Battle-Hardened, War Weary Ch. 02

Getting into the bathtub felt like a chore, for Kali. She would paused because the pain was too much. Plus the hot water was unbearable. Once submerged in the water, she was relieved. She was happy for the chance to wash the scent of Ryan off of her skin. She was relieved that she was able to try to forget the memories of tonight from her mind. Absent-mindedly, she cleaned herself off.

'When will this end? How do I put a stop to this? How?'

She tried to come up with ideas but she didn't come up with one. She realized that that bastard had all of his bases covered, when it came to his blackmail. The thought of spending an indefinite amount of time being this monster's concubine frightened her.

'I would rather kill myself than to spend the rest of my life with this monster,' she concluded.

Kali placed the wet washcloth and the bar of soap on the edge of the bathtub. She leaned her back against the tub and she tucked her legs close to her torso. She wept openly. Her brain thought back to the events that led to the fucked up predicament that she was going through now.

When Kali Richardson found the invitation in the stack of mail that was in her mailbox, she knew that it was an invitation to a function. The fancy and soft paper that was used for the envelope, along with the black wax that kept the envelope sealed, gave it away. She thought the invitation was an invite to a wedding for one of her co-workers. She was contemplating on what type of gift to buy as she opened the envelope.

It wasn't an invitation to a wedding, like she thought. She learned that it was an invitation to a function that served as a high school reunion. The reunion was going to take place in a banquet hall in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, during the evening hours. There was an instruction for the invited to call a number, for the R.S.V.P.

Kali originally planned on not attending the reunion. She thought that it was a nice idea for her old classmates to get together and reminisce. But she didn't have the urge to meet up with them. It wasn't until Kali's co-worker and best friend, Katrina, found out about the invitation. She persuaded Kali to attend the function. She even helped Kali find a dress to wear to the event.

On the night of the reunion, she had shown up to the Waldorf-Astoria wearing a gorgeous knee-length, clingy black dress that covered her scars and made her look beautiful. Her hair was straightened and styled in a chic bun. Her makeup was flawless.

Even though she looked beautiful and stylish, she felt like a pauper once she arrived to the hotel. Kali felt out of place while she was walking through the swanky hotel's lobby. The feeling intensified as she entered the banquet hall. She glanced around the large room, took a gander at the guests and the decorations. She noticed that everyone looked like they belonged there.

"Kay Ray?"

Hearing her old nickname, Kali slipped out of her thoughts. She discovered that the person was Daniel Logan who stood behind her. During her high school years, she held a crush on Daniel. She thought that he was handsome then and as she gawked at him, she thought he was still handsome. He stood before her, in a European-cut, three-piece suit. His suit was the color of navy blue and was tailored to his big, muscular body. Underneath his blazer, there was a navy blue vest with ivory pinstripes. He wore a white, crisp buttoned down shirt and a metallic ruby tie. His brown, shoulder-length hair was styled in a debonair manner.

"Hi Daniel," she greeted him with her voice soft and demure.

"Hey Kay, how are you?" he asked. He walked up to her and gave her a hug. She was surprise by the sudden act of endearment, but warmed up to it.

"I'm doing fine, Daniel. How are you?" she asked him as they separated.

"I'm doing well. I'm just happy to be home, even though I am here for only a few days. I like living in St. Louis, but I love living in New York."

"Oh, congratulations by the way, Daniel, on the football career! I'm sure your parents were thrilled to hear your name called, when you were picked to play for Missouri. I watched the entire draft, even though I didn't know what the hell was going on."

Daniel laughed and she joined in.

"I am happy that I was picked for a team and I wasn't left undrafted," he explained to her.

"Well, I am happy for you," she told him.

There was an awkward silence between the two of them. The sounds of various conversations from other guests and the music were the only sounds that were heard.

"Are you meeting up with anyone here?" he asked her, after a moment.

"No," she said with a shake of her head. "I'm not waiting for anyone."

"Oh good, would you mind if we hang out for a moment?"

"No, I don't mind," stated Kali.

The two classmates ended up finding an unoccupied table and sat down. They ended up conversing. Each person discussed the comings and goings of their lives, after they graduated from Bainbridge Academy. They discussed their careers with each other. They shared jokes. Both individuals spoke about various topics.

