DAMAGED

chapter11 ☪

•••
Wolfie's POV

I opened the door to the liquor store. I knew I wasn't supposed to be in here, but I could've cared less. I slipped out the little money I had left out of my pocket. It was all I had left after my mom found the money I'd been safekeeping inside the tiny abandoned tool house we had outside the backyard.
I had planned on saving my money until I'd have at least enough to buy my way out of the house.
Not now. Now, I changed my plans. I'm wasting as much as I need to forget about her. I needed to - after the argument and the last thing she said to me.
"You're the one that doesn't love me."
I did love her... She made me want things in a way I'd never experienced. I'm just unsure whether she loved me back, though. I don't understand her. I mean, I'm pretty sure most girls would be afraid or feel sorry...But Kassie isn't most girls.
"May I help y-say, aren't you a minor? I need to see a valid source of ID." The man at the counter told me.
I sighed. "I could do that, or I could introduce you to a few George Washingtons."
The man nodded and took all my money. "What would you like?"
Bribing always works.
"Tequila. A big one, maybe." I shrugged.
He went off to get one for me.
"You're the one that doesn't love me."
I began to think back to everything that happened. Maybe I shouldn't have told her I loved her. I got carried away there. She only feels sorry for me. That has to be it. She can't love me. Hell, my own family doesn't even-
"Here you go. Have a nice day." The man returned with the bottle in his hand, giving it to me and gesturing at me to leave quickly.
I went outside the store and sat on the concrete. It's just so confusing.
Is Kassie wrong? Am I wrong? Are we both wrong?
If she felt sorry for me, she wouldn't have left, but she did, which means she loves me, right?
Or maybe she did feel sorry for me at first but thought that I was a huge jerk and left.
I do know one thing for sure: I don't blame her.
I have way too many problems going on for a girl with depression to deal with - or any girl, in that matter.
I opened the bottle slowly.
It's so weird - one moment everything is going great, and then the next, a sudden plot twist comes along.
One moment, I was chasing her just to get her in the janitor's with me, and then the next, she's my angel and I want to protect her because I love her.
I love her, but at the same time, I'm not planning on spending the rest of my life with anybody.
I let the soothing, strong liquid slide down my throat, its stinging effect calming me down.
I'm so confused.
I drank in big amounts, feeling more careless each time I swallowed.
"You're the one that doesn't love me
"You're the one that doesn't
"You're the
"You

My head spinning as I looked at the cars driving in front of me, I felt a strange nostalgic feeling tugging inside of me, but I couldn't remember why. I couldn't remember anything, honestly.

Wait... Who was I thinking about?

Kassie's POV

I arrived at my house at last, and I wiped my eyes with my hands as soon as I got out of the car and locked it. I was about to go inside when I heard Albert's voice talking on the phone.
"Yeah. He came to ask for a loan, but got upset when I didn't give him anything. He threatened me, so I had to defend myself using actions instead of words." There was a pause before he continued, "Oh, no. It was just a small, simple warning punch. Nothing serious. He took it very seriously, however, and pummeled me back twice as hard. That's why my nose is - What? Press charges?"
My heart began beating quicker. "Albert, please don't." I ran to his house, pleading him not to.
He looked at me and sighed. "You know what? He's had a tough life. I'll just let it go."
I felt relief surge through me until he added, "If...If he apologizes. I have to go. Bye, bro."
Albert hung up, shaking his head disapprovingly.
"Why are you getting involved with guys like him?"
I bit my lip. "I felt like it?" I said hopelessly.
"Yeah. Just like he felt like breaking my nose, which now requires surgery." He growled. "Listen, Kassie. There comes a time when everyone needs to choose their path. You've been on the right one for so long now. Don't let some troubled guy come into your life and make it into whatever he wants like origami or something."
I opened my mouth to speak, but he continued. "Trust me. I have a daughter. I know about these things. You're lucky that all I ask of him is to apologize, and that I haven't told Jarett any of this."
I saw the door open and out popped Alex, the girl I met earlier. "Alex?" I asked, and she nodded in response. "I'm spending the year with my dad. I'm new here. Want to come in?"
I looked at Albert, who nodded. "I'll tell Jarett you're here."
"Tell him I spent the night at Lucy's," I blurted out, immediately feeling guilty for lying.
He agreed before Alex pulled me inside and upstairs into her room.
"How does your dad know that Wolfie has family problems?" I asked immediately.
"Family problems? We just thought he had anger problems. Here, have a tissue and clean your mascara off. It's running." She replied, handing me a tissue box.
"Your dad hit him first." I said defensively, rubbing my eyes with the tissue.
"Okay, calm down. Esperanza wouldn't want us talking about him. She's kinda jealous of you. He's been hanging out a lot with you, and - By the way, what's that all about? You're too good for him, anyway."
"You're friends with Esperanza?" I frowned.
"Yeah. She always tells me endless stories about her and Wolfie in the ja-"
"No need to hear about that." I huffed.
"Okay. What happened? Were you crying? Why are you hanging out with him?" She interrogated me, thirsty for all the juicy details.
"It's a long story." I answered.
"Well, we have time. I think I deserve to know considering the fact that I had to deal with your perky little blonde friend and give her a ride home because you left with him instead." Alex replied, raising an eyebrow at me.
"It's just that I can't tell you some stuff. I promised not to tell." I mumbled.
"Fine. Can you at least tell me something?" She begged.
"I love him." I whispered quietly.
"What?" She asked.
"I...love...him." I repeated, my heart beating faster as I announced it.
"He's a player, Kassie. I mean, I know that you may think you love him, but just because he said some things to you doesn't mean you actually do. You're probably imagining it. Why would you love a guy who sleeps with a different girl every night?" She said.
What if Alex is right? Maybe this is all just a figment of my lovesick imagination...
"He told me he loved me back." I told her, staring blankly at her mirror.
"Oh, sweetie. He's only going to hurt you and cause trouble." She sighed sadly, and I tried to speak, but she shushed me and opened her mini-fridge. "Want ice cream?"
Maybe his intentions aren't so good. What if I give him what he wants? Will he leave? Will he get bored of me? I can't blame him.
"No, thank you. I'll have at my house. I need to go."
She shrugged and went downstairs with me. I opened the door and waved goodbye before heading to my house.

Tuvi was waiting for me there, and she took me to my room as soon as she could.
"Did anything interesting happen?" She asked, her eyes wide with amusement.
"Can we not talk about this for awhile? Let's just watch some chick flicks or something and eat chocolate like we used to do." I suggested, and she nodded happily.

~~~

We just finished watching three dramatic movies. We'd done impressions of the actors, and we'd thrown popcorn at the screen a bunch of times, calling our dogs to eat the mess.
I was so busy laughing and spending time with my sister that I forgot all about - Wait... Who was I thinking about?