Disclaimer

sex/subtext: subtext? of course.

violence: a smidge, yes.

feedback: can be directed to me at red_hope@yahoo.com

started: August 28, 2003 – Thursday

Series 3: Putting the Puzzle Together Series Number: 19 Story Number: 57

Maryland State Trooper #1153
The Test Trial Ứber
by Red Hope

Part XXI

Katia strolled into the cafeteria lobby and pulled out her cell phone from the chest pocket of her grey wool jacket. She read the time and it was ten after noon, she knew Haley would arrive any minute. After a faint sigh, she dropped the mobile back into her pocket. She glanced to her right and saw the tack board where people would post updates, things for sale, and other various announcements.

Slowly, she turned her head back to the left and just then Haley came inside, her bright blond curly hair flying behind her. Katia instantly smiled at her friend.

Haley laughed some after she stepped through the heavy glass doors. "Hey, babe." She quickly pulled her friend into a warm hug. "How are you?" she whispered in Katia's area.

Katia smiled in the middle of the hug. "Good." She pulled back and her smile dropped some. "How about you?"

"Wonderful." Haley was grinning as she released her friend. "That cop of yours sure has made things fun for me."

Katia faintly cringed at the mention of the trooper's ticket from the party. "Yeah... sorry about that."

Haley laughed and threw her arm around her friend's shoulders. "Not to worry, babe." She led her friend into the main hall of the cafeteria where they were instantly hit by the smell of turkey and mash potatoes. "Must be Thanksgiving training."

Katia crinkled up her nose when she took in the scent as well. "I think so," she quietly agreed then got into the line and picked up a maroon tray and a plate. In the corner of her eye, she saw Haley following her lead.

"I'm sorry I took a bit, babe," started Haley, "but the professor was going on and on." She rolled her brown eyes. "It was so uncool."

Katia giggled some but she was busy getting some of the turkey then some sweet potatoes that were mashed.

"Babe... you're like not going to eat that?" Haley pointed at the orange potatoes. She then grabbed the fork to get the turkey.

"Yes, I am," stated Katia, she mocked glared then quickly went down the line.

Haley shivered just at the thought of eating southern sweet potatoes. She grabbed her tray and hurried after her friend to the dessert bar. She too grabbed a small plate that contained a slice of pumpkin pie like Katia had a second ago.

Together, the friends went to the cashier where they scanned their college ID cards. After they were checked out, they went straight ahead into the main dining hall and found a small table in a corner area. Haley had been the one to pick it out.

Once the two friends were settled down in their chairs, did they quietly start to eat at first. It wasn't until about five or six minutes into the meal that Haley finally broke the silence. "So how have things been?"

"Pretty good," remarked Katia, "No complaints."

Haley's expression suddenly fell into disbelief. "That's not what I've heard," she retorted.

Katia quickly looked up from her sweet potatoes. "What'd you hear?"

"Come on, girl." Haley shook her head and scooped up some of her potatoes. "Like who's my connection in the gang?"

"Sara," grumbled Katia, "I know."

"Exactly." Haley grinned and took in a mouth full of the mashed potatoes.

Katia was busy shaking her head as she tried to figure out what Sara would have told her. "What was it?"

"What was what?" asked Haley.

Katia's shoulders dropped. "What did Sara tell you?" She then glared when Haley just smirked at her.

"Like what didn't she tell me?" Haley laughed and went back to eating.

Katia however became a little frustrated but she knew her friend. She knew Haley could only hold out for so long. Haley would give into her if not lecture her, she grinned at thought.

"So what's up with you and this hot cop, huh?"

Katia groaned louder than she meant to and she prayed nobody was looking at her. She slowly lifted her intense green eyes to lock on Haley. "Nothing is up."

"What? You two aren't together yet?"

"Haley," drew out Katia, "I'm straight, remember?" She grabbed her fork and started to cut her turkey slice while saying, "Besides, I'm dating Bobby."

"Honey...." Haley reached over and gently rested her hand on one of Katia's. "It's okay to be bi too." Haley's sudden grin made Katia growl in frustration at hearing this same comment again.

"I'm not bi either," she hissed. "You and Sara... Erin too, need to just quit."

"Sorry, babe... we got plans for you." Haley pulled her hand away. "Even Mikie."

"Plans? What?" Katia suddenly put her utensils down and found herself a mix of confused and annoyed. "What you mean... plans?"

Haley wiggled a little uneasily in her chair and tried to hastily come up with a response, a good one. She kept a serious expression as her mind whizzed with ideas to say. She chewed on her lower lip then looked at Katia rather seriously. "Katia, we just don't think that... well Bobby is the one."

"And what? Ashley is?" almost snapped Katia. She was growing tired of the constant bantering she was getting from her friends about her and Ashley.

"No, no." Haley held up her hands in defence. "We just don't think Bobby is it."

"And I don't plan on marrying him," countered Katia. "If that's what ya'll are so worried about."

Haley inwardly grumbled at how this was going, not in the direction she wanted. "It's not that." She sighed and tried to rethink the best way to phrase this to her friend. "I'm just concerned Bobby might hurt you, Katia."

"What?" Katia almost wanted to laugh but a fear tugged in the back of her mind. "He's not going to do anything. He's fine... I'm fine, we're fine."

Haley bit her lower lip then quietly said, "Maybe you're fine and the relationship is... for now."

"For now?" Katia felt a little worried now. "What's that mean? Have you heard things?"

Haley reached up and brushed back several strands of curly blond hair. "There's a lot of things flying on the G. Yah know, sweetie?"

"Things?" repeated Katia, her eyes narrowed. "Like what?" She leaned forward in her chair. "Name some things."

Haley knew this was going nowhere and if she said anything wrong, her friend would most likely explode. "They say he deals with drugs, Katia." Her eyes flickered up to two guys that passed by their tables, when they left she looked at Katia again. "You know the date rape drug? Roofies?" She saw Katia faintly nod her head. "Supposedly he sells that stuff on campus."

"Bobby wouldn't," protested Katia, "he doesn't even...."

"Katia...." Haley reached over and again took her friend's hand. "They're just rumours, honestly and you know how rumours go. Suddenly his morning aspirin is the date rape." She shrugged then added, "But where there's smoke... there's fire."

Katia tried to swallow that lump in her throat but she couldn't and she couldn't suppress her fears. She gradually leaned back into her seat but she refused to completely believe the rumours. There had to be more, much more to it. "When did you hear this?" she whispered.