It was during a conversation, when two more of their former classmates joined their table. Kali remembered Chai Kincaid and Deer Parker as being great friends to Daniel Logan. Like Daniel, Chai and Deer were nice and friendly towards fellow classmates, when they were in high school. She remembered that they were known as the "perfect couple". They were inseparable. Once Kali learned that they were a married couple with six children, she wasn't surprise and she felt a little bit of jealousy.

A moment later, another former Bainbridge student had shown up to their table. His name was Carlo Rossi. Carlo wasn't fully accepted into Daniel's social circle, but when he did turn up, he wasn't shunned. He was Ryan Whittler's friend and ever since Daniel Logan was Ryan's best friend, Carlo was invited into their circle. Kali didn't like him and she didn't trust him. He reminded her of her step-father. Like her step-father, she thought that Carlo was capable of being a violent person. She wasn't the only person who didn't like Carlo Rossi. Half of the student population had ostracized him due to his penchant for fabricating, especially when he wanted to portray himself as a tough guy.

Soon after Carlo's arrival, Ryan Whittler had shown up to their table. Kali felt her heart make a series of rapid thumps in her chest, when she caught sight of him. There was a heavy dose of anticipation and a sense of excitement inside of her. She felt like she had just come upon a long-lost, loved relative. She had a strong urge to run over to him and hug him and to try to never let go, just like she did when they were nine years old. Then she remembered the Ryan Whittler that she had gone to school with, eight years ago. Starting from their freshman year of high school, Ryan had undergone a character transformation. He wasn't the same person that she had as a friend. This "new" Ryan Whittler was an androgynous-elitist-Ziggy Stardust wannabe. He was emotionally cold towards her. He didn't acknowledge her presence, even if she was standing next to her.

During the event, the groups of former students chatted about themselves and reminisced about their childhood and teenaged years. A few hours before the function's climax, Ryan invited each person to his recently renovated mansion, for some 'after hours' fun. Deer and Chai declined his offer, ever since they needed to return home to their children. But Daniel and Carlo accepted his invitation. Kali, like Deer and Chai, had declined his offer. She thought that the school-sanctioned function was enough fun for her. Daniel, Carlo and Ryan refused to accept her decision. They gave her a dose of friendly-badgering until Kali relented and changed her decision of going home.

Ryan, Daniel, Carlo and Kali had left the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel before the event was over. The four of them was greeted by Ryan's chauffeur and the stretched Bentley limousine that was parked in front of the hotel. They traveled to Ryan's midtown home where they resumed their celebrating. They spent a few hours chatting and drinking expensive champagne, along with other liquors.

"I'm bored," Carlo says, out of the blue and to no one in particular.

They were lounging in the living room. Ryan was stoking the fire in the fireplace while everyone else relaxed in chairs.

"I have an idea," Ryan announced as he placed the iron poker back into its holder. "Let's watch a movie in my media room. I've been meaning to use the damn room. I've spent more than a million dollars putting it together. And I have the perfect movie for us to watch."

"Good idea," commented Daniel. His speech was slurred, Kali noticed. "Maybe this will be the perfect thing to sober me up." He had taken a long sip out of the glass of bourbon that he was holding.

"That sounds like fun, folks," Kali said to the three of them as she rose from the chaise lounge that she was sitting on. "But I have to go home now. It is late."

Carlo, Daniel and Ryan boo'ed at her.

"Come on and stay, Kay Ray!" slurred Daniel, before taking another sip from his glass.

"No, I am going. Besides, I'm sure that you're sick of me intruding on your guys' time—

"No, no, no you're not intruding and besides if I wanted to be alone with these two dickheads, I wouldn't have invited you to hang out with us," stated Ryan.

Kali looked at each one of the guys' faces. 'When was the last time you actually stay out past midnight?' her conscience asked. 'We need to have more fun.'

Kali sighed in resignation. "All right guys, I'll stay but I am only staying for one movie."

Ryan escorted Daniel, Carlo and Kali to his media center, which was located in the first, out of the three sublevels, sub-levels of his home. The room was converted into a mini movie theater with forty reclining seats, surround sound and a movie projector screen that was one-hundred feet long and seventy-five feet wide.

