Chapter Nine- the voice inside my head
Author's Note: well, my pretties, this is the final chapter for 'Traces of Scars'…I really hoped that you enjoyed writing this story with me, as your input is VITAL to my writing process… I value each and every one of your reviews…in particular, I would like to thank…*drum-roll please*
Kristi
GothicFairyRaven
YourWinter06
Steelsings
MandELLA
The Nauti Dolphin
Neerah
You all have been rather faithful, and if I have forgotten anyone, I truly am sorry…your reviews also made my days seem sweeter…I hope that you all will like this ending, and I am hoping that it was different than you were expecting…please don't shoot me after you read it though! Just wait for the sequel…I have already had one request for a cameo (that will actually be turning into a bigger part…) and I can take about 3 more if you would like! Just review me and leave a short bio with a name (unless I can use your penname…if it makes sense) character description and whether you want to be good or bad. *Sniff, I can't believe that this part of Mandella's story is ending!*
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters, but the plot is mine…I also don't own the song 'I Miss You' by Blink-182…but it IS an awesome number, eh? I know the song is before these character's time, but I just had to use it!
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The Voice Inside My Head
"Hello, Patrick?" I swallowed my pride and waited for his response.
"Mandella? Is that you? God I haven't talked to you in forever. How are you doing?"
"Patrick, listen, I don't know how to ask you this, but can I bunk at your place for a while, um…yeah, my mum is out visiting her…sister, and she wanted me to stay with someone, but everyone else is gone or indisposed. It wouldn't be for long, but I just can't be in the apartment for awhile."
"Well, I dunno, Mandella, I was your last choice after all…but you can stay under one condition."
"What condition is that, Patrick?"
"That you'll translate 'Much Ado About Nothing' for me…I've been wanting to see the movie, but I can't decipher that decrepit language!"
"You pull a tough deal, but alright, it's settled. I'm going to hop a taxi over to Kat's to say goodbye, and then could you maybe pick me up there?"
"Well…" he began
"Thanks!" I said hurriedly, I didn't want him to change his mind. Not to mention that the batteries for the cell phone were running low.
I stuffed some basic clothes, toiletries and books into my woven backpack and walked out the front door, locking it, although I don't know why I even bothered. Once at the curb, I hailed a taxi without too much wasted time and told the abnormally hairy driver to take me to Kat's address. Inside the taxi I rolled up my sleeve to look at my cut wounds. They were beginning to heal over, but underneath I could still see vibrant pink lines that were slowly fading to white.
I tipped the driver, who actually turned out to be a woman, and after a shudder crawled across my scalp after seeing her moustache I walked up the steps towards the Stratford house. Ringing the doorbell, I peered into the front hall through the glazed windows. The blurry images of suitcases in the hallways reminded me that the girls would be leaving.
"Stratford Residence, Katerina Stratford at your service," said Kat as she gracefully opened the front door. She then closed the door behind us with a slam.
"Lets take a walk, shall we?" she said it more like it was a command than a question. We began to walk down her placid road and it wasn't long before we came to small diner called "Susie Mae's Eats- come in and chow down!" not exactly the classiest of establishments, but Kat seemed to think it was a good idea to enter the greasy dive and order a plate of curly fries. It's really gross to watch people eat, but I waited for her to say whatever it was that she needed to tell me, or so she did in the message she left on my answering machine.
"So, what was it that you wanted to tell me before you headed off to Sarah Lawrence?" I asked her, almost timidly, but knowing me, I am not exactly the most timorous person…
"Funny you should ask. This is where we used to eat on days when we skipped 4th period, Patrick and I. Yepp, Pat and Kat. Isn't that just too cute? Well, actually, it's not cute anymore, Mandella, Pat and Kat is now Kat and Nobody Else. That's right, I broke up with him. I wanted to be free when I went to the east coast, and having Patrick around would tie me down to home. Don't look like that Mandella, it's not like I broke the guy's heart or anything, he said it was fine, that he didn't want to do the long distance thing anyways, so don't look at me like I'm guilty." She sighed, and I could tell that her speech was over. I stood up and sat down beside her in the booth and I said
"Kat, you did the right thing. Except that you reminded me that you are leaving me all alone with these hillbillies!" She chortled and stood up, leaving her change on the counter. I was still carrying my backpack, so I dug into a small pocket and fished out some change for a tip, even though I didn't order anything.
We walked slowly back to her house, and in front of it sat a greenish hued truck. Patrick.
"Sorry, Kat, I have to go now, Patrick is giving me a ride. I promise to write you every week, if you promise to write back." Kat nodded her head and held me close, I knew that she didn't want her voice to waver in front of me, in front of Patrick's truck, in front of anybody. She walked through her front door and closed it gently.
I climbed into the passenger seat of Patrick's truck and he turned the key in the ignition. We chatted politely and friendly-like, but for the most part we just listened to his Blink 182 CD.
'Hello there
The angel from my nightmare
The shadow in the background of the morgue
The unsuspecting victim…'
The music pulsed through and we both knew that we would miss Kat sorely. The sun went down and we drove through McDonald's to eat. By then I was feeling a bit peckish, so I grabbed a couple chicken McNuggets. They are so chopped and formed…gross, but still, I knew I would pass out if I didn't eat.
As we stepped into Patrick's small split level I saw all the paintings that were lying around, unframed, on the floor.
"Where did you get all these?" I asked him
"Friends gave them to me mostly, all those staving artist types, you know." I smiled and sat down on his squashy but comfortable couch.
"So, do you feel like telling me why you're really staying here for awhile?" Before I knew it, I was telling him all about how mum had left and wouldn't be coming back for who knows how long, about Norman, about Michael. I noticed that my head was lying across his chest and that my mascara had begun to run down my reddened cheeks. His hand was stroking my hair, trying to sooth me. His hands moved down to mine and he touched my wrist.
"Patrick," my voice cracked as I tried to speak, to explain why there was a geography map of cuts and scars decorating my forearms.
"Shh…" he whispered as his fingers stroked the wounds, and then his lips delicately danced upon them. Kissing my hurts better.
"But Kat," I started
"Shh…" he interrupted softly as his lips moved to meet mine in a simple, sensitive, tender kiss. His gentle actions revealed that he wanted to make all my hurts go away, he saw that my pain was beautiful, but he wanted to mend it and patch the scars on my heart. I tried to interrupt him, but once again he began to speak softly in my ear,
"don't waste your time on me you're already the voice inside my head." And I leaned my head on his chest as my wounds faded to mere traces of scars.
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A.N. TADA! The end! I hope you all enjoyed it! Please review and tell me what you thought about the ending! And the pairings! And everything else! Also, check out my other '10 things" fiction called "The private diaries of Kat Stratford," kisses to you all!