"At that party," quietly replied Haley, "Shanarah and I had been talking to a friend of ours." She too leaned back into her seat.

Katia was staring down at her food and she realized she really didn't feel like eating it now. Her stomach turned but she peered over at Haley once more. "Have you heard whether he uses it at all?"

"I don't know," confessed Haley. "I just heard he might be dealing it." She felt her guilt come over her for starting this. She hadn't meant to tell Katia anything about the rumours. She'd just hoped she could have urged Katia to rethink the relationship. Well she was certain now she had Katia rethinking the relationship and a few other things as well.

Katia slumped in her chair some as she felt rather torn. She felt rather half and half, she believed her friend but they were just rumours. Yet between the kiss she'd last had with Bobby and some strange reminder he gave her, she couldn't shake her fears. There was something she was missing and she wasn't sure what.

"Look, babe." Haley sat forward again. "Just... maybe talk to him and see how he reacts. Maybe you'll be able to decide for yourself." She then sighed and whispered, "Just be careful, above all."

"I will," promised Katia.

Haley in part didn't believe the promise because she knew how Katia never cared for herself. That was why she and the rest of Katia's friends had made it their mission to look after Katia. Some kind of hidden pact between the circle of friends. And right now, Haley wanted to keep her friend's mind off the problems with Bobby. She eased a smile onto her lips and asked, "You went on a double-date, right?"

Katia caught the faint teasing tone and she couldn't help but smile too. "Yeah, we did."

Haley picked up her fork and decided to finish her meal in hopes it'd get Katia to eat again. "How was it?"

Katia chuckled and stared down at her food. "Good... really good." She felt a little calmer and her little lion in her stomach growled at her. She decided to just maybe try the sweet potatoes again. "I met Ashley's girlfriend too."

Haley stopped midway of bringing up a fork full of mashed potatoes. "Far out." She laughed and put the fork into her mouth.

"No it wasn't," protested Katia. She bitterly huffed while she stirred her sweet potatoes around with her fork. "She was a total bitch."

Haley's mouth suddenly hung open and her friend giggled at her white mouth. She suddenly shut her mouth and hissed, "Katia Danforth."

"What?" protested Katia. She shrugged then shovelled up a helping of sweet potatoes. "She was and Ashley knows it."

"Wait," protested Haley, "if she knows it then why is she dating this chic?"

"I don't know," grumbled Katia. "It's like... she's waiting for something better to come along."

Haley was so quick to reply to that but she stopped the comment just in the nick of time. She quickly put her attention into cutting up the turkey. "You think that's it?" She grinned and said, "Maybe she likes torturing herself."

Katia couldn't help but snicker. "I think so too." She ate some of her turkey then after she swallowed the meat down, she glanced at her friend. "But she's here today and tomorrow." She shook her head. "Laurel just dropped in really randomly too."

"Probably to check up on Ashley." Haley suddenly smirked. "You're playing in Laurel's territory, babe... I'm telling you."

Katia snickered and pushed her turkey into the sweet potatoes some to coat the meat. "Maybe then Laurel will appreciate Ashley more."
"You think it's that bad?" questioned Haley. "Between them?"

Katia just shrugged. "I'm not sure." She lifted her sweet potato covered turkey and thoughtfully chewed on it. She dropped her head to one side and said, "But I know I would not treat Ashley like that if I dated her." She huffed.

Haley bit back her grin and kept her face down as she pierced a few pieces of turkey. "You should talk to her. Yah know, babe?" She put the turkey into her mouth and after she ate it, she added, "Maybe you can convince her to leave Laurel... find somebody better."

"Yeah right." Katia grumbled some then explained, "We already got into a fight about that."

"Honey, that's the problem right there." Haley shook her head and her long locks shook with her head. "You have to talk to her... not fight with her." She returned her focus to the meal. "If you tell her she needs a new girlfriend, she'll whine and protest. But if you just talk to her and get her to see how bad things are or how better they can be...." She grinned as she lifted her head. "Then you can get her to rethink the relationship."

"Then maybe get her to break-up," concluded Katia.

"You got it, babe," agreed Haley. She grinned before stuffing the turkey into her mouth.

"You think that would really work?" mused aloud Katia.

Haley almost choked on her food at the question. She quickly swallowed her food and said, "Katia, she listens to you and believes everything you say. You can convince her." She slowly felt a grin pull at her lips. "Even though she gave me a fine and she should rot in a bad relationship, I know it's not right."

Katia giggled at Haley's joke. "Yeah well she felt bad about that fine."

"Yeah sure and I'm like the goddess of love, babe," joked Haley. She pointed her fork at Katia. "She loved giving me that fine; I saw her smirk with my own eyes."
Katia sensed her own smirk pulling at her lips. "Yeah... I think you're right."

"Babe, I know I'm so right." Haley grinned when Katia chuckled at her. She and Katia continued to talk about Ashley more. Haley couldn't help but grin from ear to ear at how Katia's eyes lit up every time she said Ashley's name. Haley felt so warm at all the love Katia had for Ashley but she was also frustrated. She'd play match maker for all her life and she'd never had a harder time with matching than with this pair but she wouldn't fail them yet.

Eventually the friends finished their lunch and strolled outside of the cafeteria building and stood outside. They both hugged and Haley thanked her friend for the lunch date. As Haley went her way, Katia went her own way back to her dorm to get her books for the next class. And as she thought about Ashley and Bobby, she quickly realized she hadn't asked Ashley if she could stop by to introduce Bobby to her. Katia quickly reached into her left chest pocket and pulled out her cell phone. She brought up Ashley's number and pushed the Send button.

"Hey," greeted Katia. "Oh nothing much... getting ready to head to my next class." She smiled. "Yeah. How are you?" She faintly nodded her head but she lost her smile at Ashley's worn voice. "You have tomorrow off, right?" Slowly her head bobbed a few times. "That's what I thought." She looked up from the moving ground and studied the dorms coming into view. "No, no... I just wanted to see if you'd be home around six maybe six-thirty tonight?"

Katia slowly felt a small smile tug at her lips. "Yeah I just wanted to see if you'd like to meet Bobby. He's interested in meeting you." Her smile shaped into a grin. "Yeah right. He said the same thing about the party." She lost her grin and went more serious. "Okay, thanks... we should stop by around there."

As Katia's eyes focused on her dorm, she noted Sara sitting on the step with a cigarette. She waved to her friend and got one back. "Oh yeah, I called my folks last night actually. And guess what?" She slowly approached the steps of the dorm and she grinned at Sara. "They're not planning on anything... so I can come with you."

