Society Girls: Kalila

by Crystal Perkins

  “What are you wearing?”

  “Hello to you too, Sean.”

  “You’re in jeans and another one of those stupid shirts.”

  “I needed to cover my legs,” I tell him when I’m close enough that no one else will hear.

  “I suppose so,” he says, grudgingly. “If you’d just behaved, I wouldn’t have lost control.”

  I know it’s not on me; his behavior is not on me, but my will to fight for myself is dwindling every time I let him hurt me. Logically, I’m aware of how that sounds, and that I should stop seeing him, but a part of me believes I really do deserve it. That I got myself into this situation, and I have to take whatever he dishes out. I don’t know where that part is coming from, but it’s there, and it scares me almost more than Sean’s violence does.

  “Everyone’s outside.”

  “Lead the way.”

  His hand is on my lower back when we walk out to one of the barbeque areas, where Caleb is manning the grill, with help from Faith’s husband, Gavin. There are a few startled looks when everyone sees us walk in, but everyone goes back to their conversations, and ignores us.

  I lead him over to where my parents are sitting, not seeing Theo until he stands with my dad when we approach. I can feel Sean tense next to me, and I don’t dare turn to look at him—or at Theo. I focus on my parents, praying I can make it through this day unscathed.

  “You just can’t take a hint, can you?” Sean asks, and I don’t miss the glance between my parents. I want to assure them it’s okay, but I know it’s not.

  “I’m having a nice conversation with people I love, so I’m not sure what hint you’re talking about,” Theo says calmly. He’s not calm, though. I know him well enough to see it in his eyes.

  “Kali’s not with you, she’s with me. It’s pathetic for you to try and manipulate this situation you have with her parents to try and get her back.”

  “Listen, asshole, because I’m going to only tell you this once. Mr. and Mrs. J mean a lot to me, and I would never manipulate them. If you ever insult them by saying something stupid like that again, I will fuck you up.”

  “What about Kali? You need to stay away from her.”

  “We work together, and we both live here, so we’ll see each other pretty much every day. There’s no reason for you to feel threatened by that, unless you know you’re not worthy of her.”

  “Are you going to just stand there, Kali? Say something!”

  “There’s nothing for me to say, Sean. Theo knows I’m dating you, and my parents already told you they like him, so please just let it go.”

  “After everything, you’re still being a bitch? Let’s go.”

  He starts pulling me back towards the house, but Theo steps in front of him, looking at me. “You don’t have to go with him. This party is for your parents.”

  “I know.”

  “She wants to come with me.”

  “Do you, Kal?”

  No, but saying that will make things ugly. Uglier. On the other hand, my parents are here to see me, and I can’t just leave them.

  “I’d like to stay, Sean.”

  “What?”

  “For my parents. Please.”

  The blow is so hard when it comes, it splits my cheek. I stumble back as Theo charges Sean, and takes him to the ground. He’s punching him like he wants to kill him, and I yell for him to stop. Everyone else is watching, and doing nothing.

  “Stop him!”

  “Sean hit you,” Jade says. “Has he hit you before?”

  “No,” I lie.

  Nate and Aiden finally pull Theo off Sean, who’s bleeding all over, and holding his ribs. Before anyone can think to stop him, he takes out his phone and calls his father. The smile on his face is truly evil, right before he passes out.

  This is going to be really bad if I don’t do something, so I do the only thing I can think of; I take a skin patch out of my pocket, and stretch it over the cut on my cheek, making it disappear. Just like I want to right now.

  Theo

  Security has to let the police in when they arrive, although they won’t be allowed past the first floor. I’m getting ready to give my statement when I look to Kali, and see the place where her skin was split is now healed. My eyes go wide as I realize she took away all the evidence that I was defending her. Why would she do that?

  “I’m sorry, Theo, but I have to cuff you,” one of the officers I work with often, tells me.

  “No problem,” I say, holding out my wrists.

