captive.

time.

I woke up and I felt a tight bandage around my arm. Remembering what I did last night, but started to wonder about how the bandage got there. I looked around, I was lying in my mom's bed. I got out of the bed and I smelt the most amazing smell in the world: BACON. As I walk in the kitchen, my mom is there making breakfast. She hasn't made breakfast since I was eight years old.

"Goodmorning Kayce," my mom says to me in a joyful tone.

It was weird. I'm guessing she's the one that tied the bandage around my arm, but yet here she is acting like Scrooge after he was visited by the three ghosts.

"Uh, goodmorning ma."
She sat a plate on the table as a sign for me to sit down. She cooked eggs, bacon, grits, and pancakes. I ate it all, like cleared the whole plate. This was the first meal I've had in 3 months and it tasted like God made it himself. I took my plate to the sink and washed it. Then, I just stood there waiting for my mom to say something, but she didn't. She never does. She's heard my screams and my sobs. But she doesn't say anything. Why won't she atleast try to help me? Even though I know I can't be helped, it's worth a try.

"Uh I'm gonna go get ready for school."
"Kayce it's 1 o'clock, you missed school," my mom replies.
"Why didn't you wake me?"
"Because... I wanna talk."
"About?"
"About ... why you cut yourself.. 37 times," she said in a low, strained voice. She's about to cry.

Andddddd I was right.

I walked to the table and sat next to her. I rubbed her hand, trying give her comfort I guess.

She stopped crying, then she looked at me and touched my face.

"You're so beautiful."
"Not even close," I said.
She giggled, "Oh sweetheart, if only you could see what I see."

I told my mom everything. It felt nice talking to her without it being weird. I cried and she held me. My mom is back and it feels like she never left.

I was looking for my phone and I found it on my mom's bed stand. Turning the power on I see that I have 60 messages. Thirty from Kareem, 10 from Cash, 7 from Dash, and the rest just from some acquaintances at school.

I texted everyone back except Kareem. I called him. He answered right away. Asking me questions like "Are you okay?" "Why didn't you come to school?" "Did I say something wrong last night?". I told him I was fine.
"Fine? Kayce you scared me to death."

Wrong words to use at this time Kareem.

"Chill, okay? I was wondering if you would like to come over before I go to Cash's house at 7."

"Alright, text me your address."

••••••••

I heard the doorbell ring and I immediately ran to the door. I opened it and greeted Kareem. I was wearing some shorts and a hoodie, that kinda look like a crop top. He was wearing grey sweats and a plain white tee.

My mom went to work, she says she's going to start working fewer hours at her job, so she can spend more time with me. She's a nurse at the local hospital. She made good money, I didn't know a nurse could make so much. Some of our finance comes from my father, my dad had no family, so when he died all the money in his bank account went to us.

"Hey," I say to Kareem
"Wassup."
"I just wanna say I'm sorry."
"Why are you apologizing?"
"I'm apologizing for last night and I know you're trying to be my friend and that's what I need. So we are going to do what friends do. Talk, watch a bunch of movies, get eachother's social media, and just have fun."
He smiled and said, "I would like that."

It was now six o'clock and Kareem was still at my house. Turns out he's an only child also and his mom died when he was seven. We share the same weird interests like superheroes and supernatural. And he just moved from Chicago to New York because his dad found a better job.

We're watching The Originals and I keep biting my lip because Marcel is so damn cute.

"Um don't have a orgasm right now, atleast wait till I leave."

"Sh okay, just look at him and omg me and Elijah can totally have mixed babies."

Before he could respond, my phone started ringing, I answered it without even looking at the caller id.
"Hello," I said with a spoonful of butter pecan ice cream in my mouth.

"Hey Kay."
I knew that voice from anywhere. Then, a cloud of anger came over me .

"Why do you still have my number?"
Kareem noticed my angry tone and turned around to look at me.

"I need to talk to you. I really mis-"Stop," I yell at him, but decided he wasn't worth the energy,"you don't miss me Ahmir, you don't care about me, you don't love me so just stop please because I don't have time for this. Goodbye."

Kareem looked at me, waiting for me to say something. But I didn't.

It's entirely way too much for me.

I stared at Kareem and I felt the sudden need to just kiss him. That's what I did. Just to show my appreciation of him being here. It was a light peck on his soft,full lips. He didn't say anything and neither did I. We just watched tv until I decided I wanted to break the silence.

"I used to be homeschooled but I decided I needed some friends, so I went to Thomas High School and I regret it very much. Everything was perfect until I met the undeniably charming Ahmir Holmes. He swept me off of my feet and I gave him my heart. But I didn't receive anything but lies. Everything shut down when he said the words "i never loved you" I didn't listen when people told me to stay away. I didn't listen to the rumors. This is exactly what I get for not listening. My life is.. Inconsolable. I'm torn. It hurts." I didn't cry, I just stared at Kareem, we're eye to eye.

"Why would a guy wouldn't want to love you? If I could have you in my arms, I would. If I could kiss you so deep and passionate, I would. If I could wake up on a Saturday morning and see your beautiful face, I would. Why would a guy distress something so perfect? You are perfect Kayce and if he was so blind to not see that, he doesn't deserve you. I've only known you for a good 36 hours but you are an angel. And Kayce I don't fully believe that your wings are gone, they're damaged but not gone. There's time to release that perpetual darkness you feel. There's time to find yourself. There's time to move on. There's time to be happy."