Broken Souls Don't Cry

Chapter 33

Sara

One week left. One week until finals. The adoption event over the weekend went well for every animal except Bruno or Ashby. Sara was beginning to lose all hope that they would be adopted. They had two weeks left. Two weeks. She had asked Jerry after the adoption event if his contact in North Carolina would be able to take them and nearly lost all composure when he told her that they didn't have room.

Kai had also seemed a bit more distant ever since their dinner at the Italian restaurant. She was worried that he was upset at her for claiming to see Kyle.

She'd been staying at his place ever since, not being able to be at her apartment longer than grabbing a change of clothes. Even then, she always made sure Casey, AJ, or Kai were there with her. He had commented a few days ago that he thought she was being ridiculous. Kai even approached the look-alike and asked him what his name was. Trevor.

That hurt. Hurt more than it should have. It told her that he didn't believe her. They had argued over it and eventually just stopped talking for a few hours until Kai caved and said he was sorry. However, even then, the words he had said cut her like a knife.

She had seen Kyle several more times. Each time she'd try to point it out to any of them she would turn around and it wasn't him, just Trevor. Sara was feeling a little crazy. She knew. She knew that it was Kyle, yet he would change in the blink of an eye, and she was starting to doubt her own eyes.

She stopped mentioning her sightings or the car that was constantly following her. The car was always there, at work, at school, at her apartment and at Kai's. She knew Kyle was following her, just waiting. Instead of telling anyone, she'd hold her panic inside until she could get somewhere where no one would hear her sobs.

Kai had started to get more frequent calls that he would take in another room. One time she overheard him as she passed by their room.

"No, she doesn't know yet...

"I'll need to do it soon... I was going to wait until after finals. Will you help me?

"She's crazy...

"Okay...

"Love you"

At first she thought it was innocent, he could have been talking to Christi or a friend, but then who was he talking about? Her? The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became that he was going to break up with her soon. Afterall, who would want to date someone who's been raped and is now seeing her rapist everywhere she goes?

He's finally had enough of me. Sara thought as she sobbed into Bruno one day. Things felt like they were falling apart.

Sara tried to busy herself with studying. Most of her assignments were completed, even that horrible last-minute essay from Professor Homer. Now she just tried to refresh her notes and assignments.

Sara couldn't focus for long before her mind wandered to everything going on in her life and she finally gave up on studying.

Kai caught her on Monday evening flicking through channels. She barely acknowledged him when he came to sit next to her on the couch.

"Hey" he said, maybe with too much excitement.

"Hi" she barely whispered back. He was home late. He had told her not to wait up for him because he had a thing to do right after work, however he wouldn't tell her what it was.

He pulled her close to him, trying to snuggle her. She let him, not wanting to leave the comfort of his arms. She held back the tears that had threatened to fall all day long. Kai held her, the arm resting on her shoulder drew circles.

"I think I'm going to head to bed" she managed to get out. She needed his presence yet having him there hurt too.

He let her up and she started walking to his room, but she stopped when he called out to her.

"Sara?"

She turned to look at him, his brows were furrowed. He looked concerned. Her shoulders were hunched, and it was all she could do not to run back into his arms and sob.

"I love you"

She nodded and headed to his bed where she silently cried herself to sleep.

**

Kai

Something was wrong with Sara. He watched her go to their room in silence. At first he had thought it was because of Bruno and Ashby. They still remained unadopted, even after their last adoption event. She was panicking over their looming deadline.

Maybe it was stress for finals? He thought. She had stopped studying yesterday. Kai didn't think the Kyle situation was to blame. She seemed to realize it wasn't Kyle after he had gone up to the gentleman to ask his name. He knew it wasn't Kyle. Kyle was two-thousand miles away studying for his own finals.

Kai was set to close on the house tomorrow. Sara still didn't know, he felt somewhat proud for being able to keep it a secret. He told Sara everything, well, mostly everything. He would not tell her about the bodyguard he had secretly placed for her, just in case his father tried to do something to her.

He had gone to a local furniture store tonight to finalize the furniture for his -their- new home. He wouldn't buy any of it until after closing and the sale had been recorded, but it was all picked out and arranged. Tables, couches, a bed, everything they would need. Kai had found a piano on a marketplace ad that he was going to pick up on Saturday morning. Everything else would be delivered Saturday afternoon. The day after finals.

He had even arranged for an entire room to be dedicated to dogs and he spoke with a local pet supply store about getting several crates and dog beds. He also subscribed for a monthly delivery of dog treats and food. He had checked with Jerry on what kind of food the dogs usually ate at the shelter.

Christi had helped him plan the big reveal for Sunday. He was going to take her on a date to the house and have a picnic on the porch after handing her a key. Jerry will bring Bruno and Ashby over earlier in the day and have them already in the dog room, just waiting for Sara. Big old bows ties around their necks with an adoption certificate attached to each of them.

She's going to love it. He couldn't wait to see the look on her face when she realizes that Bruno and Ashby are hers. Kai wouldn't even pretend that those dogs loved her more than him.

All the house stuff aside, Kai didn't know how to cheer her up, to assure her that the dogs would be fine. They really would be.

Kai did some studying before heading to bed himself. Sara was curled up in a ball on the very edge of the bed. As far away from where they usually slept.

A frown formed on his face when he saw that the pillow was wet. She had been crying. He leaned over and kissed her forehead before joining her under the covers, he laid in the middle of the bed and gently nudged her over to him. Thankfully she rolled over and cuddled up to him, still asleep and tears still glistening her cheek.

"You are everything to me." he whispered to her before kissing her hair. He may need to up his timeline for telling her about Bruno and Ashby and he decided to talk to Jerry about it in the morning. His heart broke seeing her this upset when he knew he had the ability to alleviate it.