Here is the next chapter. Hope you like it. Please review.
BLAKE ESTATE
GUEST ROOM
Sunday, September 27
6:58 p.m.
"What are you doing here?" Kali gasped, noticing that Pam was in the doorway. This was bad. Very bad. Only the four boys and Cruz knew where she was staying, not even Keelin and Madge knew where she was. It was the only way she could keep it from her father until her grandparents could win custody.
Pam stood in the doorway staring at Kali, unable to speak. She just turned, but hadn't gotten more than a few feet before Kali had dashed in front of her. "Stop," she said, keeping her voice down. "What are you doing here?"
"I-I'm just..." Pam stammered, unable to look Kali in the eye.
"Calm down," Caleb said, placing a hand on Pam's shoulder. "Calm down."
Pam looked at Caleb and nodded. "Calm..." she mumbled quietly.
"Now, I repeat, what are you doing here?" Kali asked. She had to know. It was too risky to let Pam go without making sure that she wouldn't tell anyone.
"I... I came with Michelle," she mumbled in her soft voice. "Ringo... needed food and..."
Kali sighed. "So she's still here?" She groaned a bit, then looked back at Pam. "Okay, listen to me. Michelle cannot know I'm here, okay?" Pam nodded. "No one can know I'm here. Do you understand?" Pam nodded again. "Don't just nod, Pam."
"I understand," she said. "No one can know you're here. I promise I won't tell." She avoided looking Kali in the eye, and it set Kali's nerves off a bit.
"Kali, you're scaring here," Bentley said. Kali looked at him and took a step back. She watched as Bentley looked at the girl. "Pam, we really need you to keep this a secret, okay?"
"I understand," she said. "I won't tell anyone. Not Michelle, not Mel, not even my parents. If people ask me-"
"They won't ask you," Kali said. She shook her head. "You're not associated with me. So it's up to you to not mention it. Don't even mention me."
Pam shook her head. "I won't," she said, trembling a little bit.
Kali looked at Bentley. She wasn't sure that she trusted Pam.
"Are you up here?" Ringo's voice called as his footsteps grew closer.
Kali noticed that Pam's eyes were going wide, as if wondering what she should do.
"It's okay," Bentley said to Pam. "This is Ringo's house. He knows that Kali is here."
"What if...?" Pam started but her voice faded.
Kali sighed, realizing that Pam had no absolutely no self-esteem, strange considering the confidence both her sister Mel and cousin Michelle carried.
"Ah, I see you've found the house guests," Ringo said with ease as he appeared in the doorway behind Pam. He nodded toward the stairs. Ryan's occupying Michelle right now, so I thought I'd figure out where this one went. He patted Pam on the head, making the girl's cheeks turn an excellent shade of red.
"She's still here?" Kali asked. She rolled her eyes. "Can you get her to leave already?"
"I doubt she'll leave so long as Ryan's here," Ringo said. "After all, it's the first civil company she's had in a while." Pam frowned a bit and turned to look at Ringo. "Excluding family, of course."
"Anything you can do?" Kali asked.
Pam took a deep breath and then headed down the stairs. "What's she doing?" Bentley asked. Kali was itching to follow, and she could tell that Bentley and Caleb were the same way. However, within a few moments, they heard Michelle's voice. "What do you mean we have to go? How are we going to get anywhere?"
"I guess that's Pam to the rescue," Caleb said with an amused chuckle. "But, seriously, how are they going to get anywhere?"
"Oh, like Luis is more than two minutes away," Ringo said with a chuckle. He then turned and went to bid adieu to his guests.
Kali sighed took a seat on her bed, leaning back. "I guess that takes care of that problem," she said. She glanced out the window as the Van Allen's car pulled into the drive. Within a few seconds, Michelle was climbing in with Pam following a bit timidly. "That girl really has no confidence." Once the car was gone, Kali, Bentley, and Caleb all went down the stairs.
"They're gone," Ryan said, clearly a little annoyed. "Are you happy?"
"Mildly pleased," Kali said. "I really don't see why you'd even want her around?"
"You seem to forget that you were her best friend for several years," Ryan said. He looked at Bentley and Caleb. "My Mom's assistant will be here in a few minutes, if either of you would like a ride home."
"Yeah, thanks, I'll take one," Caleb said.
"Me too," Bentley said. He grasped Kali's hand for a moment and she reveled in the warmth.
Her phone beeped a second later. "Your sister is wondering where you are," she said to Bentley when she checked it. "Should I tell her you'll be home in a few?"
Bentley nodded. "Yeah," he said. He kissed her on the cheek when Ryan's ride appeared, and then left the house, leaving Kali alone with Ringo once again.
"You know, Michelle was suspicious that TCM was on the television when she turned it on," Ringo said, following her up the stairs.
"You know, you don't have to invite Michelle over, or cook up schemes just because Ryan has a crush on her," Kali said. "That's not my problem."
Ringo stopped. "Might I remind you that you are a guest in this house?" he asked. "That I can kick you out, or even tell your father where you are."
Kali turned on him. "You wouldn't," she said.
"Why not?" Ringo asked. "You're trying to dictate not only who I can invite over, but now who can be my friend."
Kali rolled her eyes. "You and Michelle are not friends," she said. "She thinks of you as scum of the earth."
"At least she's been up front about it," Ringo said. "Here I've allowed you to stay here, and right now, as far as I can tell, you feel the same way as she does."
"So are you kicking me out?" Kali asked, her breath constricting a little.
Ringo looked at Kali, and then shook his head. "As much of an OCDiva as you're being, Bentley likes you. So you have him to thank for my hospitality."
Kali eyed Ringo for a moment. She wondered if she dared push it. Instead, she forced a small smile on her face. "Thank you, Ringo, for letting me stay."
Ringo smiled. "You're welcome. Just to let you know, I will be getting picked up weekly for Sunday meals with the Van Allens until my mother returns."
