Her Bodyguard

Chapter Five

Calida stared at Han, surprised at her question, but the girl only winked at her. Calida internally cringed.

"Arell means golden locks or power and strength in most countries. That's all I can spare."

"Okay, that's fine. I appreciate the honesty at least. So, how do you know Izar? She doesn't want to say a thing," Han said, looking between both girls as they quietly walked across campus.

Izar shrugged absentmindedly. Calida's eyes scanned the campus. She had been here, once. She knew every nook and cranny. Maybe that was why she had been selected for the job.

"Our fathers are friends. He convinced the school to let me attend. I was not in the U. S. when admissions started."

Han looked convinced, it was an easy lie. They continued walking quietly. As they passed a field that would lead to the little restaurant on campus that Izar liked, a ball came flying their way. But just before it would hit Izar on the face, Calida's outstretched hand caught it.

Izar took a deep breath, turned to Calida who had a stoic impression on her face. Their eyes met for a brief second and Izar knew Calida would not take what just happened quietly.

Calida matched to the field. It wasn't so big, but their were other students scattered across it. Two boys who were obviously jocks, stood in the field, sweaty and waiting for Calida.

One of the boys walked up to her, his brown hair stuck to his face with sweat. Calida offered a stiff smile as he inched closer and Izar his behind her, looking visibly shaken.

"Can we have the ball back?" He asked.

Calida shrugged, "right after you apologize to us. You almost hit my friend."

The jock chuckled, "I don't think so. Just hand us the ball."

"You want the ball, apologize first. Your ego can allow you say a few words of sorry, no?"

"I hope you know who you're talking to?" The jock asked.

"Yes, another hormonal teenager who thinks because he's big and buff, he can be rude, uncouth, and do what he wants? I think I know," Calida responded.

The boy made a move for the ball, but Calida passed it to her right hand and grabbed his hands instead. She had a firm grip and squeezed hard. If it hadn't been a student on a football team, she would have broken his fingers.

"Fuck! Let me go!" He said, grunting in pain.

A few students clicked pictures before she let him go. He rubbed his hands. Behind her, Izar giggled.

"Will you be a well behaved gentleman and apologize now?" Calida asked him.

"Yes. Look, I'm sorry okay? Me and my friend will watch where we play from now on. Really sorry."

"Go on then!"

"But..."

Calida's eyes were enough to show she wasn't messing around. When he began walking back to his friend, Calida raised the ball and threw it so hard. She watched it until she saw it hit her target. The jock ran down to his friend, who was now lying on the floor and bleeding from his nose.

As they walked away, Izar stole glances at Calida while Han constantly praised her. They got to the restaurant and Calida led them to a quiet table. She knew the place and it's owner, an older man in his early seventies.

"You should order something. You said you were craving pasta. Should I place an order for you?" Calida asked.

Izar and Han told her what they wanted to eat. She picked up the menu and checked before going to place an order. When the food was ready, she went and got it for the three of them.

Izar ate her pasta silently. She wanted to say something, but she couldn't. She only let Han talk and Han was the most talkative person she knew. After lunch, they would walk to the car park and Calida would drive her home. She suddenly wanted to go home, to be alone with Calida.

"So, you're the bully's bully?" Han asked.

"If you put it that way," Calida said with a shrug. She was done eating already.

Izar broke her silence, "I need to go home. I don't feel too good."

Calida nodded, "I'll go pay for the food and then we can leave."

When they wanted to object, Calida's stoic face put a stop to her objection. She paid for the food and together, they left the restaurant. They walked Han to her car first. Izar said goodbye to her and Calida offered her a polite nod as she drove away.

Just as they were walking to Calida's car, someone walked right into her. Calida caught a whiff of her perfume first, before bending down to pick the books on the floor.

"I'm sorry, professor Gina. I should have watched where I was headed," Calida said.

The professor blushed, "it's- it's alright. Just look where you're going next time."

She hurriedly walked away from Calida and Izar as they watched her.

"What was all that about?" Izar asked, staring at Calida.

She shrugged and resumed walking, "a past that's now unwanted? I don't know. Let's go."

Calida opened the door for her and she got in. When Calida got into the driver's seat, she turned to see Izar had not worn her seatbelt. Without a word, she inched closer and grabbed the seatbelt. Izar watched her as she put the seatbelt in place. She could smell Calida's perfume. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, but that did not help at all.

"I don't take people who don't wear their seatbelts seriously," Calida said as she wore her seatbelt.

The only thing breaking the silence in the car was the song on the radio as they drove home. Izar could not stop thinking about Calida. The fresh memory of her, without a shirt and just her sports bra kept reappearing in her mind's eye.

They got home, Calida parked the car. She got out effortlessly and walked over to the other side to open Izar's door.

The first thing Calida did once she got Izar into the house was to check the camera footages on her computer. Their was nothing suspicious. She left it and instead played the voicemail on the telephone.

The first thing she heard got her alert. It was a girl and from the sound of her voice, she had been crying.

"They... they're coming...club...the guy from the club... drugs... don't know who's next...drug pin..."

When she thought it had stopped, she heard the distant sound of a voice say "finish her Marcus, don't waste my time."

The only other thing that brought Calida back to the present, was the sound of Izar screaming.