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Day 21
Not Edited
________
Aurora
I looked like Godzilla- literally. This morning, shortly after I had woken up, I looked in the mirror and screamed. My hair was a mountain of red poop, my face was decorated with little zits, and my under eye circles seemed to think it was cool to make me look like a raccoon.
What a crappy start to another crappy day after an already really crappy day yesterday. You know, after 17 years, I've come to the conclusion that there was no such thing as 'good luck' when it came to me.
Even though I didn't want to, I had forced myself into the shower, blow dried my hair, and put some decent clothes on (and by decent I mean jeans and a random shirt I found laying on the ground). All I wanted to do was eat and sleep.
Currently, I stand in front of my dresser debating whether I should put concealer on or not.
What do you think dumb ass? My conscience says sarcastically.
Okay, I guess that was a stupid question. Obviously, I needed a lot of concealer...
Once my face was semi-okay, I get my bag and a sweater before heading downstairs. Cyan was dropping me off today because Lanie had do go for a Student Council meeting this morning. I was definitely not looking forward to the ride to school.
Don't get me wrong! I love Cyan to death, but sometimes his company was too suffocating. I get that he was looking out for me and all, however, he needed to let me figure some things out by myself.
"You don't want breakfast?" Cyan says, eyeing my empty hands.
"I rarely eat breakfast during school days Cyan."
"Yeah, but you didn't have dinner last night either."
"I'm good." He sends me a look.
"I''ll take a granola bar if that makes you feel any better."
"Much."
I smile at his response. "Can we go now?"
He rolls his eyes at me and walks out to his truck. As I follow behind, I can't help notice the dark grey sky and the chilly wind that encompassed us. "I'm pretty sure it's illegal to feel this cold in Spring."
Cyan laughs. "Stop being a sissy."
I pout. "I'm a girl. I'm allowed to be a sissy."
"That's the dumbest thing I've heard you say. And trust me- you say a lot of dumb things Rory."
"Blah blah blah. I can't hear you." I say childishly.
My brother rolls his eyes and starts the car. "Very mature."
"So..." Cyan says after driving to the stop light. "You never told me why Kale isn't driving you anymore."
Sighing, my eyes follow the flying birds in the sky. I had momentarily forgot about Kale.
"We took a break."
Cyan double takes. "What? Why?"
I shrug my shoulders. "There were some things that we needed to think through. No big deal."
He studies me. "Is this about Liam?"
"No."
"Hm."
"What?" I question, turning towards him.
"I'm surprised you're taking this so well."
'I'm not. I cried myself to sleep last night. I'm not taking this well at all.' I want to say. Instead, I force a closed smile. "It was me who suggested it."
Again, he's taken by surprise but he doesn't say anything.
"Thanks for driving me." I say as Cyan pulls up to the front of the school.
"No problem sis."
Before I can close the door, my brother says, "If you need someone to talk to Rory. You know I'm here right?"
My eyes glaze over at the sincerity of his words, "Thanks."
I stay outside for a while, staring at Cyan's red truck in the distance.
Honestly, I was such a brat.
He was such an awesome older brother and I just wanted to get out of his company half the time. Why? Just because he wanted to ask questions? To see that I was alright? I had to be a better sister... not only to Cyan but to River and Vienna as well.
The parking lot was filled with a few cars. I look at my phone to see that the time was 7:30. I still had half an hour before the first bell and fifteen minutes before all the other students starting rushing in.
Just as I take a step towards the doors, my phone rings.
"Hello?"
"Hey baby." A husky voice slurs.
"Liam?"
"You ass looks sexy in those jeans."
Gasping, I look around for Liam. "Wh-where are you?"
He laughs lowly. "It doesn't matter. Your hair looks nice today. Did you straighten it?"
Either he was really drunk or just really stupid because my hair was naturally straight. I rush inside the school doors. "I have to go."
"N-" I hang up before he could finish. Oh my goodness. First my house and now school?
"Something bothering you?"
I jump and let out a squeal. "Julian! What the hell?!"
"Woah! Jumpy are we?"
