07

"What!" Caroline exclaimed

Lizzie was silent for a while before saying "As a psychologist, you should be optimistic, the word I can't shouldn't be in your dictionary. I don't care about you past, I have mine and I'm quite sure Miss Salvatore has hers, so I'm asking you again, Can you work here?"

I was dumbstruck, she really wants me to work here, she claims she doesn't care about my past, she doesn't know anything, either way this is my chance to prove myself, to prove I can be redeemable

I smiled as I said "I can"

"Good. You're to start on Monday. I will hand you stickers that you'll spread to people, letting them know of SPEAK. I'll email certain things to you, like you salary and certain documents required from you and before I forget, Can either of you bake?"

"Bake? I can! I'm the best" Caroline exclaimed excitedly, she's such a sunshine

"Nope, I can't" I said remembering all my failed attempt to bake for Danielle's birthday

"Good. Caroline, you'll be joining Cade in making complimentary cupcakes and cookies for all our friends who will be patronizing us and FYI, we have 10 people scheduled for Monday" She said

Did she just say Cade?

"Ehm, You said Caden?"

"Yes, Cade Manchester, He's like family. He will be working alongside with both of you" She answered casually

I should have connected the dots, of course Caden will be here, I met him at Smallville, right in front of Mrs Parker's office, both of us working in the same place shouldn't be bad, what could go wrong?

"Wait, you mean Cade! Like Kai's roommate?" Caroline screamed

"Miss Salvatore, you're not permitted to shout here and yes, Cade Manchester, is there a problem?" Lizzie said firmly

"We have our differences" Carol said

"Then you will put it aside and work together. Won't you?" She said calmly looking at Caroline

"I will try not to kill him" Caroline muttered but changed it when she saw Lizzie's glare "I will. We'll work together perfectly"

"Good. Is there any thing you girls would like to ask?"

"How are we supposed to dress and are we to come after classes every day?" I asked

"You're to dress warmly and friendly. Send me your class schedules"

"Okay"

"How old are you Kings?" Lizzie asked

"I'm 19"

"How about you Caroline?"

"I'm 20"

"Is there anything I should know about you guys"

We were silent for a while, pondering on what she asked

"I zone out a lot" Caroline finally said

"I see. Kings?"

Taking a deep breath, I said "I have nightmares and flashbacks"

"Interesting" She said getting up, we got up from our seat

"Thank you for coming. I will send all you need to know through your emails" Lizzie said moving to the door, she opened it, gesturing for us to move out.

We stepped out of her office, looking round the white walls, she was about to say something when we were interrupted with

"Cade!" We heard Kai screamed, my heart skipped a beat, what's going on

"Manchester! Come on, not again!" Kai shouted again, and just like that Lizzie bolted to where Kai was

I looked at Caroline in confusion as we ran after her, on getting there, the sight waiting for me scarred my heart and soul forever, Caden was lying in the floor, probably dead and Kai was holding on to him in the firmest grip ever, crying

I watched as Lizzie knelt down before them, holding Caden, immediately she touched him, he shot up screaming in absolute and heart wrenching agony "Caramel! Nooo!"

______

+Caden's Point of View+

"Mel" I smiled at my elder sister as she frowned at me

"Caden, were you reading my texts?" She asked angrily

"I wasn't. I totally didn't read the part he said he loved you and you told him you love him, just like you love everybody" I grinned

"Caden!" She screamed, freeing her white from it's messy bun

"Whaaat" I said still smiling

"You shouldn't do that" She said feigning annoyance

I stared at her face, not saying a word till I whispered teasingly "You can smile, I know you want to"

"I'm angry with you. I'm your elder sister"

"Duh, I'm 7, you're 12"

"5 years Caden" She said still holding her smile in

"Duh" and with that I jumped on her, tickling her

"Stop Caden" She said in between laughter

"Say you're sorry" I said cheekily

"Caden. Stop. I'm serious" She said trying to be serious but failing miserably

"Okkayy, I'm sor---Victor, stop Caden!" She said when she spotted Victor, her twin brother. I smiled mischievously knowing Victor won't save her

He smiled as he sat watching us "No. Can't do sister, we boys got to have each other's back" he grinned

"Oh shut up, that's not even how it s--Ha! Caden, stop"

"Just say it" I said still tickling her ribs

"I'm s--sorry, okay!. Now stop tickling me" She said still laughing

Grinning victoriously, I stood up from her

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" Victor said grinning at us

"Oh shut up. Vic, Caden I'm not sorry!" with that she broke into a run, I watch her running as her white hair sparkle

"Get her!" Victor said laughing

I raced after her "I'm coming for you Mel"

"Can't catch me" She said running, looking over her shoulder

I wish she didn't, I wish I didn't chase her, I wish I didn't listen to Victor, I wish I didn't read that text, I wish she didn't die.

