“Karma, the last thing I wanted to do was hurt you. But it was either me or a stranger and I knew someone else wouldn’t care that you were labeled a gold digger. I had to prove to them that wasn’t who you were, and you had to have no idea what was going on. I’m sorry. And if I had to do it again, I would have told you what Anthony’s father was doing. I thought I was doing something that would get you what you wanted in the end. I can see I was wrong and should have told my dad no.”
“I’m not someone who needs to be rescued, Bodie, I can take care of myself. You should have told me and let me make the decision for myself.”
“Where does that leave us?” I asked.
“I don’t know. Any trust we had was gone.” She got up to leave. “Just one more thing,” she said, and stopped in front of me. Karma raised her hand and slapped me across the face. “That’s for making me feel the way I do right now.”
She walked out of the office and I followed a few steps behind.
“Can you please take me home?” she said to Major.
He nodded and they started leaving the living room.
“I’ll see you later,” he said to me.
The three of them left and I wasn’t sure how to feel. Lana was about to say something when mom stopped her.
“Bodie,” mom said gently, “when you’re ready to talk, come find me.”
I nodded and left the living room. I went out to the pool and sat in one of the lounge chairs. I had a lot of thinking to do. I didn’t want to lose Karma, as a friend or more. There had to be a way to salvage this, I just had to figure out what it was.
Chapter 24
Karma
I didn’t say anything on the drive back to the university. I was angry and hurt. And also pissed off that Bodie was right about me lying to him. I lied to protect myself. He lied to protect me, which made him the better person right now. Except for the fact that he’d invaded my privacy. I wasn’t sure I was ever going to get over that.
Major dropped us off at our dorm and by the time we got upstairs I still hadn’t said anything.
“It must be really bad if you’re not talking,” Kayleigh said. “I’m not sure you’ve ever been this quiet since I’ve known you. Are you going to tell me what happened?”
“Yeah, but first I think I need a huge amount of ice cream and a large dose of Lucifer.”
“Okay, give me a bit and I’ll take care of that,” she told me. “You should go have a shower or bath, just relax for a few minutes.”
I decided a shower sounded like a good idea, so I got a change of clothes and headed to the bathroom. My shower was long and hot and just what I needed. Some of my anger went down the drain with the water, but I was still hurt. I knew that feeling would last a long time.
By the time I walked back into the living room, there were six pints of ice cream on the coffee table.
“I made Major go get us some. Here,” she said, handing me a spoon.
Looking at the flavors and grabbing the cherry cheesecake, Kayleigh set the mint chocolate chip to the side and put the rest in our little fridge freezer. When she sat down she put Lucifer on. Three episodes and two pints of ice cream later I was ready to talk.
I told her about the conversation between Anthony and his father, about what Bodie’s dad had to say and even about slapping Bodie. I wasn’t proud of that, but I couldn’t take it back now.
“Wow Karma, no wonder you were so quiet, you’ve had a really terrible day.”
“That’s one way to put it,” I said.
“So, are you ever going to speak to Bodie again?”
“I think I can be civil, but I don’t know if I can ever trust him again.”
“Can I point out the obvious, you lied to him first.”
“But he didn’t know that when he agreed to spy on me.”
“I don’t think that’s the point. I think he was trying to protect you from getting your heart hurt by Anthony.”
“Anthony had nothing to do with this,” I stated.
“I don’t really know Anthony all that well, but do you think if his father made him stop seeing you he’d go against his dad’s wishes?”
I was about to say yes, but I couldn’t. “No, I think he’d do what his dad said.”
“So, Bodie made sure that didn’t happen by doing something he didn’t want to do in order to see that you were happy. Right?”
“Ugh, I hate that you’re right. I want to be mad at him.”
“You can still be mad at him, but you have to think about the reason he did it. You told me yourself that when Bodie found out you lied to him about the sex he was angry, until he heard your reason. That has to work both ways Karma.”
“You’re supposed to be on my side, you know, best friends and all,” I complained.
“I’m always on your side, but sometimes you need a kick in the pants to get your head where it should be.”
“So, I’m just supposed to forget that he recorded my conversations and read my texts?”
“No, but you need to think about the reasons behind why he did it.”
She was right. I didn’t like it, but she was right.
“You know,” she started, “I was really surprised at how you handled everything when we got to Bodie’s. Even though I didn’t know what was going on, I knew you were mad, and I was sure you were going to go in there cursing like a sailor and causing a scene.”
“That was the plan,” I admitted. “But when his mom answered the door, I remembered my manners. I didn’t want your grandma to pop up out of nowhere and slap me on the back of the head.”
Kayleigh giggled. “Yeah, she would totally do that.”
“And when we went to Mr. West’s office, I was going to give Bodie a piece of my mind, but after listening to what his dad had to say I kind of lost most of my fight.”
“But you still slapped him,” she said.