"Well, if you come from behind and scare the shit out of me, I think jumping in surprise is an appropriate reaction." I snap.
He runs a hand through his black hair sheepishly. "Sorry."
"What are you doing here?"
"I go to school here?"
"Smart ass." I mutter under my breath with a smile.
As I walk to the library, Julian trails behind me. "What's up?"
He shrugs his shoulders. "We should hang out after school."
"I might just head home today Lee."
"Come on. You look so down these days. A little break from home and Kale will do you good."
He knew. "I can't Julian. Sorry."
Opening the library door, he looks away from me. "It's okay."
"Rain check?"
"I'll have to put you on my waiting list. You're not VIP anymore."
I punch his gut in mock outrage. "Hey!"
After checking out a book each, Julian and I head off to our first period class.
Four boring class periods later, Lanie finds me at my locker.
"How are you feeling?"
Yesterday, Lanie had texted me when I didn't show up to lunch and I had explained how I hadn't been feeling well.
I smile at my best friend. "Good. How was the meeting?"
"Boring. I swear the freshmen are all related to Miley Cyrus."
I smile. "How come?"
"They're out of control!"
"W-"
"Hey Kale!" Lanie says. My head snaps towards the direction she was facing.
I suck in a breath of air when I see Kale, in a long sleeved shirt and jeans, exiting the office door.
He had a beanie over his hair and sunglasses over his eyes which I found to be a little weird.
Why was he wearing shades when there was no sun outside?
Just as he's about to reply to Lanie, he freezes when he sees me. As we stand there, staring at one another, I can't help but think how much more attractive he looked with a beanie. Probably, not the best time to take notice of something like that, but I'm not kidding when I say he looked really really hot.
Quickly, Kale pushes out the door. I look away and make my way to the lunch line. Just as I get my food and am walking towards the exit of the lunchroom, Lanie pulls me over. "You're going to sit with us today." I sigh at her tone, knowing she wouldn't let up.
I walk to table (the one where Justin, Tyler, and Lacey) and sit down.
"What's up with Kale?" Lanie asks sliding into the seat next to me. I shrug my shoulders, poking the grossly greasy burger in front of me.
"As his girlfriend, aren't you supposed to know what's wrong?"
"We took a break."
Just like Cyan, Lanie double takes. "Excuse me, what?"
"We mutually agreed that we had to work some things out."
"Mutually. I'm sure." Lanie sarcastically mumbles under her breath.
"I can still hear you, you know."
"Good. I mean what the hell were you thinking?!"
"Why do you say it like it was me who broke it off?"
She sends me a are-you-really-asking-me-that look. "You're my best friend Rory. Yesterday, you were so distant while Kale was trying to talk to you and now you tell me things are off?"
"It's a break!"
"Hence the term- break up. You guys are not together anymore is what a break up means!"
"What are you talking about?" Justin asks, seating himself across from Lanie and I.
I eye him in distaste. "You're disgusting eating habits." He smiles at me, a mouth full of chewed up burger and fries. "This is how men eat Rory."
Seriously? "Not any actual manly men I've seen."
"I'm not manly enough? You've got to be kidding bro." He flexes his arms, mouth still stuffed with food. "This is more man than your boyfriend."
I freeze. "Isn't Kale your best friend?" Lanie asks slowly.
"I was joking babe."
My best friend scrunches her nose in disgust. "Don't call me babe."
"B-"
"Don't." Lanie repeats, kicking him in the shin. Just then Tyler and Lacey show up.
"How many times have I told you not to be an asshole to girls man?" Tyler questions sitting next to Justin.
"I wasn't being an asshole!"
"Lying is not an attractive trait in guys." Lacey comments, putting a forkful of salad in her mouth.
"Are you all seriously going to gang up on me?"
I quietly laugh when everybody ignores Justin.
"Where's Kale?" Lacey asks me.
"He had something to do." I reply not making eye contact. Lanie coughs next to me.
"Did he say what? He usually tells me if he's not going to be at school." Tyler says looking at me with... worry?
"No, he didn't."
