My Soldier Mate

CHAPTER THREE:

CHAPTER THREE:

NALA POV:

The next morning, my alarm clock rang. I woke up and shut off my alarm clock and I just laid there for a little bit. After like a few minutes, I finally got up. I was in a lot of pain. I got into the shower. I looked at my stomach and it was all black and blue. I knew I had an early day at school because I had to get my uniform and I had to go to the bank and close my account. Then I will be going to my best friend's house to get ready and hide my money. I knew I had to talk to the supervisor and not the teller because she is in a friends with benefits situation with Caleb and I didn’t want her to know I was closing my account so she would tell Caleb about it. I don’t want to deal with that because he will lock me in the basement and beat me with everything he can get his hands on. Once, I was dressed and ready to go. I went to the dresser and grabbed the spaghetti that I didn’t even finish eating and went downstairs. I started to cook breakfast. I was cleaning while I was cooking. I was making pancakes and, over easy eggs, eating sausage and bacon. I also made toast. Once I had finished cleaning up, I made myself a bagel sandwich. I placed it in my bag and then went upstairs to walk them up. Once they were up, I went back downstairs and I grabbed my bookbag and went to leave the house when I was stopped by Caleb. Caleb asked, “Where are you going?”

I replied “I am going to school. I have to walk, remember?”

Caleb replied “Not before I checked your bag, so I know you didn’t steal anything.” I gave him my bag willingly. I know he will never get into my front pocket because my female products are in that pocket. So once he looked through my bag and didn’t see anything, he handed me my bag and told me to leave. So I did. Once I was three blocks away from that house, I took out the food I grabbed. I started to eat it. That is when I heard my name being called. I froze, and then I turned around, and I instantly relaxed because it was my best friend Kayla. Kayla said “Girl, you're good. Finish eating. How was your night?”

I replied “I got kicked in my stomach by Carrie and Caleb. Hey, how have you been?”

Kayla answered “I am okay, I found out my boyfriend was cheating on me with Carrie.”

I said “I am sorry. You deserve better. Hey, at least you found out before you gave him your virginity.”

Kayla replied, “Yeah, I am so glad that I didn't give in to his peer pressure. Hey, are we still working out today or are we waiting because of your stomach?”

I replied, “We can train today. I appreciate you looking out for me. You are my best friend.”

Kayla replied “back at you.” We were talking all the way to school when we got on to the school grounds, and then I saw Carrie pressed up on a guy. Carrie then looked at me. Carrie then called out to me, but I ignored her and went straight into the school. I walked right to my locker and got ready for my first two classes. And then I went to my calculus class. I was the first one in there and I put my head down and waited for the rest of the class. A few minutes later, I heard the door open up. I heard footsteps coming towards me. Once they were right near me. I felt a hand on my back and the hand was moving down towards my butt. I immediately lifted my head and pushed whoever was touching him and I made him fall down. I saw it was Kayla’s ex-boyfriend, Nick. I yelled so people couldn't hear me out in the hallway. I yelled “what the hell do you think you're doing?”

Nick said, “Hey, lower your voice so no one can hear what is going on in here. I got told by your sister you wanted to have s*x before school started, and I was horny. I thought since you heard me coming in you wouldn’t care.”

I yelled again, so Carrie set me up to get raped. And if you meet me in the areas where I did not give permission, I will break your arm and I will have you arrested. I am not my sister. I am not a damn slut. Do you understand?”

Nick yelled back and said “Hey, I wasn’t going to do anything until you told me to do it. I am not that much of a preem. And don’t threaten me. Your sister has already told me you can’t fight.”

I replied “Do you want to test that theory?” That is when the teacher came in and asked “what is going on here?”

Nick tried to say nothing, but I spoke up and said: “Apparently, my sister Carrie told Nick that I was there and wanted to have s*x before class. When I was really there with my head down, and he came in, he started to touch my back and went downwards, trying to touch me on my butt. And I feel sexually assaulted because I was touched without my consent. I want something to happen to him now.”