°

"Fuck" I groaned opening my eyes, blinking furiously to get accustomed to the blinding light. I blink my eye, only to behold a white ceiling

"Fucking Hell. Life's a fucking joke" I said sitting upright

"Ha, I see you're awake" I heard the annoying voice of Lizabeth, Kai's sister. I hate her, I hate her so fucking much, including her stupid white hair. I hate her so much, She's always acting like my elder sister, I don't know how many times I'll tell her that my elder sister is dead, She shouldn't act like one to me

"Lizabeth" I snapped knowing how much she hates me calling her that

"Don't call me that Cade" She said angrily

"Why? But it's your name" I countered angrily

She looked at me angrily for a while before saying loudly "You can all come in now"

I looked in confusion, who was She talking to. I got my answer when Kai, Fiona and a familiar black girl walked in. Holy Shit! Please tell me she didn't witness my breakdown

"Hi" Fiona said timidly walking closer to me, but stopped when stupid Lizabeth said "Kings, keep your distance for now. Take a seat guys" She said gesturing to the seats beside my bed

"What happened?" The familiar black girl asked

"I'll tell you, be patient Caroline. Take this as your first lecture here" She paused clearing her throat before continuing "Cade is suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD. I'm sure you've heard it before. This happens to a person who has lived through traumatic experience, be it death of a loved one, suicide, witnessing murder, the list goes on and on. In Caden's case it's something entirely different, the guilt, loss and pain he carries weighs him down, so his brain and/or body seeks it's escape."

"He has been having Anxiety and Panic Attacks, sometimes even Seizures, but what happened today is different, it confuses me" She turned to me and asked "Have you been using drugs?"

I stare at her, disgusted at myself, hating everything and everyone right now, including Vanilla. I can't believe this stupid bitch is digging out my demons for everyone to see

"Do I look like I've being using drugs?" I countered, I felt Kai's gaze on me but I didn't spare him a glance

"The actions you exhibited wasn't just PTSD related, So I'm asking again, Do you use drugs?"

I close my eyes as I fist my fingers taking deep breaths

"Is he okay" I heard Vanilla ask, breaking my walls

"Shut up, Kings" Lizabeth snapped at her

Opening my eyes immediately, I shouted "Don't fucking shout on her and Yes, I'm a Drug Addict"

"What type of drugs do you use?" Lizabeth asked calmly

I grabbed my hair with my hand wanting to uproot it "Why are you asking? You interested?!" I snapped

Apparently, I've pissed off Kai because he shouted "Answer the damn questions Manchester"

"Everything! Cocaine! Heroin! LSD! Marijuana!. I use every fucking thing" I shouted back, releasing my hair

Lizabeth remained calm as she said "Good. Among the drugs you claim to use, you mentioned Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, LSD. It's an hallucinogen. From your action and reactions, I can see you've being using this drugs for a long time and unfortunately it has added to your problems. I made my research and analysis, I knew you were using it before you even said it"

She turned to them as she said "Cade is not just suffering from PTSD alone, he's also suffering from HPPD" What the fuck is that "HPPD stands for Hallucinogen Persisting Perception Disorder and it's caused by intake of drugs such as Ecstasy and LSD. This disorder causes flashbacks to painful and stressful situations. Some of the symptoms includes Intensified Colours, which means that colours become brighter and more vivid."

"Seeing images within images is also one of the symptoms, meaning he can see snowflakes in a pane of glass, or a book in a fan. Another symptom is difficulty in reading, the words may begin to shake or even move. Treatments and Cure have not being found yet but Anti Seizure and Epilepsy medicine like Clonazepam and Lamotrigine are sometimes prescribed."

"Victims of HPPD can try Psychotherapy, which is what we do here at SPEAK and breathing techniques can also be used when victims are undergoing their episode" She paused "When Cade was undergoing his episode, I tried breathing techniques with him but it didn't work so I had to inject him, getting him to sleep. Two disorders is not good for the human body" She concluded

Everyone was silent, nobody talked or moved. So, now I have two fucking disorders, who knew drugs could be so fucked up. I shut my eyes as the image of Caramel came to my mind, Fuck!, Shouldn't I just die?, I'm 109 percent sure that dying would be easi---

"Will he be okay?" Fio--Vanilla said, I looked at her forgetting all my suicidal thoughts

"He will be, once he stop using drugs" No way in hell

"Can you guys excuse us?" Parker said moving closer to me. I don't need a fucking lecture from him

"Alright" I heard Lizabeth say as they all moved out. I kept my head down, not looking at Fiona as she left the room.