Kal
I was sprinting down the street as fast as I could. Voices yelled out behind me, but I ignored them. My lungs were heaving and my shins and calves were burning, the physical pain of sprinting so fast, so long, got ignored as well. I just kept going down the street as fast as my legs would carry my until I reached the park. There I stopped under a grove of trees and leaned over, panting. After I had caught my breath I stood straight. Wet, hot streaks were running down my cheeks and I realized I was crying. I pulled my phone from my pocket and blindly dialed.
"Hello?" the deep voice answered. Then I started really crying.
"Daddy?" I sobbed.
"Kalshan! God, what's wrong?"
"I wanna come home, daddy. The man with the gun. April, pimping out. Police-" All I could get out were those few broken sentences. I sat down, unable to hold my own weight anymore.
"Shh. You're okay-" as he was speaking I heard close by-
"Kalshan! Kal, where are you?" Greyson was so aggravated he no longer sounded American, his accent, usually barely even there, was suddenly thick and heavy. And he sounded worried verging on angry.
"Daddy, I have to go."
"Call me later honey. I love you." I hung up just as Grey entered my space. I looked blankly at the phone for a moment, trying to will myself through, to LA and to my daddy. I felt a presence at my side and looked over to Greyson. He ran a soothing hand up and down my arm.
"Kal, you have to go back. The police have to talk to you." I backed away as fast as I could, sitting on my butt on the ground.
"No. No! I won't go back. I'll never go back!" I screamed.
"Where else can you go?" Grey yelled back. I just shook my head. My phone screen turned off and the darkness of the night enveloped me. I buried my face in my knees and rocked slowly back and forth. It was just like before daddy left, but five times worse. Then it had just been subtle threats. Random men coming to the house when he wasn't home. Now it was explained. All of it. And suddenly I was eleven years old again, my daddy leaving, my mom too drunk to care, and I was left to care for the newborn crying in the next room.
"What's wrong?" Grey asked in a quiet voice. I found myself cradled against his chest, his legs wrapped around my waist. He held me as I cried as I'd held him the night before.
"What do you think?"
"Something more than this. Come on, Kal. You're strong. Just this wouldn't break you." I just shook my head and sat there letting Grey hold me and willing the memories away.
Grey
Kalshan didn't let go of my hand as we walked back to her house. I wasn't sure how long she'd sat there crying, but it was definitely a while. A few times we heard voices calling out our names in the distance, but Kal wasn't ready to speak with them and I certainly wasn't going to make her. That just would have been cruel. When we came into view of her house, Kal's grip tightened to be almost painful, I didn't say anything. Just squeezed her hand back. The positions were switched. Now Kal's past, whatever it was, was coming back haunt her. My turn to play the strong shoulder to lean on.
"Where the hell have you two been?" one of the remaining officers snapped at us.
"Hey, fuck off," I snapped back. "She's had a huge shock." The cop rolled his eyes.
"And you?" I put an arm protectively around Kalshan's shoulders.
"I'm her boyfriend. My main concern is Kal's well-being. So ask your questions, and fast, so I can get her to bed so she can get a much-needed night of rest." The cop growled something under his breath I didn't quite catch, but it certainly didn't sound nice. We sat on the couch as the cop questioned us. Kal looked like she was going to lean over and fall asleep, so after twenty minutes I cut the interview short and picked Kal up in my arms. Sitting in the next room were my father and April. He was usually still at the office at this time unless someone called with an emergency...
"You," I whispered. Maximus gave me a questioning look. "She called you. God. I wish I could say I couldn't believe this, but somehow it fits so perfectly."
"Grey? I'm tired," Kal murmured. I carried her up the stairs and to her room. After laying her on the bed I pulled off Kal's shoes, stripped off her jeans, and let her hair loose, all while she just laid there, mostly asleep. Before I left, Kal grabbed my arm.
"Need to go to LA tomorrow," she told me in a voice thick with sleep. "Need to go home." I smoothed her hair back from her face and kissed her forehead.
"We'll have a flight tomorrow morning," I promised her. Then I turned off the light and went downstairs to clean up April and Maximus's mess.
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YAY! I found time to write. I kind of skipped some homework... but whatever. Hope you all like it! Comment! I feel more inclined to not do what I'm SUPPOSED to do and write when you all tell me what you think. :)
