Kat caught the paper ball, as he was meant to (and to his own surprise). His eyes flinched over to the pitcher. The bigger boy was at that not-quite-unkempt level of dishevelment almost uniquely occupied by young men- did he always look that way? Kat didn't know. He knew it was him, though. No one else in the room ever wrote on green paper.

Two lines. To Kat, they seemed to be fighting each other.

[color=fdc68a][i]Stop helping her,[/i][/color] went one. Well, no. He just had no idea how. [color=fdc68a][i]You'll get hurt too...[/i][/color] He glanced back at Keone, who wasn't looking up. Kat's head was a ruffled haze that didn't want to move. Get hurt? Him? By who? What did that [i]mean?[/i]

[i]...Too?[/i]

...

...oh God.

As the post-yelling quiet broke up into murmurs again, Kat made a very small move to retrieve the abandoned basket, which wasn't too far, then retracted it. His eyes were watering somewhat, because, as he watched, and Dulac left, she won- Rebecca was quiet and Dulac was away and her words would [i]stick with Rebecca for God knows how long and Kat you are just SITTING there[/i] [sub][b][color=222222]and the wound will keep bleeding[/color][/b][/sub]

[color=fdc68a]"...I think Keone wants me to stay,"[/color] said Kat, after a deep breath and a moment of thought he wasn't proud of but didn't regret. He tapped the written message on the desk (now between him and Chester). [color=fdc68a]"Should I go anyway, or-"[/color]

Chester looked over the note, then back at him. "Go where?" Kat flicked his eyebrows to the door, made to get out of his seat, looked at Keone and squirmed back down. "...Dulac?" Kat mouthed, 'yeah,' and Chester took a deep breath, breaking contact with his swimming eyes. Kat would [i]melt.[/i]

"Just stay here, dude," he said, rising from his chair. To him, the movement seemed natural. Kat stayed put. The door swung.

He'd been doing this for a long time.

[hr]
[right][b][sub]Hallway[/sub][/b][/right]

"You did [i]not[/i] need to do that," echoed Chester's voice to the only other person in the hall. Nothing more, nothing less. He just stood his ground and waited.