Sara lowered her cigarette from her lips and furrowed her eyebrows. Go with you? thought Sara in curiosity. Go with who? but Sara quickly figured out who when she realized just how happy Katia was acting.

"Okay. I can't wait. I haven't been to Rehoboth in years." Katia suddenly laughed and she jumped up onto one step and sort of hung off of it with the front of her feet. "Yes, show me around." She grinned some but it faintly disappeared. "Alright, Ash. I'll see you this evening then." She chuckled and nodded her head. "Okay... see you then. Bye."

"See you tonight?" teased Sara. She let the smoke filter between out of her mouth and she stood up. "You got a date with Aaaaashley?" she teased while throwing her cigarette butt into the butt tray on the bottom step.

"Yeah right... I have date with Bobby." Katia pointed the tip of her cell phone at her friend. "Thank you very much." She jumped over the three other steps and headed for the door.

"You sure act happier about the visit with Ashley than the date with Bobby," she loudly joked while she followed in her friend into the dorm.

"Whatever!" called Katia as she turned to the left and went into the stairwell.

Sara smirked but followed after her friend to go to the dorm room.

Erin lowered the book and put it on her stomach as she rested in her bed. She grinned at her roommate and girlfriend when they came into the room. "How are you, Katia?"

"Not bad." Katia went to her desk and went through her books until she got out her books for her next class then the bay class. "You'll be in class this afternoon?"

"Definitely." Erin then smiled up at her girlfriend when she sat on the edge of the bed.

Katia put her books into her book bag then slung her bag over her back. "I'll see you there." She went to the door and looked over at her friends. "Don't do anything on my bed either," she teased.

Sara smirked and said, "Oh don't worry."

Katia just rolled her eyes at her friend then left. "See yah!"

"Bye, Katia," called back Erin. When the door closed, she reached up with her right hand and her fingertips pressed under Sara's chin. "Hear anything yet?"

Sara softly smiled and started to lean down at Erin's command. "No," she whispered and her lips came closer to Erin's. "Hale will call... I'm sure."

"She will," softly agreed Erin. She then lifted her head and pressed her lips against her girlfriend's. She smiled into the kiss as Sara softly moaned and urged the kiss deeper.

It wasn't long though before Katia made it out of her class and was headed to the science building for her bay class with Erin and Bobby. When she entered the huge lecture hall, she went down a few steps and went down the long table that had one chair after the next connected to it. She plopped down into her usual spot and within a few seconds Erin appeared beside her.

"How was the sex?" quietly joked Katia.

Erin's eyes widened and she looked at Katia in surprise. "Katia," she hissed, "I cannot believe you."

Katia smirked and couldn't help her smug look. "Sorry... you and Sara have taught me well."

"Mikie too," chided the roommate. She pulled out her books and dropped them on the table. "And no, Sara and I haven't done anything."

"Aaanything?" repeated Katia.

"Beside the typical... playing around," lightly used Erin, "we haven't." She then suddenly glared at her roommate. "Why am I even discussing this with you?"
Katia laughed and leaned back into her chair. "Because you want to."

Erin's shoulders seemed to deflate. "You're right." She giggled with her roommate and leaned back into her chair as well.

It wasn't long before the professor began class and both Katia and Erin had noticed Bobby hadn't shown up yet. Not until about fifteen minutes into the lecture did Bobby and two other boys crept into the hall and went to their seats. Katia peered up at her boyfriend as he slipped down the aisle to his seat.

Bobby just shrugged at his girlfriend's questioning look. He then took his seat and opened his notebook.

"What's that about?" muttered Erin.

"I don't know," whispered Katia.

"You know who those guys were that he came in with?"

Katia didn't know them so she just shrugged. "Not really." She returned her focus to her note taking.

Erin just let it go and remained quiet throughout the rest of the lecture. She couldn't help but wonder what was going on with Bobby. She too had heard the rumours from Haley and Shanarah, and like Haley she was rather concerned for Katia's safety. She knew Katia had been into trouble months back and this was no time to repeat them. She was fearful for Katia.

The lecture seemed to drag out longer than normal and maybe because it was Friday. Every student and even the professor were itching to go and begin their weekend. And to many of the students' surprise, the professor let the class out early, about twenty minutes early at that.

As soon as Katia and Erin were outside of the science building, Bobby joined them and smiled at them. "How are you, Katia?"

Katia softly smiled at him and shifted closer to him. "I'm good. You?"

"Excellent." Bobby grinned and reached to take his girlfriend's hand. "Ready for tonight?"

Katia grinned but shook her head. "Not yet."

Bobby winked and squeezed her hand. He started down the steps with Katia to his left and Erin on his right. "How are you, Erin?"

"I'm good... real good." Erin smiled but it was rather fake, it was about all she good mustard for this guy. "How about you?"

"I'm great... ready for this weekend." Bobby grinned then winked at Katia's roommate.

"So you two are going out to dinner?" probed Erin.

"Yeah," replied Katia from the other side. "Oh and we're going to stop by Ashley's place."

Bobby quickly turned his head to Katia.

Erin almost wanted to laugh at Bobby's surprise expression but she just stopped herself.

"We are?" Bobby then suddenly smiled when he realized he'd asked Katia about it not long ago. "She's okay with it?"

"Oh yeah," replied Katia. "I told her we'd just stop, say hi, then run... I told her we're on a date."

Bobby nodded his approval and squeezed Katia's hand a little. "Great. I can't wait to meet her."

Katia smiled but more at the fact she'd see Ashley. But on the inside, her stomach turned with worry about how Ashley would take to Bobby. She could only imagine how the state trooper would react if she ever found out the rumours about Bobby. She had no intentions of ever telling Ashley.

It wasn't long before the group made it back to the Severn dorm and everybody went their separate way. Katia wasn’t the only one on a date that night; her roommate as well had a date with her girlfriend. So both Katia and Erin fussed over who got the shower first then hurried to change into their clothes. Right around the same time they finished together and decided to leave together. They both knew that Sara and Bobby’s dorms were next door to each other so they decided to stick together.

“Looking forward to tonight?” quietly asked Erin.

Katia warmly smiled at her roommate. “Yeah… I think so.” She shifted a little closer to Erin while folding her arms tightly against her body. “How you think dinner will be with Sara?”

Erin gradually raised an eyebrow and muttered, “I’m more worried about… dessert.”

Katia couldn’t help but laugh yet she knew her roommate was also serious. As she thought about it, she started to sigh. “I know how you feel.”