The group had settled into the four seats that were situated in the middle rows. Daniel and Carlo had sat in one row while Kali sat in row that was in front of them. Ryan had left the group, so he could start up the movie projector.

A moment later, the ceiling lights dimmed. Carlo and Daniel cheered while Kali laughed at the two of them. Ryan returned to the group and had taken a seat next to Kali, which surprised her. She thought that his gesture was odd. She remembered how he used to ignore her, when they were in high school. Now, he was willing to act all buddy-buddy with her.

'Maybe he has changed, Kali. Have you ever thought of that? High school did end eight years ago and a lot can happen to a person in eight years.'

The movie screen had flickered to life. The film begins with the 'snowing effect'. Then the film's next shot was an aerial shot of a large room that was filled with teenagers. There was a party taking place in this opening shot. Kali figured out that this 'film' was really a home movie. She recognized a few of the kids at the party. They were also Bainbridge Academy students.

The camera man-director shown off an aerial shot for a few seconds, before he yelled out "Everyone, say 'what's up' to the camera!" The crowd of kids started screaming at the camera man and waving their hands.

Kali figured out that the director of this film was Ryan.

The film cut to another scene. This time, the setting was a kitchen. There was a mob of teenagers in the kitchen. A small crowd of them have gathered around in a corner. The rest of the kids were hanging around. In the movie, the teenaged Ryan spoke to a few kids. Then the film undergone through a series of scenes, where people like Chai, Deer, Carlo, Daniel and a few of their friends were introduced.

As the scenes unfold, Kali started to remember certain incidents that made her realized that she was also at that same party.

'Why in the hell didn't I notice this before? Why can't I remember being there?'

As soon that inquiry was formed, Kali saw a teenaged version of herself on the one-hundred foot screen. In the film, she stood next to a friend of hers while her friend spoke to Ryan, who stood behind the camcorder. Kali knew that it was her because of the outfit that she wore: a pair of denim homemade shorts, an orange short and a denim jacket.

'Why can't I remember being there?'

She received her answer a few seconds later, when she watched her teenaged-self answer one of Ryan's questions.

"What do you plan on doing after graduating from Bainbridge?" Ryan asked, off-camera, to Kali.

Kali blinked her eyes a few times and then the small smile on her lips grew wider into a toothy grin. Then, with her voice slurred, she said to the camera "You," as she pointed her index finger at him. Then, she had taken a long pull from a large plastic red cup that was in her hand.

She was drunk, which is why she doesn't have a full grasp of memory from that night.

Kali heard Carlo let a cheer into the theater while she placed her face into her hands as the feelings of embarrassment and mortification overtook her. She felt a warm and gentle hand touch at the back of neck. Then it drifted down to her shoulders, where it provided a soothing caress. Kali lifted her head from off of her hands and she glanced at Ryan, who stared intently at her. She felt a blush creep up into her cheeks and neck. She let out a groan that she was sure that he didn't hear. Reluctantly, she continued to watch the movie.

The next scene was of Ryan walking through the hallways of the house. He then entered the living room and walked through the crowd of guests. Some of the guests even waved at the camera and said greetings as well. Teenaged Ryan found a chair to stand on. He pointed the camera at the crowd and then shouted "BAINBRIDGE CLASS OF 1992 MAKE SOME MOTHERFUCKING NNNNNNNNOOOOOIIIISSSSSEEE!!!" The group of kids started to scream and shout at the camera. Abruptly the scene was cut and a new scene was shown.

"Now here comes the good part!" Carlo announced.

Kali glanced over the back of her seat to stare at Carlo. He was too busy staring at the movie screen to even notice her stare. She returned her attention back to the movie.

The new scene consisted of a bathtub that was inside of a bathroom. The camera focused on the bathtub for a few seconds before making a panoramic view of the entire room. The camera's focus settled on the sink and the mirror that was mounted on the wall above.

Kali saw the reflection of the movie's director. It was indeed Ryan who was the camera man. It was a teenaged-18 year-old version of Ryan Whittler. He wore a torn up, black-and-pink shirt and a pair of dark blue jeans. On his head, he had a light blue, silk necktie wrapped around his head. In this movie, his hair was short and styled in a crew cut. Physically, he was gangly and tall. She watched as he silently removed his shirt while the camera still focused on the mirror.

