to his friends, and settled myself between them.
All eyes glared at me, waiting for me to speak. I wasn't ready to repeat the entire story yet again and just sat there, rubbing my hands together for some warmth.
"Well, I just can't believe that happened," Mikey spoke out, slapping his hands on the table. "The cheeeeeek of the girl!" he exclaimed. I raised my eyebrows in approval.
"I always thought she was a nutcase," Tia continued. "I saw it straight away. The girl dispised you as soon as you and Jamie became friends,"
"I just want to forget about it," I say to them.
I look over at Jamie. He's the only one talking and his friends are listening intently to him. Clearly, he's telling the story too. The only difference is that his table is taken over by the occassional gasp followed by laughter, whilst on my table it's just sympathetic shock.
"Do you think she'll be in today?" Tia asks and I shrug my shoulders.
"With any luck her family have got her sectioned," Sofia inputed and went back to slobbering all over her boyfriend.
I say a little prayer in my head - Please God, don't let her be in today. I need to forget about it for the time being - But no such luck.
I can already hear her shrill voice echoing in from outside. The sheer noise of it raises everyone's attention.
Jamie and I clap eyes and then both look for the nearest exit to see if we can make a run for it.
Kate walks in...but surprisingly she's not mad, nor is she crying. She's actually laughing. Real, loud laughter with not an ounce of fakeness about it. Perhaps her parents did get her sectioned and now she's all cured.
She's linked arms with her friends as if they're in secondary school and makes her way to Jamie's table.
Oh no, I think - not another scene.
She sits down near him, all smiles as if nothing ever happened.
I'm confused. This is not the same girl who was weeping on a restaurant floor. She just can't be.
Mikey nudges me with his arm, "What's she doing?" he asks looking agog.
"I have no idea," I reply.
Another loud laugh escapes her mouth as if she's heard the funniest thing ever, but Jamie and his friends just look confused.
"Should I go over there?" I ask my friends, but they're too enthralled by Kate to notice what I'm saying.
Nope. I definitely should not go over. NO...ummmm... Nope. No, I shouldn't go over. I've decided.
"I'm going over there," I tell them, and lift myself from the table. Mikey tries to pull me down but he fails.
"No, don't!" I hear him whisper but I'm already on my way. His footsteps are tapping after me and he grabs my shoulder, but we've already reached the table.
"Morning," I greet. The guys reply and smile, but Kate and her clan remain silent.
"Come and sit down," Jamie says and scooches over. I'm just about to sit down when Kate beats me to it. She has leaped from her seat to go next to him, getting so close that she's cornered him against the wall.
MOVE, I want to yell but stop myself. Instead, I take the seat she left behind and sit on the edge of it so that Mikey can sit too.
Silence has fallen over the table. The guys are throwing me awkward smiles, while the girls are throwing me daggers - their eyes so veiled by an evil stare that I swear they turn a devil red.
"So how is everyone?" one of the guys says trying to break the silence.
No one answers.
"...I'm very well. How are you?" I reply.
"I'm brilliant. Heard a very funny story about a specific date-" he speaks but a sharp kick from Jamie makes him stop. "-I'm very well," he decides to say.
"Good good,"
And then silence once again.
This is really unbearable. We're all just sitting there, staring at each other but not saying a word. Jamie's friends occasionally mock Kate when she turns to look away, but other than that, no one is talking. It's driving me crazy.
JUST GO, I want to yell. Just go away!!
I turn back to look at my friends. Even Sofia has found enough time to tear herself away from her boyfriend's mouth and is looking over.
"We should probably leave," Mikey casually whispers in my ear. I give him a look that says 'No sodding way'.
"Come and sit here," Jamie smiles at me and tries to edge Kate away with his arm. But she's not budging. He tries again, but she's having none of it.
He then snaps.
"Kate, just move so I can sit with my girlfriend!" he shouts expecting her to stand up. But she doesn't move. She's ignoring him and biting her fingernails.
"This is ridiculous!" he shouts and leaps over the table, grabs me by the arm and says, "Let's go sit over there!" Once we're seated he shouts, "You coming boys?" to his friends.
The army leave the table and come over to us - Mikey trying not to laugh.
"What a freak!" one of the guys says and takes a sip of his drink. The conversation is suddenly flowing freely.
Jamie wraps his arm around me and whispers, "I'm so sorry about that. You OK?"
"I'm fine,"I respond. "It's just a bit weird," and he nods.
The rest of the morning goes by without a hiccup and I walk back to the cafe to meet my friends for lunch. Surprisingly, Kate and her clan are still sitting where they were as if they haven't left the table.