Erin didn’t look at her roommate and instead stared at the ground passing under her feet. She was concerned about Katia and wasn’t sure how to approach this topic without giving anything away to her friend. “You think anything will happen?” She lifted her head and studied Katia.

Katia shrugged. “Nothing that I don’t want.” She then saw worry hiding deep in her roommate’s amber eyes. She tried to smile to help her friend in reassurance. “It’ll be a nice evening out, I think.”

“Good.” Erin smiled some too but she felt a little unsure. When she looked ahead, she saw that the dorms were just in front of them. She came to a stop in front of Sara’s dorm and she turned to Katia. “Have a good night, okay?”

“I will.” Katia stepped over and hugged her roommate.

Erin tightly squeezed her friend back and when she pulled away, she smiled.

Katia smiled back but started to step away, towards Bobby’s dorm. “See you either tonight or tomorrow.”

“You got it.” Erin grinned and waved. “Bye!” She called right before going into Erin’s dorm.

Katia chuckled and hurried into the guy’s dorm where Bobby lived.

Bobby turned around when he heard the knock at his door. “Come in,” he called. He felt a smile pull at his lips when his girlfriend came into the room. "Hey."

Katia smiled back. "Hey," she whispered back and closed the door. "You about ready?"

Bobby finished buttoning his black shirt as he said, "Yeah, just about." He stepped into his closest and with his right foot, he pulled out his boots. "How about we take your car? Since you know where Ashley's lives better than me."

"Yeah sure," agreed Katia. "We're still going to Waterman's Cove?"

Bobby picked up his boots and walked over to his bed. He sat down then finally replied, "Yeah. I think you'll like it."

"I love seafood," quietly agreed the young woman.

Bobby smiled at his girlfriend but he bent forward and laced his boots. After he was finished lacing his boots up, he stood and said, "Let's go."

Katia chuckled and grabbed the door to open it again. When her boyfriend joined her side, she stepped out and she heard Bobby lock and close the door.

The couple soon made it across campus to the student parking beside Severn dorm. They got in and drove to Ashley's place. The drive was rather quiet and seemed long but soon they arrived there. Katia was out of her car first and Bobby followed behind her. Katia knocked on the door then stepped back and waited. From the corner of her eye, she saw her boyfriend standing aside and glowing in the sunset light. She suddenly jumped when the door opened and there stood Ashley in a set of jeans and white blouse.

"Hey," quietly greeted Katia.

Ashley warmly smiled, rather happy to see her friend. She stepped out of the house as she asked, "How are you?"

"I'm good." Katia smiled and tilted her head to one side. "How about you?"

"I'm good too." The trooper chuckled and she admired what her friend was wearing. The tight dark jeans, deep red button-up top and grey jacket really suited Katia. She forced herself to stop staring and looked at Bobby. "Hi."

Bobby suddenly smiled and joined the two women. "Hi, Ashley." As he came closer, he pulled his right hand from his black jacket and held it out to the larger woman.

Ashley straightened up to her full six feet and took the smaller hand.

Katia cleared her throat and said, "Bobby, this is Sergeant Ashley Carver." She saw Bobby nod then she looked up at her best friend. "And that's Bobby Fluehr."

Ashley briskly nodded then released the young man's hand after a strong hand shake. "You go to Salisbury too?"

"Yes, ma'am," replied Bobby. He rocked on the bottom of his feet in a nervous gesture. "I'm a sophomore."

"You're from Calvert County if I remember right," mused Ashley aloud.

"Yes," replied Bobby.

"You know," cut in Katia, "I don’t know why I surround myself with western shore people."

Ashley partially grinned as she looked at her best friend. "I'm originally from the Eastern Shore."

Katia furrowed her eyebrows. "Yeah?"

"Uh huh," answered Ashley in an amused tone.

"Oh," whispered Katia and she quietly laughed.

"How long you been a cop for?" interrupted Bobby.

Ashley returned her focus to Bobby but her expression hardened again. "About four years."

"And you're a sergeant?"

"First sergeant," corrected the state trooper.

"Oh sorry," muttered Katia.

Ashley had an amused grin but she nodded. "It's okay."

"You must be good," stated Bobby.

Ashley's grin suddenly grew more devilish. "Yes, I am good at what I do."

Katia huffed and teased, "Good at handing out speeding tickets."

"My favourite thing to do," joked the officer.

Bobby even laughed with them.

Ashley went a little serious and returned her attention to Bobby again. "You must work out?"

"I do," agreed Bobby, "I use to be on the wrestling team at my high school. So I'm still into weight lifting."

Ashley nodded a few times and she folded her arms over her chest. "You go to a local gym?"

"Oh yeah," answered Bobby. "I don't touch the University stuff."

Ashley's head dropped to one side. "Which gym is that?"

"Powerhouse Gym… its right on Cypress Street in Salisbury."

"Okay, I think I know the one." Ashley thought about it for a moment then said, "I was considering that one and Plus One Fitness."

"Yeah that one isn't bad either," agreed Bobby. "Powerhouse has more weight lifting if you're into that more."

"I'm pretty even," stated the officer. "But I do need to sign up to one soon here."

"Let me know if you do," cut in Katia, "I'd like to join up with one too."

"Yeah?" Ashley peered down at her best friend. "We'll have to look into them together then."

"I'd like that," agreed the younger woman.

Ashley smiled some but then looked at Bobby again. "You take anything for the weight lifting?"

Bobby's expression went into a little bit of surprise. "You mean as in steroids?" He quickly shook his head. "No, this is all natural."

"That's good then," complimented the state trooper.

"Yeah… I'm a straight shooter," persisted the young man, "I don't touch any drugs stuff… well except for aspirin."

Ashley grinned but her eyes were rather stern and curious. "How long have you two been together?"

Katia furrowed her eyebrows and inquisitively looked at her boyfriend. "Two weeks?"

"Something like that, "agreed Bobby.

"Hmmmm." Ashley shifted her weight to her left some and a devilish grin pulled at her lips. "Well, before you two get anymore… serious I'll have to do a full investigation of your background, Bobby."

Katia's eyes suddenly widened in shock.

Bobby stopped breathing when the state trooper said that.

Ashley then laughed and the two college students laughed with her.

Bobby calmed down then said, "I thought you were serious."

Ashley was shaking her head then dryly said, "I am."

Bobby's expression dropped but he relaxed when Ashley smirked at him.

Katia pushed at her friend's side. "Stop giving him a hard time."