Tyler gets up in a hurry. "I forgot I had to ask my chem teacher something. See you guys later."
We all stare at his retreating back. "He's never good at remembering things." Lacey says as if to relieve the tension.
A bad feeling settles in my stomach. I had a feeling Tyler knew something about Kale that I didn't.
But what else could I possibly not know? How many other things was Kale hiding from me?
The bell rings. "Bye Rory!"
"Bye guys." I make my way towards Child Development class. I had to admit- it felt kidn of lonely walking these halls without Kale. Even with his asshole-y comments, he was fun to have around.
Thoughts run through my mind- us kissing, talking, cuddling. Over a span of two weeks, our relationship evolved like crazy, but look where we are now.
I shouldn't have rushed into it. I should have known what I was getting myself into. First Liam and now Kale?
But it felt so right! My conscience says.
I shake my head, tugging on my backpack handles. I couldn't let myself fall back to where I started. I needed to start focusing on my family and school.
No more boys and no more drama.
As I walk closer to my class, I hear a familiar voice become louder from around the corner.
It was Lee!
"What? No I'm not going to kill him. That would be ridiculous."
Silently, I groan, praying he was joking with a friend.
If somehow Julian was involved in this ordeal, I will cry.
The other person on the line seems to be talking before I hear. "Kale and Robert."
Freaking screw the world!
Who the hell could I trust these days?
I wait until Julian disappears down the other side of the hallway before continuing to class.
My mind is a frenzy of questions. He was a human trafficker as well?
Was I the only one who didn't receive a 'come join our cult of sex and evil' invitation card or what?
The bell rings just as I take a step into the classroom. "Rory?" Mrs. Scully says over the buzz of students.
I turn towards her, waiting for her to elaborate. "Yes?"
"I have you and Kale's baby here. He dropped it off for you to take care of tonight."
Slowly, I walk towards my teacher's desk. The plastic devil- or Kory as Kale calls it- was staring at me with its creepy eyes.
"Oh... thanks."
"No problem. Take a seat please."
As inconspicuously as possible, I shove the baby in my bag.
"Wah!"
All eyes in the room turn to look at me. I smile sheepishly and take the baby out, patting its back.
Shut up shut up shut up!
"Ms. West would you like to step out into the hall?"
I look at her and back at the baby. "Sure." I finally say
All the bratty senior girls snicker as I walk out the door. If looks could kill, I would have them brutally killed and salvaged by hungry vultures and cannibals.
Okay.
Maybe that was a little too graphic but you get my point!
I stand outside the door, hushing the baby.
"How is motherhood?"
I turn to see Tyler looking at me in amusement. I roll my eyes. "Horrible."
He smiles at me. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure." I say, distractedly moving the baby around.
"Go see Kale?"
I freeze. "What?"
"He told me what happened Rory- how you two broke up. It's not his fault you know?"
"Not his fault that he sells and trades girls like they're game pieces?! I would like to concur!"
Tyler looks at me in confusion and surprise. "Wait. You know about that?"
Shoot. I forgot that I didn't tell Kale why exactly I 'broke up' with him yesterday. He didn't know about Liam and how he was back!
"Yeah." I mutter.
"How?"
"My ex told me..."
"Liam?"
Now it's my turn to be surprised. "How do you know about Liam?"
Tyler shrugs his shoulders. "I saw you with him a couple of times. Not at school of course, but at the bakery. Also, Kale told me about him."
He must have seen the horror in my eyes because he adds, "Not the details. Just that he was a bad boyfriend."
"He shouldn't have told you either way." I mutter under my breath.
"Look Rory. I haven't talked to you that much, but talk to Kale."
"I di-"
Tyler interrupts me, "Listen to him. Why would you believe your ex over Kale? I'm sure you've gotten to know the real Kale and trust me- he's the best that's out there." Tyler smiles and that's when I see the kindness in his eyes. Everyone knew Tyler was the sweetest guy in school. There was no doubt about it and this just goes to prove how much of a good person he actually is.
"You're a really good friend." I say, cradling the now quiet baby in my hands.
"And he's a really good guy. Listen to him Rory."
