18. nothing but net

"Everything ok?" Keisha whispered in Kitt's ear.

"Yeah, just a lot on my mind." Kitt looked up at her friend with a quick smile.

She had been pushing a square of cheese cake around the puddle of melted whipped cream and strawberry sauce on her plate.

"These desserts are super good." Kitt pointed at the tray in the middle of the table.

"Yeah, I like that we can pick." Keisha said using the delicate silver thongs to put a piece of chocolate brownie on her plate. She spun the carousel of sauces and toppings selecting different things to add to her plate.

"I'm just glad it isn't buffet." Kitt said wrinkling her nose.

"Me too! I hate buffets at events." Keisha agreed.

"Is the sitting portion of the evening almost over?" Kitt wiggled in her chair. She needed to move around.

"I think we are next and last." Keisha said.

"I'm going to hit the ladies room. If my date cares to notice, can you let him know I will be right back?" Kitt laughed. She really didn't mind that he seemed to be very attentive to her best friend. She just needed to move.

"You ok? Do you want me to come with you?" Keisha asked.

"I'm good. I am just not used to be sitting for this long. I need to stretch my legs." She kissed her friend on the forehead.

"Ok, don't take too long, we are up next." She said as Kitt circled around her to leave to banquet room.

Kitt immediately felt the drop in temperature as she left the large ball room. The washrooms were in the lobby, which gave Kitt the chance to look at the features of the building, the art and the decorations on her way to the restrooms.

The women's room was done in a pale shades of pink and cream. The counters were a shiny marble and the fixtures were all gold. Kitt looked in the mirror.

She looked ok. Not her absolute best but good enough for the occasion. She critically assessed herself. Leo had been right when he said she didn't look like a hockey player. She was tall and slim but athletic, not pretty like other girls, but not ugly.

She locked herself into a stall before she heard the door crack open. The voices of two girls filled the room.

Kitt didn't care to listen to their conversation, but she couldn't help that their voices reached her ears.

"He should have gotten an award." The first girl said.

"But like, I can't even. He is so hot!" The second voice said.

"See you guys are perfect." The first girl said.

Kitt couldn't place the voice but it made her shiver. She finished in the stall and felt trapped. She just wanted to leave. She debated if she would be able to leave the washroom, grab her coat and disappear. She logically understood that someone was bound to notice she had left, probably not her date, but someone.

She went to wash her hands and her stomach dropped. Amber and her friend, Leo's date, were fixing their make-up in the mirror.

"Oh! Look who made it after all!" Amber said with a condescending smile.

"Hey." Kitt said moving to the end of the counter to wash her hands.

"Eva, this is Kim. She is Leo's 'friend'." She gave her fake smile.

"Oh, so sorry you had to sit in the back with the second string players. Too bad you couldn't sit with us and then you could tell me all about Leo, I mean we are still getting to know each other." Eva captured the same distain Amber always had on her face.

"I'm not sure what I could share." Kitt shrugged. She had no desire to engage with these girls.

"That's right, he made it quite obvious of that when he didn't even bother to tell you he had a date tonight. Your fluttering your eyelashes at him was pathetic, poor guy." Amber pouted mockingly.

"We are friends." Kitt said, wishing her mouth would stop responding to their little digs.

"I mean I will 'get to know him' better tonight." Eva snickered.

So high school, so immature, so beyond a waste of time. Kitt had to cross past them to dry her hands. She half expected they would try to trip her.

"How does your date feel about being here tonight?" Amber asked her voice dripping with honey sweetened venom.

"Fine." Kitt said disposing her hand towels in to the trash.

"No but like which thrift store did you raid to find such a 'classic'?" Amber asked saying the last word like she was saying 'pile of shit'.

"And those shoes? Wow." Eva added with a mocking grin.

"At least I don't shop at 'barely there adult entertainers'." Kitt turned and said standing toe to toe with Eva who looked startled.

"How dare you!" Eva tried to intimidate Kitt, but after insulting her mother's shoes Kitt wouldn't back down until an ambulance was carting this girl away on a stretcher.

"What? You are going to pretend that you have a single ounce of class? Really where do you keep it?" Kitt mocked her.

"At least I can afford new shoes!" Eva said angrily.

"Look, we both know that dressing like a whore gets men to notice, it's unfortunate that you don't have a personality to get them interested, well at least when he is standing up." Kitt never backed up a single millimeter.

"At least I can get a date with a real player, not the back up!" Eva said as if that was something impressive.

"Is that how you measure your own value? So sad. Pathetic really." Kitt finally backed up and let Eva step away from the counter.

Amber grabbed her arm and pulled her sideways, away from Kitt.

"What is your problem?" Eva asked sneering.

"Me? I don't have a problem. Have a great night ladies." Kitt smiled before leaning in to the mirror to check her lipstick. She slowly pulled a tube out of her bra and reapply.

"You know what Kim? It's not our fault that no one knows who you are, you are just a mouthy bitch." Amber snarled.

"And you are free to be as wrong about that as you are about Axel having any real feelings for you. I am so sure he is completely monogamous." Kim smacked her lips and tucked the tube back into her bra.

"But-" Amber started to say.

"Have a great time tonight ladies, I'm sure your dates will only have eyes for you." Kim said with sarcasm dripping from every word. She pushed past the pair and out the door.