"He can handle it," reassured the officer. And when she looked back at Bobby she roughly smiled at him but her eyes held a lot of warning in them.

Bobby swallowed and looked at Katia because he couldn't handle looking at the protective cop. "You hungry, baby?"

Katia tried to taste the nickname Bobby just gave her and when she swallowed it, it hurt. "Yeah I'm hungry." She then peered up at her best friend. "You have plans tonight?"

"Yeah, Laurel and I might be going out. I'm not sure yet," confessed the older woman.

"She's headed out tomorrow?"

"Yes, in the morning." Ashley then raised an eyebrow at Katia as a reminder for Sunday.

Katia nodded her head a few times in silently acknowledgement. "Okay." She then looked at Bobby. "Ready to go?"

"I think so," quickly agreed Bobby. "I'm gonna head to the car." He stepped back.

"I'll be there in a minute."

Bobby nodded but looked at Ashley. "Nice meeting you, Ashley."

"You too, Bobby." Ashley somewhat smiled and watched him go. She then looked down at her best friend. "Where you two headed for dinner?"

"Waterman's Cove," replied Katia. "It's suppose to be nice."

"Mmmm it is," agreed the older woman. She then reached up and straightened out Katia's jacket collar. "So are you."

Katia blushed some and dropped her head forward. "Thank you." She then smiled up at Ashley.

Ashley mirrored the smiled back but she lost it when Katia went serious on her.

"Were you serious about investigating him?"

Ashley slipped her hands into her jean pockets and decided how to answer that question. "I might."

"Ash, don't," protested the college student.

The state trooper shrugged and said, "It's my job."

"And I'm asking you not to," stated the younger woman. She mocked Ashley's raised eyebrow routine and received a chuckle for her efforts. "I'm serious though. He's fine and that's kinda on the border of being over protective."

Ashley chuckled and said, "Well somebody needs to watch your ass."

"Thanks," deadpanned Katia.

Ashley though saw how serious her friend was and she let out a heavy sigh. "Alright, I'll leave it alone but I can't promise I will forever."

"You are stubborn."

"I know." Ashley grinned.

Katia couldn't help but laugh a little. She shook her head while sighing heavily.

"It's because I love you," whispered the state trooper.

Slowly Katia peered up into concern blue eyes. "I know," she quietly stated. "And I do appreciate it."

"Good then its settled."

Katia grumbled and shook her head as she took a step away. "I'm not even going to fight you."

"I don't even get a hug before you go?" Ashley raised a questioning eyebrow.

Katia chuckled and stepped back. She threw her arms around her best friend then she felt long arms snake around her and pulled her in tightly. "Have a good night tonight."

Ashley tightly squeezed back and whispered, “You too.” She then released her friend.

Katia smiled and said, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Good.” Ashley walked away but turned around when she came to her door. “Bye, K.”

“See yah, Ash.” Katia gave a quick smile then rushed off to her car.

Ashley briefly watched her but then she knew it was best to get into the house. She too had a date with her partner.

Part XXII

Katia stood on the bottom step of her dorm and was looking directly at Bobby.

“You’re not?” persisted Bobby.

Katia took a deep breath and repeated herself. “No, I’m really tired.”

Bobby sighed but with frustration, he put his hands on his hips and stared at the dorm behind Katia. “If you’re not ready now then when?”

Katia felt her own frustration starting but she tried to remain calm. She grasped her boyfriend’s shoulders. “When it feels right.”

Bobby dropped his gaze from Katia and stared at the ground under him. His hands fell from his side then he looked up again. “We’ll wait then.”

Katia was suddenly taken back by the support and the warm smile on Bobby’s face. She hadn’t expected it and in some part, it kind of scared her.

Bobby stepped closer and leaned his head in to capture Katia's lips.

Katia grasped Bobby's shoulders tighter as she lost the control in the rough kiss. She tried to enjoy it, tried to respond to it but too many fearful emotions sparked in her. When he pulled back from the kiss, she urged a smile to take her lips but it wasn't very strong.

"I'll see you tomorrow some time," he quietly promised.

"Okay," murmured the young woman. "Sleep well tonight."

"I will… you too."

Katia watched him step away to leave but she called out, "Thank you for dinner."

"Anytime, baby," called back Bobby. He turned his head sidelong and flashed a smile at her.

Katia suddenly stiffened up when he gave her that sneering smile. When his head turned away, she called out, "Bye!"

Bobby just waved before disappearing ahead.

Katia shivered and crossed her arms over her chest. She was enjoying the kisses less and less as they brought some kind of reminder to her, almost like a deja-vu. However Katia couldn't remember when she'd had such a kiss. And only memories of the night before she ran away brought her some insight. For some reason, Bobby's kisses took her back to that night at the party but she knew she couldn't remember anything between the party to when she ended up at her dorm.

Katia lifted her right hand and turned it over so she could look at her palm. With her left fingertips, she traced the odd scar in her right palm. She knew the scar was created from something sharp, possibly a knife but Katia didn't own a knife or ever used one often. It wasn't until after that party did she realize she'd been cut somehow along with many other small cuts and bruises throughout her body.

Slowly the memories faded out and Katia stopped letting her mind think about it. She glanced in the direction that Bobby had gone but she forced her body to take her into the dorm. When she entered the bedroom, she found Erin and Sara laying in each other's arms and sleeping. It made a smile tug at Katia's lips. She completely admired the relationship the two young women had and for some reason, it made her sad.

Quietly, Katia got ready for bed and slipped under her covers. It took her a good two hours to finally sleep, one too many thoughts on her mind.

Part XXIII

Katia walked back into the open garage of Ashley's house. She scanned the middle shelf where all the car cleaning supplies rested. With her hands on her hips, she tried to find what she as looking for to dry her car.

It was Sunday today and in the late morning. For about two hours, Katia had been at Ashley's house and taken Ashley's offer to clean her car. She'd already cleaned and vacuumed the inside and now she just finished cleaning the outside. Now she was planning to dry it down with a shammie then put on a layer of rain-x wax.

Ashley's two shelves worth of cleaning products was rather impressive and Katia quickly figured just how much that red Mercedes meant to Ashley. Katia had to respect Ashley for going through all this trouble for one car. In part, Katia felt rather bad for not caring for her own car and now she'd make a point of following Ashley's example.

Katia finally found the tube that held the shammie and she pulled it out. When she made it back to her car just outside the garage, she saw a golden four-door Chevy Blazer pull into Ashley's drive. Katia stopped walking when she came beside her driver's door.

