The Quaranteens: Stuck

• 9 ~ Kalani •

April 12, 2020 -Miami, Florida
Cara POV

"I was in Kindergarten and there was this little white girl that I was friends with. Everyone decided to play tag that day. Apparently she had already told everyone to chase after me but that's obviously not how you play tag, so I was confused. She told me everyone had to chase me because 'black people go to hell and white people go to heaven'. Naturally, I was like, 'that doesn't make any sense. Why would I go to hell just because of my skin color?' I can't really remember what happened after that, but I do know that I told my mom and that definitely didn't go over well with her. That little girl didn't talk to me again after that day."

"Kindergarten? Jesus... You were exposed to that stuff so early in life? I'm so sorry Cara."

"It's okay. I don't really think about it much. I know there's nothing wrong with me, I'm actually proud of my color. No one in the world can ever take that from me and I love that."

"I love how confident you are. If someone told me something like that at such a young age... I don't even know how I'd deal. I just find that extremely admirable."

"Thanks Keanu. That means a lot."

My eyes started getting droopy and I could hear Keanu yawning through the phone.

"Cara, do you think you'll ever trust me enough to tell me the story behind Caralily?"

"I already trust you enough-" I paused to yawn, "KC..."

He chuckled, but I could tell he was sleepy just like me. How is his laugh still attractive even at the ungodly hours of the night?

"The why won't you tell me?"

"I'm waiting for the... the right time."

"What do you mean?" He sounded like he was trying to stop himself from knocking out cold just then. He was seriously interested, I could tell, but couldn't gather enough energy to transfer that to his voice.

"It's too much for me to think about right now, night Keanu, talk to you tomorrow."

"Kay babygirl, night..."

And we fell asleep while on the phone once again.

This time when Keanu woke me up in the morning he did it much subtler. And by subtler I mean he blew an air horn into my ears to wake me up. Isn't he just the best?

"Wake up sleepy head!"

I checked the time. 10:00AM

"I don't have to get up for another hour."

"But I just came back from my morning jog and I even kept you here for when I came back."

"Too bad, come back later." I stuffed my head into my pillow to try and drown out the noise of Keanu's family in the background, but obviously I was way to unlucky for that too happen.

"Ohh Kean, are you on the phone with your girlfriend?" It sounded like a small child's voice, it was probably Kalia.

"No Lia, she's just a friend."

"He's definitely into her. He's called her like every night for the past week."

This voice sounded significantly older, but still relatively young and... I recognized it. I didn't even think about the fact that Keanu's sister Kalani was the same Kalani that I met when she was in Freshman and I was in Sophomore year. We're not super close friends but we talk more frequently than really anyone else I talk to from school apart from Lucy. We haven't talked recently, but that's how our friendship works. We always act as if no time has passed when we do talk and it's usually for hours. I don't think she realizes it's me on the phone though.

"Oh my god! Kalani? I didn't even realize that you were Keanu's sister."

"Cara? No freaking way! You're the girl my brother's been texting non-stop for the past week?"

"Indeed I am."

I heard some rustling and then Keanu said, "Lani give me my phone!"

"I will, I will, just let me say a quick hi to my friend!" I heard him groan through the phone.

I laughed, he and his sisters were so cute.

"So you and my brother huh?"

"There's nothing going on, I swear. We just got really close recently. We're friends."

"Friends... with benefits?"

"No. Friends that are friends." 

"Cara and Keanu sitting in a tree..." 

"Oh my gosh, what are you, five?" I said, but my tone was humorous. 

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G" 

"Correction! T-A-L-K-I-N-G"

"Sure that's what you're saying now, but when we're planning your wedding together I'll rub it in your face that you said this."

"Sure Lani, sure."

"Ugh, girl we have to catch up! I met this guy and he's so-" 

I heard a door open and the cutest little voice said, "Keanu wants you to bring his phone back so he can talk to his girlfriend."

"Lia! We went over this!" The little voice giggled.

"Sorry, sorry! I meant female friend."

"Alright, alright! I'll text you girl!"

"I'll be waiting."

After a couple more minutes of sibling teasing Keanu finally got his phone back.

"So you're friends with my sister?"

Welp. So much for sleeping until 11 PM.

"She was a really great emotional help for me during my sophomore year after a bad breakup. We've been pretty close ever since."

"And you didn't realize she was my sister?"

"Nope. I didn't even have a clue."

"Oh great, now my whole family's gonna be asking questions now that they know who you are."  

"Aww... well as much as I'd love to stay and chat, I gotta go! I'll talk to you later KC!"

"Bye babygirl." 

•~•~•

Keanu barely gave me 5 hours before bombarding my phone with texts and calls. After the 20th phone call I decided to answer him.

"What! I'm trying to figure out this work that the teacher gave us."

"Do you take calculus?"

"Yes, why?"

"Perfect!"

"Again I ask, why?"

"Because babygirl, I need help with my stupid calculus homework and I take it you're a smart girl."

"Yeah, sure I'll help you, but can you give me a second so I can figure out this chemistry worksheet that I have to do."

"Pshh! Chem is easy! How about this. You help me with calculus, I help you with Chem?"

"You got it dude!" 

•~•~•

A/N

Hey guys!

So I know that this is a shorter chapter and I know I said double update yesterday, but this time it's for real. Double update tonight! 

I thought this chapter was fun, plus you guys got to meet the main character of the third book in the 'The Quaranteens' series, Kalani. Her book is called 'The Quaranteens: Detention' :) 

I love you all and remember to comment and vote on each chapter! 

Bye Babes <3

S y d.