Pathological Love→kai parker← {discontinued}

The Merge

I woke with a dizzy head. Matt was oblivious with the holes in my neck, thank God. I didn't need him stressing over me.

Caroline texted me saying that the merge was today-and to not tell Stefan I knew. If he did, he would probably lock me away in the cellar in his basement. There was a different between being Dad protective and kind protective.

He was way past Dad protective.

It wasn't like he told me what to wear and stuff, just the other things. Jo and Kai were merging tonight, and I was nervous. Extremely nervous. This meant that we were getting Bonnie back soon. Kai left her with no one but herself in that prison world.

I liked to believe there's good in everybody. Just, for some people, it's more difficult to dig out. At work, I dozed off more times than I could count. My boss didn't notice a thing, so I got off the hook. Except the customers gave me shitty tips.

The day where Matt and I had to pay bills was coming up. I was saving every single penny I got. Every night, we'd eat the Salvatore's food and they were okay with it. They only drink blood and compel a bunch of clerks for some food for us.

Other times, I wouldn't have agreed with that idea, but it was actually helping us a lot. It was like cheating, but it was allowed in my book. "Ready to go home?" Matt asked, removing his apron.

I tried to make eye contact because I didn't whenever I lied. "I was going to go with Caroline tonight. Is that okay? She just needs me right now," I lied.

At first, he hesitated. "Okay. How much tips did you make for the day?"

I pulled the money from my pocket. "Only, like, thirty." On good days, I made well over fifty dollars in tips. Since Matt was a happy-go-lucky during work hours, he usually made around seventy. Combined, and our paychecks, we were doing really well for us.

"That's okay. We'll get through." He grinned assuringly then folded me in his arm. The smell of sweat filled my nostrils. "I should get going," I muffled into his shirt.

Matt had a hard time letting go. It was always a risk being away from each other. After Vicky died, there wasn't much to live for besides one another. We were all we had left. Without one, we were nothing. I pushed him and he pushed me. My brother was the one thing that kept me in the real world.

"Be careful, Bell. Please."

I held on tighter. "I always am, Matt."

He and I both knew that wasn't true. When I recoiled, I started to go to Caroline's. She was going to try and talk me out of going to the merge, but I had to go. I had to know who was going to help us get Bonnie back. If Jo won, it would be so much easier, if Kai won, it was going to be harder to convince him to help us.

I seemed to have a hold over him, so possibly I could help. When I arrived, there was a note on Caroline's door. It read:

Out for things for my mom. DO NOT go to the merge without me! Wait inside. -Caroline

Sighing, I pulled the key she gave me out of my pocket and unlocked it. It was nice and cool inside, so it was nice to relax. My house was a little run-down so sitting in a cleaner place was calming.

For hours, I stuffed my face with food and watched TV. It was like her house was like mine but nicer and with a fridge full of food. Now that her mom was going to be in the hospital for a while and Caroline was a vampire, their fridge was full and untouched.

It was nice to have some time alone, until someone knocked at the door. It couldn't be Caroline, Stefan, Elena or anyone I was friends with because they'd just walk in.