  “You beat my son half to death, and you think it’s not a problem?” the Sheriff asks, coming to stand in front of me.

  “Your son hit a woman, and he deserves what he got.”

  “Kali?” he asks, turning to her. “Did Sean hurt you?”

  “It probably looked like he did, but he was just playing around.”

  “She doesn’t look like she’s hurt, so try again.”

  No, she doesn’t, and I don’t know why she betrayed me like this. “We all saw it.”

  “You think I’m going to take the word of your friends over the supposed victim?”

  “Do you have footage you can show us, Matt?” one of the other guys we know asks him.

  I know his answer before he gives it, because it’s what any of us would say. “No.”

  Some of the women look like they want to argue, but Reina sends them a look, silently warning them to keep quiet. Giving them access to our surveillance tapes would require them to enter the security room, and that’s something that can’t happen.

  “Take him in,” the Sheriff says, as I see the paramedics who’ve arrived rush over to Sean.

  Kali’s already there, kneeling at his side, and when she looks up, and our eyes meet, all I see is the end. She told me it was over before, but now that she’s sending me to jail after I tried to protect her, I know it’s true. She chose the son of a bitch who punched her, but if I had to do it all again, I’d take him down like the dog he is, because no woman deserves to be treated like that—not even her.

  I’m processed quickly once we get downtown, and I know better than to say a word, so I get thrown in lockup right away. There’s only one other guy in here with me now, and he sizes me up, noticing my split knuckles, and nodding to let me know we’re cool. I’ll fight whoever I have to while locked up, but I’d prefer to stay under the radar. It’s going to be hard to do, because of who I hurt to get put here, but I’ve seen and done too much in life to lose my humanity now.

  My lawyer comes to see me later, and tells me my hearing will be in the morning, but it’s not looking good. Favors are being called in from wherever Reina and Matt can get them, so there’s some hope, but not a lot. Sean regained consciousness, and corroborated Kali’s claim that my attack on him was unwarranted, and the Society cannot come out on this because of how hard the Sheriff is coming for them already. It’s just a bad situation all around. I thank him, and get led back to the cell, which has filled up a little, but not enough to compromise my personal space.

  I’m still not comfortable enough to sleep, so I stay up all night, waiting to be called into the room where I’ll change into one of my own suits. After that’s taken care of, I’m led into court to wait for my name to be called. The wait isn’t long, and like my lawyer said, it’s not looking good for me, but before anything can be decided, the courtroom doors bang open.

  Elizabeth Mason storms in, military guards at her side. “I need him,” she says pointing at me.

  We’re all taken into the judge’s chambers, and a heated debate ensues. In the end, General Mason wins, which she almost always does. I’m released to her custody so I can be sent on a mission of importance for our country. I don’t even know what the fuck I’m being sent to do, but I’m grateful to be out of jail.

  “You weren’t going to survive the night if they were allowed to keep you,” she tells me once we’re in the car. “The Sheriff was going to have you killed.”

  “I can’t say I’m surpris
ed.”

  “You’re a pain in the ass sometimes, but I don’t want to see you dead at the hands of a shay lawman, who seems to be untouchable.”

  No one’s untouchable, but now isn’t the time to point that out. We’ll get him, because we have to. I don’t know what will happen to Kali, but right now, I have to worry about myself.

  “What’s the mission you’re sending me on?”

  “An extended stay in your apartment, with no contact outside of Matt, Reina, Nate, Aiden, and Jake.”

  “Thank you for this.”

  “I’ve done things wrong in my life, and one of them was using you and your friends whenever I needed you. My predecessor didn’t think of the consequences when he brought you all together that first time, and I haven’t, either. I’m sorry for that, and so much more, Theo.”

  “Did you apologize to Reina?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good. I like it when we’re all on the same side.”

  “Me, too. Now, don’t let yourself be seen for at least a week,” she says when we reach the underground parking garage.

  “I won’t.”

