Broken

~8~

Caelyn

"I can't believe you right now, Kailey."

I sit there staring at my friend as she lies on the couch, eating a bowl of popcorn, watching a movie.

"What?"  She says with a mouth full of popcorn and looks at me with an incredulous look on her face.

"Kailey are you serious?  You just tackled me to the ground, tied me up, and sat there as your boyfriend put a piece of ducktape on my mouth."

"Don't forget, I'm the one who took the pleasure of ripping it off your mouth."

"Oh that tears it."

I walk over to her, grab her popcorn bowl, and throw out all its contents out of the window.

"Hey!  That was my fucking popcorn!"

"Yeah well not anymore" I reply.

"Oh come on.  I know that deep down inside you still have feelings for Dallas."

I roll my eyes and send a hard expression in Kailey's direction.

"No I don't.  I can't stand him."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night babe.  But you and I both know that there was no way to deny the fact that you were humming."

Shit.  I thought she never heard that.

But the truth is, I was humming.  And that meant that I had broken the promise I made when my brother died.

That night I had cried myself to sleep.  I know it might've sounded stupid, but music was something we had shared.

It reminded me way too much of him and it was impossible for me to sing.

So I stopped.

"I know it's because of him" she responded softly.

I sighed.

"You know, Jason would want you to be happy."

"Stop, stop, stop!  Just stop, Kailey!  Please!"  My voice cracked at the end.

I start crying.

"I can't, Kailey!  It hurts too much!  All these feelings, they just hurt too much!"

I'm practically bawling right now.

"It's okay, shhh."  Her comforting whispers calm me down.

She starts singing the song that instantly calms me down.

"I'm coming home, coming home

tell the world that I'm coming home

let the rain, wash away

all the pain of yesterday

I know my kingdom awaits

and they've forgivin my mistakes

I'm coming home, coming home

tell the world that I'm coming-

home"

I quickly feel myself calm down.  That song for some reason always makes me feel safe.

"Thanks, Kailey."  I smile warmly at her.

"Welcome" she responds with a sllight smile back.

                                                          ****

That night I wake up, drenched in sweat, and panting from yet another horrible nightmare.

I can't fall back asleep, so I scroll through my contacts.  Part of me wishes that the number is there, but the othe wishes r part of me is praying that it isn't.

Dallas Matthews

I text the number, wondering if after all these years it's still the same.

Hey.  You up?

Depends who's asking. 

I can a already tell it's him even without asking.

It's Caelyn.

Oh then I'm definitely up ;)

I smirk at this, feeling weird for feeling emotions for the first time in a while.

I can't sleep.  Want to text?

Of course.  What's wrong, darlin'?

Bad dream.

I press send.  Shit why did I do that?

Want to talk about it?

Yes.

No, thanks.  Actually, I feel fine now. Good night.

Night darlin'.  Hope I see your pretty face tommorow.

I smile at the text my friend sent.

And with that, I fall asleep tonight without a nightmare, for the first time in nine months.