Sandra answered the door to Marla's townhouse and looked at Chloe. She stared at her silently until Chloe spoke.

"I know she probably doesn't want to see me, but I need to talk to her," Chloe said. "Please," she added, trying to hold back tears.

After a brief pause, Sandra opened the door and stepped aside. Chloe walked to Marla's door and raised her hand to knock, but she paused. She wasn't even sure what she was going to say to her. Chloe had practiced this conversation for a long time, yet she felt like she couldn't do it. Part of her wanted to turn around. Thankfully, Marla took the decision out of her hands. Marla opened her bedroom and looked at Chloe with bloodshot eyes. She didn't speak. Instead, Marla walked back to her desk, leaving the door open. Chloe followed her inside and shut it.

Marla looked rough. Her hair appeared unkempt, and she didn't change her clothes. Chloe guessed she hadn't slept.

"Marla, I'm sorry," Chloe said.

"Are you?"

"I didn't do this to hurt you. As I said, I wanted you to stop hurting us."

"I told you I would. Besides, I have to play nice because they put me on probation. It would have been more, but they thought I was kind of a victim in all this. The whole thing was my idea," Marla replied, laughing bitterly.

"Bledsoe still took advantage of his position."

"Don't pretend to sympathize. I know you thought I deserved worse."

"No, Marla. I'm not pretending. Please talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."

"Nothing is wrong, except my sister betrayed and humiliated me."

Chloe looked around the room as if searching for answers on the walls. She felt helpless. A scream threatened to escape her lips, but she held it in check. "What happened to you? You didn't use to be like this," Chloe cried.

"Be like what, Chloe?"

"Angry and bitter. You used to be so full of happiness and life. I miss those days. Please, let me help you!"

"You took a few psych classes, and now you want to psychoanalyze me?" Marla scoffed. "Go ahead, Chloe. Tell me what you think is wrong," Marla said, folding her arms and eyeing Chloe sternly.

"Was it your dad? Did he do something to you?"

Chloe knew this was the wrong thing to ask the second the question ended. Marla's eyes flared, and she stood up. "Dad!? Now, you want to talk about that? You only care when it affects you! Where was this concern before!?"

"Marla, calm down," Chloe said, backing away.

"Nobody cared or did anything when it mattered! Mom certainly didn't!"

"Marla..."

"She stood by and let him beat me!" Marla cried. "Then, she kept sending me to his house every other weekend because the courts gave him joint custody. She knew what she was sending me to!"

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"I'm so sorry, Marla, but I didn't know."

"When you came along, Mom saw you as her second chance to get it right because she gave up on me," Marla said, sitting on the bed and burying her face in her hands. "All I wanted was for her to love me."

Chloe rushed to her side and wrapped her arms around her. As she did, Marla leaned into her and released everything she pent up inside.

"I can't speak for Mom, but I love you, Marla. Please believe me," Chloe said.

Marla sobbed while Chloe held her. She didn't know how much time passed before Marla spoke because she didn't look at the clock. Chloe was content to stay there as long as was needed. Eventually, Marla broke the silence, and Chloe strained to listen. "Chloe, I'm sorry," she whispered. "Forgive me."

"I forgive you," Chloe cried. "And I love you."

"I love you too."

***

Getting up the next morning to run proved difficult for Chloe. She hadn't slept a wink, but a cup of coffee at least gave her enough energy to function. She met the other pledges outside the dorm, and Kennedy joined them at the administration building. Everybody shivered in the cold morning air. They could see their breaths.

"Where's Mistress Shawna? Let's get this show on the road," Claudia said.

"One thing I can say about these morning runs is they're keeping me in shape," Hana laughed.

"Yeah, and making me wish I could stop smoking," Kennedy added.

"Okay, I think Mistress Shawna slept in, or they're trolling us. It's 6:15," Claudia grumbled.

"Should we go back..." Tamara started to ask, but something distracted her. The door to the administration building opened, and every sister, including Mrs. Cynthia, appeared.

"Uh-oh. What's going on here?" Kennedy asked.

"Everybody line up on the steps in alphabetical order. Now!" Shawna yelled, pointing with her riding crop.

The pledges obeyed. They shuddered, but not because of the cold. A nervous vibe spread among them as Sister Hailey walked up and down the line with her hands clasped behind her back.

"Pledges, we held the second vote last night," Hailey said. "I'm going to walk by and tell you to either step up or step down," she added. Claudia glanced sideways when she heard this, but Hailey told her to look forward. Then, she began. "Chloe, step up," Hailey said. "Claudia step down," she continued. Claudia looked stricken, but she obeyed. "Hana, step up. Kennedy, step up. Tamara, step down," Hailey finished. Once she completed the task, Hailey stood before them and let them stew. She didn't speak.

Claudia looked around for answers. Kennedy glanced at her and back at Hailey in confusion and worry, but then Kennedy decided to act. "No, this isn't right. It's all or none of us," Kennedy said, stepping down to Claudia and Tamara's level.

"I agree," Chloe said, joining her.

"Me too," Hana said.

This made Claudia and Tamara smile but didn't ease their concerns.

"Is that how it's going to be?" Hailey asked.

"Yes, Sister Hailey. Sisters Forever," Claudia said.

"Fine! Then you leave us no choice," Hailey said. She paused for an uncomfortable amount of time before grinning widely and saying, "Welcome to the club!" The sisters cheered and presented the pledges with KMA t-shirts. The uproar confused the girls until they realized it was a test.

"Oh, the second vote was bullshit, wasn't it?" Claudia asked.

"Yeah, it was," Barb laughed. "You passed the test."

Everybody breathed a sigh of relief. The new members donned their t-shirts and tucked their pledge pins into their pockets while everyone chatted. Calling the sisters by their regular names felt good to the former pledges. They made it through the initiation mostly unscathed and felt a sense of accomplishment. The warm hugs and smiles more than made up for the cold morning air.

Felicia used a tripod to take photographs of the entire group together. It was their first official picture as a full club. When Hailey looked at the camera's screen, she broke into tears.

"We did it, Hail," Barb said, hugging Hailey.

"Are you glad you joined me now?" Hailey asked.

"Yeah, I am. Thank you."

"I knew you would enjoy it."

"It wasn't bad, but I'm not running for office again next year," Barb said, earning an eye roll from Hailey.

"We're going to need a pretty big spring pledging class then," Hailey replied.

"Don't worry about that. We might not have exposed Marla, but I think the school will learn we had something to do with Bledsoe's firing. That should increase interest."

"Do you think that will help?" Hailey asked skeptically.

"Are you kidding? It will make us into heroes!"

"Maybe you're right."

"You did good, Hailey. I'm proud of you, and Mom is too," Barb said, hugging her sister. "Now, let's get breakfast. You're buying, right, Hana?"

"Oh, not again!" Hana cried, drawing laughter from everybody.