Minder

Chapter 17

OLALLIE

“Harper, tell me we are looking at the same fine specimens of mankind.” Zailey pushes her sunglasses to the top of her head.

My best friends arrived a few moments ago; they stared at the driveway like it was the yellow brick road.

They take in the sight of the parade of beautifully tanned men lined up by their muscle cars and jacked trucks.

“Careful, these boys have records.” Calhoun, with his black eye, grabs their bags from the car and carries them inside. Giving the handsome men a secret glance under his sunglasses.

Not care if they try to break him in half again.

“Like criminal or juvie? I’m excellent with either!” Z hollers after him.

I stand next to them, trying to hold in my glee. Ladies, I’ve missed you. These are the Sonny boys. My hands start flying, and I guess I am too thrilled to speak. Fingers linger down as I pull the sign for missing.

“Which piece of meat is taking a long way home after leaving you at night, if you know what I mean?” Zailey’s hand coasts through a wave.

Their childish comments make me roll my eyes, but I take in every minute I have with them. When I turn and point to Lawson, I confidently spell out his name.

Harper and Zailey take a few steps back. Witnessing the massive shoulders, his face pierced with the tendencies of a badass. He has the glare that says, don’t mess with me.

They visibly sound a sigh as they check the clench in his jaw, along with the sweet smolder in his midnight eyes.

“His best friend, Verse.” Finding some area to sound my voice.

“Hellloooo, Verse.” The smooth drawl from Zailey grows seduction until the end. It doesn’t help that she is right. Verse is a lengthy fool who has that Asian persuasion going on.

“God, Zailey, keep it dry.” Harper’s tone is on the verge of kidding. But it only seems like she is trying to contain herself.

“Vayden, this is Verse’s little brother. He is my best friend.” I introduced them to the crew.

“Don’t look too little to me, honey.” Zailey again hits a home run.

“Food, can we go eat some? Before I literally throw up all over your paved driveway.” Harper gags and attempts to throw up.

“Did she say, brothers? Hey! Have you guys ever tagged-team?” Zailey elbows her side, offering some of the action.

“What the actual f**k? You are disgusting?” Harper shakes her head, coping with our friend’s devious ways.

“Just because you’ve settled on riding one stick for the foreseeable future doesn’t mean I have to be confined to missionary thoughts.” Giving us an eyeful as she licks her lips.

“Verse? Did you say his name was? If you happen to like being tied up and having your dignity stripped, Zailey, here is your girl.” Harper doesn’t try to back down from a challenge.

“I could get into that.” Verse, who both girls try hard to look away from. Don’t know what they think we are doing down here in Oklahoma, but apparently, we are doing it right.

“See no harm in flirting; the universe doesn’t know what I want until I ask.” Harper side glares at Zailey, hoping this isn’t how the trip will be.

It seems Z is on the prowl, and hunting season just opened.

“Is this the famous Stormy in the flesh? She is quite feisty.” Lawson tangles his arms around me. I soak up the attention because it seems to come and go with him.

“The one and only, but the rest of the men I play with calling me danger.” Z winks at Verse, and he growls, tempting her back.

“I hope the holy one swallows you up for that, you compulsive slut.” Harper is done with the flirtation as she drags Zailey back to the car; at least there weren’t any threats of tongues getting cut out.

We all squish into a booth at the local diner. Fried goodies arrive, and the boys dig.

“So…Lawson, where did you find our sweet, innocent Olallie? Was it on the playground? She’s only fourteen years old, you know; don’t be tricked.” Zailey is at it again, and Harper has lost all energy taming her.

Harper’s shoulders are stuck between Vayden and one of Lawson’s cousins.

Grease coats my hand as I grab plenty of fries to chuck at Z’s smug face.

“I wouldn’t say she has much innocence left.” Lawson coughs into his shoulder and fist bumps Verse. Vayden shakes his head, as we already know who won that battle.

“Showing your age, gentlemen.” The one comment Harper makes during lunch.

“Oh, dirty girl! Have you popped her cherry vessel? Has your petal been plucked? When did this happen? Wait, don’t tell me, was it in the locker room? Or under the moonlight on her balcony?” A celebration of joy boasts out of Zailey’s mouth.

Vayden leans closer to Harper as he whispers, “Girl never stops talking, does she?” His lips move, and I read them carefully.

“Just wait until you get her drunk, she becomes philosophical. Wait, I forget you all are underage. None of you even know what alcohol tastes like, right?” Shoving his shoulder back to his area.

The next thing I know, the table grows silent, and I can’t help but laugh. Root beer doesn’t agree as it finds the path out of my nose, not agreeing with the laughter.

