DAMAGED

chapter9 ☪

•••
Kassie's POV

I woke up panting heavily, whimpering, and shaking. "It's just a dream. It's okay." Wolfie soothed as I tried to catch my breath.
I grabbed ahold of him immediately, trying to think clearly.
I forgot what I'd dreamt, but I couldn't stop the adrenaline rushing through my veins or the terror that made me feel like it was eating my insides, little by little.
I sniffled, rubbing my eyes. I looked up at Wolfie, and he grinned at me wearily. "What happened?" I asked, gulping and trying to make the twisted feeling dissolve into absolute nothingness.
"You kept me busy all night fighting your nightmares away." He laughed, trying to ease my mood.
"This happens when I don't take the pills..." I mumbled, embarassed. "The memories build up inside of me and create one big...I don't know...Some sort of nightmare monster."
He held me tightly, making me feel more secure.
"These...Memories...They're what makes you uncomfortable talking." He guessed.
I nodded. "You just solved my confusing puzzle."
"I just need to know the complete picture of the puzzle I've solved." He replied, and I knew exactly what he meant. I just wasn't sure if I was ready to open up completely and tell him.
He did tell me his secret.
I sighed. "Just give me a moment, please."
Wolfie nodded. "Baby, if you don't want to-"
"The memories are about the days my parents died, the day I saw Zack cheating, the days I spent at a foster home, and more stuff. It's kind of like a flashback, with a few of them mixed up together."
That was easier than I thought.
I bit my lip to keep from crying. I let go of him and took off his shirt, leaving me in the stupid crop top I wished I hadn't worn now as the cold air pierced me, giving me goosebumps.
He took it back from me and put it on quickly.
I looked at him, unsure about his sudden rush, but he acted as if nothing had happened.
"Let's go somewhere." He suggested, and I agreed, feeling better.
We went downstairs, walking past a few passed-out people and heading outside.
"I'm driving again." Wolfie insisted.
"Knock yourself out." I said, my words coming out rushed.
He looked at me but didn't say anything, and I was glad of it. I didn't want to talk about the memories ever again.
We walked the block in silence, each of us pondering on our own thoughts. We found my car and I gave him the keys. He unlocked it, very pleased with himself.
I laughed at the thought and he frowned at me, but stayed quiet.
"Seatbelt." He ordered.
"Done and done." I smiled, buckling it on.
He started the car, but didn't begin driving. "Kassie, do you really need the pills?" He asked me.
I gulped. "I'm not sure."
Wolfie looked down, as if mentally making a decision, before looking back at me.
"Forget about them. You don't need to take any pills to be happy."
I nodded silently. "Where are we going?"
"Somewhere," he stated simply.
"What might that somewhere be?" I asked.
"A place," he scoffed.
"I don't like surprises." I warned him.
"Get ready to hate this one, then." He smirked.
I rolled my eyes. "Let's put music!"
Wolfie turned on the radio. "Put something fun," he said. "Mmkay." I answered, putting on my favorite radio station. I didn't know the song, but it sounded pretty good.
"Did you put it yet?" He asked impatiently.
"Do you have hearing problems?" I fired back.
"Actually, I'm pretty sure the whole world needs hearing aids to listen to music on such low volume." He turned up the volume incredibly loud. I felt the beat of the music vibrating through the car.
"This is so loud! I think the whole country can hear it!" I shouted.
"What? Did you just say you think the troll's pantry can't steer it?" He lowered the music for a second to ask me, looking at me like I was retarded.
"No!" I laughed. I told him what I'd actually said and he sighed in relief. "Thank The Lord, Kassie, I thought you had a symptom from not taking the pill."
I burst out laughing again as he turned the volume back to where it was and lowered the windows, which caused the wind to mess up my hair.

