Never Have I Ever

Twelfth Shot

Calix

"Karina." I was about to be consumed with rage at the person who could possibly be the cause of the blood on Karina's sheets. I gripped her arm before she could run away from me again. Just like last night when she dashed to her room after talking with her friends without even saying goodbye. So what the fuck really happened?

"Karina, can you please tell me what happened?" Screw it, if I sound like a person begging at their feet. I never said please in my life but for her, I already said it way too often enough to haunt me forever.

"Calix, it's nothing that concerning–"

"Just tell me." I probed her and I wouldn't let her leave if she wasn't telling me the truth. Who knows, some bastard came into her bed last night and did something unforgivable. If that were true, then the five straight female bodyguards who were meant to protect her will have to lose their jobs effective immediately.

"It's..." I noticed the faint tinge of pink on her bronze skin as if she was embarrassed, to tell the truth. Is it that hard to say what happened?

I waited for her to continue and she finally admitted, "It's a period stain, Calix." And it finally dawned on me what she meant. I felt sucker-punched for a minute there and I honestly didn't know how to react to my sudden display of heroic emotions. Since when was I this pathetic?

"You can ask the maids to clean that up for you," I said and managed to save myself from making any more misconceptions.

"Oh, I wouldn't want to disturb anyone. They could still be asleep–"

"It's their job, Kari. They wouldn't mind." I spoke casually and tried to call her Kari this time because calling her 'Karina' would make it painstakingly obvious how much I repeat that word even in my sleep or while relieving myself at night.

"I mind. I'd like to do it myself, Calix." She tried to let go of my hold by shrugging my arm off but I wouldn't budge. Letting her arm go would mean having to wait for another random chance to see her and I am not missing any more openings this time around.

"Then how about I take you to the laundry area? I used to come here often to visit Elliot when we were younger so I know my way around." Lies. Or technically, it's a half-lie. I do go to this mansion from time to time. But the only game I play with Elliot the Idiot was hide and seek so I can stay away from him for as long as I can. Plus, I only know my way around since I got bored studying in their library.

"Okay. That'd be a big help." Thank God, she conceded and smiled a little at me. I let go of her arm and instantly grabbed the sheets from her hands, "I'll take it," before she could protest. It was a gentlemanly move and I wouldn't want her having a difficult time bringing this around the place.

"Uh, thanks. You really didn't have to bother." I know but I want to. I can use any excuse in the book just to spend more time with you, Karina.

"It's no bother at all, Kari." I flashed her one of my killer smiles that work wonders on anyone but she looked at me with a neutral look on her face as if that didn't faze her in the slightest. What the fuck?

~*~*~*~

"We're here." I don't know if Kari noticed but I purposely took the longest way to this laundry area which was at a separate building from the main mansion.

If I took the shortcut, it would have only been a 15-minute walk but through this method, I was able to spend more than an hour with her by my side and talk about anything under the sun.

"For a moment there, I thought we were lost." I tried to smile dumb and act as if that was the case even if it wasn't.

"Sorry. It's been years since I've been here so they might have changed some things during that time." Lies again. If they really did change anything, I'd still know since I come by here sometimes to take a swim by the beach whenever I'm bored.