So, chapter 29! Woooooo! I haven't got much to say, apart from thanks for the lovely response I got for the last chapter.
Enjoy!
"Hey, weirdo!" Melissandre looks up from her lonely lunchtable and in the direction of the call and instantly spots the boy coming towards her.
"What dod you want, Josh?" She keeps her voice polite but cold, hoping to keep him away for today. The bullying stopped, Josh hadn't forgotten Kiara's lesson. Yet. But anyway, Melissandre would be out of the university in a few months, so who cares?
"Have you seen your friend lately? Tiny?" This is surprising. Why should Josh want anything from her? It wasn't him who had been hurt by her, but he did witness it all.
"Kiara? No, why?"
"Can you give me her number?" Mel can only look at him and remembers to close her mouth after barely a second, but answering is hard for a second.
"You – want her number?"
Josh shrugs.
"Yeah, well, she's hot," he says casually.
"No! Just, no. She's seventeen!" Josh looks like he wants to say something else, but Melissandre shakes her head once more.
"Just go away, Josh!" He looks a little disappointed, but leaves Mel to her own thoughts.
It was true, she hadn't spoken to Kiara since their fight, which was nearly two weeks ago. She still remembers Kiara's strictly controlled face when she had left the café and now she felt guilty. Who cares about parents? Hers aren't people she is proud of, but she couldn't change anything about them and so tries to be accepted despite her parents.
And Kiara's father – well, of course he was a criminal mastermind, and had probably killed very many people, not to mention the fact that Kiara obviously loves her father and admires him, but still, he wasn't Kiara's fault. And even though James Moriarty was a ruthless psychopath, Kiara isn't one. She might be a bit crazy and slightly mentally unstable, but she is a good person inside.
Mel had realised this a few days ago, two days after their fight, actually. She hadn't dared to send Kiara a text though, or call her until two days ago, and Kiara wasn't answering.
Mel sighs and decides to try once more. Getting up she grips her empty plate and glass and puts them away and then hurries to her room.
It's exactly the same as she left it, and she is quite happy about it. They hadn't bothered her too much after Kiara came, but she is still an outcast. She doesn't mind though; it is another thing she is grateful for. She does owe Kiara quite a lot now.
Mel texts her friend twice and calls her once, but she doesn't get an answer for twenty minutes, so she has nearly given up when her phone rings.
The screen says Kiara, so she hurries to answer the call, even though she has no idea what to say.
"Hey Kiara, I-" She starts but is interrupted by a man's voice.
"Who are you and why do you keep trying to contact Kiara Moriarty?" The voice is calm, cold and makes Mel want to hide, but this is her chance to get Kiara to answer, so she swallows.
"My name is Melissandre Baudelaire?" She is intimidated by this man, somehow she makes the answer sound like a question, and curses herself instantly.
"Miss Baudelaire, why do you keep trying to contact Kiara Moriarty?" The voice is still smooth, but there is an undertone, a dangerous hint that creeps her out.
"Erm, she is my friend – I wanted to know whether she is okay." This time her voice sounds stronger, more confident, so she tries to use that confidence.
"Who are you, anyway?"
"I am her friend – one of the two she has, so who are you really?"
This triggers a memory, didn't Kiara tell her about a friend a few weeks ago?
"Are you the friend who was in hospital not long ago?"
"What do you want from Kiara and why hasn't she mentioned you?" The man ignores her question entirely and Mel sighs.
"We had a fight two weeks ago and I wanted to talk to her about it." The man doesn't say anything for two seconds, and when he does, his voice is definitely sharper.
"Was this fight on the seventh of August, by any chance?" This is strange. This is very strange, how could he know?
"I think so – sorry, how did you-?" Once again she is interrupted, by him, but now the polite calmness is gone.
"I will send a car for you. It will bring you her. But if you dare to hurt her ever again, you will, lets say, regret it. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir." Melissandre whispers, she didn't know Kiara had so intimidating friends.
"The car will be there in five minutes, get in. I expect to see you soon." The voice is sharp now, but still collected.
"But-" A click is audible and the call disconnects. "-you don't know where I live." Mel says into the empty room.
Sorry for the length, my friends - but this is just the perfect point for a cut - at least the next chapter will come soon, I'll try tomorrow. Soon the chapters will get longer as well, I promise!