The driver of the Blazer stopped her car and jumped out. "Excuse me," called an older woman.

"Can I help you?" asked Katia. She approached the woman.

"I'm sorry to just pull into your drive," started the woman, "but I'm looking for my dog."

"Oh… what does he look like?" urged Katia.

The woman reached up to brush back her ragged blond hair. "He's a miniature black pincher. He got off his line and it's happen before. The last time he did this, he came in this area." She then pointed off to her left and said, "I'm from Mardela Springs."

Katia sighed and shook her head. "I haven't seen him through here at all."

"Okay… well I've been up and down this road five times already." The woman started back for her open driver's door. "Let me know if you see him."

Before Katia could respond, the woman jumped into her car and back out onto Sharptown Road and drove off. Katia stood there a little baffled by how quickly the woman spoke and moved but she shrugged it off. She decided to start drying her car. Katia started at the driver's side and went down the side, across the trunk, and back around onto the passenger side.

As Katia dried the front of the car, she watched the traffic drive by on the road. There were more cars than usual but she figured it was because it was a weekend. But then again, she knew Sharptown Road was also Route 313 and could at times be heavily travelled.

Katia leaned forward and wiped the shammie across the wet hood but as she did it, she peered through her font window and right through to the rear window. She furrowed her eyebrows when she saw a black object on the opposite side of the road dart across the road.

Katia's eyes widened and she looked to her right as a speeding blue mini-van went flying down the road. Suddenly there was a loud smack and a yelp from an animal. The mini-van hastily slowed down and pulled off to the side of the road.

"Oh god no," whispered Katia. She straightened up and left the shammie on the hood of her car. She came around her car and saw a black dog lying on the south bound lane. She quickly ran down the driveway and realized more cars were coming and about to run this dog down more.

Katia jumped in front of the dog and held up her hands at the cars to try and stop them. She sucked in her breath as the silver Lincoln Towncar came at her but started to slow down. She felt her knees go weak when the grill of the Lincoln almost touched her knees. She felt relieved when the Lincoln managed to back up about twenty feet and give her more room.

Katia knelt down in front of the dog and she instantly knew the dog was dead. She put her hand against his chest and didn't feel it move at all. His eyes were closed and his tongue hanging out from his open mouth. "Oh god," she whispered and she knew she had to get off the road. Katia urged her strength to come through as she slipped her arms under the small dog and lifted him up. She walked onto the shoulder and lowered him into the grass just off the shoulder.

"Oh god, I am so sorry," cried out a woman.

Katia rose up when the woman from the mini-van approached her. She then noted that the neighbours from across the road had come out to see what the commotion was about.

"What happened?" asked the neighbour as she rushed crossed the road.

"The dog has been hit," replied Katia.

The two neighbours, husband and wife, joined Katia's side and stared at the dog.

"He's dead?" inquired the husband.

"Yeah," quietly replied Katia.

The wife, however, glanced over at the woman that had struck the dog. The woman was just standing there, her face covered by her hands, and her eyes locked on the dead dog. "Oh it's okay, miss," assured the wife. She came over to her and grasped the woman's arm. "It was an accident."

"Oh god," whimpered the woman. "I didn't even see him; he just… came out of nowhere."

Katia looked at the woman.

"I'm so sorry," apologized the woman to Katia.

"He's not my dog," clarified Katia, "but I think I know who is."

The neighbour suddenly cut back into the conversation. "Come to my house, miss. You shouldn't drive when you're this upset."

The woman now started to cry at the mention of driving.

The wife pulled at the woman's shoulder. "Come to my house and have some tea." She was able to get the woman to agree and she started back across the road.

The husband though came closer to Katia's side. "He's going to need to be covered or something." He gestured at the black dog. "And buried before…." He trailed off when he saw the distraught look on the younger woman's face. "I can take care of… him."

"No, no… its okay," reassured Katia. "I… I can handle it."

The husband nodded and quietly said, "If you need help…."

"Thank you," whispered Katia and she tried to smile at the man but it didn't work.

The husband gently touched Katia's back for a moment then turned to leave. When the traffic cleared, he walked back to his house.

Katia slowly turned around and stared at the spot where the pincher was struck. Then her eyes focused on two sets of collars. One collar was a regular black clip-collar with a design and the other was a choker. Katia looked to her right and saw the next car was far away. She walked onto the road and scooped up the two collars then placed them beside the dead dog. Now she wasn't so sure where to begin to take care of this dog.

First she decided it was best to cover the dog somehow, there were flies already starting to buzz around the body. So Katia went back to Ashley's house and went inside with her set of keys. She decided to use a bag and she lucky enough to find thick black bags under the kitchen sink. Hurrying back outside, Katia arrived back at the dog's side and she started to put the body into the bag. She felt her stomach pitch as she touched the cooling body but she forced herself to ignore it and take care of this dog.

Katia then knew it wasn't best to leave the bag here by the road so she lifted him up along with the collars on top. She slowly walked up the driveway and went to the right of the house, on the side of the garage. She carefully bent forward and lowered the body into a shady spot next to the side of the garage.

Katia fell to her knees and stared at the bag and the shape the bag made around the body. With her right hand, she picked up the collars and studied them but not finding any type of identification on them. She sighed when she realized it was going to be very hard to find this owner.

But it was as if somebody read her thoughts because as soon as she stood up and turned, she saw the golden Blazer roaring down 313 headed north. Katia suddenly ran down to the road and tried to wave down the Blazer. Her idea seemed to work, the Blazer pulled off onto the opposite side of the road and out stepped not a woman but a man.

"Have you seen my pincher?" called the man from across the road. He waited until the road was clear then crossed over to Katia.

Katia approached the man and tried to mentally prepare herself for this. "Yes, sir."

"Is he dead?" urged the man, his cigar between his lips bobbing from his lips moving. He was in his forties or so and had shaggy hair that only partially covered his head. His clothes were dirty and torn, his white shirt no long pure white but scuffed with grease.

"Yes he is," replied Katia. "I have his body…." She trailed off, not really sure how to handle the situation.

The owner took a step away, towards the road again. "Can you burry him for me?"

Katia's mouth opened, closed then opened again; she felt her knees weak. "Yes, I can."

"Burry him." The owner then suddenly turned away, his eyes started to sting but he went across the road to his car.

Katia just stood there in shock. Her mind couldn't process the events fast enough to understand everything.

"Burry him with his collars!" yelled the owner from across the road.

