Chapter 10 Cala - The Dark Side
Cala - The Dark Side
I wake up groggy, like I hardly slept and I can’t understand why.
Last night I went to sleep early so I could be up early to get to school.
But I feel like crap. I’m going to have to push through since today we have a bunch of graduation stuff to attend to; such as getting our caps and gowns, grabbing yearbooks, and securing tickets.
I won’t be there all day, but I do need to go.
Mustering all the energy I can, I shower and dress. I take the stairs two at a time, landing at the bottom to the sound of tears. This time it’s Mom that’s crying.
Stepping into the kitchen, it looks like no one has cleaned it in a while which says a lot about things going on. I ask, “Did someone die?”
I have no idea why I asked that way, but it’s out there now. I’m usually more reserved but lately I’ve felt braver, stronger.
Mom looks up from her coffee that isn’t steaming anymore so it’s probably gone cold, “Mariah’s dead.”
That stops me cold, Mariah was Mom’s best friend and out of everyone in their circle I really liked her. She was always kind to me, bringing me cookies and presents. When I couldn’t go to Mom about things, I went to her.
I slump into a seat across from her, Dad nowhere in sight, “What? When? How?”
She stares at the coffee like it has all the answers, but refuses to give them up, “She was murdered, that is all I know. I don’t know how I’m going to go on.” She starts to wail uncontrollably.
Standing, I pat her shoulder, “I’m sorry.”
She shakes me off, “You need to get to school. I’ll have more answers tonight. Your Dad is cooking a special dinner for you.”
Dinner? For me? Yeah, probably not. I hate dinner time, and try to avoid it. But today, I’m not going to argue.
Without another word, I walk out the door, looking across the street at my classmates' houses. It’s weird to stare at them, but I can’t help it.
Am I sad that they’re gone? Not really. It’s weird to know that their families still live there, but no one has seen them.
The daughters might have been cruel, but the rest of them were okay.
With a shrug, I get in my car to drive to school, rolling down the windows, feeling free. I will soon be gone from here and free from all of their dramas.
Instead of parking in the back, I park out front, in my senior parking spot and walk through the front doors. It feels wrong and yet it also feels so right for me to do this.
There is a line for cap and gowns and I get in right behind Briar and Belinda, “Did you hear about my mom’s friend?”
They both turn around and nod and mumble a solemn, “Sorry.”
I wave that off, “It’s okay. It's sad and I will miss her. I just wonder what happened, who did it?”
They shrug and so I turn the conversation to graduation.
We all have different plans, different colleges, though I never submitted my essays or applied.
I think I want to take a gap year, but don’t say that.
Whatever happens, the minute I walk that stage and toss my cap, I’m out the door.
I make a mental note to start packing and loading my car to be prepared—only the essentials.
Finally we reach the end, get our caps and gowns and then the yearbooks, which we sign for each other. I wave bye because I’m not getting tickets for anyone, not even my parents.
The guys are waiting at my car, their jackets tossed over their shoulders, Hunter’s sleeves are rolled up and are those tattoos? I shake my head and smile when I get to them, “Will you sign my yearbook?” They grin, and do. I’ll read what they wrote later.
Hunter takes my keys from my hand, “Let’s go have some fun.”
In a YOLO sense, I agree, letting him take the wheel, “Where are we going?”
Peck and Daze share looks and I’m not sure how to take it. Hunter only replies, “A walk on the wild side.” Okay. I’m not scared because I know they will protect me.
Hunter drives us to the shadier side of town and I take in everything.
I’ve never really seen how the other side lives.
I’ve been holed up in what some would call a mansion and secluded.
I don’t think I’m secluded, but I’m an introverted homebody.
And sometimes that’s okay. Right now, I’m living on the edge.
He pulls up to a warehouse, a bunch of cars parked outside.
Some people are drinking in the lot, some are trickling inside.
I don’t know if I’m overdressed or underdressed.
Some girls are wearing dresses that are shorter than mine, some are wearing jeans.
I know I’m out of place, but I’m choosing to ignore it.
Peck helps me out of the car and they surround me like a security detail, it’s kind of nice.
My jaw hits the floor when we enter the warehouse. Everyone is cheering or jeering, not sure which one it is, as two guys fight it out in the middle of everything.
I turn to Hunter, “You brought me to a fight?”
He traces my cheek, “My fight.” Ummm, what?
Peck chimes in, “He’s fighting, he needed a good luck charm.”
I need to take the stick out of my ass, my privilege is showing, “Who are you fighting?”
He grins, “Darryl Winslow.” Ummm, again, what? Darryl is a bully, has pushed me into lockers, lifted my skirt in the hall, spit gum in my hair. Yeah, Hunter can fight him.
“I didn’t know Darryl was into this,” I say casually.
Hunter looks over as the other fight ends, “I paid him to be here. I thought you’d want him to get his ass kicked.”
That makes me laugh, “Make it hurt like the bitch he is.”
And he does, Darryl looks rough by the end of it, his photos on graduation day will have him sporting two black eyes, a broken nose, and bruises that won’t go away for months.
When Hunter is done, I’m smiling, congratulating him, “That was exciting.”
He leans down and whispers in my ear, “We can show you exciting.” Oh my, I think as my heart begins to flutter rapidly.
He grabs my hand, leading me back to my car. We drive to a fast food joint where Peck and Daze throw fries at each other and I laugh for hours. By the time I get home it’s past dinner, but Mom says nothing to me. There wasn’t a dinner so I don’t have anything to feel bad about.
Today I had the most fun I’ve had in a while. I think I like living dangerously.