Kali started to feel uncomfortable. She didn't know what was about to unfold. She continued to watch the scene.

"Tonight is the night..." the teenager said to the mirror, before he started to flex the muscles in his biceps.

There was raucous laughter from the back of the theater. It was from Carlo. "You skinny, Ginger motherfucker, look at you!" Carlo shouted at Ryan.

Kali glanced at Ryan, who smiled but looked unease. She let out a series of nervous giggles. Then she turned her attention back to the film.

On the large screen, the teenaged Ryan had just stepped out of his underwear and jeans. His penis bobbed up and down a few times just before it had settled down.

After the sight of her childhood friend's wang, Kali looked away from the screen. 'Oh my God...' she thought. The notion that she was about to witness a viewing of Ryan Whittler's homemade porno, was the signal letting her know that it was time for her to go home. She necessarily didn't have to go home, but she knew that she had to leave that house. She was about to get out of her chair, when Ryan suddenly grabbed her wrist. She glanced at him.

"Stay, you're about to see the best part of the movie," he said to her.

"No thanks. I am not in the mood to watch your home porno, Ryan," she informed him. "It's been... um..." She tried to think of a word that can describe that evening. She couldn't think of one. "... It's been nice seeing you again." She had taken a few steps pass him. "Have a good night." She looked over to Carlo and Daniel. She waved to Carlo. She was about to wave to Daniel, but she saw that he was passed out. She walked out of the row of chairs and was descending the stairs to travel to the theater's exit.

"Yo, dude, this bitch is hot and ready!" Then she heard a series of moaning. It sounded as if it had come from a woman. Or perhaps a wounded animal that was in the threshold of death.

Kali stopped climbing down the stairs. She looked at the screen.

Teenaged Ryan and his camcorder had entered a bedroom, where the room was filled with furniture that screamed '1980's décor. The camera panned over to the massive bed, where there were two people. Kali recognized one of the people as Carlo, who was absolutely naked. He stood by the side of the bed. Carlo stared into the camera. He appeared to be ecstatic.

"She is so fucking wet, man! Listen to her, man!" he said to Ryan. The moaning continued. Then the camera panned down to the moaning woman's face.

Kali saw the person's face. Her heart stopped beating and her brain stopped functioning, she believed. When she came to, all she could hear was a horrifying gasp. Then, she realized that the noise had come from her. She stood on the step. A wave of nausea struck her in her stomach. She felt light-headed. She took a step and slightly stumbled. But, she continued to stare at her face as it was featured on the large screen.

'ENOUGH WITH THIS' Kali thought.

Kali used her fist to pound at the layer of water that was inside of the tub. She wished that it was the face of Ryan. She wiped the tears off of her face. The bathwater was cool, which let her know that she spent a long time in the bath tub.

She let out a heaving sigh before stepping out of the tub. Once she drained the water out of the tub, she left the bathroom and prepared herself for bed.

Walking on a steady limp, she made her way into her bedroom. The room was dimly lit, thanks to the fuchsia-colored scarves covered the tops of her nightstand lamps. She walked over the large entertainment center that was diagonal from her canopy bed. She opened a cabinet door to reveal her television and her stereo system. Tonight, she wanted to soothe herself, so she chose to listen to some music. She powered on the stereo and used the CD player. Soon, her bedroom was filled up with music.

"... My life, my life, my life, my life... In the sunshine... Everybody loves the sunshine... Sunshine... Sunshine... Everybody loves the sunshine...Sunshine... Folks get down in the sunshine... Oooooh..."

Kali walked away from the entertainment center, across the room and traveled over to her dresser where she stood in front. She stared at her reflection from the large round mirror that was attached to the furniture. She removed the towel that she wore and tossed it on her bed. She felt moisture on her bare bottom so she wiped at the fluid with her hand. She noticed there was a streak of blood on her fingers and palm. She stared down at the substance.

'I have to go to the doctor tomorrow. I can go see Katrina.'

Using the discarded towel, she wiped away the blood that was on her hand. She didn't see the point in putting on any pajamas, because she knew that her clothes were going to be ruined by the blood. Instead she wrapped her towel around her waist and then walked over to the doorway, where the light switch was located. She darkened her bedroom and made her way over to the right side of her bed.