“Oh, Jesus!” Verse scatters away, jumping on someone’s lap.

“f**k, it tingles.” My confession is so quiet I don’t even hear it in my own ears. I continue to cough a little more, bringing in new air.

“That’s what she said!” Vayden nearly grunts it out.

“Vayden!” Zailey chastises him.

“Sorry, I hate myself for it. But damn, it was going to happen one way or another.”

“Damn, baby. That was some extremist range.” The table literally vibrates with laughter; I think we are all grateful to be around each other at this moment.

“Where are we headed tonight?” Zailey looking for anything to take her mind off of home.

“We’ve got a surprise for you girls.” As the airflow clears up, I sing them my sentence.

“Great, we’re breaking someone out of jail again.” Vayden’s shoulders dip down.

“Again? Man, Harper, I think we are missing out on some fun times here. Maybe we need to relocate to a new environment.” Eyes shine bright with hope, too eager for the change. Hate to be the one to break it to her, but there is a battlefield on the home front. One, I am not winning.

“We are not moving out to Oklahoma. No offense.” Harper makes the statement.

“None taken; you’ve got to have thick blood to survive out here.” A wink reaches over to her from Verse.

“Don’t taunt her; she knows to which the degrees of hell truly burn, my friend.” Z swoops in with a victory.

“What will you do without your beloved m*******a? It’s only medical here.” Best friends start negotiating back and forth.

“I could get a prescription.” Zailey is overactive when it comes to solutions.

“Because you get along with doctors so well.” Harper is a good friend, keeping us humble.

“Enough of this banter. It’s getting dark, so let’s move out.” A spark from Verse’s lips lets loose.

“Do we need to change?” Our wildfire friend asks with a hint of persuasion.

“Got anything shorter that shows off your ass?” He winks; Harper and I can only imagine this ending very badly.

“I think I do; let me look in my bag. Here it is, Verse.” She flips the bird.

“Oh, sour attitude. Won’t be getting you the good weed I bought for this joyous occasion.”

“What flavor? Give it to me!”

“Only for a kiss?” Verse tries to provoke her, but he is gambling with the queen.

“Where?” Takes the bait to get her buzz.

“God, you are hopeless!” Harper’s head tips back to let the children fight over their consumption.

As if it appears to register in my nostrils, “I can smell it from here.” It’s subtle at first and almost sweet like a flower about to be born.

“What? I can’t even smell it, baby.” With a big whiff, Lawson tries to inhale the scent.

I shrug when Harper eyes me suspiciously.

“O? Olallie?” Lawson’s next to me, gently tugging on my hair. I blinked rapidly, trying to cover up whatever she was reading on my face.

My friends make comments about the building looking like an old train station. We arrive, and I can feel the music vibrating from the car. Hudson’s Hook flushes with a marquee sign.

“This is your cousin's place?” Those two have been joined at the hip; Verse and Zailey perfectly balance out each other.

“No, this is Lawson’s cousin. Most of his cousins are the Sonny boys.” Verse shouts back to her.

The carefree vibe affects everyone in the area.

“Sonny boys?” Only Z would need to know all the specific details of a stranger’s life.

“Hudson, Lawson, most of the guys have a son on the end of their names. Except for his little sister, Crimsyn. We call her sin. It all started with his oldest cousin Dawson; he’s been in lock up for a couple years now. But there are about ten to twenty of them in sum.” Verse explains it better than I could have, having more information about the group of gentlemen.

“Small town trends?”

“You have no idea.” Verse nods with her.

Now I do; I have plenty of ideas. Small towns and their legacies, their languages for love. Reputations and last names rule over ethical behavior, all to support one another.

“Ladies, this is my friend Hazel.” They look her over and appraise her worth to our circle.

“Her name is jailbait!” Lawson and his cousins, in unison, yell over my head.

“Hello, Hazel, is the story behind the nickname as fascinating as I want it to be?” Zailey shifts around Verse while Vayden sidesteps by Harper, ensuring no one comes close enough to touch them.

“Not nearly as the obvious.” Hazel waves goodbye and goes to find her other friends.

Having Harper and Zailey close and safe makes me spin deeper into Lawson’s chest. He begins to sway, and I latch on to the amount of vulnerability he gives to me. Wishing, this time, it might be enough.

Lawson hums along to the rhythm of the song next to my cheek. Slow dancing to the bodies that are dry humping the air in response.

A few feet away, Harper stops moving. Zailey asks her what’s wrong. But I can’t read the rest and the music is too loud to hear it.

Hours go by; Harper’s and Zailey’s smiles grow. I shake my head at Verse, who shrugs and enjoys the show.

