Long, striped, mismatched socks. One with red and green polka dots, one pink and yellow stripes. High-top black Converse with blue capris and a purple starred shirt. Blonde hair in braids that go to her shoulders, bright blue sharp eyes. Only one girl would dare to wear this. Her name is Katie Montgomery.

Everyone knows her. She is the most well-known girl in school. But three people absolutely hate her. Their names are Lizzie Page, Mia Peterson, and Amy White. They try really hard to look good, but no one compliments them. They’re too busy complimenting Katie. Stupid, stupid Katie.

2

One day Tyler asked Katie out. She said, “Sure, whatever.” He looked so happy he hugged her and they walked down the hall together holding hands. Katie once liked a guy and he broke her heart, so she locked her heart up then and there.
She didn’t want that to happen again, but every day she started liking Tyler more and more.

One day Tyler called out Katie’s name. Katie slowed down, but didn’t stop. Tyler caught up to Katie and said, “Katie, I’m sorry, but I think we should see other people.” Katie stared at him, counted to ten and slapped him right across the face.
“Wha, what?” he stared at Katie. She smiled and turned around. All day Katie just walked around smiling, no matter what people said. But when she got home, she flopped on her bed and cried and cried and cried.

3
Katie had a friend named Lily. Lily and Katie had been friends since first grade when Lizzie, Mia, and Amy were teasing Lily. Katie just walked up to Lily, grabbed her arm and brought her over to the playing blocks. From that day on they never fought.
When Lily heard about Tyler the next day, she ran over to Katie first thing, wrapping her arms around her and said simply, “I forgot my lunch, can you share with me?”
Katie burst out laughing and nodded. Katie and Lily have a tradition that if something’s wrong they don’t talk about it. They just try and make each other laugh.
Katie was really good at making Lily laugh. Lily was getting better. Lily asked Katie over for the weekend.
Right after she asked, this new guy came in and sat down in the gym before school. It was apparent that he was new by the way he looked around at everyone.
Katie just stared. Lily burst out laughing and said, “Ha, ha, ha, Katie, you’re drooling,”
“Shut up,” replied Katie as she wiped the saliva away. She kept talking to Lily, but out of the corner of her eye she kept looking at him.
Katie walked into her first hour after her homeroom class the same day and saw him. Mr. Perfect. His real name was Erik, but Katie liked Mr. Perfect better.
And he was perfect. Light blonde hair, blue eyes and the most round nose ever. But it was a forbidden love. Katie could not give her heart away just yet. See you later, Mr. Perfect.



4
Katie was on her way to Lily’s when all of a sudden she walked right into Erik. HE WAS LILY’S NEW NEIGHBOR!!!
Lily came out smiling like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland (Katie’s favorite movie at the moment).
Katie glared at Lily. Lily’s smile faltered but was on like a flickering light bulb. Erik stretched out his hand to help Katie up.
She pushed it away and jumped up. Erik frowned and Katie felt bad.
“Ummm, sorry,” said Katie. “I never introduced myself. I’m Katie Montgomery.” She shook his hand.
“I’m Erik. Erik Jones.” Hmmm. Katie Jones sounds good. STOP, STOP, STOP! Don’t think about that Katie, he’s off limits!!
“So how do you like our school so far?” Katie asked Erik.
He said he liked it and they continued talking, when all of a sudden Lily burst out. “Do you like anyone?”
Erik looked surprised, and then he laughed. “Yeah, actually I do. Well, I’m sorry, but I have to go.” Erik jogged off.
Katie yelled in her head, No wait, who do you like?!?!

5
“Well Katie, looks like he’s the guy for you.” Lily had that Cheshire Cat smile again.
“NO! Lily! I’m not giving my heart away again.”
“But Katie, it’s so obvious he likes you. And it’s so obvious that Lizzie likes him. It’s a way to get back at her for making your life terrible.” Lily whined.
“I don’t know, Lily. He’ll just end up breaking my heart,” replied Katie.
“Whatever. I just think he really likes you. If he asks you out, say yes. So you don’t break HIS heart,” snapped Lily.
Katie sighed, then suggested that they make cookies. Lily agreed. They burned half and the rest were still doughy, but they had fun anyway.

6
HOMECOMING!!! It sent chills down everyone’s spine.
Everyone in the school went.
Katie hated homecoming. You had to wear the school’s colors (orange and brown).
Erik, Katie, and Lily had become good friends.
Katie, Erik, and Lily always sat together at lunch, right by the window at the far side of the room.
They were the “Three Musketeers” of the present (that’s what they were going to be for Halloween).
Lily and Erik were excited about homecoming. Katie would rather flush her head down a toilet. Erik fell out of his chair laughing when Katie told him that.
But Katie ended up going anyway.
She walked in with Lily. They saw Erik and ran over to him. He saw them and greeted them and said, “Wow Katie! You look grumpy.” Erik laughed and Katie just glared at him, then at the field.
“Let’s go watch the game,” Lily suggested, and then skipped off towards the stands.
Katie frowned, then she thought, I’m not going to let Lily be happier then me, so she skipped off after her. Then she reached the stands and tried to skip up them. It didn’t work. Her foot got stuck and she fell flat on her face. “FUDGE!” she yelled, before falling and getting her clothes all muddy. Everyone except the football players started laughing.
Katie stood up, wiped herself off as best as possible, and laughed right along with them. Lily and Erik ran up to her laughing and asking if she was okay.
“I’m fine. I’m just all dirty, but you guys have to admit that was hilarious.”
So they went and sat down. They were winning, but Katie didn’t get the game. Erik tried to explain it, but she still didn’t get it.
Katie was having the best time of her life, when all of a sudden while Lily was talking, Erik leaned over and kissed Katie right on the lips!!! Katie jumped up and yelled, “What the heck?!?!” Then she ran off. Lily stopped talking and looked at Erik and apologized. Then she ran after Katie.

