Offline: In The Flesh (3 page)

Authors: Kealan Patrick Burke

BOOK: Offline: In The Flesh

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Aaron
: I swear to God if you’ve hurt her, I’m calling the cops on you for child abuse.

Kelly
:
GOD. How dare you invoke HIS name, you little shit. Like you know anything about GOD. He doesn’t listen to SINNERS. But yes, oh please, by all means go ahead. Did you know she’s only SIXTEEN? That makes you a RAPIST, which seems appropriate when that’s what you are anyway, you filthy little FUCK.

Aaron
: You SERIOUSLY need to get help.

Kelly
:
GOD doesn’t see it that way, not that you’d know.

Aaron
: Get help.

Kelly
:
The DEVIL knows your name.

June 21
st
, 3.27 p.m.

Kelly:
Thank God you’re online.

Aaron
: Jesus, Kelly, I was worried sick. Do you know how many times I almost called the cops? I thought she’d done something to you.

Kelly
:
She did, but that doesn’t matter now.

Aaron
: The hell it doesn’t. You need to get out of that house. Where are you?

Kelly
:
I’m at the library. Told her my books were three weeks overdue and we couldn’t afford the fines. She didn’t want to let me go, and I’m not entirely sure she didn’t follow me, so I’m not going to stay long. I just wanted to let you know I’m okay.

Aaron
: Kelly, this sucks. I’m afraid for you, and I miss you. We have to do something about this.

Kelly
:
I saw what she said to you. I’m sorry. But at least now you know what I’m dealing with.

Aaron
: I do, and it terrifies me. Why don’t you leave, come stay at my place until we figure things out?

Kelly
:
I wish I could, but she’d only call the police and make them take me back. And then I don’t know what she’d do to me when she got me home.

Aaron
: Look, my dad’s a lawyer. If we talk to him, if you tell him what’s going on, there may be something we can do to help. I mean, this is ridiculous. She’s abusing you, you see that right?

Kelly
:
She’s just sick. It’s not her fault.

Aaron
: Yes, she is sick, but you can’t keep making excuses. How far does she have to go before you realize that? You need to stand up to her!

Kelly
:
You don’t get it, Aaron. If I stood up to her, she’d kill me.

Aaron
: Jesus Christ. Read that sentence back and tell me this isn’t an insane situation.

Kelly
:
It is, but please don’t curse, Aaron.

Aaron
: What?

Kelly
:
I’m upset enough.

Aaron
: Okay, okay. I’m sorry. I’m just…I don’t know what to do.

Kelly
:
I’m not sure there’s anything you can do. We had fun for a day and I loved every minute of it, but this is too dangerous so we should just quit and get on with our lives.

Aaron
: No.

Kelly
:
No?

Aaron
: No, I can’t accept that.

Kelly
:
Why? You still hardly know me.

Aaron
: I know enough to know I want to be with you. Even just as friends. But I wouldn’t let any friend suffer the way you are. It just isn’t right. And I won’t.

Kelly
:
She told you I was sixteen.

Aaron
: She did. Is that true?

Kelly
:
I’ll be seventeen in August.

Aaron
: I don’t care. It doesn’t matter. I can’t help how I feel.

Kelly
:
I know. I feel the same. But there’s nothing we can do.

Aaron
: Meet me.

Kelly
:
You know I can’t.

Aaron
: You said she sleeps a lot, knocked out from booze or pills or whatever. Can’t you sneak out?

Kelly
:
If she found out, I’d probably spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair.

Aaron
: Christ.

Kelly
:
Aaron…

Aaron
: Sorry. Look, I just want you to come over here. Talk to my father. See if there’s anything at all that can be done. There has to be. People don’t get to just beat their kids anymore. There are laws, and my father will know what they are.

Kelly
:
I’m sure there are, but all of them would mean getting my mother in trouble.

Aaron
: For fuck sake, Kelly, she DESERVES to be in trouble for this.

Kelly
:
You don’t understand.

Aaron
: Maybe, but I know it isn’t right.

Kelly
:
I have to go. I’m sorry.

Aaron
: Meet me, please. Even if it’s for the last time. I need to see you.

Kelly
:
I can’t. Goodbye.

Aaron
: Please don’t go.

Kelly
:
I have to. People are starting to stare. I guess nobody’s supposed to cry in a library.

Aaron
: Kelly wait.

August 14
th
, 2014 6.45 p.m.

Kelly:
Aaron?

Aaron
: Hi!

Kelly
:
I’m glad you’re online :)

Aaron
: Me too :) How have you been?

Kelly
:
Ups and downs. You know how it is.

Aaron
: Not really, but I can imagine.

Kelly
:
I saw you yesterday.

