Forlot: A Girl Who Needs Her Space - Book Thirty-Two

Chapter Twenty

"I am sorry, brothers of mine," I said as I leaped out of my chair and walked to the kitchen phone that was on the wall. "You are history. And I mean that literally."

I picked up the phone and dialed my friend's number. I waited for her to answer.

Ring! Ring! Ring!

"Hello?"

I recognized Karma's voice and raised the phone to my ear. "Karma, it is me. Carmen."

"You do not have to tell me. I already know."

"Figured that you would because my voice is sooooooo distinctive."

"That and the fact that your phone number is the only one that I have. You know. 'Cause no one else at school wants to be my friend."

"Forget them, Karma. They are fools for not wanting to be friends with you."

She stayed silent for a couple seconds. "You are angry, are you not?"

I lowered my voice to a whisper. "I am not angry. What makes you think that I am angry?"

"For one thing, you called our classmates fools. That is not like you."

I let out a whoosh of air through my nose. "I have been having a not-so-good morning."

"Let me guess. Your brothers."

"You know me so well."

I explained to her everything that had happened. What my older brothers put me through. The adorable snake hiding under my bed. My brothers confessing that they were the ones who planted said snake. Mom and Aunt Elore freaking out over the animal.

"It was not the best morning," I said tiredly as I rubbed my eyes.

"I should say so," Karma answered. "But it is good that they are being punished for scaring you silly."

"I would not call it scaring me silly, Karma, but I agree with you."

"Do you know what their punishment is yet?"

"Not yet. They are in the other room with my mom and my aunt." I let out a squeal. "But Mom and Aunt Elore are giving it to them."

"That is fantastic. I wish that I was there to see all of it. Hey, could you give me a minute, Carmen? I am going to check the time, and the clock is not in this room that I am in."

"Do not waste any time." I giggled at what I said. "I can tell you the time if you want. I am wearing my watch."

"Oh, thank you. I know that I can always count on you, Carmen."

I raised my watch to my face and checked the time. "It is after eight o'clock."

Karma gasped. "Then what are we waiting for? We are going to be late to school!"

"We are not going to be late to school," I reassured her. "Our houses are close to the school, so we will not have a problem."

Famous last words.

I grabbed my backpack and said goodbye to Mom and Aunt Elore. I scrambled out of the house and ran down the sidewalk until the school building came into view. I was running to the double doors when I saw somebody in front of said doors. Someone whom I thought that I would not see.

"I cannot believe that you beat me," I said to her.

I got you readers good, did I not? You all assumed that it was someone from my past or even a villain. But no. It was just my best friend Karma.

Karma laughed and took off her backpack. "It was easy beating you, Carmen. I was dressed and packed by the time that you called me. Plus...I do not have any pesky brothers who would put snakes under my bed."

I ran a hand through my hair. "They all claim that they planted the snake next to my bed, not under it." I sadly shook my head. "But it does not matter. It remains the same. They purposely put the snake in my bedroom to mess with me."

She pushed up her glasses and stomped her foot.

"What is the matter, Karma? Are you okay?"

"No, I am not okay." She stomped her foot again. "I am sick of it. Sick of your brothers and their lame pranks."

"You can say that again."

"I would say it again, but I am too ticked."

We walked in the building and talked more about how annoying and disrespectful my six brothers were. Then I checked the time on my watch.

My best friend must have noticed that I was looking at my watch because she asked, "What time is it now?"

"It is still after eight o'clock, however, it is not close to nine o'clock. So we have plenty of time to get to class."

"So what should we do to pass the time, Carmen?"

I looked at the watch before looking back at her. "Since that we have been friends for a while now, Karma, it is only fair that I tell you my secret."

She gasped. "You are going to tell me a secret?"

I could not help but smile. "I will tell you two secrets. I have two juicy secrets to tell you."

She jumped up and down and clapped her hands. "I...I am so honored. And excited!"

I wrapped my hand around her wrist. "Come on. Let us go to the girls' restroom."

"Why?"

"Well...in order for me to tell you my first secret, I have to show it to you."

"Ooh!"

We rushed down the hall and slipped in the bathroom. I scanned the bathroom for any signs of life and wiped sweat off my forehead.

"We are alone," I confirmed to Karma. "You ready?"

She clapped her hands again. "Yes, yes, yes!"

"First, let me ask you a question, Karma. If there was a place that you would like to visit...where would it be?"

"World War II. Definitely World War II. I want to beat the stuffing out of the bad guys."

"Good choice."

Then we both went back in time.