  Chapter 14

  Kali

  I stayed at the hospital with Sean’s family until he woke up, because I know it’s my fault he’s there. And, also because I was scared to go home. I don’t know what I’ll face when I walk into the Foundation today, but I’m a little more ready for it than I was yesterday.

  “Everyone else is in the conference room already, Kalila,” Alex says, calling me by my full name for the first time since I walked into this place, and was offered a job.

  I wait for her to take care of her phones, and lock the doors, and then we walk in silence down the hall. Silence is also what greets me when I walk in the room. Silence, and glares. No less than I expected, but I still feel like I’m going to throw up.

  “Take your seat, Kali,” Reina tells me, motioning to the spot in front of Jade.

  “Bitch,” she whispers, but I don’t react. I can’t.

  “We need you to tell us why you did what you did.” Audrey says.

  “Theo had no right to interfere like that, and almost kill Sean.”

  Even to me it sounds weak, but it’s all I’ve got. I cannot admit to these strong women that I’m being abused. I didn’t want to name it before, because I was embarrassed, but now I have to own it. I’ve let this happen to me, and there’s no one I can blame for it except for Sean. And myself. I couldn’t walk away, and now I’ve betrayed the man I love.

  “He was protecting you,” Darcy hisses, rising from her seat like she’s going to come for me. “Sean punched you, and you didn’t look like you were going to fight back.”

  “It was a misunderstanding, which is evidenced by the fact I don’t have a mark on me.” At least not ones they can see.

  “You stole technology I showed you, or you’d still have the split cheek we all saw you get,” Stella yells, standing, too.

  “Sit down, ladies,” Reina says.

  “She cannot get away with this,” Jade tells her. “We need to vote.”

  “Yes, we do. I’m sorry, Kali, but you did this to yourself,” Reina tells me, nodding at Audrey to proceed.

  “All in favor of Kali being removed, please raise your hands.”

  Every hand in the room except mine immediately goes up. I look around at all of them, mentors and recruits alike. My friends, but not really. Not a single one of them is taking my side, and yeah, I know it’s a hard side to take, but my heart breaks realizing no one’s really trying to get me to explain. They asked, but they didn’t push, because they don’t want to understand. They don’t want to know, because they want me gone. These people I loved like family don’t want me with them any longer.

  My own family is angry with me, but at least they haven’t abandoned me. They left town, because they didn’t want to see me, but they told me the love me, even if they don’t like me right now. But not here. Here, I have no one, and the knowledge of that makes me want to leave more than I ever wanted to stay.

  “What happens next?”

  “We’re in a tricky situation here, because the Sheriff will be looking even closer at everything we do now. Theo putting Sean in the hospital brought us back into his spotlight, and firing Kali will only make it worse,” Audrey says.

  “Yes,” Reina agrees, and then looks at me. “You owe us, Kali.”

  “For turning your backs on me? I don’t think so.”

  “For letting you live, and keep your memories.”

  “You’re not wiping her?” Ainsley asks.

  “No. She needs to live with what she’s done.”

  “What exactly do I owe you for my life?” I ask, not hiding my anger.

  “You will tell everyone you quit, but you want to finish what you started with the fashion show.”

  “Why, if I’m not continuing here, would I do that?”

  “Because we need you to.”

  “UNLV has been asking me to come and teach a specialized Chemistry class. Since Kali’s worked with them before, it would make sense for me to send her instead,” Audrey offers.

  “Perfect.”

  “I haven’t agreed to any of this.”

  “It’s somewhat adorable how you think you have a choice,” Reina says, and I know she’s right.

  “I’m finding my own apartment, and car. I want nothing from any of you.”

  “We don’t want to see you, either,” Nev says, and I know she’s pissed because Theo once saved her, and she’ll never forget that.

  “We’ll need to remove her implant,” Ainsley says.

  “Yes. Kenny is ready downstairs, because we knew it was probably going to go this way,” Reina tells her.

