I've been on a writing kick with this story, so a fast update this time! Thank you for the reviews everybody. SweetP: Lol they always have that tone, don't they? But that's guys ;) Thanks for pointing those other quotes out too, and I'm going to leave your question unanswered for the time being because the story will explain in time :) Pancake: Haha yup :P Well, no one runs it in my story and Doc isn't dead either. He just hasn't been mentioned yet. Otherwise yes, that's where it would be. OK, just wanted to make those replies, now here's the chapter!

Chapter Eight – Believing in Belonging

(Levina's POV)

The next few days pass quite uneventfully. My routine has changed to accommodate Damian. I see him nearly every morning, always at the same booth over at Flo's. My mother doesn't run the free continental breakfast anymore, so instead, she gave Damian permission to put his breakfasts on her tab at Flo's.

Speaking of my mother, I haven't spoken to her in ages it feels like. It really amazes me how you can live in the same place as someone but they can be completely invisible. And yet the memory of my father, someone who actually is absent, floats around us like a daily reminder we're still here, we're still living.

I feel bad for ignoring my mother so much. But she isn't exactly reaching out to me either. She mopes around a lot lately, at least that's what I overheard Flo telling Mater in a hushed voice yesterday afternoon. I don't care though. I don't need her company. Not with Damian around anyway.

There is a comfortable respect that has formed between us. And with each passing hour that we spend together, I'm certain there is something more. Since that day out at Willy's Butte, things have been different. They've been different in the sense that Damian doesn't question me about my past. For once I feel free, like I've lost that label which states I'm the daughter of a dead superstar. I'm just a seventeen year-old girl, living in the moment. I'm finally on a level of 'normal'.

It's a cool, windy day when Damian and I decide to hike up to Wheel Well. It is probably the only place I haven't shown him yet, and I think it's worth seeing. He suggests we take his car, but I decide against it.

A hike and picnic will be so much more romantic, I think to myself. Picnics are always romantic from what I've seen on TV.

So, I pack some sandwiches from Flo and a couple cans of Pepsi before we set off. Flo gives a bit of a warning glare, as if to indicate 'no funny business'. I try to pretend like I don't notice. Does she really think anything will happen? I've only held his hand once, and even then, it was more friendly than flirty.

We start walking about an hour before noon. Damian thinks we should take an umbrella just in case, but feeling the weight of my bag already, I shake my head. The rain will probably hold out until the evening.

Eventually, we reach the waterfall, a sight that can't be missed. I think about a time so long ago, when my mother and I used to drop letters over the bridge and into the fast-moving current below. We were healing then, dealing with our grief. Unfortunately, I can't say that we're all that much better now. My mother is still quite broken, and as for myself, I can't say I'm whole either. Maybe it is just impossible to ever fully recover from some things. Maybe some tragedies are scratched into your heart forever, like a scar.

"Wow," Damian breathes. He stops to place his hands on the metal rail and the mist sprays our faces.

"Isn't it beautiful?" I stand next to him, leaning against the rail as well. The wind blows my hair back wildly like I'm in some kind of photo shoot.

"Is this what you wanted to show me?"

I don't steal my eyes away from the rushing water. I can't stop awing at the strong, swift motion of it as it plunges downward. "No," I tell him, "This is just a bonus along the way." I step on to the lower piece of railing and reach my hand out as far as I can. I want to feel more than just the light mist on my skin.

Damian points to the water flowing beneath us and asks, "Do you think we could go swimming down there? I mean, not today, but maybe once before winter hits?"

I've always wanted to do that, but I could never find anyone adventurous to do so. Not even Mater. He probably just doesn't want to get in trouble from Mom. "Sure," I reply, "As long as we could find a way down. It would take some searching but I bet there's a way."

"Cool," Damian smiles with enthusiasm. A daring glint reflects in his dark eyes.

"Well, come on," I say, "We're almost there."

As I told him, it doesn't take much longer to arrive at Wheel Well. I let Damian have a look around the abandoned building and then coax him to come join me over near the ledge of the landing. He rambles over in a matter of seconds to take in the view beside me. Before us stretches mostly empty land, the main attraction being the waterfall over to our right. The buildings of Radiator Springs look bleak and petite compared to the huge spread of untouched desert dirt. Even the highway looks like a thin black line from this high up. The sky above seems closer than anything else; its grey rolling clouds fill the air in thick puffs.

Damian whistles. "That's a pretty amazing view. Thanks for bringing me up here to see it. I would have never known."

I turn my head towards him, but the wind is blowing so hard now that it seems almost pointless with all the hair flying in front of my face. I try to push the worst of it aside and tell him, "You're welcome. It is better on sunny days but you know…"

There is a pause. Then he prompts, "No, I don't know."

I bite my lip in embarrassment and swing my backpack to the ground. We both sit down as I begin unloading our lunch from it. I think about all the fun we've had in the past week. I know it isn't a long time, but I'm more grateful for Damian's friendship more than he could imagine.

I can feel his eyes still on me, and I finally tell him, "Well, I… I don't know how long you're going to be here in town for, so I wanted to be sure that you saw it before leaving." I pass him a sandwich and then lower my eyes. My eyelashes suddenly feel like the curtain to the emotion that stirs in my irises.

"Oh…" he says gently. Then I hear the plastic wrap make its odd crinkling noise as he unwraps the sandwich. "I haven't thought much about it yet. I was kind of hoping…"

Silence fills the great expanse around us. For a second, I think he's just taking a bite out of the sandwich. I lift my eyes and see him pulling at the plastic in hesitation. Once he notices my sight set on him, his eyes dodge about nervously. He takes a mouthful out of the sandwich and drowns it with pop to drag the moment out even longer.

My stomach flip-flops and my throat feels tighter, like it doesn't want to let down any more food. Surely, he's about to confess his love for me. He wants to stay here forever and ever with me; he wants to keep the days and nights from being so miserable. We'll find a way to make this town into something worth visiting. We'll figure it out like lovers always do.

His lips finally part and he explains, "I was hoping that maybe you would come to Motor City with me."

The bread sticks to the roof of my mouth. It doesn't matter; I have no words to reply with. I have no thoughts in my head that I can harness long enough to communicate to another human being.

He searches my face, looking for some kind of response. Then he turns his head away in agitation and gnaws at his lip. "I mean, I'm not asking you to live there. I just thought… Well, there's a lot of things there I think you'd like. A lot of places, a lot of people. People who understand you."

But YOU understand me! I want to exclaim in return. I don't know why he can't just stay here and help me make something of this hopeless life.

"Levina," he whispers in a honey-smooth voice. He grabs the palm of my hand, wrapping his fingers tightly against it. "You can be free there. You can race there."

I can't take my eyes off him as I take in this possibility. Freedom. Racing. I can't have one without the other. And as I feel his hand holding mine, I want to believe that it will never let go. I want to believe with every piece of me that he can sweep me away to the place where I belong.

This chapter doesn't exactly end how I wanted it to, but it was getting too long so I decided to leave it there for now. Thank you for reading, reviews are appreciated :)