“Yep. It was a stupid move but what’s done is done.”
“So,” she started, “what about Anthony?”
“What about him?”
“Are you going to keep dating him?”
“I haven’t given that any thought. He didn’t know about it until today, or at least that’s what I gathered from what I heard.”
“You know I only want you to be happy. But if you stay with Anthony, you’re going to have to deal with his father at some point.”
“I’m not making any major decisions right now. In fact, I’m shutting off my phone for the night. Will you wake me up in the morning?”
“Of course, I will,” she said.
“Okay, thanks. This subject is closed for now, I need to think. So, let’s get back to watching a hot guy with a sexy accent solve murders.”
****
Bodie
I had no idea what to expect when I sat down in Psychology Monday morning. Was Karma going to ignore me or yell at me? I didn’t like either choice, but I’d live with it. I was early so I saw when she walked into the room. I was fully expecting her to sit somewhere else, so I was surprised when she took the seat beside me. And I was even more surprised when she spoke to me in a normal voice.
“Good morning,” she said.
“Uh, good morning,” I said back. Was I in an alternate reality?
She didn’t say anything else and I didn’t push it. Just the fact that she said anything normal was a win in my opinion. But to say I was confused was an understatement. The way Major described her behavior when he picked her up yesterday, I was sure she was going to hate me forever. I didn’t understand what was going on, but right now, I wasn’t going to question it. Neither one of us said anything else for the rest of class, and when the professor dismissed us, we went our separate ways.
It was the same in Computer Science. She sat next to me, said hi and then left when class was over. I really wasn’t sure what to think, so I sent a text to Kayleigh to call me when she could. I had no idea if she’d tell me anything, but it was worth a shot.
I went to the closes
t coffee shop and ordered a coffee and sandwich and found a table in the back. My phone rang a few minutes later, it was Kayleigh.
“Hey,” I said when I answered. “Thanks for calling. Are you around Karma?”
“No,” she said. “Do I need to be?”
“No, I wanted to talk to you about her.”
“Okay. I don’t know how I can help.”
“Did she tell you about yesterday?”
“Yes.”
“This is going to sound weird, but she said good morning to me and didn’t yell at me.”
Kayleigh giggled. “So, what do you want to know?”
“I’m confused. Does Karma hate me or not?”
“I don’t think she hates you. She’s still hurt and a little mad, but I had a talk with her and made her see things from a different perspective.”
“Ahhh, okay. Thanks.”
“Bodie …”
“Yeah?”
“You really care about her, don’t you?”
“Yeah, I do,” I admitted.
“Well damn,” she said. “I don’t know what to tell you.”
“There’s not much to say. Thanks for explaining this to me though.”
“You’re welcome. I just want her to be happy.”
“So do I.”
I hung up and stared at my coffee. This was just a strange situation and I really didn’t know what to think about it.
An alarm went off on my phone, reminding me Karma and I were supposed to meet in ten minutes to work on our Spanish project. I was positive she wouldn’t be meeting me, and I knew she couldn’t afford to let her grades slip so I decided to finish it and turn it in. After all, it was my fault she wasn’t comfortable around me.
I was working on the translation, when someone sat down across from me. It was Karma. I was shocked she was there and I’m sure it showed on my face.
“Uh, hi,” I said quietly.
“Is that our Spanish project?”
“Yes. I figured finishing it was the least I could do.”
“You don’t need to do that,” she said. “It’s a shared grade, that means shared work.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yeah. Let me see what you’ve got so far.”
Karma and I spent the next hour finishing the project. I told her I would email it to the professor then she left the coffee shop. I gathered my books and went back to the dorm. Major was watching TV when I got there.
“Hey,” he said with a smirk. “How was your day?”
“Kayleigh called you, didn’t she?”
“Yep.”
“I was expecting an irate Karma, having her be civil threw me off. I needed Kayleigh’s advice. And get this, Karma and I just spent the last hour working on our Spanish project.”
“Maybe she’s not as hot headed and everyone thinks.”
“No, I think Kayleigh was able to talk some sense into her.”
“You sound disappointed by that,” Major said.
“I think I would feel better if she did get mad at me, yelled at me, something.”
Major shook his head. “Maybe she’s building up to that. You never know what’s going to happen when Karma’s around.”
“True.”
Karma could be very unpredictable, but that was one of the things I liked about her. She was never boring.
Chapter 25
Karma
Four days had passed since the big bombshell had been dropped. I’d been civil to Bodie, but that was it. I also hadn’t talked to Anthony yet. I texted him that I needed time and he seemed to be giving me what I needed.
I focused on school and diving and tried not to think about anything else. Kayleigh spent as much time with me as she could until I told her to go see Major. I didn’t want to be the reason they had any kind of trouble in their relationship. Besides, I was a strong independent woman that could do anything I set my mind to, and right now my mind was set on ice cream.
