Between Gates (The Gate Chronicles Book 1)

Chapter 14: Kallie

Kallie sat across from Nari at the table, averting her eyes. “So… Sorry we haven’t talked or hung out until just now… Funny that you’ve been here a week, and we’ve done little more than bump into each other in the halls…” She smiled. "Oh... And I guess I yelled at you yesterday for the alarm at two in the morning... I never apologized about that. I'm really sorry about it..."

Nari fiddled with the hem of her shirt as she stared at her lap. Why was she having the conversation with Kallie anyway? Oh yes… Because Chenn had said Kallie was a good friend to have, and because Chenn thought that she needed more friends, not just him.

The problem was, her conscience still bothered her over befriending Chenn. She wasn’t sure she could reconcile making yet another friend she would have to betray.

“Yes, funny, isn’t it?” Nari mumbled.

Kallie cleared her throat, blushing. “This is sort of awkward, isn’t it?”

“Yeah…” Nari smiled at Kallie’s directness.

“To be fair…” Kallie hesitated. “Well, I’ll be honest with you… Chenn put me up to this. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to meet with you. You were all the girls talked about besides Chenn and other guys they thought were cute. Everyone said you were one of the best at West Base… Maybe in the whole MBC.” She dropped her gaze back to the grey surface of the table, drawing imaginary lines along it with her fingers. “I was worried that you would look down on me like all the others did because I was so quiet and strange.”

Nari’s eyes widened. “I would never do that, Kallie! Just because you’re quiet or different doesn’t give people the right to pick on you…” She looked away, a faint blush rising into her cheeks. “Besides, I’m all too familiar with being picked on or despised for being different… I couldn’t inflict that sort of pain on someone else. Not after going through it myself for years.”

Kallie smiled. “Really? You’re the first person besides Chenn and Ali who hasn’t picked on me on first sight.”

Nari frowned. “Why would they pick on you? There’s nothing wrong with you!”

Kallie’s gaze flicked up to meet Nari’s for a second before dropping again. “Yes, there is… I read too much, I wear glasses most of the time because I’m near-sighted, and everything about me is plain…”

Nari grinned. “It is not. You have the most beautiful chocolate hair color I’ve ever seen. And your grey eyes compliment your hair beautifully. If you wore your hair down instead of in a messy bun or ponytail, you would be stunning!”

Kallie blushed. “No, I wouldn’t… Not like you. Your auburn hair and emerald green eyes captivate everyone instantly… People like me don’t stand a chance against people like you.”

Nari sighed. “You’re selling yourself short. Come on, Kallie! You just need a good dose of self-confidence and a healthy shot of reality… That’s all.”

Kallie looked away. “I do not… I know what reality is, and reality is that I’m ugly and mundane. No one really likes me, and the few who hang out with me do it to make me feel better because they feel sorry for me.”

Nari laughed. “Kallie, I’m hanging out with you – not because I feel sorry for you – because Chenn said you were a delightful companion and that he thought we’d get on wonderfully. He had nothing but praise for you… So you shouldn’t put yourself down so much. Chenn has very few compliments for anyone, in case you haven’t noticed, and he doesn’t give them away lightly.”

Kallie grinned. “Truly? He said that about me?”

Nari nodded, grinning back. “Look, I’m going to do something with your hair, and we’ll see if you still think you’re ugly and mundane when I’m done…”