That "Love" Girl
Chapter Thirteen
By Rachel Rene
    The gang ended up going to the Orange Ballerina for lunch.  When they got there, Jake greeted them.
    "How ya doin' girl?" he asked Karisma.  She said she was better, and that she would be able to start working right away.  "Now, hold on there Kari.  If you really want to, you can work tomorrow, but at least take today off, okay?  Mary, you too." Giving in, Kari sat at the booth with the rest of them.
    Freaky Vicki was their waitress, and as she approached the booth, Karisma flinched.  "Kari?" Vicki asked softly.  All the time that she had been here, Kari had never heard Vicki speak, at least not to her.
    "Yea, Fre- Vicki?" Karisma swallowed nervously.
    "Can, can I talk to you alone for a minute?" Vicki didn't look directly at Kari, but stared at the ground as she spoke.
    Karisma answered after looking at the others who nodded, "Sure.  Um, where do you wanna talk?"
    Vicki pointed to the room where they were supposed to change into their uniforms.  "In there, so no one can hear what we're saying."
    Kari eyed Vicki sympathetically, she looked so forlorn and sad.  Her dark brown eyes were big and seemed afraid.  Her almost black hair reached just past her shoulders, in slight waves.  "Okay, hon'.  Let's go." Now Kari felt sorry for Vicki, instead of afraid of her.  After all, Kari never witnessed Vicki being vile towards anyone.
    Poor Vicki, Kari thought to herself, she's probably crushed about Wayne.  She must have really liked him too, and then found out what he really is.  Kari excused herself from the others, and followed Vicki into the backroom.
    Once inside, Vicki locked the door slowly and turned towards Kari, tears in her big brown eyes.  Kari almost started crying just looking at her.  "I'm
sorry, Kari, about what Wayne did to you-"
    "Oh, no, no.  I'm sorry too Vicki.  You don't need to apologize.  I feel so bad for how I treated you."
    Vicki looked surprised and confused, "How you treated me?  You were never mean to me.  And I do have a reason to apologize."  Vicki took another breath and sat next to Kari, "I knew about Wayne.  I should have told you sooner what he was capable of doing."
    "What do you mean?" Kari asked.
    "Wayne tried the same thing on me, except I'm not as strong as you... and he..." Vicki started sobbing, and Kari scooted closer and put her arm around her shoulders.  "I had to clean the restrooms after work, and he came in and cornered me.  I was scared, Kari." She tried to explain, "I thought he would kill me if I tried to get away, he was so rough with me.  After he was done, he just said that I had better keep my mouth shut if I wanted to keep working here... I would have quit after that, believe me, if I didn't need the money."
    Kari was stunned, but eventually was able to ask, "You were raped and you didn't report it to anyone?"
    "I was too ashamed and too afraid!  You're the only person that knows.  I thought you'd understand since he almost got you too."
    "Yeah, but I wasn't in the bathroom where no one would see him.  I was lucky enough to just get the pre-treatment.  I'm really sorry he did that to you, Vickâ€| And believe me, I understand more than you think."
    Vicki looked at Kari, "Really?"
    Nodding, Kari said, "I was raped too.  Not by Wayne, but by someone I didn't even know the name of.  It was a few months ago, after a stupid party I never should have gone to."
    "Did you report it?" Vicki asked Kari, wiping her tears and sniffing.
    "Noâ€| I didn't." she replied, a little ashamed.  "I just told the Monkees today, and Mary a few days earlier.  My family knows, at least my dad and oldest brother do.  My dad kicked me out, that's why I'm here."
    "I ran away before... Wayne.  That's why I need the money."
    "Where do you live?" Kari interrogated.
    Vicki's head fell, and she told Kari poignantly, "I sleep behind the building," she pointed behind her, "There's a lot of boxes out back that I made into a temporary shelter.  Until I can rent an apartment."
    "In boxes out back?!  That's where you live?" Kari felt worse now then ever, "Why didn't you tell me?  I have enough room for you to stay with me for awhile."
    Looking up hopefully, Vicki smiled weakly, the first time Kari had ever seen her smile, "You'd do that for me?"
    "Sure!  I don't want you being homeless.  Especially since you're having a baby.  You are having the baby, right?" Kari asked.
    Nodding, Vicki put her right hand over her stomach and started stroking it softly.  "I can't get used to how I'm gonna look."
    "Well, we'll look like that together.  You'll only be a month or two behind me, and we can give each other encouragement." Kari laughed.
    Vicki said she was grateful for the talk, and Kari said not to mention it.  They walked out of the room after a long embrace.
    "You guys," Kari announced, back at the booth, "This is my friend Vicki, and she's going to be living with Mary and me, if it's alright with Mary, of course."
    Mary smiled warmly, "Certainly.  I'd love to have another roommate!  Hi Vicki, nice to finally meet you." They shook hands.
    "This is Micky, Mary's boyfriend." Both Mary and Micky blushed when Kari introduced him that way.  "And his roommate, Davy."
    "'Ey luv." Davy nodded.
    "And Mike." When Kari introduced Mike, Vicki blushed a little, but no one seemed to notice.  "You probably know the Monkees already, ‘cause they play their gigs here, but you'll get to know them a lot more.  They live a couple houses down from us."
    Kari sat down on the other side of Mary, and offered a seat to Vicki, "I can't," she replied, "I have to work.  Which reminds me," Vicki took out a note pad and pen,  asking what they wanted to eat.
    With all of their orders written, Vicki left the table and headed towards the kitchen.  "So how do you guys like Vicki?" Kari asked.
    "She's a real groovy kid," Mike answered first, "Pretty cute, too."

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