Strategically Careless

Chapter 12

Blake's POV

    "Hey Dad" 

    "So you've come crawling back to me?" Dad slurs stepping closer to me. 

    "Let's go inside and talk about this," I say not moving an inch. I refuse to show him fear. 

    "Blake don't," Aaron says grabbing my arm.

    "It's fine." I tell him. "Come on Dad. Let's go inside." I say. Dad starts walking towards the house as he chugs more whiskey. 

    "Don't" Aaron pleads. "He isn't worth it. I was handling it." Aaron says still holding my arm.

    "Now I'm handling it. Go be with your family. Sorry for all this." I say looking at my dad stumble away.

    "We know it's not your fault." Aaron sighs. As I start walking towards the house I grew up in. 

    I walk in the front door to see the nothing has changed. Dad's sitting on the couch finishing his bottle of whiskey as used needles litter the floor and empty bottles and broken glass are scattered around the room. "I knew you would come crawling back to me," Dad says drunkenly pointing at me.

    "I'm not here for you. I'm here for my friend." I say.

    "Bullshit" Dad throws the now empty bottle against the wall shattering it then stands up. "You're just ungrateful. You would be nothing without me." 

    "No, I would be way better off without you." I nearly laugh.

    "No, you would be dead in a ditch somewhere without me. I took you in when no one else would. You're not even my kid but I saved you. Out of the kindness of my heart, I saved you from a much harder life." he slurs stepping closer to me.

    "No, you made my life harder," I argue. I see Kid sneak in the back door of the house walking into the room quietly. 

    "I admit sometimes I did stuff as a way for you to repay me. But I didn't take more than I deserved." Dad says making me scoff.

    "You took way more than you deserved!" I yell.

    "It was nothing that you didn't want." Dad says shaking his head. "see". Before I can react he pins me against the door behind me and starts kissing me. I rear back and punch in the face.

    "Get off." I shove him away from me. Kid looks pissed and reaches for his gun but I shake my head. I got this. 

    Dad recovers from the punch to the face to look at me angrily. That's right get angry. Give me a reason. Instead of hitting me or attacking me he grabs me by my throat choking me and starts kissing me. "Stop," I say shoving him off again.

    "Just like old times." Dad laughs backing away.

    I look at him for a moment in disbelief. "You don't even know," I say. 

    "Know what?" Dad barks.

    "When I was 15 I got pregnant. It was yours." I tell him. Before I can stop Kid pulls his gun and shoots. I watch as my dad falls to the floor screaming in pain. I feel Kid grab my arm pulling me away from my dad towards him. 

    "Why didn't you tell me!?!" Kid yells.

    "We have to get out of here. We can talk about this later." I say. Kid and I run outside and across the street. We both stop to look around at the empty street. "There is no way that nobody heard the gunshot," I comment.

    "Who else knows?" Kid asks angrily turning to me.

    "What? It doesn't matter. You go back to the creek and I'll meet you there. I need to changed clothes first. There's some blood on mine." I say looking at my shirt that has some blood splatter.

    "Who else knows?" Kid asks grabbing my shoulders roughly

    "Kid.." I sigh.

    "Blake!" Kid says obviously not going to stop until I answer.

    "Fine." I sigh. "Miles. Miles knows. He was the only person I knew with a car at the time and he gave me a ride to.... take care of it." I explain. 

    "Why didn't you tell me?" Kid asks looking more upset and hurt than angry.

    "We can talk about this later. Ok? We have to leave right now." I say looking around.

    "Fine" Kid huffs still looking pissed. He takes off running towards his car. This is not how I wanted him to find out. 

    I take a deep breath and turn towards Katie's house. I need to get out of these bloody clothes. And get the blood off me. I sneak onto Katie's roof and open up her bedroom window. Its still bright pink with toys and stuffed animals everywhere. I crawl thru to see Katie pacing her room anxiously. 

    "What happened? We heard the gunshots." Katie asks. "Collin called the police."    

    "Kid shot Dad. He isn't dead. Just angry." I tell her.

