I woke as the sun shone into the room. Looking down I saw Kali. She was still sleeping and still snuggling close to me. I leaned down and kissed her forehead. With her eyes still closed, she smiled. "Good morning." I said to her.
She opened her shining emerald eyes and looked up at me. "Yes, it is a good morning."
I sat up in the bed and she shifted to keep herself comfortable. I had to think for a moment about my next words. What do you say after a situation like this? Everything was new for me but, I knew what I felt. Kali sat up as if she understood my inner thoughts and kissed me deeply. After a few seconds she broke the kiss.
"I know." She said trying to put my mind at ease. "It's okay. I feel it too." I gave her a puzzled look trying to hide my real feelings. Seeing through my little faΓ§ade, she smiled and remarked, "You are scared to say it but, I am not. I love you."
I was unsure if this was love. I had never felt like this but then there is such thing as love at first sight right? I got up and kissed her forehead again. "I am going to see if anyone else is home. Then I might take me a shower." I said to her.
"I might just join you." She giggled.
I put on my shorts and left the safety of my bedroom. I searched the house and found no one home. I first suspected that no one had come home all night then I say a note from my mother. In her usual tone, she had informed me she would be gone for most of the day. She also made mention she saw Kali in my bed and that I better be responsible before I make any decisions I might regret. With no one left in the house, I decided to get that shower. When I returned to the bedroom, I was surprised that Kali was not in there. Then I heard the water running.
"Guess she wasn't kidding." I said to myself. Grabbing some clean clothes, I went to join her.
The water was hot but, not as hot as my company. Just watching Kali rub herself just turned me on. Being naked in the shower, it was going to be impossible for me to hide my excitement. Kali noticed and smiled. She pulled my head down and planted a kiss on my lips. Then she threw me for a loop. She whispered in to my ear. "Calm down, hot rod, we have all day."
I did my best to follow her instructions. She didn't make it easy though. After getting cleaned up and dressed, we decided to go out to the mall in a town not far from where we lived. Kali asked me if I was okay going clothes shopping with her. I agreed and we visited a few stores for her to look for some new clothes. She modeled several new outfits for me and I helped her pick the cutest ones of the group. We spent all day in each other's company and we didn't want it to end.
While at the mall, we ran into some of my friends. Laurie was among them. Kali decided to get us something to drink and left me for a few minutes with Laurie. She asked how things were going and I told her everything. Laurie smiled at me. "I am so happy for you. I haven't seen you like this in a long time."
I was happy and Laurie was right. I had not been this happy in a long time. "Besides, she must be something special for you to come out to the mall on a weekend!" Laurie remarked. "I know how crowds make you nervous."
Kali had walked up at that moment. "Oh my God, I didn't know you were uncomfortable in a crowd!" she blurted out.
Laurie laughed at the petite young lady. "Well, he has...issues." She informed Kali without letting too much out.
We talked for a few more minutes before parting ways. Laurie leaned in to Kali as if to hug her but, I noticed she whispered something in her ear. Kali nodded and reached for my hand. We ventured around the mall for a while longer. The image of Laurie whispering to Kali had me nervous. Deep down I was hoping Laurie hadn't been stupid enough to try and intimidate her. I finally worked up the nerve to ask what Laurie had said.
"She told me to take care of you. She was glad to see you so happy." Kali responded. My fears vanished. I held her hand tight in mine as we headed out to the car.
Three months later, Kali knocked on my front door. My mother answered and found her crying on the porch. Of course my mother's first instinct is to blame me and somehow make things my fault. She invited Kali inside and I came out to see her. As soon I entered the room, Kali ran to me and hugged me tight. I hugged her back and asked what is wrong. That's when my mother did the only thing I remember being remotely compassionate. She asked Kali who hit her. I looked down and noticed a large bruise on her face. This made me angry. I followed up and asked the question again. Kali told us her mother hit her with some kitchen utensil. Then her mother and father threw her out of the house. Being eighteen, they told her, she should stop living at home unless she is going to get a job to support the family. Kali said she tried to remind them that even though she was eighteen, she was still in high school.
My mother looked at Kali and reverted back to her usual self. "Where are you going to stay?" she asked in an "I don't really care" tone.
I glared at her for being insensitive. "Where the hell do you think she is going to stay?" I scolded.
As usual, mother wanted to argue. This made Kali uncomfortable. "I will just figure something out. If I is going to cause a problem here I won't..." I cut her off mid-sentence.
"It will not cause a problem. You are welcome here." I turned to my mother and gave her another glaring look. "Right?"
My mother sighed. She wasn't going to win this battle and she knew it. "I guess so." She responded.
A few days after that, I borrowed my brother's truck and took Kali to her parents' house to pick up what she had left behind. She had not been herself since the whole incident and I was scared that the Kali I knew, MY Kali, was gone. We pulled up to the house and to both our relief, her parents were not home. We grabbed what we could and the things she valued most. It filled about half a dozen boxes or so. We left all her furniture and some things she didn't want because of the memories. After loading up we headed back to the house.
Since my mother was now divorced again we had plenty of room in our garage for all of Kali's things that she knew she didn't need on a daily basis. We spent the next few hours getting her settled in. To my surprise, both my mother and brother helped out. I wasn't sure why but, I was thankful for the help. After a quick dinner Kali and I returned to our room. My brother stopped in to let me know he was going to be gone all night and Mother? Well in her typical fashion, she just said bye and left for God knows where. Kali and I had the whole house to ourselves.
I asked her if she wanted to go out or do something to help distract her. Kali just sat on the bed without answering me. I walked over to her and sat next to her. She was crying again. I hugged her tight and told her everything was going to be okay. She looked up at me with tears streaming from her emerald eyes. This was the first time I had a hard time looking into them. I kissed her then looked deep in her eyes and said "Kali, I love you. I will always love you. I am sorry you have to go through this. I am here for you and you alone and I will do whatever you ask of me or need from me."
Part of my brain began screaming at me. I was not too far from turning nineteen and I had practically turned myself over to her. That part of my brain was quickly quieted by the rest of my brain and my heart. Kali responded with a smile.