The last time I saw Kalia was when she told me she was going back to Sweden to film in a movie she was starring in. I knew that dating someone like Kalia would run its course someday; she was the daughter of a well-known actor in the entertainment industry and because of that, all eyes were now on her. I didn’t care back in high school; I just knew that I really liked Kalia and to my surprise, she liked me back. It was a difficult start of the relationship; it was my first yet and the one that everyone in the public knew about. The relationship was good until it wasn’t good anymore.
“Kalia?” I said once I heard her call my name at the banquet. She walks closer to be and suddenly wraps hr arms around me for a hug.
“It’s so good to see you, Micah,” she said, burrowed in my suit jacket. She pulls away and looks at me with a smile. “How have you’ve been?”
“Okay,” I said, not wanting to share any more information with her. “How about you?”
“I’ve been good, filming wrapped up for the holiday season so my father and I came back to America to attend the gala,” Kalia recalled as I nodded my head in response. “How’s school going?”
“It’s fine,” I said. “Spring semester doesn’t start for another couple of weeks.” Kalia nodded her head, now looking a bit uncomfortable where she’s standing. “Well, I should get going, check on Reese and Dyl and shit.” I begin to walk away from Kalia before she calls out my name once more.
“Micah,” Kalia said. I stopped and turned around to face her once more. “I… really hate how things ended between us.”
“It ended, it’s fine,” I nonchalantly said. “I’m over it.”
“If you were over it, you wouldn’t be so cold with me right now,” Kalia mentioned, crossing her arms along her chest. “I thought we could be cordial and catch up, like normal people.”
“We were never normal,” I said, cutting her thought off. “Normal people don’t break up because one of them randomly is leaving to film for a movie. Normal people also don’t gift a motorcycle as soon as they break up with each other.”
“I didn’t have a choice, Micah,” Kalia sternly said. “This is my job.”
“I’m not saying anything about your job,” I snapped back. “I’m saying that you don’t get to choose whether or not we can be cordial.”
“I didn’t do anything wrong for you to be acting this way,” Kalia pointed out, now annoyed. “I could’ve broke up with you without even telling you why.”
“You might as well did that,” I said, louder than my normal speaking voice. “Then I wouldn’t have ever known that you kept me in the dark about your career choices.” I walk over to the bar and request a drink; the great thing about these events is that they don’t care how old you really are, they will serve you alcohol no matter what.
“Micah, you’re not legal age yet,” Kalia whispered to me as I get the drink in my head. “You’re going to get everyone in trouble–“
“Kalia,” I said to cut her off. “I don’t give a shit, just how I don’t give a shit about rekindling whatever this was.” As I try to walk away from Kalia and down my drink, I turned around to see a reporter approach us. Kalia then quickly turns on the switch: the smile that hides everything that just happened within the last 5 minutes. I find it how scary she’s able to switch; I guess that makes her a good actress. I turn away, try to escape the reporter before it was too late. Newsflash: It was already too late.
“Hi, Sheila Forbes, Channel 8 News,” the reporter introduces herself to us before she turns back around toward the camera. “We are here at the annual Gala at the Banquet Palace; an event where all entrepreneurs small and big celebrate the accomplishments of the previous year and begin a new one for their business.” The reporter turns to face Kalia and I. “Joining us for an interview is up-and-coming actress, as well as Joel Holder’s daughter, Kalia Holder. Hi, Kalia,” the reporter finally puts the microphone toward Kalia and I feel sick to my stomach.
“Hi, Sheila,” Kalia smiles as she greets the reporter. “I’m glad to be here supporting the businesses of the attendees here tonight.”
“Sources say that the wrapping of your first full-length feature film as taken a break for this event; what does it mean for you to be here?” the reporter asked. I tried to slowly move away from Kalia and leave, but I notice the camera is now in my face. “Here to support your boyfriend?”
“His family, yes,” Kalia said as she smiles to me. I try to fake a smile as well. “His mother is a world-renowned business owner, teaching generations of dancers that go on to be featured on Broadway and other huge projects in the dance community.” Kalia answers the questions like a pro. I wonder if this is something they have to teach you being in the limelight; to be fake and positive and never bring too much attention to your own personal life and details. The reporter now looks at me before she speaks.
