Season's Beatings

Story Sent in by Arthur:

Kyla and I were friends in college. She and I would hang out a couple of nights each week (platonically), and she set me up with her relatively new friend, Liz. Liz and I came from the same state, and that was about all we had in common.

I took Liz out to dinner, she had her headphones on almost the entire time, and seemed more interested in spinning her plate around than in having a conversation with me. I finally figured that she just went out with me as some sort of favor to Kyla, and that once the date was over, I'd never see or hear from her again.

I didn't hear from Kyla for about a week after that, despite my efforts to contact her. That was unusual, but I guessed that she was busy with school.

When she did reach out to me, we met up in person in the student union at her request, and she told me, "Liz said you were really nasty to her on the date. Like, abusive. She said that you acted really arrogant and that you also said some nasty, personal things about me that I'd rather not repeat."

I was shocked, then assured Kyla that nothing of the sort had happened, and that Liz had barely said a word to me the entire time.

Kyla replied, "Well, I don't know why she'd make it up. We hung out almost every night this week and she told me more and more details."

It dawned on me that Liz was very likely trying to keep Kyla away from me for whatever reason. I suggested to Kyla, "Tell Liz that you and I hung out today and that you had a great time. Don't tell her that we talked about my date with her. Say that you avoided the subject."

Kyla asked, "Why would I do that?"

I said, "First of all, you know me better than to give any credence to what Liz said. Secondly, I think that Liz made all of that up to get you away from me. Bottom line, it's about proving to you which of us is telling the truth. If I'm right, Liz might try something else."

Sure enough, not two hours after Kyla and I parted ways, I received a call from Liz. She sounded happy to speak with me and didn't mention a word about Kyla. She made awkward small talk, then asked what I was up to that evening. We made a date.

She rushed through dinner as if her life depended on it, then suggested that we walk through campus. As we did, she led me further and further away from populated areas. Once we were behind one of the libraries, a deserted space, she turned to me, clenched her fist, and…

…punched herself. Hard. In the face. Then she punched her chest, and then her face a few more times.

"What the hell?" I asked her, once she had finally stopped and was gasping.

She replied with a sly grin, then ran off.

A half-hour later, Kyla called me to say that Liz had arrived, crying at her dorm room, and had said that I had beaten her.

I said, "Then why hasn't she gone to campus police? Insist that she go. If she's telling the truth, then she has every reason to do that."

Kyla said that she'd call me back.

Over an hour later, she did. She said that right after she had gotten off the phone with me, she had told Liz to go to campus police. Liz refused repeatedly until she finally broke down and confessed that she had punched herself, had a crush on Kyla, and that she didn't want me in the picture.

Liz had left Kyla's shortly thereafter, and then Kyla herself had called campus police to report the situation, and to protect me just in case Liz made a claim. Kyla said that she wanted to call Liz and try to help her through it, but I advised her against any sort of contact with her.

Kyla and I are still friends. Kyla and Liz, as far as I know, are not.