  “We’ll pack up your cubicle, and have your personal items waiting for you downstairs at the security desk,” Alex tells me.

  “Your apartment will be packed up as well, and the contents will be delivered to your new place. Try to choose quickly, because I’d hate for anything to happen to your stuff,” Jade says, letting me know she wouldn’t be sorry if I lost my physical possessions along with everything else I’ve lost already.

  I don’t answer her, or say a word as Reina leads the way to the medical ward. Kendrick is somber as he meets us at the main desk, and takes me into one of the rooms. I’m strapped down, and my left forearm is prepped for the procedure, while Reina stares at me with an unreadable expression on her face, and Ainsley keeps glaring.

  “It hurts more coming out than going in, I’m afraid,” Kendrick says, preparing a needle.

  “Do your worst, but just get the damn thing out of me.”

  Theo

  She’s really gone. Kali is gone from not only me, but the Society, too. Her apartment was packed up by the security team, and her implant was removed. Matt says she’s still in charge of the fashion show she was assigned to, because they need to keep up appearances, but as far as the women are concerned, she’s dead to them.

  “Didn’t see this one coming,” Nate says, sitting next to me on a lounger by the pool.

  “Nope.”

  “I was just sympathizing with her a couple weeks ago, and now I want my girl to kick her ass.”

  “Still wouldn’t hit her? Even for me?” I ask him with a smirk.

  “Nope. There are lines I don’t cross.”

  “What about when we were in the desert, and that woman came for you? I saw you drop her like you would a man.”

  “Hell yeah, I did. If someone’s trying to kill you, you take them down—man or woman. But just for being a bitch? Nope. Never okay.”

  “Never,” I agree.

  “You know if he hit her in front of us, he’s probably hitting her in private.”

  “I’m trying not to think about it, because if I do, I’ll go to the hospital and finish what I started.”

  “Even now?”

  “Abso-fucking-lutely. I love her, Nate. That doesn’t just stop because she sent me to jail.”

  I might wish it
would, because what’s left of my heart is breaking, but it doesn’t work that way. I’ll probably love her until the day I die, and I’ve got to come to terms with that. She’s the one. The only one. The one who got away. Just, simply, The One.

  “I’m sorry, Theo.”

  “Me, too. There are so many things I could’ve done differently in the past to keep us from being where we are now, but I never thought she’d betray me.”

  “None of us did.”

  “I didn’t think Meg would, either, and I’m not liking the pattern I’m seeing. I mean, how do I ever trust a woman again?”

  “Can’t help you there, because the first two women I ever trusted were Jade and Darcy, and they’ve always had my six.”

  “Lucky bastard.”

  “Don’t I know it?”

  “I’m swearing off women, because damn, this shit is fucking hard.”

  “Nothing’s worth it if it isn’t, but I get you. And hey, your right arm’s going to be pretty damn strong from the workout.”

  I flip him off, and tell him to get back to his own woman, who I know is taking all of this with Kali hard, too. The Society women are tough, but this situation has rocked them to their core, and at the end of the day, they’re humans and not the robots some of their enemies believe them to be. They’re going to scream, and cry, and let it all out, and their men are going to be next to them for all of it, doing whatever they need to do to comfort them.

  Me? I’m going to drink myself into oblivion, and keep trying to forget that Kali’s probably holding her asshole’s hand, and still painting me as the villain. No matter how many drinks I’ll have, though, I’ll never forget that he hit her, or wonder how many times it’s happened when I wasn’t there to stop it. And I’ll always know that if I had just seen the truth before it was too late, she’d never be in the situation she’s in right now. Some things just can’t be forgotten, no matter how badly you want them to be.

  Chapter 15

  Kali

  My new apartment is small, but it’s mine. My car isn’t top of the line, but it’s mine, too. My lab coat is the same one I’ve always had, though, and the classroom I’m currently in looks like all the ones I’ve studied in. This time, I’m the teacher, but that’s the only difference.