Chapter 32
-Kadens POV-
"I'll just blame the voices" Echo smiled.
The voices?
How did she know?
Is it that obvious?
No.
She can't know. She didn't.
She was just messing with me right?
"What do you mean?" I asked trying my hardest to look her in the eyes.
She rolled onto her side and wrapped her arms around me. "What?"
"You mean... You hear voices?" I asked hoping for an answer this time. My eyes were fixed on the ceiling and I felt like I wasn't breathing.
"No- but I wish I did. Don't you think that would be like the most amazing excuse. All those damn schizophrenics can just say "The voices told me to do it" and it's a get out of jail free card." she huffed sitting up.
"Most the time it's not that easy" I shook my head.
"I know but still. I don't understand mental disorders. At all. Like how can people really believe that there is someone there or talking to them? It just doesn't make sense." she laughed.
I couldn't decide what was hurting more. The fact that she just flat out told me I was freak. Or knowing if she knew she would think I was a freak, and would pretend that it was ok... And that she still loved me.
Wow... Now I know this love is real, I thought sarcastically.
"It's not that we believe it. It's so real you can't ignore it. When you see a freaking little girl step up behind you in the mirror and turn around and she's not there, what are you supposed to do? Shrug it off? When you hear a crystal clear voices screaming at you that your not worth it and that you're completely messed up that all this shit called love is a lie. What would you do?" I said standing up.
I knew I had to get out of there before I screamed something I'll regret, or hit her for real.
"No wait!" she called after me scrabbling after me. "You said we? Like we people who suffer from metal disorders."
"No I didn't?" I shook my head.
"Yes. You did. Is there something your not telling me? Is that what's behind your eyes?" she was figuring it all out all too quickly. This isn't how I wanted to tell her. At all. Swinging open the door I slammed it in her face before she could follow me.
But of course she did.
So I did what any normal kid would have done. I started running. Like my life depended on it. Skidding around corners and slipping through the gravel when I car swerved past me.
Running like I used to from my dad when I was younger. Just running.
I was planning on stopping at my house but blew right past it.
I kind of liked this feeling. Of being alone. Or as alone as I could get.
I ran and ran and ran. For what felt like forever till I reached the towns limits and my last option was the saw dust pits. So I ran in there.
Standing in front of the old warehouse brought back painfully stabbing memories.
There were now 'No Trespassing' signs posted everywhere now but that didn't stop me and the very few people that dared still to go inside.
I turned away from the white abandon shed and and walked in the other direction.
"Well you made it clear to the saw dust pits. Not what?" I heard Echo's voice from behind me.
Digging my heels into the soft sand I twisted around to look at her. But there was no one.
But... I heard her. Crystal clear.
But she's not... She's not here.
Now I'm loosing it.
Yes now I have really lost it.
After a few hours of walking in circles and being yelled at by the voices for running and not just telling Echo what was going on.
I turned and walked home. Passing by Brecken's house I saw someone and Echo yelling at each other at the end of the street.
What was Echo doing over here?
Not fully thinking my actions through I ran to the end of the street to see a tall kid with shaggy rusty brown hair.
Hagen. I knew it was him even in this low soft light of the street lights.
"What's going on?" I asked Echo glancing at her. Taking another good look at her I saw that her eye had been blackened. "You son of a bitch" I shook my head clenching my fists turning back to Hagen.
"Kaden its nothing." Echo said grabbing my wrist. "Let's just go home" pulling me away from him, she tried to get me to follow her but I was about to kill him for laying his filthy hands on her.
"Did he do that?" I asked already knowing it was him.
Echo nodded weakly and pulled me harder. "Please" she whispered.
"No real man hits a girl." I said through my gritted teeth. I probably looked like I was about to shapeshift into a full on wolf right here right now with all the hate building in my eyes.
"Kaden. Please don't. Let's just go." Echo whispered again.
"Are you serious?" I asked looking back at her.
Echo pulled me closer to her and brushed her lips to mine. "Please?" she begged.
In one swift movement, I was being pinned to the ground by none other then sweet old Hagen.
"You don't deserve her you freak." he hissed throwing a solid punch to my face.
"Oh hell no!" Echo yelled.
He threw another to my jaw and then my nose. The thick taste of blood and saliva filled my mouth.
My head was spinning and I felt limp. He was still punching me, when all I could think was: what the hell is going on.
And all I could hear was muffed shouts and the constant slam of his fist into my skull.
This wasn't how this was supposed to go. I was supposed to beat him up. Not the other way around.
Finally swinging her bright blue converse right into Hagens stomach, Echo grabbed my hand, yanked me to my feet, and began running.
Reality snapped back to me all too quickly. Dizzy as hell I stumbled down the street and fell into a brick wall collapsing to the concrete ground I rested my aching head on the wall and closed my eyes.
I could hear my heartbeat in my ears. Booming along with my throbbing head.
I just wished I was dead.
I saw insanely bright lights flash before me and then I was lifted from the ground and gently set onto a soft velvety surface.
My eyes had given up. My brain had melted into goo and of no purpose.
I surrendered to the darkness and let whoever had taken me. Take me.
I felt a delicate touch on my shoulder. "Everything's going to be ok." I heard Echo whisper. "I'm so sorry." her lips placed softly on my cheek and her hair brushed my face.
"I love you" I managed to whisper.
"I love you too baby. Now just go to sleep. Please." she whispered placing another kiss on my temple.
I nodded; or at least wanted to.
Once again I was lifted up and now floating. I heard Laura gasp and then felt her touch on my face. My eyes still refused to open but I could talk slightly.
"I'll be okay mom." I whispered.
"We're gonna get you all cleaned up honey."
Oh god. Did she really just call me honey in front everyone?
I was set down on something flat and hard. At first it felt good on back. Almost soft. Like I could snuggle into it and sleep perfectly fine. But I knew for a fact it wasn't my bed. It was to stiff.
Something dripping wet and freezing cold brushed my lip. Dabbing at it and then the rest of my face. I wanted to flinch away but I couldn't move. I felt as if I was cemented to whatever I was laying on.
After I'm assuming Laura had me all cleaned up I felt like was floating again. Then set down on a cloud. Being wrapped up in my blankets I felt better then ever. My head still ached but I could care less. I felt Echo's fragile arms snake around me and then a kiss on the back of my neck.
"I'm so sorry" she whispered into my skin. "I love you"
I wanted to talk. Tell here everything was ok. That I didn't care. I had had worse and that I loved her too.
But I couldn't. All I could do was scream it in my head and pray she heard me somehow.
I would take a bullet for that girl. She meant everything to me.
And all I wanted was to hold her in my arms for the rest of my life. Even if we did have our fights. Even if she never really found out I was schizophrenic. Even if she didn't fully understand my thought process. I still loved her. More then life it's self. She is and always will be my everything.
---Love