Chapter 3
Keda: Balter: to dance gracelessly, without particular art or skill, but perhaps with some enjoyment.
Hollis: Screw you.
—Text from Keda to Hollis
HOLLIS
Shewouldn’t look at me.
Shehad her head bowed, and she was staring at her lap with her shoulders deflated.
“Keda, babe. Please?”
Kedalooked up at me, and I saw the desolation in her eyes.
“I will eviscerate that man with my bare hands.” I snarled at the way she was looking. “Don’t let him get to you. That was just a mean man who gets his rocks off on hurting people.”
Howhad I not noticed that before with his work?
Truthfully, I hadn’t loved him all that much. ButKeda had, so I’d jumped on the bandwagon with her. I’d do anything for Keda, including finding that son of a bitch and giving him a piece of my mind.
“How about we get Chinese and watch some Monk?” I suggested.
Kedashook her head. “I know you’re trying to make me feel better by offering to do things you know I like… but I’m tired, Hollis. I think I just want to go home and sleep. Tomorrow… tomorrow I’ll do better.”
Ideflated at her words. “Okay.”
Shegot out and then turned to look at me.
Isaw on her face that she was already pulling back into herself. Something she’d been doing so much better at in recent weeks.
God. Thatmotherfucker. I was going to track him down and murder him in his sleep.
Hersmile was dull. “I love you, HollisAue. I love you so much it hurts.”
Thewords felt… final.
Ididn’t like them one bit.
Asif she was feeling big emotions right now but wasn’t sharing them with me.
Ifelt a tear dripping down the length of my cheek. “Don’t let what he said get to you, Keda. You have to realize that you’ve made so much progress since you were hurt. You are a superstar.”
Kedashrugged. “I’ll try.”
“Are you sure I can’t come in? We could totally order from that hibachi place… or Thai!” I pleaded.
Shewas already shaking her head. “I don’t think I could eat, even if I tried.”
“But you’ll text me later? You’ll let me know that you’re okay?” I asked.
You’ll let me know that you aren’t doing anything rash because that douchebag said something he should’ve never said?
“I, Keda, will not do anything rash. I promise you that I’ll think everything through before I do it.” With that, she closed my door softly.
Ihad this irrational urge to follow her, to hound her every move.
ButI stayed where I was, knowing that wasn’t what she wanted from me tonight.
Iwatched her walk to her apartment.
Waitinguntil I saw the light flick on in her window, I started the car back up and headed home to my apartment four and a half blocks over from hers. I made one pit stop on the way, to the closest bakery, and got the largest cupcake they had, as well as a large coffee.
I’djust finished the last bite of my cupcake and was starting on the last dregs of my coffee, when the idea popped up into my head.
Andonce it was there, it was there.
Icouldn’t get it out.
Pullingup Instagram, I went to the search bar and typed in: TaiteDeRosa.
Ifound his name in hundreds of hashtags and geo-located photos.
Asof right now, he was at a club in DowntownDallas where he was surrounded by a booth of beautiful ladies.
Decisionmade, I headed for that club.
Ididn’t stop to think as I parked in an alley that was probably going to come back to bite me in the ass later. I also didn’t think as I shucked my dress up higher, allowing my legs—thick as fuck and tanned to perfection thanks to the spring spent in my grandma’s garden—to shine.
Myentire body was a little more full than what was otherwise generally accepted by normal society.
Honestly, I loved my body. It was thick in all the right places. Not too thick, but not skinny as fuck, either. I had tits and ass. Hips and thighs. ButI could also do all the things that I wanted to do comfortably—like go hiking and run a half marathon if I truly felt like I wanted to.
“Rawr,” a man I passed in line said. “Hot damn.”
Iignored him, continuing to walk right up to the front of the line.
Oncethere, I stopped in front of the bouncer and smiled before handing him my ID.
I’dnever done this before.
Iprayed that he wouldn’t send me away.
And, my luck held, because he grinned, lifted up the velvet rope, and gestured me inside. “No need for the ID, darlin’.”
Ihoped that meant I looked old enough and not that he was a creepy fuck who let women inside regardless of their age.
But, since I was on a mission, I didn’t do anything but smile as I moved past him, tucking my ID back into my bra where I’d had it.
Theretruly wasn’t very much room for identification or cards of any kind in a dress like the one I was wearing—a dress Keda forced me into.
And, since I didn’t have my purse, I’d only had one recourse, tucking the cards in a place that wouldn’t get lost.
Hencethe bra.
Abra I couldn’t wait to strip out of.
ButI had things to do first.
Peopleto fuck up.
Walkingtoward the bar, I grabbed the biggest, darkest drink I could find, and then started toward VIP.
Thiswould be tougher.
Iwas sure there was a list of who could and couldn’t get up there tonight.
ButI had an ace in the hole.
Myuncle had done the construction here, and I’d come to help him one summer when I’d been between high school and college.
Meaning, I knew of an alternate entrance, and I would be using it.
Itwas one that the staff used, and today, I was going to play like I was confident as fuck and waltz right through it.
Theentrance was exactly where I’d last seen it, and blissfully unguarded and unoccupied.
