Bad Karma

twenty-one

Leilani Elrod

Episode 4. Spy Games

"Here, let this sit on it for a while." Kie laid the ice pack on my neck, setting a rag between my skin and the bag. I was under instructions not to speak until the swelling went down. The feeling of his hands around my neck wouldn't go away and sleep didn't come easy to me that night, so I laid awake for most of it while Kie slept peacefully next to me.

We had no other choice than to tell her everything after the fight. She was mad for a bit, but got over it quickly. Now, as the sun rose, we had to get ready to meet the boys at Heyward's. John B hadn't turned up yet, making the rest of us even more nervous than we already were.

Well, Pope was still going on about what happened.

"Don't let it get to your head, bro. Three of them and two of us." JJ tried to calm Pope's nerves, but I don't think it really helped, "That's some typical Kook shit right there."

"Hell, yeah."

"Ye-"

"No!" JJ shushed me. I had spoken a few words, but my voice was raspy and my throat hurt, but other than that, I was fine! I don't need to be babied. So, I punched his arm in retaliation. He ignored me, turning back to Pope, "What was your thought process, using your head?"

"I don't know, man. I just kind of acted off instinct, all right?"

"Hey, Pope, Lei! Someone's here to see you!" Heyward called to us. Trailing him was Officer Shoupe. My heart fell to my stomach.

"Evening, Officer." Pope said to him.

"I have an arrest warrant for felony destruction of property. Leilani Elrod, you're under arrest and Cheryl will be waiting for you at the station. Hands where I can see 'em."

My mouth dropped open. Oh, my god. Cheryl. Everyone knew who she was and what this meant. It was finally my time to be sent to foster care on the mainland.

"Woah, woah, woah, Shoupe, what'd he do?"

"You can't take her!"

"Read the warrant."

"Anything you say can and will be used against you in court in the court of law." Shoupe said, cuffing my cuffs a little too tightly for my comfort.

The voices from everyone faded out as Shoupe dragged Pope and I out of Heyward's.

"It wasn't him!" JJ yelled, just as Shoupe was ready to load us into the car, "It was me. Both of them tried to talk me out of it, but I was mad because they'd just been beaten up. I was so sick of those assholes from Figure Eight that I lost my shit." JJ looked between us, "I can't let you take the blame for somethin' I did. You've got too much to lose."

"JJ, what are you doing?" Pope hissed at him.

"I'm tellin' the truth. For once in my goddamn life, I'm gonna tell the truth. I took his old mans boat, too."

"What the hell-"

"JJ, come on!"

"Just shut up! Just shut up. He's a good kid. You know where I'm from."

Shoupe nodded, "Yeah."

"This was all me."

"That's the whole truth?" Shoupe asked.

"That's the whole truth, swear to go-"

"I know what you think, damn it. I'm asking Pope here."

JJ subtly nodded at Pope, letting him know that it was going to be okay.

Hesitantly, Pope nodded, "Yeah, that about covers it."

JJ was cuffed and both of us were hauled into the car. I couldn't look at my friends faces as we drove away or the look on JJ's face as he sat in cuffs next to me. I leaned my head on the seat in front of me, closing my eyes. How was I going to get out of this one?

As we entered the police station, JJ and I shared only one glanced before we were hauled opposite ways. Me going to a room where Cheryl was sat with another officer that had no neck. They both looked like they were having a rough day, but I knew for a fact that it was nothing compared to what my friends and I have been going through.

"Thomas, un-cuff her." Cheryl instructed him, which he did so.

I rubbed my sore wrists, giving Cheryl a timid smile, "Cheryl, lovely to see you again."

Cheryl cut right to the chase, "Since we missed you yesterday this seemed like the perfect opportunity to get you. You're going off to a family in-"

I furrowed my eyebrows, just now processing her words, "Did you say yesterday?"

Had she nabbed John B? Was this the reason that we hadn't seen him?

"Yes, Leilani-"

"So, you got John B? Where is he? Are we going to the same family?" My mind was moving at a mile a minute.

She huffed, "No, Leilani. When we get him, you two will be in opposite families-"

The door opened, revealing Sheriff Peterkin looking dead at me, "Today's your lucky day kid, you've been vouched for."

---

"Kie, you're a life saver! I mean, seriously, how did you get them to agree?" I beamed at Kie as I lied on her bed, kicking my feet around on her bed. After Peterkin had come to my rescue, I had discovered that Kie had convinced her parents to call the station and tell them that I had been staying with them in their stable, rich, home. That was enough for Peterkin to let me go, at least.

Kie shrugged, "I told them that I'd go to Midsummers without a fight this year. And that you'd go with."

My ears perked, "You mean that we get to put on fancy dresses and dance around a country club?"

She groaned, "Yes, Lani, it's horrible."

"Oh, it's just so horrible." I said, but there was a bright smile on my face and the excitement I felt was almost too much to contain. Kie just looked at me and rolled her eyes.