“What do you feel about Kalia’s first movie as the lead actress?” The reporter now points the microphone at me.
“I’m proud of Kalia going after for what she wants by any means necessary,” I said, looking at Kalia who looks nervous that I am the one speaking. “I wish her the best.”
“It must be hard to keep a long-distance relationship when one is off in a different country filming for a movie and the other is back here,” the reporter mentions. “How are you guys able to keep the love going with all this time apart?”
“Easy,” I answered before Kalia does. “So easy in fact, it’s like there’s really nothing keeping us from each other.” Kalia looked at me, horrified.
“Yes,” Kalia continued. “Even the distance doesn’t keep us apart during these times, but I’m glad to be here to support him and his family and the other business owners tonight.” The reporter wraps up the segment and thanks both Kalia and I. Once she walks away, Kalia looks at me, now annoyed.
“Why would you say those things?” Kalia asked, not amused.
“Why would you say those things?” I returned the question. “We aren’t together anymore.”
“Yeah, well the media doesn’t know that,” Kalia confesses. I scoff, not surprised that Kalia wouldn’t want anything negative to reflect on her growing public image.
“Didn’t you call off your relationship to only focus on your career now?” I mimicked the news article that came out a couple of days after I last saw her.
“Yeah, but for me to be seen with you after that would’ve made things even messier,” Kalia explained, looking around the ballroom for any other reporters. “Most likely, someone already has a picture that they will sell to the media by the end of the night.”
“Good luck with that,” I throw my hands up. “I’m not lying for you just so you can keep a clean and perfect image.”
“I’m not asking for you to do anything,” Kalia snapped at me. “I will deal with my life on my own.”
“Yeah, well keep me out of it,” I said before turning away from her. I walked away down with trying to reason with Kalia.
…
I feel the vibration of my phone on my face, which ultimately wakes me up. I groan and stretch, looking at my phone before picking it up. It’s Tanner, so I picked up.
“Yo,” I said as I rubbed my eyes. “What’s up?”
“Dude,” Tanner began to say. “Dani’s gonna kill you for getting back together with Kalia.”
“I’m not back together with that girl,” I said, getting up from my bed. “WHy would Dani think that I am?”
“It’s all over social media, dude,” Tanner pointed out. I put my phone on speaker before going onto the web browser to check.
A Rekindled Love? Kalia Holder spotted at NYC Entrepreneur's Gala with on-and-off again boyfriend.
“Rekindled love?” I said out loud, very annoyed. “Bro, these reporters will run with anything.”
“You were with Kalia at the gala last night though?” Tanner asked. “I thought you were with your family for that.”
“I was,” I said, getting dressed with anything I see in sight. “Until Kalia found her way to me and wanted to be cordial and catch up.”
“Dude,” I hear Tanner over the phone.
“She came to me,” I emphasized. “She went to Sweden to hug penguins or some shit for a movie, that’s why she broke up with me all those months ago.”
“Sweden is not in Antarctica,” Tanner pointed out. I rolled my eyes.
“You know what I fucking mean,” I spat out, now losing my patience. “Kalia was talking to the reporter and making it seem like she came back to come and see me or some shit. Like, why not just say that you’re fucking single and came to the gala for some clout?”
“Because it’s Kalia,” Tanner answered. “You know all that discreet shit flew out the window once we graduated high school.” I sighed listening to Tanner talk. I look at the mirror in my room as I listen to him speak on the phone. “What re you gonna do?”
“I gotta tell Kalia to set the deal straight,” I said, tying my hair up in a ponytail. “Like you’re not dragging me into this narrative just because you want to seem like your life is picture perfect.” I look down at my phone as it vibrates. I get a text from Dani saying “you better fucking explain this bullshit” with a link that shows a picture of Kalia and together at the gala, very much looking like a fucking couple.
“Dude, Dani just texted me the picture of Kalia and I,” I said as I scrolled down the article. “These fucking reporters would do anything for a paycheck. I’m gonna text you, I’m going to squash this shit with Kalia once and for all.” I hung up the phone and put my phone on my desk. I reached into the drawer of my desk and pull out another phone. I scroll down to Kalia’s contact and send her a message.
Micah: We need to talk, Kal.
Letters From Liz. 