    "Are you ok? You're covered in blood." Katie asks looking at me in disgust. 

    "Yeah I just need to shower really quick and borrow some clothes," I explain. 

    "Yeah take anything you need." Katie nods.

    "And Katie, you've seen nothing, you've heard nothing, you know nothing," I say nodding. 

    "Got it." Katie mimicks my nodding. 

    "And Katie... thank you." I smile.

    "No problem. He deserved it anyway." Katie shrugs.

    I quickly chose some of Katie's clothes to go to hop in the shower that's in the bathroom attached to Katie's room.

~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile...

Colby's POV

    "Boys play nice," Blake says texting on her phone before turning to run thru the woods. What's that about? She's been different all day today. And I really need to talk to her. 

    I see her disappear into the woods when I see Miles nod out of the corner of my eye. I turn back to the group of guys to see Kid take off running in the opposite direction. What is going on? "What was that about?" I ask. Everyone ignored me looking between each other but nobody is meeting my eye. "What just happened? Where did Blake go?" I demand to know an answer.

    "Katie texted her. It's fine." Miles said.

    "Why did Kid run off?" I ask pointing to where he was just standing.

    "In case Blake needs help." Luke sighs. 

    "Luke" Devon sighs like he wasn't supposed to say anything.

    "If she needs help we should all go," I say.

    "No dude. Kid can handle it." Kevin stops me.

    "What makes you so sure?" I ask.

    "Because he learned from the best," Devon says.

    "What does that mean?" I ask

    "It's ok. Between Blake and Kid there is no issue. They can handle it." Miles says.

    "Fine." I sigh. "I guess if she really needed help she would ask for it," I say.

    "Exactly." Luke nods.

    "To be fair though, she never asks for help when she needs it. Not when she got shot, not when -" I start listing things but am cut off.

    "She got shot?" Devon asks.    

    "How do you know her again? Are y'all dating?" Miles turns to me asking now suspiciously eyeing me.

    "My roommate is Katie's boyfriend. So we became friends. No, we aren't dating I just live in her building. I would like to date her though." I say honestly.

    "Yeah wouldn't we all." Kevin laughs.

    "So how do you all know her? She dated one of you?" I ask.

    "No. None of us dated her. At one point or another, we have all been in love with her." Miles says.

    "Yeah some of us never got over it, right Luke?" Devon says nudging Luke.

    "Shut up," Luke says defensively. 

    "None of us ever did anything about it," Kevin explains.

    "We didn't want to complicate her life even more," Luke says.

    "Complicate her life?" I ask.

    "Yeah. She had a very hard life when she lived here." Devon says with a sad smile. 

    "We all live on the poor side of town with bad family situations," Kevin explains.

    "But compared to her situation, our family's were saints." Luke chimes in.

    "When we were little she did her best to hide it but we tried to help whenever we could," Miles adds.

    "Even her secrets have secrets," Kevin says.

    "Yeah. Just be careful with her. She isn't like more people. She's different." Devon says looking at me.

    "She will do anything for her friends," Kevin says.

    "I can't tell you how many times she has helped us get out of trouble." Miles smiles some.

    "How did she get you out of trouble?" I ask.

    "Different ways," Luke says. "Cutting deals, leading police down the wrong trail, she even posed as a lawyer and got away with it." 

    "Oh yeah, I forgot about that." Kevin laughs.

    "She is by far the smartest person I've ever met." Luke nods.

    "What do you mean?" I ask. I know Blake's not stupid but the smartest person he knows is questionable. 

    "Most of us barely graduated high school, if we even graduated at all. She was supposed to be valedictorian but she said no to it. Then she went on to college and graduated that too."Miles explains.

    "It's not hard to be smart when you have a photographic memory. Or at least she used to. I assume she still does." Kevin says. Does she have a photographic memory?

    All of a sudden Kid's car roars up and stops just short of where we are standing. Kid hops of the car slamming the door behind him as he yells. "Miles! You son of a b***h!"

    "What happened?" Miles asks putting his hands up in surrender.