Katia nodded her head and watched him get into his car and drive off. When he was out of sight, Katia turned and looked at the black bag on the ground beside the garage. Her gaze then drifted down to the two collars resting on top of a bed of brown leaves. After a deep swallow, she walked to the open garage door and stepped onto the concrete pad. She scanned the garage for a wheelbarrow and shovel but she found none. Then it occurred to her that Ashley had a shed out back so she went into the backyard through the small space between the garage and the line of cypress trees that separated Ashley's yard from the neighbours.

Out in the shed, Katia found a black wheelbarrow and she pulled out two shovels that now rested in the bed of the wheelbarrow. Katia made her way back to the black bag and lifted the dog then settled him into the bed next to the shovels. The last thing she retrieved was the set of collars and she slipped them into her right jean pockets. Very slowly, Katia pushed the wheelbarrow into the backyard and down towards the forest at the end of the yard. Within five minutes, she'd find a secluded shady spot under one of the many trees to burry the pincher.

Part XXIV

Ashley pulled into her driveway and earlier when she was driving towards her house, she'd seen Katia's car. But as she turned onto the driveway, she became curious as to Katia's whereabouts since she wasn't outside with the car. She reached up and pushed the middle button on her garage door opener and she waited for the door to open. She pulled into her spot and turned the engine off.

Once again, she pushed the garage button and the door started to cycle back down. Before Ashley got out, she glanced at the clock and saw that it was two-thirty in the afternoon. She quickly got out and locked her door with the SmartKey. Ashley then walked around the front of her car and went out the door that Katia had left open.

Slowly, the trooper approached Katia's 190E and she noted the shammie sitting on the hood. She furrowed her eyebrows and reached out to pick up the yellow shammie. She squeezed it a little and noted the water had pretty well dried up. She decided that Katia might be in the house and may have fallen asleep or something else. So the trooper walked to her font door and already found the door unlocked. She knew Katia must have gone in so she went inside to find everything quiet and perfect.

Ashley reached up and removed her hat; she gently placed it on the kitchen counter. She then strolled into the living room and gazed out her backyard sliding door. She thought she saw something so she stepped up to the glass door and studied her black wheelbarrow at the edge of the forest line. Ashley quickly unlatched the door and slid it open. Her long legs quickly carried her across the yard and to the forest.

The trooper stood beside her black wheelbarrow and peered into it to find nothing but when she lifted her head again, she heard two metal objects clank together. "Katia?" she called.

"Hey Ash… I'm… I'm over here."

Ashley walked into the woods and stepped over several fallen branches and through some variegated ivy. The ground was completely frosted with brown leaves and specks of green grass between the leaves. She saw Katia straight ahead and her back was to Ashley. She quietly came up beside her best friend and looked down. She knew Katia had been burying something between the shovels off to the right and the freshly unearthed ground. Gradually she turned her head to Katia. "What happened?" she whispered.

Katia's hands slipped off her hips and she now folded her arms over her chest. "Earlier today a dog… a pincher got hit."

Ashley stiffened at the news and her eyes lowered back to the grave. "Did you find the owner?"

"Yeah," whispered Katia, "both of them." She reached up and ran her right hand through her hair but stopped midway. "The guy asked me to burry his dog."

The officer faintly shook her head.

"So, I said I would… I couldn't say no." Katia tore her eyes away from the grave as her hand fell back to her side. She looked at Ashley. "What else could I have said?"

Ashley looked at her friend and saw she was rather upset, not enough to cry, but upset and confused. Her own shoulders slumped and she turned to Katia, her arms open.

Katia didn't hesitate to take the hug. She stepped into Ashley's arms and wrapped her small ones tightly around Ashley.

The state trooper pulled Katia in and held her. "You did the right thing," she whispered.

"I didn't know what to say," muttered Katia. "I don’t even know the pincher's name." She rested the side of her head against Ashley's chest. She stared through the woods and could just make out the black wheelbarrow. "I don't understand that." She lifted her head and peered up at her friend. "How can you just leave your dog with… a stranger and ask them to burry your dog for you?" She shook her head. "I can't understand that."

"Don't try to," urged Ashley.

Katia wasn't sure how to respond to that, instead she looked back down at the grave. She shifted out of Ashley's arms and knelt down at the foot of the grave. "I feel so bad for him."

Ashley sighed as she felt a bit of resentment for these people that left this weight on her friend's shoulders. She shifted a little and knelt down beside her friend. "I am sure he is happy he had somebody care for him." She looked at Katia and tried to give her a reassuring smile.

Katia nodded somewhat after accepting Ashley's words. She stared at the grave for awhile and never said anything, nor did Ashley. She licked her lips and quietly started to speak to Ashley but never looked at her, only the grave. "Remember when I ran away?" From the corner of her eye, she saw Ashley nod. "I was trying to escape my life… like it was possible." Her right hand drifted off her knee and lowered onto the edge of the grave. "This pincher was leashed up… couldn't be free then he found a way to be free. Ran away and tried to escape his life." She shook her head. "Look at what it got him." She bitterly chuckled and said, "It made me wonder why I didn't end up like him. Then I realized I would have if that guy had…." She couldn't think the words let alone breathe them but she urged herself to confront the truth. "I would have been raped and killed."

Ashley bit her lower lip but she let go of her lip and reached forward with her left hand and took Katia's into her own. "But you weren't," she quietly reminded.

Katia swallowed the developing lump and she felt her fear subside some when Ashley's hand curled around hers. "No I wasn't… thanks to you." Finally her gaze met Ashley's. "You saved me, you showed up out of nowhere at the exact moment my life would have ended. The exact time that I gave up and you… you stopped that. Since that time, I have accepted that there is such a thing as fate…." She turned her head down to the pincher's grave. "That things do happen for a reason."

Ashley studied her friend's profile for awhile.

"Despite everything… I'm still here, still trying to survive." Once more, Katia looked at her best friend. "My father is an alcoholic… Lisa is into drugs. Mom well… she only has her faith in God left and me….” Her eyes lowered for a moment then rose back up to Ashley. “I don’t know how it happened… or if I’m even sure it happened but….”

Ashley furrowed her eyebrows as she became confused. She tried to think of what drove Katia to runaway from college but too many possibilities had gone through her head. “What happened, Katia?”

Katia shook her head and stared at the ground that separated them. Slowly she looked up again and her eyes were becoming watery. “The weekend before I ran away… I think I was raped… or close to it. I… I….” She started to squeeze Ashley’s hand rather hard. “I went to a party alone one night and I remember being there, having a good time, and after awhile I started to feel kind of nauseous. After that, I don’t really recall anything.”