Let’s head back to my house. My throat is scratchy with the intent to speak. I use my hands to sign our dismissal.

Wait! I’ve got to use the restroom. Feeling needing to pee, I halt our movements to the doors.

“I’ll go with her, might as well release the dam.” Zailey closes her hands around mine.

Laughing—it’s the only thing that comes out of my mouth. “Oh my God, have you always been this funny?” Harper must be rolling higher than I thought possible. But it is lovely to see her spirit free without restraint.

“You don’t think I’m funny when you’re not high.” Zailey makes sure to remember this when both of them are sober.

“Oh my goodness, I should. You are hilarious. Ow! My sides hurt.” Leaning to one side as the humor turns to pain for Harper.

The crowd around me is loud, and I can’t help but wonder if they all hurt like I have. Zailey goes before me, but Lawson stops and whispers in my ear.

Continuing a conversation we had a few nights ago in the room down the hall.

“It isn’t a void; it’s a vacant spot that only you can fill. My life is good, better than most. I’m not trying to use you as some filter to escape. I love you, ghost girl, a lot. It’s hard to admit sometimes, but being with you is a reward.”

“Lawson…I can’t….” Can’t trust you, can’t trust me. Not worthy of whatever love you want to develop between us. I’m just not the girl who gets a say in having a happily ever after.

I am cursed with new beginnings, and each push back reminds me of the endings.

“Excuse me.” He lifts me up and places me out of his way as he exits.

After gaining my balance, I follow him through the winding corridor.

“Lawson?”

“I think I saw him go in there with Kalonie.” A girl with freckles and sunken eyes waves at the door at the end. I push past them with a polite thank you.

Confused doesn’t explain the helplessness I feel.

I screwed up.

“Lawson.”

“Well, well, well, here she is. How are you doing cuddling up with your boy toy, sister?” Kalonie cackles, and her squad mimics the same.

“Kalonie, I didn’t mean to intrude. Excuse me, I was looking for—”

“Lawson? Funny, because he was wrapped around Yolanda last week, and I think the week before it was you, wasn’t it, Anastasia? Seems you are the new flavor of the week.”

“Excuse me, I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“Stay; we have something to show you.”

Before I can question what the reveal will be, a bucket appears, and I want nothing more than to disappear into a vast emptiness like my mother did.

“What are you going to do?” Words stutter, and I really wish I could use my hands to have the time delay to ask.

But the girls under Kalonie’s control don’t answer. I don’t understand, and half of me is terrified. It’s only when my hands are shoved in the bucket do I start to realize real evil.

It burns.

Whatever liquid is being poured, splashes, and I try to cover my eyes with my shoulders. The smell of battery acid brings another awareness to my senses. This isn’t good, a strong odor of bleach also comes along, and I fear for the future of my interpreters.

Her clones strap my hands down harder, and the skin on my translators begins to blister.

“Stop, stop. Please, I need…don't do this….” I beg, even though it goes against everything, I don’t want to be right now, weak or feeble.

But they refuse my pleas. I swallow my screams, tilt my head back as the tears move to recede.

“Welcome home, baby sister.” It’s too sweet, her voice so appealing I can understand the control it has on others.

They retreat with laughter so full I start to consider that I may be mistaken for the events.

My head begins to sway, the smell too toxic to stop. But I remove my hands and dab them dry as quickly as possible.

“Olallie? You in here? Jailbait has been looking for you….” Vayden peeks his head in, looking around before spotting me.

“Olallie—what happened? Oh my God, oh my God! Who did this? Why?” He crumbles, and I can’t shift much to ease his shock.

“Hospital, please.” The sturdy instruments that I’ve trained since before I could walk now shake with uncertainty.

Lifting me without question, my new friend Hazel comes into the room. She screams, and again, I am caught off guard by the scene.

“Find my brother and Lawson. Grab my car, bring it to the front.”

We stumble out of the hallway, everyone smashing themselves against the walls trying not to get close to us.

Because what if being a victim becomes contagious?

“What the f**k? Where is she?” Zailey runs to my side; she can’t take her eyes off my hands. The poor condition leaves us mourning.

The next thing I know, Vayden holds me tighter. Kalonie comes out in a different outfit. She looks over to us, and I swear a gleam of pride fills her eyes.

Z doesn’t miss it either.

She has my sister by the throat against the doorframe. Z punches to the gut, then knees Kalonie’s Brazilian wax. Another hand goes to her hair and tugs for good measure.

Before she can follow another blow, Kalonie’s friends are at the attack, backing her up. Harper’s focus flutters to her and me. She steps toward one girl, pinching a nerve in the shoulder, and the girl falls away silently.