    "How could you not say anything?" Kid yells pissed.

    "What are you talking about?" Miles asks.

    "You know damn well what I'm talking about." Kids marches up to Miles then punches him in the face. "That's for not telling us sooner." Kid yells.

    Devon and Kevin quickly grab Kid and pull him backward. "Woah Woah Woah Kid! What the heck?" Kevin yells.    

    "Go ahead, Miles. Tell them." Kid yells angrily. 

    "Tell them what?" Miles asks holding his jaw.

    "Do you remember giving Blake a ride when she was 15?" Kid yells again. Kevin, Devon, Luke, and I start glaring at Miles.

    "Oh, you found out about that?" Miles asks sadly. 

    "Miles what is he talking about?" Kevin asks.

    "Do y'all remember when Blake was 15, and there was like a week where we didn't hear from her?" Miles asks.

    "Yes. We all thought that she had been killed but the cops wouldn't listen to us." Kevin shrugs. What the f**k?

    "Well, I found her," Miles says. "I was walking home one night and I was really tired. We had spent the whole day out looking for her. I decided to walk a different way home than I normally did. That's when I heard her. Crying. I asked if she was ok and told her how hard we had been looking at her and we were all worried. She hugged me and cried and told me she just wanted to disappear she just didn't know where to go. I asked what happened and she made me promise not to tell anyone ever multiple times. But she eventually told me she was pregnant. I asked who the father was but she ignored me and just said she was going to get an abortion and needed a ride because she wouldn't be able to drive afterward. I remember asking her, shouldn't the father be the one giving her a ride and she just started shaking and crying and said he doesn't know. She couldn't tell him or me who he was. I pushed her a little further and she finally told me." Miles says. 

    "Who?" Luke asks before I get the chance.

    "Her dad's" Miles says sadly. "So the next day I drove her to get an abortion and we never talked about it again." Miles shrugs. I feel like my world just got turned upside down.

    "Why didn't you tell us about this?" Kevin asks sadly. 

    "Because y'all would have tried to kill him then we would all be in jail. I knew that we could at least try to protect her from out here. If we were in jail who is to say she wouldn't have been put into foster care, in the same situation. Or that the rest of her family would retaliate against her. I decided to play the long game instead of acting for I thought it through." Miles explains. 

    "I want to kill him," Devon says. Same.

    "She can't know that y'all know. She will never trust up with anything again." Miles says with a pointed look, looking at each of us.

    "Where is she?" Luke asks Kid.

    "Getting blood out of her clothes." Kid says.

    "What happened?" Kevin asks.

    "He tried to come onto her so I shot him." Kid shrugs.

    "You have a gun?" I ask startled.

    "Most of us do. His is just the only one here." Miles says.

    "Kid, did you have o shoot him? You already have two strikes." Devon says.

    "What would y'all have done?" Kid barks back.

    "Shoot him." Devon nods.

    "Exactly. Now shut up about it" Kid shrugs. "She is going to be back any minute."

    "I don't get how she didn't tell us," Luke says sadly.

    "I don't know how she stands to go back into that house. I understand why she never came back. I got it before but now I really get it." Kevin sighs.

    "Luke, Kevin wanna go pick up a pizza for us? I have a feeling it's going to be a long night." Miles says.

    "Fine." Kevin nods.

    "Kid, want to go with them?" Devon chimes in.

    "Not a chance. I'm not leaving here until she gets back." Kid says crossing his arms. Luke and Kevin leave walking towards where Kid came from.

    "This night is going to suck isn't it?" Miles sighs.

    "Can it get much worse?" Devon laughs half-heartedly.

    "I'm going to shoot things." Kids huff.

    "Think that through. Cops are probably looking for you. Don't draw attention to yourself." Miles says.

    A second later Blake walks thru the trees the same way she disappeared to. I don't know why but it's like seeing her in a whole new light now. I just want to hold her and protect her. I feel like I understand her more.

    "Where did Luke and Kevin go?" she asks.

    "They went to get pizza," I explain.

    "Oh great! I'm starving." Blake smiles. 