With a quick wave, he's gone.
Listen to him. Listen to Kale.
Did I have it in me to listen?
_
For the last few hours of school I ponder the thought of talking to Kale.
He probably hated me right now. I don't think he would want to talk to me.
I walk towards Lanie's locker.
Was I wrong about this the entire time?
No, but the film strips of Kale's pictures were real. I took photography lesson for two years- I think I would know when a picture was fake or not.
"Hey! Ready to go?" My friend chirps, shutting her locker.
I look at her, a little lost from all the thoughts in my head. "Y-yeah."
Lanie looks at me in concern. "You okay?"
"The baby keeps crying and its giving me a headache." The lie slips out of my mouth easily.
She seems to believe me as we head to her car. "Any plans for today?"
I nod. "I have a lot of homework that I've procrastinated on doing." Yet again, another lie tumbles out easily.
I try to shake my guilt conscience. "What about you?"
We get in and she starts driving. "I have to volunteer at the elderly home."
"You are such a saint."
"Obviously." Lanie says, chuckling.
"We should plan a date night soon. I feel as though we haven't hung out in a long time."
I look at her. "Definitely. I'm going crazy in that house."
"Well, the West household can get hectic sometimes."
"More like all the time." I state, rolling my eyes.
Lanie laughs, pulling up to my house. "See you tomorrow Ror!"
"Bye La-La!"
"Hey!" She swats me as I get out of the car. "That nickname was supposed to die ten years ago!"
When we were seven, Cyan used to call Lanie La-La. I thought it was super cute, but Lanie hated it from the start.
"It's revived from the dead La-La."
She sticks her tongue out at me, driving off. I chuckle at my best friend's behavior, waving as she drove off.
"I'm home!"
"Hey sis!"
"River?!"
My brother smiles at me. "The one and only!"
Dropping my bag, I run and give him a hug. "I missed you!"
He ruffles my hair. "I missed you too, my partner in crime."
"Are you staying for the night?" I ask, eyeing his pajamas.
River shakes his head sadly. "I have to head out at four."
I look at the clock. "But it's already 3:30!"
"Yeah, I know. Sorry Ror."
I sigh. "It's okay. Go and be a bad ass CEO or whatever it is that you do."
He grins. "Actually, my boss promoted me as his lead manager! Double the paycheck baby."
"Does this mean you'll buy me a car?"
"No."
"Asshole," I mutter.
River just grins at me and runs up the stairs. "Cyan's in downtown with some friends. Everyone else should be here soon!" He calls down.
"Cyan has friends? Since when?"
"I'm telling him that!"
I laugh and go to the kitchen to make myself a sandwich.
"I'll see you later sis!!"
"Bye River!"
Successfully, making myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, I go upstairs to finish calculus homework.
As soon as I open to the first problem, I groan. There was not one word on the page that I could understand- it was like Chinese, except math style.
Before I know it, it's already dinner time. Wow, there go two hours of my life that I'll never get back and I still had ten problems left.
What was the point of math? To make us better at crying and failing tests?
I head down to the table.
"How's Kale?" Mom asks, passing me a basket of garlic bread.
I don't make eye contact. 'He's good. Just a bit busy with... school."
"Well, it's nice to see that he takes his studies seriously." My dad says, taking a sip of water.
"Polite, cute, and smart? You've got quite the package there darling." My mom says grinning.
I cough. "Thanks mom."
"Ro-Ro?"
"Yeah?" I ask, looking down at my little sister seated next to me.
"Why do you have a doll? You're too old!" She points.
I follow her finger to the plastic baby that lay next to me. "It's for a project Vi."
She scrunches her nose as her voice grew higher. "What kind of project is that?"
Shaking my head, I tell her I have no clue. No clue at all.
After a little more chatter, I help my mom set the dishwasher.
"You want to come watch some football?"
"I have to finish my pain-in-the-butt math homework. I'll be finished by the time politicians become truthful and caring people, I'm sure."
She chuckles. "Okay, Miss Drama Queen."
I smile and wash my hands before heading towards the stairs. "Night!"