We arrived to an abandoned parking lot after a while. We got out of the car and he locked it, giving me the keys. "It's...It's a parking lot!" I exclaimed, trying to sound enthustiastic.
"Not this, stupid." He rolled his eyes and led me straight into an immense, stunning garden.
"Oh," I breathed, taking in the statuesque scenery I was currently standing on.
"Is there a waterfall somewhere? I hear it." I asked eagerly, like a little kid about to get a lollipop.
"Yeah. Come," Wolfie guided me behind a bunch of trees and beautiful flowers.
I was greeted with a lake and a waterfall.
"How do you know about this?" I asked, looking at the incredibly clear water.
"My sister found it. She came all the time." He sighed as I sat down, longingly looking into the lake.
"Is it clean?" I looked up at him. He crossed his arms. "Why don't you jump in and find out?"
I laughed, standing up.
The next thing I knew, I was being carried and about to be thrown in against my will.
"No, please!" I begged, giggling, but he ignored my kicks and pleas for help. "Why are you doing this?!" I gasped, realizing I was over the water.
He laughed simply. "Kas, by now you should know one simple little thing."
I looked at him. "What?"
He held me closer to him and kissed me slowly before whispering right below my ear, "I felt like it."
The next thing I knew, I'd landed face-first in the surprisingly warm water.
I swam up to the surface, looking up at Wolfie.
"I'm going to kill you." I growled.
"What are you going to do? Splash me to death?" He retorted. I heaved myself out of the water and took a running start to jump on him and get him wet.
"Maybe." I grinned as he walked back to the lake. "Wait, never mind. Don't throw me in again!" I squealed.
He laughed, his voice filled with mischief.
"Fine. Fine! You can throw me in if you get in the water too." I told him.
"That wouldn't be that much fun, babe. Whatever, though." He said before both of us were in the water.
I laughed, getting my hair out of my face and splashing him.
He dodged my splashes and carried me without effort over to the waterfall. "No!" I yelled, kicking to avoid being under it.
"Yes," he mocked. I stuck my tongue out at him before I crashed underwater. I swam up, gasping immediately for air. He was laughing as the strong waterfall showered over me. I got out of it, rubbing my eyes and laughing.
"Now I will splash you to death." I huffed.
"I'll trade you." He offered.
I frowned. "What do you mean by trade me?"
Wolfie came up to me, putting his hands on my waist.
"Instead of trying to kill me with water, you can let me kiss you."
"Okay." I agreed, and his lips crashed against mine.
I wrapped my arms around his neck as my lips moved in sync with his.
"This is better than killing you." I joked before letting him kiss me again.

~~~

"Do you still believe you need pills to make you happy?" Wolfie asked after we had sat at the edge of the lake. I shrugged, my feet dangling in the water.
"If by happy, you mean consisting of the ability to smile, laugh, and anything else that falls in that category, then maybe."
"Everyone has the ability to show that they're happy, Kas. It's just a matter of whether or not you feel it." He said. "There's a difference in showing and feeling. They are not even synonyms, but they're constantly being mistaken as so."
I laughed. "You're so literal."
He smiled at me before looking back at the water. "I guess."
"I do feel happy now, honestly." I sighed contently.
I began fidgeting with the grass, trying to remember what had happened last night.
"Wolfie?" I asked, letting the wind push back my hair. He looked at me.
"Have you ever fallen in love with someone?"
He stayed quiet for a few seconds. "Love is a strong word that no one truly understands."
I made tiny splashes in the water with my feet.
"You say that it's your heart, but it's actually your conscience. You meet someone who's life sounds interesting, and once you take part in it, you don't ever want it to end, except you never know if it will. When you die, your soul leaves the Earth and takes its love for that person along to wherever it may go." He explained.
"Are you sure?" I asked in amusement.
"It really depends on your beliefs and your view on life. You can't explain it. It's just like an opinion. You may give reasons on why you think it is the way it is, but you can't explain why you like it, and why those reasons sound appealing to you." He shrugged.
"What's your viewpoint?" I gazed at him, fully interested now in our conversation.
"Kassie, I'm probably wrong. I'm doing the wrong thing because I don't want you to have any type of involvement with the things going on in my life."
"Your life interests me." I stated simply.
"Yeah, well, I'm not a movie." He sighed.
"I didn't mean that. I meant...Your life sounds interesting, and now that I've taken some part in it, I don't want my part to end." I bit my lip before smiling softly at him. "You give me the ability to show and feel happiness in a very short amount of time."
"You're recycling my words now, aren't you?" He laughed.
"You know me. I'm a nature freak who loves protecting the environment. I'll recycle everything." I teased.
"That's nice. My angelic nature freak," he mumbled before our lips pressed against each other.
I laughed afterwards, looking at the sky.
"Yeah." He spoke after a while.
"What?" I frowned.
"I'm answering your question. I do love someone."
I felt a pang of hurt boom inside me.
"Oh," I said quietly, trying not to sound as somber as I felt. "Who?"
Wolfie stood up, helping me stand as well.
His eyes locked with mine, he whispered the word that made me feel a whole lot better.

"You."