    "Me too. And I know pizza is your favorite." Miles chimes in.

    "Who doesn't love pizza?" she asks smiling.

    "Are you wearing Katie's clothes?" I ask

    "No just a similar sense of style I guess. We are best friends after all." Blake shrugs lying to me.

    "You do not have a similar sense of style. Also, you were wearing different clothes earlier." I point out wanting to see her reaction. She is a really good liar.

    "Yeah, I ran home to take a shower real quick. I realized that I hadn't showered since I've been here and it's too humid for that. I felt sweaty and I needed a shower before all the hot water was gone." she continues the lie.

    "Well, that makes sense I guess. Maybe you wouldn't be so sweaty if you didn't run through the woods." I comment watching suspiciously. 

    "That is how horror movies are made." she laughs in agreement pointing to me. Her demeanor suddenly changes when she looks at Kid. "Kid, can I talk to you?" she asks.

    "Fine." He huffs. We all watch as Blake and Kid walk about 15 feet away and start whispering to each other. 

    "Are you ok?" Blake asks him quietly.

    "What are you talking about?" Kid answers 

    "You just found out this big thing and then you shot someone," she says.

    "I'm mad but I'm no the one it happened to. I'm worried about you." Kid says.

    "I'm fine. Are we good?" Blake asks.

    "Yeah, we're good." Kid nods. Kid starts walking back towards us looking sad. He is halfway to us when a cop runs thru the trees right behind Kid pulling a gun aiming it at Kid. 

    "Kid, we have someone in the hospital with a gunshot wound that says you shot them. You're under arrest." the cop says. Kid puts his hands up and turns around slowly. Blake steps in between them standing in front of the gun looking at the cop.

    "Don't arrest him," she says calmly. Who just walks between a police officer and a suspect while he's pointing a gun at him!?!?!

    "Blake!" The cop holsters his gun quickly and starts hugging Blake. "I didn't know you were in town." he hugs her.

    "Yeah, I guess we have just been on opposite schedules," Blake says hugging him back. They pull apart. "Who was shot?" Blake asks getting down to business.

    "Your father." The cop says.

    "Take me to see him," Blake says.

    "I'm supposed to be arresting him." the cop says motioning to Kid.

    "He won't go anywhere. Right Kid?" Blake asks without looking away from the cop.

    "I won't leave." Kid nods to the cop.

    "Just one quick trip to the hospital and back and then if you still want to arrest him then go for it, Derek," Blake says.

    "Fine. Let's go." Derek sighs.

    The cop turns and walks back the way she came while Blake turns to Kid. "I got this. Trust me. You're not going to be arrested tonight." Blake says.

    "Blake it's my third strike." Kid says.

    "I know. I got you. Whatever it takes. Just don't go anywhere. And save me a piece of pizza." she smiles putting her hand on his cheek. 

    "Thanks," he says. Blake turns and follows the cop. 

    "When will this night end?" I groan as Blake disappears into the woods. "Also, she is really good at lying. Like scary good." I say looking at Devon, Miles, and Kid.

    "We told you. Her secrets have secrets." Miles nods.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blake's POV

    I get in Derek's cop car. He's Katie's oldest brother and kind of mine too. I hop in the passenger seat and he sets off towards the hospital. It's not a long ride so I know I have to get this out of the way. 

    "If I tell you something and say I want to press charges you can't talk about it, right? Because it's an open investigation?" I ask.

    "Yeah for the most part." Derek nods.

    "Good." I nod. It's been a long time since I've done anything like this and I need to make sure I get this right. "What about if I decide not to press charges? Can you talk about it with people then?" I ask nervously. I don't want to lose Katie or her family. But if I have to for Kid I will.

    "Blake, you know me. You can trust me." Derek says.

    "I know but you might hear some things that will make you and your family hate me." I sigh.

    "We've stuck with you this long. What could you possibly say?" he asks pulling into the hospital parking lot. I take a deep breath as he parks. I need to do this for Kid.

