Within (5 page)

“FiFi right?” I said, pointing my pen towards the sound of her voice.

“Yes.”

“Forgive me, I’m trying to get used to your names and voices as well.”

“I'm sure, since we all look alike.” Akira tsked. “You know what, I'm tired and this was a waste of time. She wants to act like she didn't know about Krystle! Lady look; if this doesn't tell you anything, then it should show you who killed Bishop.”

“You killed him, Akira?” I asked.

Her eyes were damn near black as night; when she spoke, it was cold and boastful.

“Wouldn't you like to think so? But no, I mean I had my hand in it, but killing him? Naw, your niece did that,” Akira chuckled.

“You're a liar, Akira! I watched you!” Krystle said standing.

“Why you acting all booty hurt, Krystle?” I heard Akira laugh.

I couldn't take the back and forth any more it was becoming exhausting. “Let's take a break,” I said putting my pen down on my note pad tilting my head back.

“Great, I need to take this in anyways, Auntie, she's lying and I can't take this.”

When I heard the door shut, I opened my eyes, popped my head up and stared at the couch that was just occupied. I couldn't get FiFi and Akira’s voices out my head. Picking up the pen and pad that held my notes, I stood and walked to my desk.

“This is crazy as hell,” I sighed to myself, placing the pad down with my palms flat on the top of it.
I have to tell her father, I can't keep this inside; this conversation is not going to go over well.

I walked behind my desk, opened the drawer and got my cell, and then proceeded to call my brother. He didn't answer, so I left him a message, “Tony it's Courtney, I need you to call me as soon as you can, it's important. Umm, I didn't think Krystle was this bad off.”

Before I could finish my message there was a knock on my door and an entry, I waved her in sat down and finished my message. “Yeah, like I was saying, call me back. Love you, bye.”

“Ms. Courtney, I'm sorry to bother you, it's me, FiFi; can I talk to you really quick?” she asked, speaking softly.

“Umm yeah, I guess… so have a seat,” I said, extending my hand towards the seat in front of my desk.

“What can I do for you?”

“I saw how you looked at us once we walked into your office. But I'm not in here to talk about any of what we just discussed, and I have to hurry.”

“You have the floor.”

“It's no secret to what's going on here; I keep trying to tell Krystle that this has to stop, but she doesn't listen to me. You have to try to separate Akira from Krystle, as soon as possible. It's not healthy the way she's become accustomed to her presence… even mine. As hard as I try to stay away, it doesn't work; I can't escape. She deserves a happy ending,” FiFi paused, blinked extremely hard, and then looked back at me.

“I have to go; I'm sorry.” She stood up and walked out the door swiftly, not speaking another word, closing the door behind her.

I knew the information I was just told was true, but I just can't wrap my mind around all this.

I sat in my office for another fifteen minutes, contemplating about how I was going to approach my niece about this issue, and explain to her that she will be possibly going to jail.

“Krys?” I asked, sticking my head out the door. I looked down the hallway both ways and didn't see her.
Oh shit, it's still recording
, I remembered. I rushed to stop it, turned it off and placed it inside my purse, and then headed to find Krystle.

I found her sitting on a bench outside rocking.

“I've been looking for you everywhere.”

“The girls left,” she said, pulling her legs up to her chest. “I'm… I'm going to jail, aren't I?”

I looked off to the right, took a deep breath and then took a seat next to her. “I don't know, hon, I wish I had that answer for you, but I don't.”

She began to sob uncontrollably as she placed her head on my left shoulder. I didn't know what else to do, other than stroke the top of her head, and brush back her hair.

“Look at me, Krys,” I said, grabbing her face, then wiping her tears with my thumbs. “You're just going to have to get better, that's all.  FiFi and Akira…those girls are no good, hon.”

“What are you talking about?” she gasped, pulling her face from my hands.

“Krystle you have to—” I began.

“I don't have to do shit! There's nothing wrong with me! Akira was right! You, FiFi, and my father are on some bullshit, and I don't have to put up with any of this! Not no more!” she yelled, attempting to walk away.

“You wait a fuckin’ minute!”

“What!” she yelled back at me.

“First of all, you watch your mouth when you speak to me! Remember my name, and who I am; I will not repeat myself ever again! Second of all, if I have anything to do with it, your little friends will be gone for good, even if it takes getting you back to where you should be!”

“And if you do that, you won't ever have to worry about me. You will be dead to me,” she said through clenched teeth.

“Can't you see we are trying to save your got damn life, Krystle?”

She looked off a bit as if she was thinking about what she wanted to say before she answered, “No, you're trying to run it! You can't control my life anymore; I'm not five! I thought you were different, but you're acting just like my father and my mom! I'm a grown damn woman! I can handle myself, just leave me alone!”

“Krys!” I yelled towards her, as she ran full speed away. “Krystle!” I continued to yell, as she ran into the distance.

I felt my cell phone vibrate in my purse, but whoever was calling me was just gonna have to wait, my mind was too full with all the things I had to devour and take in. As I got into my car and sat my purse on the passenger side, I heard it vibrating once more.

“What?” I yelled at my purse. I felt stupid when I realized I had my headphones around my neck, I took the ear bud out of the small holders and then answered it.

“Who is this?”

“Damn, what's wrong with you?” he asked.

“Tony?”

“Yeah, of course it's me, what wrong; your voice seems weird and shaky. Fuck... what happened?”

“I can't explain it, but Krystle ran off and I have something you have to see.”

There was silence before he spoke. “Well, what happened? Where did she go and how bad are we talking?”

“I’m on my way to your house,” I sighed, putting the car in reverse, backing up and stopping.

