YOU’RE MY HAPPINESS

Wilona's P.O.V

The last part comes out as a muffled whisper that tears at the strings of my heart, begging me to find Damon in this instant and assure him that I could never let him go. "I think the first thing I should tell you is that my family is very important to me. There's nothing in this world that I love more than my family and all my life, I've always put my family first, before myself because that's just how I was made I guess.

I've got two amazing dads, three awesome brothers, and one kickass little sister. We're a happy family, crazy and dysfunctional, but happy. It's always been a happy family and I have always loved being a part of it, I couldn't ask for any better. But..um, some things happened recently, before I met you, and it kind of destroyed all of that for me."

I tense at the sound of Damon clearing his throat, his tone losing its natural edge as emotion begins to weigh it down, making it creak and croak in certain areas.

"So I left." He reveals and as I opened my eyes, I could almost picture the sad smile he'd wear to try and mask the hurt behind his words. "I wasn't really in a good place after that, leaving seemed to be the best option, but it didn't feel like it... felt worse than staying because, for the first time in my life, I was on my own.

Things were hard Will, they were really, really hard... I didn't really see an out for me that didn't seem to end with anything other than anger and sadness. Things were falling apart, everything was falling apart, not just my family but my home and it didn't really f-feel like home anymore ya know... it hadn't for a while.

I wasn't happy...

...and then I met you." A small smile tugs at my wobbling lips as my eyes begin to fill, the sound of his helpless chuckle sending shockwaves through me. "I met you and everything just clicked. Goddess, Will I don't know where I'd be right now if you hadn't come into my life when you do, but I'll be forever grateful that you did. Because with you... y-you brought joy back into my life in a way I hadn't experienced for a long time. Will with you it was like if I could breathe again because you were there and you actually liked me."

I wipe at my tears as he takes in a shaky breath, small sniffs coming from the speakers before he gathers himself to continue.

"Nobody likes me Will, not really. I know my family loves me and I have friends who like to be around me, but nobody really likes me. But you don't mind the knives, you tell me I'm amazing when I know I'm not and you smile at me as if I could never do a single wrong in your eyes and you have no idea how that along makes it just a little easier.

You make everything easier. You showed kindness to me when you didn't have to and held me close when nobody else would.

And I hurt you... which is something I always promised myself I'd never do. I know you've gone through some things which makes it hard for you to open up and I know what I did put that all at risk. But I promise you, Will, I will never hurt you the way others have before and I will protect you the way you protect me... because I need you more than you can ever imagine."

I slide further down against the chair as my muscles lax in my frame, leaving me feeling somehow full and empty at the same time. Damon's words casting new emotions rippling throughout me while banishing all that threatened to dismiss them. My heart soars within its prison as I listen on for more, Damon's voice lightening as if he were wearing a smile.

"There's so much I want to share with you and so much I want to show you," He says sounding genuinely excited. "I'll have to go home soon, I can't keep hiding from what I left behind and those who hurt me before. It hurts but they're my family, and I'll never stop loving them.

But I won't leave until I fix things with you." He declares with so much strength in his voice it took the air from my lungs. "I've always put my family first, my home first, everyone first and I can't help it because I love to see everyone else around me happy... that's what has always made me the happiest in this world.

But that's changed recently. Someone very important told me that I should try to take something for me, something that makes me happy... and that's you, Will. You are what makes me happiest in this world. Please believe me when I tell you that you, Wilona Evans, you are my happiness. So I'll wait as long as I have to because I am not going to give you up."

I rush to lift the tonearm, letting the spinning record come slow itself as I switch off the machine. My hands grip either side of the small table as I pant heavily, a constant stream of tears pouring from my eyes as I struggle to piece it all together. Damon's words circling through my mind as if on repeat.

You are my happiness.

Those three words alone seemed to stand out to me in the crowd of apologizes, explanations and tenderly crafted promises that left me to soar with the ache to be with him. Doubt tried to play a telling hand once more as my heart urged me to go to its other half. Past afflictions trying to cave me in as my heart swooned at the care that no other showed me that Damon did, his words taking flight inside of me.

You are my happiness.