    I walk into Dad's hospital room to see him laying in the hospital bed trying to work the remote on the tv but it's facing the wrong direction. Derek walks in behind me while my Dad turns to glare at me.

    "Let's talk," I say standing at the foot of the bed crossing my arms.

    "I tried to talk to you earlier and your little friend shot me," Dad says.

    "Yeah and now you're pressing charges against him," I say.

    "Yes, I am. Because I was minding my own business and out of nowhere you're psychotic friend shot me." Dad yells.

    "Drop the charges," I say.

    "No"

    I take a step closer looking into his eyes. "No you're are going to drop the charges or I'm telling Derek everything. The years going to sleep at night hoping and praying that you wouldn't decide to come to my room. Living in fear every day of you." I say. I see fear flash across his face for a split second before he covers it up. 

    "You never stopped me," he says glancing at Derek.

    "I tried. Everyday. Every time." I nod. "But that's not the point, I was a minor. You know how they treat child predators in prison. So drop the charges and I won't press charges against you." Dad nervously looks between me and Derek. 

    "Fine you little bitch." Dad finally spits

    "Go to hell" I shrug him off. 

    "I'll see you there. Especially after what you did to that baby." Dad says as I glare at him. Ugh if Derek wasn't here a gunshot would be the least of his worries.

    Derek and I get back in the car and head back to the woods. "Do you hate me now?" I ask looking at Derek.

    "No. I'm surprised. But I don't hate you. Does Katie know?" Derek asks cautiously. 

    "No" 

    "About all of it or just the abortion?" he asks.

    "All of it. I never had the heart to tell her. She is too pure for all this. Kid shot my dad because he found out, I didn't tell him he just saw my dad trying to do it again." I explain.

    "Today?" Derek asks.

    "Yes. He was in front of our house yelling at Aaron. Katie texted me to see if I could get him to calm down because she didn't want to upset your mom. I got him to go inside and Kid followed me I guess. It's my fault so don't arrest him. If you have to arrest someone arrest me." I say.

    "I'm not arresting anyone. Why didn't you tell us when we were younger? My parents could have helped." Derek shakes his head then looks over at me.

    "Your family has done enough for me. And I know you're all very religious so I understand if you don't want me to come to the funeral tomorrow." I say looking at my hands in my lap.

    "You're kidding right. You know you're part of the family." Derek smiles at me.

    "Please don't tell anyone." I plead.

    "You're secret is safe with me." Derek nods. 

    Derek drops me off at the woods. And I walk back to the clearing where we hang out. Kid is standing right by the pathway I walk out of. "I did it. I got him to drop the charges." I say patting Kid's back softly to get his attention. I know he was nervous about it.

    "Thank you." Kid sighs in relief.

    For some reason, at that moment it all hits me like a brick wall. Even after all these years and everything I've been thru and done. Every time I see that man it's like I'm the scared little girl I was before and can't do anything to save myself.

    "Hey, baby girl. You're ok." Kid hugs me and lets me cry into his chest. 

    "I just hate him so much" I sob.

    "I know I hate him too. But you're safe now. He will never touch you again. I promise." He coos petting my hair. 

    "Thank you." I sniffle and taking a deep breathe to reign it all in.

    "Are you ok now?" Kid asks. "Do you want some pizza?" 

    "Just one more minute, please," I ask.

    "I will stand here as long as you need me to, baby girl." Kid hugs me tighter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Colby's POV

    "Looks like Kid isn't getting arrested tonight after all," Miles says nodding behind me eating a slice of pizza. 

    I turn around to see Blake and Kid hugging each other tightly as she hides her face in his chest. "They are very close aren't they?" I comment.

    "Yeah but it's understandable." Miles shrugs.

    "So were they ever together?" I ask. I need to know if I should be jealous because right now I'm very jealous.

    "Those two? No" Miles shakes his head. "She practically raised him."

    "Aren't they the same age?" I ask

    "He is two years younger than her. Blake has a tendency to take in strays. He was one of the first strays she found and he has a messed up family like she does. Whenever she had anything to spare he got it. Even if she hadn't eaten in three days she would make sure that he had food first." Miles explains. 