“Mother bad?” he asked

“Worse,” I said, putting the car in drive, speeding off.

Chapter Six

KRYSTLE

“I knew you would be here,” I heard FiFi say, walking up behind me.

I was sitting on top of the hill, looking at the empty stage of the Miller Outdoor Theater, lost in my thoughts.

“What do you want?” I snapped, never taking my eyes off the stage.

“That's no way to speak to your friend,” she said, sitting beside me

“I don't know how many times I have to tell you, that I don't give two shits about a fucking friendship. You don't care about me; I wouldn't be in half the shit I'm in if you did!” I yelled, staring at her.

FiFi rolled her eyes, sighed, and then moved a bit closer to me. “Can I ask you something?”

I didn't respond, so I guess she took that as a yes, which made her proceed.

“What are you afraid of?”

“I'm not afraid of anything!”

“Yes you are; I know you. You're afraid of your reality, and the truth that lies behind it. The sooner you realize your truth, the better off you'll be,” she said, standing up.

“Well, since you want to ask me all these questions then let me ask you something. Why the fuck you ask me a question, answer it, then run off? When have you ever stayed?”

“I'm not meant to stay, Krys; neither is Akira, and don't let her tell you anything different. I'm not going to be that outlet for you much longer. If you don't get yourself together, it will be on you. You're stubborn and no one can get through to you in the state you're in… Except maybe me and I've been trying, but it doesn't seem to be working, so I give up. I just hope you get it together, before it's too late.”

“Too late for what?” I asked, standing.

“Just go home, Krystle, and get yourself together, take your medication!” her voice echoed.

I feel so indecisive and confused; something that has been going on for some time now, but I guess what FiFi was saying had some truth. Besides that, I guess I had been gone for long enough; maybe I should go home.

I sat a little longer, and then tried to call Akira for a ride home, but she didn't answer. “I guess I'll ride the Metro bus,” I said to myself with a small giggle.

When I finally got home, I was tired to say the least. That bus ride took a lot out of me.

“Daddy?” I called out, taking off my shoes at the front door and then kicking them to the right side. “Daddy, are you here?”

“I'm in here!” he shouted out over the TV in his man cave.

When I walked in, he was sitting in the middle of his black leather sectional with my aunt sitting to his right. They both had a scowled look on their face as if they ate something sour, so I decided to plead my case as to why I was late coming back, before they could even jump down my throat.

“Okay, before y'all start saying anything about how late it is, or the way I acted today, because I know Aunt Courtney told you already…” I said, looking from my aunt to my dad, “I want to say I'm sorry. I didn't mean to curse and run off or whatever, I just needed some time away. Especially since FiFi or Akira didn't admit to anything.”

“That's for certain,” Aunt Courtney said sarcastically.

I rolled my eyes and then continued with what I was saying, “I promise I won't be disrespectful anymore,” I said, forcing a smile.

“Krys, baby girl…” my dad sighed. “There's something not right.” He began to cry, but quickly wiped his face with the back of his hand. “You're not healthy, baby.”

“I feel fine! What are you talking about?” I said, sitting on the far end of the couch. I started thinking this had nothing to do with me leaving earlier, because they both just sat there and looked at me. I'm getting confused and scared; what the hell were they talking about?
What have I done now to have them looking at me this way
?

Aunt Courtney pulled out my pill bottle, shook and opened it, pouring all the pills on the table.

“You went into my room? Who told you that you had permission to do that? I'm grown, y'all had no right to do that; I want my locks changed!” I said, sitting back, folding my arms.

“I have my own permission!” My father's voice boomed like crackling thunder as he sat at the edge of the couch, pointing his long index finger towards me. “I pay the bills here, feed and clothe you, so that's my room! All this shit in here is mine!”

“Calm down, Tony! We aren't going to do this like this!” Aunt Courtney chimed in. “Krys, we all know you've been sick for a long time, I just would have never thought it would have gotten this bad. There are sixty pills here; the prescription says there are sixty pills in this bottle, so that means you haven't taken any of these. Why not?”

“I don't need them,” I said, slow and low, looking down at my hands, playing with my thumbs.

“Who the hell said you didn't need them?”

“Tony! Shh!”

“Akira. Look, it doesn't matter who says what; I'm my own person! I just listened to her and took her words into consideration!”

My dad reached for the TV remote, sat back and sucked in some air, then ran his hand across his face.

“Go ahead, Tony, press play.”

My dad did exactly what Aunt Courtney told him to do and pressed play. I watched and listened as my aunt asked us to stand and introduce ourselves individually. I watched myself sit by myself, quickly noticing Akira and FiFi were nowhere to be found.

“Hi, my name is FiFi. I'm an only child, I suppose…” I saw me but heard FiFi’s voice, this couldn't be right. Tears filled my eyes as I thought to myself how wrong this was. As I sat there glaring into the screen, I watched as I sat back down on a different part of the sofa, then stood back up and walked once again front stage and center, now with Akira’s voice.

“Turn it off!” I cried. “That's not right! Auntie, you know it's not right; you were right there! Why would you edit this to make me seem crazy?”

The video continued to play, but I didn't want to see any more of it.
Why would she do this
? I mean I was right there, just as they were. I was at a loss for words and couldn't do anything but cry loudly.

My dad walked up to the TV, turned it off, and then sat next to me on my right as I continued to cry.

“But you saw them!” I said, leaning forward to look at my aunt. “I talk to them and see them almost every other day, and they're the ones that killed Bishop, not me!”

“No baby, it was you, just you,” Aunt Courtney said.

“Krystle, you're schizophrenic. Akira and FiFi aren't real; you made them up, love,” my dad said, rubbing my leg.