Dance Moms Bodyguard (5) Protectee

Chapter 8 : Dining with the Royal

The black Toyota followed the silver Mercedes to a white two story mansion, completed with a beautiful front yard, with neatly trimmed hedges surrounding the perimeter, as if forming a miniature castle of its own. It locates at the upper end of Pittsburgh, quite close to Chloe's home.

"Mom should see this!" Chloe nodded, turning to Kalani at the wheel. "Still think she's fake?"

"Could be rental. Or worst, squatting!" the tall girl snorted.

Vicky showed them into the house, and introduced Mrs. Kilmer the housekeeper. Dinner was served at the dining room, on the table were cutleries for three, each with multiple sets of forks and knives and glasses.

"I think I'll settle in the kitchen." said Kalani in an uneasy manner.

"Don't be silly. We're all friends here." Vicky smiled.

"I'm not into formality."

"Then just pretend you're playing high tea with a fake princess!" the girl giggled.

Dinner proceed with soup and bread roll, followed by appetizer and then main course. Chloe was having a blast, enjoying the luxury course and having fine conversation with Vicky on lifestyle and fashion. Kalani ate in silence, grew up in poverty she couldn't understand anything the girls said, their conversation seemed so distant, as if they were engaging in a foreign language. But she was street smart, cutting food and sipping wine, imitating their every move a second behind.

"I must walk the perimeter." Kalani finished her plate and stood up.

"But you haven't had dessert yet." the young host said.

"That can wait. This place has a security of a convenient store!"

She walked out the dining room, through the kitchen and out the back, circled the house once, then went out the road and circled the block. She returned to the front porch, found a chair and sat behind a bush, hidden from view.

She heard footsteps approaching, light and gentle. A plate was offered to her face, it was a piece of cheesecake. She looked up and saw Vicky smiling.

"Where's Chloe?"

"She's on the phone."

"Thanks, but I'm on watch." she turned back to the street.

"You're a stubborn one, aren't you?"

"I'm doing my job." Kalani snorted.

"If you're not going to eat it, do you mind if I do?"

"Knock yourself out!"

Vicky pulled out a chair, sat next to the tall girl and began eating.

"You don't like me, do you?" Vicky asked.

"There's nothing to like. You jeopardize my protectee, that's all it matters."

"I understand." Vicky nodded. "I have bodyguards back home, but they are nothing like you."

"Meaning?" Kalani took it offensively.

"None so young and pretty."

Her words made Kalani uncomfortable. The word Pretty has never fell into her description, but like all girls, it softened her heart.

"I blend in." she snorted again to hide her feeling.

"Have you ever consider doing it professionally? I can put out a word for my father."

"I don't need your sympathy!"

"It's not. I think you are responsible, and would blend in with me nicely."

"Excuse me, but I need to make my rounds." Kalani stood up, straightening her jacket. "For your safety, I suggest you stay in the house and out of view."

"Yes, ma'am!" Vicky chuckled, took her plate and went inside.

Vicky returned to the living room and found Chloe on the phone, listening and nodding.

"Thank you, Sergeant Kelly." she hung up the phone.

"You know people in the police department?"

"Friend of a friend."

"You have a lot of friends. I wish I can be like you."

"Most of them met under unfortunate circumstances." Chloe sighed. "Hard to think you don't have friends to talk to."

"Social, yes. Talk? No." Vicky shook her head. "Being royal is like having an invisible wall built around you, people all wanting to meet you, but all afraid to get too close."

"Tell me about it!" Chloe chuckled, years of being a TV character has brought her nothing but trouble.

Chloe could feel the young princess was anxious to hear what was reported, but was too polite to ask, so she began.

"The people attacked us belong to a security firm. Right now the firm is holding client confidentiality, so the police can't find out anything else. The four men were charged with public destruction and reckless driving, they all got bailed out by their lawyer shortly after taken into custody. Their guns have permits. That's all."

"That's a lot from a friend, of a friend!" Vicky was impressed. "Would you care to stay for the night? We have rooms, and it will be my pleasure."

"No, but thank you for the offer. I've taken plenty of your time already. Besides, I need to get back. I still have homework to do."

Kalani drove Chloe home, on the way Chloe asked.

"So what do you think of her?"

"Nothing." Kalani said coldly.

"I think she's nice."

"What you think is your business."

"You don't have to be so cold all the time!"

"My job is to keep you out of trouble. Nothing more."

Chloe let her drove in silence for a bit, than asked.

"Those men work for a security company. Any ideas?"

"Nothing more." Kalani reminded.

"Now that I got involved, it would mean trouble for me too. Wouldn't you agree?"

"I'll take what's coming."

"Then wouldn't you want to know more about who we are dealing with?"

Kalani drove silent, Chloe took it as agreed.

The drive only took twenty minutes, since Vicky and Chloe were in the same district. Kalani stopped the car and Chloe unfastened her seatbelt, she saw Kalani's hands still at the wheel, with the engine running.

"You're not coming?"

"I've invaded enough homes for one day."

"You're not invading. You're invited."

To her understanding, Kalani was given a car and that's all she has, Chloe looked to the backseat, it was empty but a dirty old blanket. Chloe thought about this girl, who has been sleeping here every night, so that her protectee could sleep safely in her nice warm bed.

"Why don't you stay with we? It doesn't violate your work. Right?" Chloe asked, the girl didn't respond. "Or at least a shower?"

Kalani turned to her and stared hard.

"I'm going to be as straightforward as I can so you can understand. I'm here because I'm on a job. I don't like you, and I don't expect to make friends, especially you. I may have come from a world of poverty, that doesn't mean I need your pity!"

"Is this what this is about? Did you think we felt sorry for you?" Chloe frowned, stunned by her sudden outburst.

"Get out!" Kalani shouted. "This is MY car! GET OUT!!"

Chloe stormed out of the car and saw Kalani drove away. She ran up to her room crying, never felt so abandoned in her life. Kalani was like a close friend to her, so close she would take a bullet for her, and it hurts to break their friendship.