    I turn back to them to see Kid sitting on the ground leaving against a tree with Blake curled up in his lap asleep as he holds her. 

    "God I can't imagine." I sigh.

    "It's just the way it was. I remember growing up those two could make a pizza last a whole week. They love each other a lot. But they aren't in love. They just protect each other." Miles shrugs.

    "I didn't know any of this." 

    "She hasn't told you anything?" Miles asks.

    "I knew that she and Katie grew up next door to each other. And Katie's mom was really worried about her when she got shot. That's all." I say.

    "How did she get shot?" Miles asks.

    "Home invasion. She pushed someone else out of the way." 

    "Well, that sounds like her. Were you there?" Miles asks.

    "No, she was with Liam at his apartment," I say. 

    "Is that her boyfriend?" Miles asks raising his eyebrows.

    "Yeah, I guess so. I know they are sleeping together. At least I think they still are, I've not been around lately." I shrug.

    "What do you know about the Liam guy? Is he going to hurt her?" Miles asks.

    "I'm not a fan but I'm also not an objective third party. I would much rather her and I be together. We were kind of friends before this." I shrug.

    "Well if its worth anything, my money is on you. You are here and tonight hasn't scared you off. He isn't here." Miles says.

    "Yeah but I haven't been around much either recently," I say glancing back at Blake.

    "Where were you?" Miles asks grabbing a beer from a cooler nearby.

    "Working. I'm a musician and recently got signed. I've been writing and recording songs for our album." I say.

    "Thats pretty cool. Got anything I've heard of?" Miles says.

    "Probably not. I only have a single out right now. And it's only been out for like 27 hours." I say looking at the clock on my phone.

    "Whats the song called?" Miles asks.

    "Tornado." I nod.    

    Miles's eyebrows raise and his jaw drops. "No s**t! I like that song. It's really good!"

    "Oh cool. Thanks!" I smile.

    "Is that song about Blake?" he asks pointing to her on the ground.

    "Yeah. I've been trying to tell her but there hasn't been a good time. How did you know?" I explain.

    "Because your exactly right she is a tornado. Have you ever looked at someone and thought, 'Yep I'd let her f**k up my life'?" Miles nods

    "Before I met her, I would say no. But now I'm going to say yeah definitely." I laugh.

    She tends to have that effect on people." Miles nods.

    I turn back to look at Blake still sleeping in Kid's lap as he whispers in her ear. She fell asleep in Kid's lap as he hugged her. She looked so peaceful when she was asleep. But I hated that she was falling asleep in someone else's arms. I need to prove that she can trust me so one day I can be the guy who gets to hold her and make her feel safe again.

    I walk over to them and bend down some to look at her, "How's she doing?" I ask.

    "Better than I would be doing if I was in her situation. I don't understand how someone can live through as much as she has and still smiles every day." Kid says looking down at her face.

    "Me either." I sigh.

    "You really like her huh?" he asks looking at me now.

    "Yes. I've never felt this way about someone before." I answer honestly.

    "I just want you to know that she will have a lot of days like today. It won't be all sunshine and rainbows like it would with most girls. She needs someone to be there for her no matter what. Someone she can trust." Kid says. 

    "I want to be that guy." I nod.

    "Then stop wanting it. Just do it. If you haven't noticed she is locked up like a vault. Anything she tells you you have to protect that secrets like your life depend on it. Assume that nobody else knows because chances are they don't. She won't show when she is upset or needs help. Just pay attention to her little actions that are out of the ordinary. Like earlier when she shows Miles her text. That was her asking for help without using words." Kid explains.

    "Ok," I nod.

    "I need you to pay attention to her. When y'all go back home I can't be there. Protect her. Do your best to help her. That being said, you hurt her, and I will hunt you down. I'll go to jail for her I don't care." Kid threatens.

    "Ok. I promise I won't hurt her." I nod.

    "Good -" Kid sighs. 

    Blake cuts him off squirming and mumbling in her sleep. "nooooo..... stop" she cries. Oh, Blake.