WhenI got to the top of the stairs I pushed right through the door and came out at the top, right at the back of the room.
Ispotted the douchebag instantly.
Hewas surrounded by people.
Pullingmy phone up, because there was no way in hell I was letting this go without documentation to the world, I went Live on TikTok to my twelve followers and started across the room.
WhenI got to the large sectional couch, I walked right up to the asshole and started talking.
“So, I’d just like you to know that the woman you humiliated tonight in front of an audience full of people spent the last eighteen months trying to crawl to get her life back after a man drove drunk and nearly killed her,” I snapped.
Taiteturned to look at me, his face furrowing.
Awoman giggled, and I ignored her.
“In that accident where a man decided to almost take my best friend’s life, he killed two other people in the car behind her. My best friend suffered a broken back, broken legs, a broken neck, a broken arm, trauma to her internal organs, and multiple other things that have absolutely annihilated any chance at her living a normal life.”
Taitefrowned.
Icould see the understanding starting to dawn.
Truly, I could see him making connections.
Butthen the woman at his side, who was hugged up on him way too closely to be anything but a shameless whore, snorted in derision and said, “That doesn’t mean she can wear those clothes and expect people not to be disgusted.”
That’swhen I saw Taite’s expression change. Almost as if he was trying to be popular instead of a good person.
“I’m sure wearing a diaper out in public means you probably should’ve stayed home.” Taite rolled his eyes.
Ifisted my hand and said, “Have you ever had your face peeled off of your head?”
Agagging sound came from someone beside me.
“Probably not,” I said. “ButKeda has.”
“Keda.” The woman snorted. “Sounds like a farm animal’s name.”
Iwas originally going to save my drink for Taite, but then this bitch opened her mouth…
Ithrew the drink, glass and all, at her face.
Ithit with a thunk, and then splashed all over the closest three people.
Thewoman cried out in pain.
Thebouncer I hadn’t noticed was there seconds later, picking me up and yanking me backwards.
“You made the best woman I know cry,” I snarled. “Because you thought it would be funny to make fun of someone who’s disabled. What kind of person does that make you, TaiteDeRosa?”
Taitenarrowed his eyes and stood up. “It makes me a fucking comedian, bitch! Learn how to take a joke!”
Furyignited further in my blood, but I didn’t act on it as I allowed the bouncer to continue pulling me backwards. I pointed at Taite, who was staring at me with shock.
“I will make your life a living hell, TaiteDeRosa. Mark my words!” I growled.
Thebouncer continued to drag me back until I was in the elevator with him.
Hisgrip was painful, but I didn’t protest.
Ikind of figured this was where the night would go.
“My best friend tried to kill herself three times over the last sixteen months, Mr. Bouncer,” I whispered to the man.
Theman’s grip loosened.
“I couldn’t let it go,” I continued to talk, tears threatening.
“Your phone’s still recording,” he said softly.
That’swhen he let me go enough to allow me to stop it.
Idid, then fisted it tightly. “I’m scared she’s going to try again.”
Hepatted my hair, his voice soft, and said, “Darlin’, if you’re that worried about her, you should be with her.”
Ishould.
“She promised me that she wouldn’t ever try again,” I said. “And she lives with her mom.”
“Good,” he said as he gently guided me through the elevator door. “I’m sorry I have to kick you out.”
Iwas sorry, too.
Theplace seemed really nice.
“Thank you for helping me get away from him,” I said as he guided me toward the door.
Buthe didn’t kick me out.
Hewalked me to my car in the alley.
Whichwas very thoughtful.
“Thank you,” I said softly.
“I would hope that, if my sister had made it out of childhood, she would’ve had a friend like you,” he said. “Be careful on the way home, darlin’.”
AndI was.
Idrove home on autopilot. But the fury that had ignited my blood was gone. All that was left was a sense of helplessness.
WhenI got to my apartment, I parked in my usual spot next to the dumpster.
Thehomeless guy who usually stayed there next to it was gone, and I was sad that I’d missed him for the night.
Hewas a nice guy. Liked to make sure that I got to the front door all right.
WhenI got inside, I was annoyed to see that the elevator still wasn’t working, and there were now four lights out in the lobby instead of the usual three.
Trompingup the stairs in my uncomfortable high heels, I pulled out my phone and texted Keda’s mom, Denita.
Me:
Howis she?
Denitareplied instantly, saying that the last she checked, Keda was sleeping.
Tuckingmy phone under my arm, I dug the key out of my bra and unlocked my apartment.
Myapartment door closed, and I felt suddenly sad.
So, because I loved music and dancing, I turned my phone onto Spotify and played my favorites playlist, then danced around the kitchen as I tried to scrounge up something to eat. The cupcake was just a snack.
Tosay that I was useless at dancing would be an understatement.
Kedaliked to tell me that my dancing was more akin to the word ‘balter’ than ‘dancing.’
Dancing, according to Keda, required some sort of skill. WhatI did was anything but skillful.
ButI got my dinner made.
Iate it.
AndI made plans.
ThenI searched Reddit for the best ways to torture someone without going to jail while doing it.
Because, sadly, I still had to keep my job at the hospital.
Andthey required no felonies to work there.