I walk past and give Kate a smile which she doesn't appreaciate, and sit down to wait for my friends.
But she walks on over, her clan trailing behind her.
"What's up, Kate?" I raise my head to look at her.
She leans on the table, her face incredibly close to mine. So close in fact that I can see the edges of her contact lenses.
"You're so pathetic," she mouths at me, sitting down. "Jamie is just going through some weird phase of wanting, well, you, but when he comes back to his senses just know that he's running right back to me,"
"I'm pathetic?" I let out a chuckle. "I'm not the one who cried in the middle of a restaurant for an hour, screaming and shouting because I've been dumped," I tell her.
"I just can't believe how pathetic you are," she says once more. It's like my words wash over her - she doesn't listen to anything. "Jamie and I were practically engaged,"
"No, you weren't. You just went out for a long time. There's a difference, Kate," I pull out a magazine from my bag and begin flicking through it.
"I have a ring and everything," she says.
"Let's see it then," I ask not lifting my head from Marie Claire.
She lifts her left hand up immediately, revealing a pink, plastic ring with a blue, plastic stone on it.
"Wow, that's beautiful," I mock. "That must have cost him a fortune,"
She doesn't say anything.
"Can you just go, please!" my tone slightly raised.
But she doesn't.
I sigh heavily when I see Mikey coming over towards me, his face scrunched up from the confusion of seeing Kate.
"Kate," he begins. "How was the restaurant last Friday? Would you recommend the salmon or the sea bass?" he teases and plonks himself next to me. "Oh before I forget," he turns to me, "Jamie told me to say that he'll be here in about twenty minutes. Something about petrol," Mikey waves his hands in the air.
"He didn't tell me anything about this," Kate strangely replies. She's staring at Mikey now. "Will he be able to drop me off home as normal?"
"No," I tell her. "Because he's going out with me now!"
But she doesn't seem to understand.
"I need to get home before half one," she's telling Mikey.
Wow, she's really lost it.
"We've made these plans a while ago," she says again. "There's just no way Jamie would let me down,"
I'm too shocked to answer.
"Well, he's clearly not driving you home because it's almost half one now and he's only just set off," Mikey explains.
Kate's face is a picture of pure worry, and then confusion, and finally anger. I can sense the explosion coming up. It's like the Bunny Boiler Richter Scale in my head goes crazy as soon as her voice is slightly raised.
"BUT HE PROMISED!" she yells in full volume. One of the clan members tells her to shush but she refuses to listen.
"Kate, you and Jamie are not dating anymore. He's my boyfriend now," my explanations are of no use. She's off on one again, screaming her head off in the cafe. Nothing seems to calm her down.
"Let's just leave," I say to Mikey. "I'm not too sure what to do here,"
"Kate, you're being ridiculous. You're acting like a child," Mikey tells her. This just sends her over the edge.
"I AM NOT ACTING LIKE A CHILD!!" She yells at him. I fear that she may hit him.
Her clan have now left and are watching her just like all other spectators. "HE MADE ME A PROMISE AND HOW HE HAS TO KEEP IT!" she continues to yell.
Mikey is terrified. His face turns to mine, "Phone Jamie. Tell him to get here quick!" he orders and I do as he says.
Twenty minutes later and Jamie bursts through the doors.
"She's gone off again," I say although there's no real need for an explanation. Kate is huddled on a chair crying. "I've tried to calm her down but nothing seems to be working,"
The spectators have now got bored and don't seem to be that interested in her. I'm thankful for this. I've had enough of 'scenes'.
"Kate," Jamie approaches her like she's an angry lion. "You OK?"
"I'M NOT BLOODY OK!" she growls. "You said you would drive me home at half one!"
"When did I say this?"
"Ageees ago!"
"Riiiight," Jamie turns and shrugs his shoulders.
"I really hate her!" she points at me, her tears finally drying up.
I want to throttle her.
"Well, I happen to quite like her," Jamie tells her and moves towards me, clasping his hand with mine. My heart smiles at the gesture.
"Oh please," she rises from the seat. "You and I are engaged!" and points her childish hand at him.
"You're being ridiculous," he tells her, "We're not engaged. That was some stupid ring you won from a Christmas cracker,"
I hear Mikey snort.
"Kate, you have to stop this," Jamie tries to reason. "You and I broke up. I have a new girlfriend now. Just leave us alone," he pulls my hand and we both leave the cafe.
From outside her screams sound louder then ever. We turn to find Mikey running out.
"She's lost it," Mikey says worryingly to Jamie. "I'd get a restraining order if I were you,"
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