She made long strides across the empty Foyer to the large ornate doors to the ball room.

If that was Leo's type then she was glad he only saw her as a friend. That girl was born with a bad attitude and a chip on her shoulder.

She couldn't figure out her mood, her chest felt tight, there was a lump in her throat and she felt like she was going to cry, but she was also feeling the tension of anger in her neck and shoulders. Her jaw was aching from being clenched.

The last thing she wanted to do was go back into that room and have to play at being happy.

She let herself in just as Leo stepped away from the bar, he was holding a pink drink along with his beer. That was for his date. The bitchy girl who enjoyed mocking a complete stranger in the washroom.

They locked eyes. He looked happy, his eyebrows raising and a smile spreading on his face. She couldn't return a greeting. Before he could make his way over to her, she turned and quickly disappeared through the maze of people around the tables.

"There you are!" Liam said when she slid back into her chair.

"Sorry, I had to hit the ladies' room." She smiled.

"I got you a drink." He pointed at the table.

"Amazing!" She said taking a sip.

"Kitt! Where did you go?" Josie asked with a bright smile with a slight flush  to her cheeks.

Kitt winked at her and looked from her to Liam and back with an encouraging smile.

Josie mouthed 'sorry' and looked apologetic. Kitt shook her head, dismissing her friends apology. Kim was actually happy that they seemed to be getting along. They deserved to have the ability to get to know each other, without Kitt standing in their way for no other reason than selfishness. She didn't even know Liam and wasn't overly interested in keeping all of his attention.

"Everything ok?" Kwisha looked concerned.

"I ran into some... trouble in the washroom." Kitt admitted.

"Oh?" Keisha said leaning in closer.

"Do you remember Axel's girlfriend?" Kitt asked trying to remember if they had met.

"Yeah vaguely, why?" Keisha narrowed her eyes.

"She set Leo up with her friend, they were in the washroom, and they just said some things." Kitt waved her hand to dismiss it.

"Where is she? Do I need to kick some ass?" Keisha looked around until she spotted the two girls walking back to the table on the other side of the room.

"Never mind, they aren't worth it." Kitt shook her head, not looking over at them.

"I hate that they would do that to you here." Keisha sneered.

"They have no clue who I am, or that I am a player not just the arm candy of someone else." Kitt shrugged.

"So they are stupid? How could they not?" Keisha watched them drape themselves onto their dates.

"Their heads are so far up their own asses? I mean they obviously don't follow the current events of the school." Kitt chuckled dryly.

"I thought better of Leo, you guys seemed... close or like on the way somewhere." Keisha admitted

"We were only friends for a little while, I have no claim. If he wants to date a girl like that then that is a choice he is making." Kitt swalled the last of her drink.

"Our last presentation is from our champions, the Ladies hockey team. Coach?" The emcee called up coach Ten.

Kitt was glad that the presentations were starting back up. That meant they were almost done. That meant the evening was almost over.

Coach Ten congratulated her team on a winning season, she called different players up for awards or certificates. Kitt watched, and smiled, and clapped, and laughed. Just like she was supposed to. Her heart wasn't in it though.

"And last of all we have a special award. Normally the Athletics director would be presenting this award, but due to extenuating circumstances he is unavailable this evening. I asked the department for the privilege of presenting this award here tonight.

"I have had the pleasure of coaching this player for two seasons and I have gotten to know her on and off the ice as a compassionate and empathetic person. She has always been an advocate for herself and her teammates, and this year that extended to all of her fellow female athletes." Coach Ten said sounding a little bit emotional.

Kitt's heart skipped a beat. Was Coach talking about her?

"This player has proven her talent on the ice over and over this season. Her score card is impressive with one hundred and four goals and seventy-two assists this season. She lead her team to multiple victories, both on the score board but also in their lives. She supports women's sports and in an incredible move of power and strength she started an organization in the support of Female athletes. Her Collegate Female Athlete Association, has chapters being developed in six other schools with an additional list of interested institutions.

"This player secretly snuck into the opposing teams dressing room, not to wreak havoc, or cause chaos. She and a handful of selected teammates decorated the room with encouraging posters and hand wrote a card for each player, thanking them for playing in the game. She also spends her off season coaching youth." Coach wiped a tear. AC Jarvis stepped up to hand her a tissue.

Kitt's heart was thumping heavily in her chest.

"Please put your hands together for this year's recipant of the Xavinn Olitor University Athlete of the Year. The absolutely amazing Kittridge McCoy!" Coach called Kitt up with tears in her eyes. Kitt's name appeared on the screen behind the podium.

Kitt didn't move right away. Keisha had to push her gently to get her out of her chair. The crowd clapped, her team mates hooted and hollered as she made her way up to the front. She had tunnel vision, the people around her seemed like ghosts.

She accepted the award and smiled for the pictures, hugged her coaches and shook hands. All while her head was swimming. She hadn't expected to get any award, let alone one of the most prestigious awards offered in Athletics.

Kitt took her award back to her table to a chorus of congratulations and hugs. Liam was sent to the bar and returned with shots for the table.

They all cheersed and congratulated Kitt.

"I have a present for you." Keisha said with a gleam in her eyes.