The Love I Lost

Chapter 36: Love Cakes and Love Muffins

I ran up the steps to my friend's house. The door opened before I even reached it and I ran into the awaiting arms.

"Whoa, whoa, Eliza, it's okay," Greta soothed.

"I'm sorry, you guys," I told both Greta and Lily.

"Come inside, it's freezing out here," Lily ordered.

I broke down sobbing once we sat on the couch. "Andrew...he attacked my dad. Now he's...in a coma and..." I could barely get through what I was saying. I was coughing and crying, hyperventilating.

"Quiet, now, it's gonna be okay," Greta assured in a calm tone.

"No it's not!"

"Liz---"

"What if he dies?" I asked them. "What if he doesn't come out of the coma? What am I going to do without him? I'll have to live with Uncle Brian, 'cause God knows my mother doesn't want me!"

Lily looked at Greta worriedly. Greta said, "Liz, stop it now. Your dad is going to be all right. Everything will be okay. You'll see."

"How can you be so sure?" I cried.

"I can't..." Greta said honestly. "But I know you're dad. He's going to pull through this."

I leaned against Greta's shoulder, crying like a five year old in her father's arms over scrapped knees. Sometimes I did wish I was a little girl again. Because bruised knees hurt less than a broken heart.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I received chocolate hearts from Greta and Lily for Valentine's Day. I stayed the night at their house, at some point receiving a worried call from Uncle Brian of where I was. I visited my dad, just to see if anything changed. The wound was healing, which meant no more loss of blood. But he was still in a coma.

What a shitty Valentine's Day, I thought.

"Why do you build me up?
(Build me up)
Buttercup, baby just to let me down
(Let me down)
And mess me around. And then worst of all
(Worst of all)
You never call, baby---"

I picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey, Snookie Wookie."

I stared ahead. "Snookie Wookie?"

"Okay, sorry, that's with using Rachel, hold on," I heard Damon typing something. "Aha! Love Cakes."

"What are you talking about?"

"Facebook, Love Cakes, it's a game. You get to see your sexy Valentine nickname."

I rolled my eyes. "Oh, brother."

"Ew..."

"What?"

"I'm Love Muffin..."

I laughed. "You're insane."

"So, what's new, Love Cakes?"

"First off, do not call me Love Cakes, Love Muffin. And second, a lot's new and I've gotta talk to you."

"...Aren't we talking now?"

"No, I mean in person," I said.

"You're not gonna breakup with me again, are you?"

I rolled my eyes. "No, this is serious. It's Andrew."

Suddenly Damon was all serious. "What'd he do?"

"He attacked my dad," I said, trying to be calm. "He's in a coma. Do you know anything about..." I lowered my voice. "Do you know anything about vampires being able to make humans go into comas?"

"I'm no doctor," Suddenly Damon was beside me, taking my phone to shut it off. He ignored my gasp of alarm. "but I think it could be shock." When I kept staring at him, he smirked. "Hi."

"Hi." I took my phone back, putting it in my bag. "How'd you know where I was?"

"You said your father was attacked, which equals hospital," Damon said with a shrug.

"Oh."

Damon wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "You wanna get out of this place?"

I nodded up at him.

Damon had a sly smirk on his face. "You better hold on tight...Love Cakes..."

I slapped his shoulder playfully. "Shut up!"

Damon burst out laughing. "I've always wanted to say that to a girl who knew I was a vampire and appreciate the joke! You know, with being all, 'Oh my God, that's so sexy.'"

I rolled my eyes. I should have gone to see him in the first place last night. He wouldn't let me feel sorry for myself---he just made me laugh.

"Seriously, we're just gonna walk to my car." Damon said.

"But of course, Love Muffin."

FLASHBACK-

"Dad...?" I walked sheepishly into his room.

It was dark in there and cold. I don't know how I remembered how cold it was---maybe just me.

"Yes, honey?" my dad asked. He was sitting on his bed, the reading lamp was on while he read a book.

I sat beside him, staring at him seriously. He put the book down. "Honey, what is it?" he asked me.

I studied my hands. How was I ever going to tell him this? Okay, start slow. Don't freak him out, I told myself. "Um...I have to tell you something..."

My father faced me, worry in his eyes. "What is it?"

"Well...Andrew, he..." He's a vampire? Really, Elizabeth, I scolded myself. "He's become violent, Dad. He keeps threatening me..."

"Violent? How do you mean?" Just like that, my father's eyes changed from worry to anger.

With trembling fingers, I pulled the collar of my shirt down so he could see the bite mark. "He's not what he seems. And he won't let me breakup with---what're you doing?"

My dad put the phone to his ear. "Calling the police."

"No!" I cried, panicked.

My dad didn't stop. "Why not?"

"Dad, he's really dangerous..." Oh, great, now I really have to tell him. "Dad, please believe me. I'm not insane and I'm not lying...he's a vampire..."