Nick said “that is not true.”

I replied “Mrs. Stevens, you have a camera right there and it is on. You can pull the feedback and watch it for yourself.”

Nick looked panicked and said “I am sorry, Nala. I was just going off of Carrie’s words, and it will not happen again. And I will leave you alone. Please don’t have me charged with this. This will ruin my life and I will lose my scholarship.”

I said “Mrs. Stevens, I want to press charges because if I don’t, he will think it will be okay to do it to other girls. And it is not.”

Mrs. Stevens replied “Okay, you two are coming with me to the principal's office, and we will wait for the police.” Nick looked scared and shitless and said, “Okay, I won't make this worse for myself.” With that, we started walking out of the classroom, and we saw Carrie looking like he was about to get into trouble. That is when the teacher said “Carrie, you have to come with us as well, since you started this.” Carrie started to protest and kept saying it wasn’t her, but it fell on deaf ears. We all got to the principal's office, and we all got told to sit down. The receptionist was watching us. Carrie said, “Nala, you better not rat me out, because if you do, dad will beat the s**t out of you.” I didn’t pay her any mind. That is when the principal came out and called all of us into her office and told us all to sit down. Mrs. Calkins said, “So what is going on here? Nala, you start first.” So I told her everything that I told Mrs. Stevens word for word and I said “I want to press charges on both of them.”

Nick said “Please Nala, don’t press charges, I won't come near you again.”

I replied, “I want to press charges on both, since Carrie is the one who was trying to set me up for getting assaulted.”

Mrs. Calkins replied, “Okay. Since Nala is wanting charges. You all wait here, while I have the receptionist call the police.”

Carrie yelled, “Nala, you f*****g b***h, why couldn’t you just take what this handsome man was going to give you? You would have been very satisfied.”

I replied, “Listen to me, you and I are not the same. I am like you. I have a life after I turn eighteen, which is in two days. And I am not a crazy boy like you. And I don’t just sleep with someone because they have a d**k. That is gross and that is how you can get STDs and crap you don’t want.” I saw Carrie texting someone, most likely Caleb and our mom. I didn’t say anything. The principal came back into the office with the police. That is when Carrie started to look really scared because she knew she might not be able to get out of this. That is when my mother and Caleb came bursting into the office. Caleb asked, “What is going on here?”

Carrie replied “Daddy, Nala is trying to press charges on me for trying to get her assaulted.”

Caleb said “Nala, you better not.”

I replied, “Actually, I am pressing charges. Also, can you call my grandmother to come get me? " I feel like if I went home with this man and this woman, I would be severely injured or dead.”

Caleb said “What are you talking about? I will not hurt you.”

I replied, “Officer, can I call my grandmother?” The officer nodded his head yes. And I did just that. I am glad my grandmother picked up the second ring. I told her what was going on. I was so relieved when I heard she was just around the corner. That is when I went back to the office. Carrie tried to get out of this mess that she had created for herself. The officer asked “where are you able to get a hold of your grandmother?”

I answered, “Yes, I was. She is on her way here.”

The officer replied “Okay, so Nala, what has happened, where do you want to press charges?” So I told him everything and I also said there was a video camera with audio in the classroom. It was recording the whole time.” The officers requested to see the camera footage. So the principal was the one who handed over the file. The officers said, “Okay, Carrie, Nick. I need you to put your hands behind your back. You are being arrested. And Nala, you will be able to go with your grandmother because of your safety, and you literally have two days before your eighteenth birthday. Just then, there was a knock at the door and the receptionist came in and said that my grandmother was there. So she was let in. My mother said, “Mom, what are you doing here?”

My grandmother said “I am here for my granddaughter. Terry, I would like you to sign the rights over to me for her. And I will release your inheritance early. What do you say?”