"Don't stay up too late and make sure your balcony doors closed! It's raining like crazy out there!" My mom calls as I go upstairs.
Don't stay up too late? With the about of time it took me to do five problems? I think I will be staying up till midnight at the least.
I walk to the already closed balcony doors and peek outside.. Mom was right.
The rain was really coming down hard out there! All you could see were the blur of lights in the distance.
Flopping on my bed, I get started on the rest of the questions.
Four hours tick by in what seems like minutes. Everybody else had fallen asleep and I had just gotten done with the last of the questions when there's a sound on my balcony doors.
I strain my ear as the sound gets louder and what seems like a muffled voice comes from outside.
Ignoring the feeling in my gut, I pull open the doors.
"Kale?" I gasp in surprise. He stands in front of me, teeth chattering, body shivering from the cold. The rain seems to be pouring faster as I struggle against the wind to close the doors.
"Sh-sh-show-wer." Kale stutters out.
Jumping up, I peek outside my room to make sure no one was in the hallway. Thankfully, I didn't have to deal with Cyan because he wasn't here and also his room was downstairs.
On the other hand, my parents was just down the hall from my bathroom.
We were going to have to be quiet.
When the coast is clear, I walk into the bathroom and turn the shower on, close the door, and then walk back to my room.
"What the hell is wrong with you?! You could have died from pneumonia!" I scold a still shivering Kale, his skin tinged with blue.
Ignoring me, he shakily gets up and attempts to walk towards the door. I catch him as he falls onto me. "You know, this isn't the best time to be so fat." I say, quietly groaning under his weight.
Kale chuckles with his teeth chattering, "N-n-not fat."
Rolling my eyes, I drag him towards the bathroom. "Here's a towel." I say handing him one. 'I'll be right outside the door if you need anything." I walk out with his wet clothes, closing the door behind me. After putting his clothes in the dryer, I sink down to the ground outside of the bathroom door.
I knew I had to face Kale sooner or later, but I didn't really know what to say now that he was here- in my bathroom for the matter of fact.
Should I confront him about his secret or give him the chance to own up to it?
After a few minutes, the shower turns off and my nervousness grows. What if he doesn't want to talk? What if this was all a game and he actually was going to sell me into the slave world?
'Kale wouldn't do that. He loves you.' My conscience reminds me.
But did he really mean it?
I jump to my feet as the bathroom door opens and Kale walks out with a towel around his lower half.
Oh boy did I miss those abs.
He pushes his wet hair out of his eyes. I gasp, pulling him into my room. "Kale."
No answer.
"Kale." I repeat. "Wh-what happened to you eye? Now that the blue tinge from the cold was fading, an ugly black and purple bruise was evident on Kale's left eye.
"Robert." He replies shortly. I move towards him, my hand lifting up to cup his face.
Kale flinches, causing me to drop my hand.
"Sorry." I mutter.
"Where are my clothes?"
"Dryer... they should be done soon."
A tense silence falls between us. "I-I'll be right back." I mumble, running out the room.
Since Cyan wasn't here, I could go in his room to get some pj's for Kale.
"Where did you go?" He asks gruffly, sitting on my bed.
His hair seemed to be drying into his normal golden locks. "I-uh got you some clothes." I say, holding up striped pajamas and a plain white shirt.
Kale tells me to look away as he changes and I do as I'm told.
When he's done, I turn to look at him. "W-why are you here?"
For the longest time he's quiet. "How could you believe him?"
"What?"
Kale clenches his jaw in anger. 'How the hell could you believe that asshole Liam?!"
Realization dawns on me. "Tyler told you."
"Damn right he told me. All last night I thought of what I could have possible done for you to break up with me. You know how many things came to mind?"
I slowly shake my head when he looks at me expectantly.
"One thing. That I said I love you. I thought you didn't like me like that anymore Rory! I thought that you were done with me and, I have to be honest, that hurt. But this? Believing Liam over me? It hurts a million times more.
"The pictures are real Kale! I saw them with my own eyes!"
He runs an hand through his hair. "But you don't know the story!"