Aaron
: You did? Where? Why didn’t you talk to me? I would have loved to see you.

Kelly
:
I was in the car with my mother. And you were talking to a girl. :)

Aaron
: Oh, that’s Erica. We have English together. She’s just a friend.

Kelly
:
She’s pretty :)

Aaron
: Not as pretty as you. Nobody is.

Kelly
:
It’s okay if you’re more than just friends. I want you to move forward with your life. There’s no reason you should wait in the hope that my situation changes.

Aaron
: If I thought it would change, I’d be happy to wait. Being with you would be more than worth it.

Kelly
:
Really?

Aaron
: Of course!

Kelly
:
Well, then maybe I have a little bit of good news. Nothing too dramatic but it’s a start.

Aaron
: Tell me!

Kelly
:
Tomorrow’s my birthday.

Aaron
: I know. I have it as a reminder on my phone. Wanted to send you a message but it’s been so long I wasn’t sure if you’d get it or not. Or if you’d want to, even if you could.

Kelly
:
Of course I would. I’ve missed you.

Aaron
: I’ve missed you too.

Kelly
:
My mother was sober yesterday for the first time in as long as I can remember. She saw you with the girl—Erica—and she saw how it affected me.

Aaron
: I’m sorry. I promise you it’s nothing, but I never want to hurt you.

Kelly
:
It’s okay. Like I said, you have every right to move on. Point is, she changed.

Aaron
: Your Mom?

Kelly
:
Yeah. Instead of going home, she brought me to Dairy Queen. We sat outside on a bench in the sun and had ice cream. We haven’t done that since I was a kid.

Aaron
: Wow, that’s awesome! I’m really thrilled to hear it.

Kelly
:
It was wonderful. She was like her old self again. We talked for a long time, and at the end of it she asked me what I wanted for my birthday if I could have anything at all. She told me not to worry that whatever it was would make her angry. She told me to forget everything that’s happened, just for a moment, to forget the monster she knows she’s become, and to make a wish.

Aaron
: I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Sounds like she’s had a major breakthrough. Do you think it’ll stick?

Kelly
:
I have no idea. I’m afraid to hope that it will. But even that little break is gift enough. And that’s what I told her. I told her having her treat me to ice cream on such a wonderful day and for her to just be her, the real her, was present enough for my birthday. And she cried, Aaron. She actually cried and said she was sorry.

Aaron
: That is amazing. I’m so happy for you.

Kelly
:
Thanks :) But you haven’t heard the best part yet.

Aaron
: I’m all ears!

Kelly
:
She thanked me for being kind, but that I needed to tell her what I really wanted. She said she didn’t know if this calm would last and that she hated not being able to promise me it would, but that I’d better take advantage of it while I could. So I told her what I wanted.

Aaron
: And what do you want.

Kelly
:
You, Aaron. I want you.

Aaron
: I want you too.

Kelly
:
Even though we were getting along so well, I thought she would return to her old self the minute I said that and start quoting Bible verses while she beat me. But she didn’t. It was a true miracle, Aaron. I still can’t believe it. It feels like a dream.

Aaron
: What did she say?

Kelly
:
She said she had meant every word and if that was my wish, she wanted it for me.

Aaron
: Holy…I mean, WOW.

Kelly
:
I asked her if I could invite you over for dinner on my birthday.

Aaron
: Oh. You think that’s a good idea? I mean, considering all that’s happened, won’t it be awkward? I said some things to her, and she said some things too…And what if in the middle of it all she goes back to, y’know…the way she was?

Kelly
:
She won’t. I know she won’t. I can’t say how long this new her will last, but I could see in her eyes that she means for me to have this one wish, and that she won’t interfere. She’s promised not to drink. She won’t even be in the room while we eat, though I would like for you to at least meet her, to see that she’s not the monster you think she is. Not all the way through at least. I want you to see with your own eyes that she loves me, and maybe it will help to explain why I would never do anything to hurt her or get her in trouble.

Aaron
: Okay. If it means I get to see you, I’m all for it.

Kelly
:
I’m so happy to hear you say that.

Aaron
: What’s your address?

Kelly
:
8118 Lime Tree Avenue

Aaron
: Okay, I know where that is. What time?

Kelly
:
Seven?

Aaron
: Should I dress up? I mean, wear a suit or something?

Kelly
:
LMAO! Why would you wear a suit? It’s a birthday, not a funeral.

Aaron
: I know! I just mean…because I’m meeting your Mom and all. I want to make a good first impression.

Kelly
:
I think that ship has sailed, buddy :)

Aaron
: LOL, yeah, okay.

Kelly
:
Just dress as you would if you were meeting me. That’s what you’re doing after all.