Caleb said “fine. Give her the paperwork. And she will sign and then give her access to the bank account that is all there.” My grandmother gave my mother the paper, and she signed right away. Caleb said “Okay, Nala, you can drop the charges on your sister now. You proved your point.”

I said “I will not drop the charges and also Mrs. Calkins, I am the one who did Carrie’s homework for years, because I was made to or deal with the threat to my life if I didn’t. And I was wondering if I could test it out early please?”

Mrs. Calkins said, “Sure. " Go with your grandmother to get your home life set up and come back later today to take a test.” I smiled and nodded my head. Then the officers said “Nala, I will meet you at your mother’s house so you can get your things, so there will be no problems there.” I smiled at him, and they took Carrie and Nick away in handcuffs in front of everyone. I looked at my grandmother and asked, "Can we go to my appointment now?”

My mother said “What appointment? And why does she know, and I don’t?”

I replied “I am leaving. I have enlisted in the Army. And I have to go to the back and close the account, so I can start a new one with my grandmother as the beneficiary. So grandma, are you ready?” She nodded her head yes. We started to walk out of school and Caleb said “you won't be able to shut the account down because my friend works there.”

I replied “Caleb, I am a lot smarter than you. I called them to speak to the supervisor and my account is on hold because of you and your “friend”, so she might lose her job, so fyi.”

Caleb said “No you didn’t.” I then just shrugged my shoulders and went to walk to get into my grandmother’s car and in the car was a man. I knew from what my grandmother told me it was Jack. He is her boyfriend. He smiled at me. My grandmother got into the car, and we started to drive off. Jack asked, “Where are we off to?”

I replied, “The bank, please, so I can close my account, so they don’t keep getting the money I work so hard for. They can start getting a job.” With that he smiled, and we went to the bank. About ten minutes away from the high school, we got to the bank. I went into it with my grandmother. The woman who is friends with Caleb said “Well, hello Nala, what can I do for you?”

I replied “I am here to talk to your supervisor. And I need to close my account. I called this morning.”

Lhe said “Um. I have a few questions about why you are closing your account and where you are going to be banking.”

I replied “because I am leaving the state and that is none of your business, and please go get your supervisor.”

She said “You don’t need my supervisor. " And I do need to know that information before I close your account.” The lady next to her got up and went to go talk to someone and was pointing at us. I can only assume she is the supervisor. The woman in front of me said “s**t,” very quietly. The woman came over and said, “Hello, my name is Marsha, I am the supervisor. What can I do for you?”

I replied “two things: I need my account closed, and she put someone on my account without my permission.”

Marsha said “Jenny, is this true?”

Jenny said “Well, he is her stepfather and I thought it was okay.”

I said “Jenny, well it wasn’t, and you have absolutely no clue what we opened up an account for.”

Marsha said, “I am very sorry for my employee doing what is not policy.”

I replied “I don’t blame this bank, but I would like to close my account now. I am moving, and I will not continue to bank here.”

Marsha replied, “I totally understand. Is there anything else I can do to make this up to you?”

I replied, “I want her fired because you have absolutely no idea who she has done this to. And the person she put on my account was the person she had been sleeping with.” Just then the doorbell rang to let them know there was a customer coming. I turned around, and it was my mother and Caleb. Caleb saw me talking to the supervisor and Caleb said “Nala, honey, what are you doing here? " Aren't you supposed to be in school?”

I replied “Drop the act, Caleb. You know I was coming to close my account and Marsha here, the supervisor, was just helping me out. And I am leaving today.”

My mother said, “Why can’t you keep the account open, and you can deposit the earnings from when you go into the army into it so it will be easier?”

I replied, “Because I am not going to financially provide for your household anymore. " That is not my job, and I am done with it.” I turned back to Marsha and asked, “Are we done here? Is it closed?”

Marsha replied “Yes, you just need a signature and the check will be made out to you.” I thanked her and she processed everything. Jenny then spoke up, “Marsha, what about me? Am I getting fired?”