I’d already eaten all the pints in the freezer, so it looked as if I was going to have to go out and get some. I’d just picked up my purse when my phone dinged. I was surprised to see who it was.
Bodie: Open your door and look in the hallway
The saying curiosity killed the cat was totally me so I had to look out the door. There was a paper bag with a note on it.
Karma,
Kayleigh said you were out of ice cream and that if I was any kind of gentleman at all I would get you more. So here you go.
Bodie
Despite everything, I had to smile. I picked up the bag and looked inside. It was full of all different kinds. I brought it in and started putting them in the freezer. When I got to the bottom of the bag, I found another note. PS – I didn’t know what kind you liked so I got a variety.
I grabbed a pint of strawberry and sat down on the couch to text him back.
Me: Thank you. I was just about to go to the store to get some.
Me: Also, I love all kinds of ice cream
Bodie: Good. You don’t seem like a picky eater.
Me: I’m not. I like pretty much anything.
Me: Thanks again Bodie
Bodie: Any time
It was nice to text him. The longer I’d thought about what he did, the more I understood why he did it. I knew he didn’t like Anthony, I wasn’t sure why, but I knew he wasn’t a fan, yet he did it to prove my innocence.
That got me thinking about something I’d overheard Anthony say to his father, that he had plans for me. I wondered what that meant. I guess it was time to call him. I grabbed my phone and found his number.
“Hello?”
“Hi Anthony.”
“I’m glad you called,” he said. “How are you?”
“Better. I shouldn’t have run out the other day. I should’ve let you explain.”
“I totally understand. I was just as shocked as you were. I still haven’t spoken to my father. I’m so sorry he thought that about you.”
“I’m not mad anymore. I’ve had time to think about everything and I can kind of see it from everyone’s point of view. Your dad was protecting you.”
“It’s none of his business who I spend my time with.”
I heard the anger in his voice. He was obviously still pissed at his father.
“Do you think it would be okay if we went for coffee or something tomorrow?” I asked.
“Yes,” he said quickly.
That made me smile. “How about you pick me up after you’re done with work for the day?”
“I’ll be there by 5:30. Thank you, Karma.”
“There’s no need to thank me.”
“Yes, there is. You’re giving me a second chance and you have no idea what that means to me.”
“See you tomorrow,” I said and hung up.
I had no idea where my relationship with Anthony was headed, but I wasn’t going to let something his father did stop me from figuring it out.
****
At precisely 5:30 Friday evening, I walked out of our building. Anthony was waiting for me.
“On time I see,” I said to him.
“I’m trying like hell not to mess up my second chance.”
“So far so good. Can we go off campus?” I asked.
“Of course, whatever you want to do.”
“Okay, then take me to your favorite coffee place.”
We walked to his SUV and he started driving. I didn’t know the place he pulled up to, but it smelled like good coffee and that was enough for me. After ordering our coffees, we found a table and sat down. Not much had been said up to this point, it was kind of awkward actually.
“Karma,” he said, at the same time I said, “Anthony.”
“You go first,” I told him.
“I want to apologize again for what my dad did. He had no right to do that.”
“I told you I’m not mad about it anymore. I’ve had a few days to get some perspective on it and I get it.”
“But it’s still wrong what he did.”
“I agree, but it’s over. The question is, can you and I move on from this?”
“I want to say yes but honestly, I don’t know. To be fair, I know my father won’t apologize for what he did.”
“I didn’t think he would, but I’m not sure I can face him,” I admitted.
“I understand and you won’t have to if you don’t want to.”
“I think I can live with that,” I said. “How about we do a trial run this weekend? We’ll pick up some takeout and go back to your place tonight. I have to be at practice in the morning but let’s see how it goes tonight. Okay?”
“Yes,” he said a little too loudly, which earned him a few stares from other customers.
I let out a small laugh. “Alright then. Let’s go get something to eat.”
****
Bodie
I had the strangest sense of accomplishment when I knew Karma was happy with the ice cream, and I had the smile on my face to prove it. Major and Kayleigh were watching a movie when I walked into our dorm room.
“Good call on the ice cream, Kayleigh,” I told her. “Worked like a charm. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I know she can be a handful, but I love her to death.”
“Me, too.”
“What?” Major said.
Realizing what I just said should have made me panic, but it didn’t. “I mean, like a friend,” I said, hoping he took it that way, because I mean, I wasn’t actually in love with Karma, was I?
“Yeah, okay,” Major said, rolling his eyes at me.
“You know,” Kayleigh said with a grin, “it’s okay to love her. Once you get to know her, she’s quite lovable.”
“I’m not in love with Karma, but I do value her friendship.”
“Sure, that’s it,” Major said, sarcastically.
“Is there anything I can say that will make this better?”
“Nope,” Major said, popping the ‘p’.
Diving in Deep (A Bay State University Novel Book 2) Page 17