I stay quiet. "You jump to so many conclusions Rory, but do you ever care to think that there's more to the story than just those pictures?!"
"Be quiet! You'll wake everybody up!"
Kale takes a deep breath and sighs. "Do you want to know the truth?"
"How can I trust you Kale? What else are you hiding from me?"
He looks at me hurt. "I told you I loved you! You told me yourself that you saw the real, kind and caring, me! After this, there's nothing left to hide!"
I look at him. "Fine. I'm ready to listen."
Kale takes a deep breath, looking at his hands. "My mother wasn't homeless... she was a prostitute. However, it wasn't her choice. Her parents had died and she had no one else to turn to so she went to the streets. The sex industry was easy money. All she had to do was sleep with guys."
He looks at me. "I don't want you to think she was a bad person. She still the same- beautiful inside and out."
I listen intently to what he was saying.
"One day she met Robert and he charmed his way into her life. He said he would give her a place to live and what not for the price of her body and she agreed. I mean, she already had lost her body when she had her first time on the streets. This was no different."
He pauses before continuing. "Everything I told you- about him raping her and leaving her- is true. The way she died is true. Everything about Kara is true as well. However, what I didn't tell you was what happened to her."
I don't know what overcame me, but I took his hand in mine. He frowns. "My father never told my mother that he was part of a human trafficking cult that shipped women across the world for sex. He would just pass her from men to men, collecting cash for the service my mom served them. After being sent to a couple foster homes, I finally heard from Robert. The first thing he asked me was if I wanted to be a part of something big. Being naive and loveless, I said yes and that's when I learned about human trafficking. It was horrible. The amount innocent girls and not only prostitutes that were being traded made me sick to my stomach. As soon as I turned thirteen, I tried to quit. Robert beat me with an iron rod."
Gasping, my hand tightens around his. "But he left me alone for a couple of years. As soon as Kara grew old enough, he contacted again. He wanted Kara to join the sex industry."
"No." I whisper in horror.
Kale snorts. "Yes. He wanted me to take my baby sister and put her in the messed up world he had created for himself. God, he was, he is psychotic! How could he think I would just give my little sister away like that?"
"That's why you sent her to boarding school."
He shakes his head. "That was pure luck, but I was the one who pushed our adoptive parents to send her there. But look where that got her though? Six feet under ground?"
"Kale!" I say in shock.
He ignores me. "After she died, something within me snapped. I took some defense classes and learned how to use a gun and most importantly of all- I didn't take orders from Robert anymore. Anytime he would threaten me by saying he would kill my parents or you I would listen to him, but Rory! Those pictures are of me helping the girls. Robert always checks the cameras to see that I followed his orders, but what he doesn't look at is if his 'shipments' have made it to their destination."
Kale shakes his head. "He never thinks he can fail! So, I started taking the girls and placing them in shelters or back to their families respectively. That's what those pictures are of I swear!"
He looks at me pleadingly. One look in his eyes and I have no doubt in my mind that he's telling the truth.
My eyes glaze over with tears as I throw myself at him. "I'm sorry Kale. I should have trusted you."
Sighing, he runs a hand down my back. "Why didn't you tell me Liam was back?"
I shrug my shoulders.
"Promise me you'll tell him if he bothers you again?"
"Pinky."
Kale kisses me softly on the lips before laying on my bed. "I love you Rory." I close the light, turn on my night light, and lay down next to him.
"Good night Kale."
"Night." He mumbles sleepily. I stroke Kale's hair for the longest time, looking at the little freckles dusting his cheekbones and the roughness of his chapped lips. How did I forget the childlike innocence behind his tough exterior?
He could never be a monster like his father. Never.
The longer I stare at Kale, the faster my heart beats and stomach flutters.
Is this what love felt like?
Is this what Kale felt every time he looked at me?
Sighing, I caress his cheek.
"I love you." I whisper quietly.
But he was already asleep.
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I really liked this chapter! It's my favorite one by far! What do you guys think?
Oh my gosh, this has never happened before! Eeeeeeep!
Please vote, comment, follow, etc! :)
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