Ashley’s mind quickly filed through several answers and it came to a stop on one particular one. “Were you drinking?”

“Y-yes,” whispered Katia. She was trying to remain calm as her memories returned to her of that night.

“Was your drink ever out of your hands?” quietly asked the state trooper.

“No… never.” Katia used her freehand to try and wipe the distraught look off her face but it didn’t work. “And I only had one beer.”

Ashley felt stumped at the point but then she realized something else. “When you got the beer, was it open already?”

“I’m not sure,” admitted the younger woman. She was staring off in the distance and tried to recall whether it was or wasn’t.

“Try and remember,” urged the state trooper.

Katia closed her eyes and tried to replay the night in her head. She recalled coming into the party that was mostly full of guys but some other girls were there that she really didn’t know.

Ashley tilted her head to one side as she watched the emotions flicker across Katia’s face. She could almost read what Katia was seeing.

Katia’s mind continued to flash to her walking into the small house where the party was held. She came into a living room area where there was a table and it was loaded with beer bottles, beer cans, and some spirits at one end with shot glasses. Katia approached the table and her eyes studied each of the beers as she made up her mind to which to start with for the night. As she reached out to grab a Samuel Adams, somebody jumped at her side to greet her.

“Hey Katia,” greeted a young man.

Katia stopped in mid-motion and smiled at the young man. “Hey… do I know you?”

“You might,” replied the guy, “I’m in your bay class.”

“Oh yeah.” Katia chuckled and turned to him. “Great class huh?”

The guy gestured at Katia with his beer. “Oh yeah, the best.” He smiled then asked, “You want a beer?”

“Yeah, I was gonna grab a Samuel's.” She motioned to the group of beers.

“Wait, hold up….” He took a step back. “I’ll get you one out of the kitchen, they’re cold in the frig.” He gave a wide smile and added, “I’ll be right back.” He spun around and disappeared through a side doorway.

Katia shrugged and smiled at the attention she received from the guy. She tried to think if she’d seen him in her bay class or not but his face didn’t spark any reminders. She then jumped a little when he suddenly reappeared with a cold bottle of Samuel Adams.

“Here you go.” He offered her the beer.

“Thank you.” Katia took the beer and smiled at the fact the cap had been removed for her. She didn’t hesitate to take a long drink then when she lowered the rim from her lips she started to talk to him. “So what’s your name?”

“Joe,” replied the short blond haired man.

Katia slowly nodded and continued to strike up a conversation with him.

Katia’s mind suddenly ended the memory then flashed ahead to a more recent memory. To Friday afternoon when she was sitting in her bay class, talking with Erin, and waiting for class to start. Katia was bantering Erin about sleeping with Sara but their conversation stopped with the professor started the class. Bobby hadn’t arrived and both girls had become curious to where he was until fifteen minutes later.

Bobby and two other boys came into the lecture hall.

Katia and Erin saw him then they looked at the two guys that came in with him.

Katia narrowed her eyes at one of the boys; he was tall, lanky with a very stoic attitude. Her eyes then flickered to the other guy, who was smaller and had shaggy blond hair. He was Joe, the last person she can remember from the party.

Suddenly the memory cut off and Katia’s eyes flew open.

“What is it?” asked the concerned officer.

“Somebody gave me my first beer,” whispered Katia, “already open.”

Ashley’s jaw clamped down as she tried to remain in control of her emotions. “It wasn’t long after that you felt nauseous, dizzy, light-headed?”

Katia slowly nodded then voiced what Ashley was thinking. “I was drugged with the date rape pill.”

“It’s the only explanation,” whispered Ashley. “Who gave you the beer? Do you remember?”

Katia was about to spill out the boy’s name but she faltered when a thought came to her. Was it possible that Joe was Bobby’s friend or was it a freak incident that both of them came into class late at the same time? Katia wasn’t sure and she wasn’t sure she was ready to send a state trooper into the middle of it. She knew exactly what Ashley would do if she had a name to her possible attacker. Instead, she started to shake her head. “I’m not sure.”

“If you saw him, would you recognize him?”

“I’m not sure,” confessed Katia, “he might not even be a student.” She tried to not let her lie deceive her when she looked at Ashley. “A lot of outsiders come to those parties too.” She shook her head then said, “I blacked out after that… after that, I remember opening my eyes and I was wet. I was outside in the rain and lying on cold pavement and after my eyes came into focus, I realized I was staring at a rear tire of a car.”

Ashley remained quiet and let her friend talk about the night. She knew a little bit about it after what Erin told her but she wanted to know it from Katia’s side.

“At first, I couldn’t get up… I ached all over,” quietly spoked Katia, “but I forced myself to get up. As I got up, I recognized the car was mine and for some reason, I felt some kind of safety at seeing my car.” She paused as her mind organized her thoughts carefully. “I was in the student parking lot beside my dorm. I eventually made it to the dorm and into my room. I didn’t realize how bad I looked until Erin tried to touch me. It hurt to let her touch me… hurt to even have the lights on like it burned my eyes. I went into the bathroom to shower and clean myself up….” Her hollow green eyes focused on Ashley. “I was bruised all over, cuts marks on my legs, arms.” She then turned her right hand over.

Ashley looked down, taking the signal to look. She sucked in her breath as Katia’s clenched hand opened and a deep scar came into her view. With her fingertips, the trailed the scar and could only imagine how Katia received it that night.

“I don’t remember any of it,” whispered Katia, “but the way I looked… the way I felt… like the hands were still on my skin.” She closed her eyes to try and control her emotions. The tears though forced through her eyes and slid down her cheeks. “Teeth still marking my skin.” She shook her head. “I can’t remember any of it but my body remembers it.” Her eyes gradually opened and they were growing red and her cheeks growing wet from the tears. “I hope to God I never remember that night.”

Ashley reached forward and pulled her best friend into her arms. “Its okay, Katia.” She then heard Katia finally break down in her arms. She slumped to her knees and pulled the smaller woman into her lap. “You’ll be okay.”

Katia remained hidden in Ashley’s embrace. She never felt more vulnerable than now and something about Ashley’s presence did make it okay. This was the first time she’d spoken of that night, the first time she’d thought about it, and the first time she’d ever cried about it. She thought she could hide away from what happened, escape it, and forget it but today she realized she could never do that. She had to face it or else she would end up run over and dead. Above all, she felt she could face this with Ashley at her side and that maybe everything would be okay.

To be continued.

back to series 3.