7

Lily went home with Katie after she ran out. Katie had to beg her mom to let them go home.

When Katie got home, she ran up to her room and flopped in her bed and burst out crying. Lily walked in, closed the door softly, and said quietly, “Are we all alone?” Katie nodded but didn’t say anything. She didn’t even look up. “Good, because I’m going to suck your blood!” Katie didn’t laugh. She didn’t even smile. Lily sighed and sat on the bed. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Then Katie bolted upright, kicking Lily off the bed. “HE RUINED EVERYTHING! WE WERE SUCH GOOD FRIENDS!!!”
Lily just blinked up at her. She stood up and said, “Katie, he really liked you.”
Just after she finished talking a pebble hit the window. Lily jumped off the bed and ran to the window. She turned around and smiled the old Cheshire Cat smile.
“It’s him, isn’t it?” groaned Katie.
Lily nodded and turned back to the window. “The ladder is in the shed and the key for the shed is under the mat!” Lily yelled to Erik. He nodded and ran off. Katie jumped off the bed and ran to her closet.
“I’m not here.”
Lily laughed and said, “This is your house.”
“Shhh, he doesn’t know that.”
Just as she was about to disappear into her closet, Erik’s circular nose appeared. “You can’t hide from me, Katie Montgomery.” Then he jumped in the window and pulled a cape from around him in a Dracula-like position (it was from the “Three Musketeers” outfit).
“What is up with you and Lily and Dracula?” Katie asked Erik.
Erik shrugged and looked really uncomfortable “I’m sorry if I did something to make you mad.”

“It’s ok. Sorry I ran away.” They hugged and made up. Then they started to work on their costumes.

8

Katie didn’t go to school the next day. She went to the doctor’s because she wasn’t feeling well. No one thought it was an aneurysm. But it turned out that it was. After they figured out that it was an aneurysm, she had surgery. They got rid of it, but she still had a very high chance of getting it again and dying.

She had to stay home for three days after the surgery. When she got to school she walked into the gym. She dragged her feet the whole way to the seat and sat down. Lily came in and sat down next to her. “What’s wrong, Katie?”
“Lily, ever since I was little I have had a very high chance of dying.” Katie said simply.
“WHAT? Ha, ha, ha, very funny Katie. Now really, what’s wrong?”
“I’m serious Lily. I might die. I have an aneurysm.” Then Erik came in and Katie had to repeat herself all over again.
Erik frowned and yelled, “Well, you’re not going to let that ruin your life!!!” Everyone looked over at Katie, Lily, and Erik. And by the end of the day, everyone knew Katie had a high chance of dying.
All day Katie thought about what Erik had said and that he was right. When the bell rang, Katie ran to Erik and gave him a big kiss on the cheek and said, “You’re right! I have to LIVE the rest of my life. Let’s get elope and get married!”
Erik looked so surprised, then smiled and pushed her in a friendly way and said, “Let’s just go out first.”
“No, eloping is so much fun,” said Katie. “No, but seriously, I’m just kidding. I don’t want to get married.”

Lily went home with Katie as usual, grumbling the whole time about being the third wheel.

9

The next day at school everyone jumped on Katie, giving her gifts and cards and even chocolate. Katie scowled and said, “I don’t want your friggin gifts. It’s not like I’m gonna die or anything!”
“But Katie, you ARE going to die,” whispered Lily. “Do you think you’re gonna still be alive for Halloween? To go trick or treating with me and Erik?”
“I don’t know, Lily. How am I supposed to know?” snapped Katie. Then she froze. “OMIGOSH,” Katie said. “Lily, you like Erik!”

“Jeez, Katie, just yell it to the whole world, why don’t you? You’re right, though, I do like him. But I’m not going to go out with him.”
“Well duh, Lily, because when I die, you can just go out with him then.”

“Katie, don’t say that.”

“What?” Katie asked, “that I’m going to die? Because in case you haven’t realized it, I’m gonna, ok? LIVE WITH IT!!!”

10

The next day Lily and Katie didn’t talk at all.

Katie had developed another aneurysm and the doctor was going to fix her up as soon as they could. Katie had wanted to try and fix things up with Lily before she had the operation. The doctor gave her three weeks. She was still going out with Erik, and she and Lily were still not talking.

Two more weeks till the operation and she and Erik were still going out. How long was it going to last?

Katie’s last week until the dreaded operation.

Monday: Katie walked into school. When it hit her that she and Lily hadn’t made up yet, she felt terrible. She walked over to where Lily was sitting with Lizzie, Mia and Amy. Lily just ignored her. * Sigh *. Well, she still had four days left.

Tuesday: Three days left. She walked through the halls with Erik. She had tried talking to Lily. Nothing. She had just walked away with her new friends. That made Katie very mad. Lizzie, Mia, and Amy had been nothing but mean to Lily, and here Lily was acting like they had never done anything wrong.

Wednesday: Three days left until the operation. Her mom brought her to the hospital in case anything happened. Katie asked if they could treat her Saturday morning. She called Erik and told him to talk to Lily and tell her she said sorry and she was going to be back at school soon.

Thursday: She was going to have the operation soon. She couldn’t wait to get back on her feet. Erik called and said Lily had just ignored him.

Friday night: ^^^^^^


Katie died. Katie had waited too long. Katie had died without making up with Lily.

When Lily heard the news she couldn’t stop crying. She ran over to Erik and cried until she had no more tears to cry. Lily, Erik, Lizzie, Mia, Amy, and everyone else from school went to her funeral. Her tombstone read, “Katie Montgomery: Dead at 14”.