Marsha replied “Yes, you will never be able to work in a bank ever again, because this is going to go on your record. " So please pack up your stuff and get out from behind the desk.” Jenny started crying and then did as she was told. Caleb then looked even more pissed and said “Nala, you will regret this.” I signed the paper and I got the check from them and that was it. I walked out of the building and got into the car. I checked the time. It was time for me to go meet my recruiter, so we went there next. Which was just down the street. So we went there and I went inside the building. My first Sergeant was there. I knocked on the door. I was told to come in. So I closed the door and sat down. My first Sergeant said “Well, Ms. Aston, you are going to be with me. You will be going to basics in two days. You will be stationed at a basic station in Tennessee. Here is your uniform and here is the address and all the paperwork I will need you to fill out and hand back to me at basics, and I am looking forward to working with you.”

I said “Thank you. " I am happy to serve my country.” With that the meeting was over, and I got my uniform and my schedule and all the paperwork. Next, we went back to high school, so I could test out. It only took me a little over an hour to finish my test and get the test results. I passed with flying colors and I got told Carrie was going to have to repeat the school year. I laughed at the irony. After I left high school. I called the police to see if that police officer was still willing to help me get my stuff out of my mother’s house. Lucky he was. He told me he would be there in a few minutes. Once we pulled up, we waited in the car for the police officer. But Caleb had other plans. As soon as he realized that my grandmother’s car was outside the house, he came storming out of the house. His face was beaten red. I am guessing he couldn’t get his precious daughter out of jail. Caleb was in the car in the blink of an eye. He was pounding on the windows. Caleb was yelling for me to get out of the car. That is when Jack had enough of Caleb’s crap and got out of the car and Jack said “Caleb, we are only here for her to get her stuff. The police are on their way for assistance.”

Caleb replied “I don’t give a s**t. She got my daughter arrested, she got her held back at school. I want to kill that little b***h. She deserves to die, just like her father. I am the one who got that red light because I was trying to make sure they both died, but that little b***h was able to survive, but I have been beating the s**t out of her since she was eight years old. And now she is going to do this to my child. " Come on Nala, stop hiding in the car and get out of here and deal with me like the big woman you think you are. " Come on, get out here.” When he confessed that he had killed my father because of his jealousy, I lost it. I got out of the car. Caleb laughed. Jack said “Man, you are drunk. No wonder no one takes you seriously.” Just then the police showed up. It was then Caleb started to quiet down. The police officer said, “Okay Nala, let’s go grab your stuff.”

I said, “Also, you remember that case with my dad and no one was able to find the driver of the hit-and-run?”

The officer said “Yeah, why?”

I replied, with Caleb’s drunken rage, he admitted he was the one who hit us. He wanted to kill us because of his jealousy over my mother.”

Caleb replied, “That is not true. I never said that. She is just trying to get me into trouble and put me behind bars.”

Jack spoke up and said “What she said is true. " He just told us my car has a dashcam, and it is always recording. Jack gave the police officer his phone so he could watch the playback. The police officer gave Jack his phone back, and put Caleb in handcuffs. That is when my mother came out asking what was going on and why Caleb was in handcuffs. I then went inside the house and went up to my bedroom. I grabbed my duffle bag, I grabbed my clothes, I grabbed my jewelry box, and I grabbed my photo album. I went inside Carrie’s room and I grabbed the necklace that my dad gave me right before he died. But Carrie loved it because it meant something to me, and she wanted to hurt me. I finished getting all of my stuff and I walked out of the house. And I saw Caleb in the backseat of the police car. I went and told the officers thanks for their help and I got everything that I wanted, and I will be leaving now. With that, Jack got back into the car. And we started to drive with my mother crying for Caleb and telling the officer that he was innocent. My grandmother said, “We are now on your way to Tennessee.” I smiled and dozed off in the car.