Chapter 3

Lauren, Daniel, and Brian are all staring at me shocked.

Lauren speaks first. "Lil, what the?! Are you okay? What's wrong?!"

I can't speak.  My heart is racing.  This interaction has immediately caused so many feelings I haven't dealt with to come up to the surface.  I can't do this.  "I'm sorry, I..." I stutter the words out. "I, I..." I have no words.  My mind is trying to process this, my breathing speeds up, I can't breath.  I feel like I'm suffocating, the breaths aren't reaching my lungs or something.  I'm starting to get dizzy.

I'm about to faint when I sense someone next to my side.  "Here, let me help you, take my hand." I'm dizzy, my mind is spinning.  I take the hand and I'm guided to a log several feet away.  The mystery hand helps guide me down to sit.  "Breathe."

I bend down and put my head on my knees and take some deep breaths trying to regain my composure.

After a few minutes, mystery voice speaks. "Wow, I haven't seen someone with that look since I was on the frontlines. Are you ok?"

It's a deep voice so I know it's a guy.  I glance up.  Oh great, Mr. distracting arms.

"I think so," I answer still slightly out of breath.  I can feel my heart rate slowing down.

"Did he hurt you?" he asks.

"No, no.  Not at all. I...I just didn't realize..I...I don't like to be touched, I didn't..." I realize that I must have caused a scene.  I look up back towards Lauren.  She's staring at me giving me a look.  Brian is looking over, dejected and confused.  I think I hear him mutter something along the lines of "Crazy chick" as he turns his back towards me.

I turn back towards mystery guy.  Its him, the guy who I was staring at before this all started.  He's staring at me, but this time no smile on his face.  His eyes look really concerned.  "I think you should call it a night."

"Yeah, I'm ready to leave. Let me grab Lauren, I'm supposed to give her a ride," I answer.

"Oh no, you can't drive. Let me give you a ride home."

"No, no way in hell." Who does this guy think he is?! I don't even know his name.  "Besides, Lauren's been drinking, I need to give her a ride home."

"I'll ask Daniel to take care of her - he'll be thrilled anyway.  He's into her anyway."

I laugh under my breath. Lauren will be glad to hear that, I'll have to remember to tell her.

"Well, I'm not leaving my car here.  And I don't know you." I say adamantly.  The fighter in me is coming back out of her shell, burying the weak feelings that emerged earlier.  A short moment of weakness.

He laughs.  "That's true, but you can't drive by yourself.  You just almost passed out.  Please, let me at least follow you home - make sure you don't die on the way."

I'm too exhausted at this point to argue and he's probably right anyway.  "Fine," I mutter making sure he knows I'm not too happy.

"Good, let me go tell Daniel," he says as he turns and walks back towards Lauren and Daniel.  Brian has disappeared thankfully.  I watch him talk to Daniel and Lauren and see both of their eyes brighten seperately.  I see Laureen look over at me and mouth, "You ok?"

I nodd appreciatively towards her and fake a smile and then I stare at the sand.  I've had enough for tonight.

Mr. Nice Arms walks back over.  "Ok.  Lauren asked me to take her car and leave it at your place.  Kind of works out well since I rode here with Daniel.  Okay with you?"

Normally my guard would be up and I'd refuse, but I'm exhausted and I live in an appartment building anyway so it's not like he'll know where I live or be able to do anything.  "Fine."

I stand up and make my way back to my car, staying on the edge of the crowd.  He follows behind me, keeping his distance. 

As I near the thicket of woods, I turn around.  "After you."  No way I want someone following closely behind me even through a small patch of woods. 

He smirks and quickly cuts through the path.  On the road, he finds Lauren's car.  "Where's your car?" he asks.

"I'm just back here.  The green Subaru.  I'm facing out," I say as I walk towards my car.

"Alright, I'll turn around and follow you out.  Be careful," he says as he gets in Lauren's car.

I walk to my car, unlock the door, and get in.  I hear him turn around behind my car and see the headlights in my rearview.  I turn on my car, shift into gear, release the clutch and roll away. 

The ride home seems to go much quicker than the ride out.  Before I know it, I'm pulling into one of the empty spots on the road in front of my building.  I step out of the car and lock the doors as Lauren's car pulls up next to me.

He rolls the window down.  "You live here?"

"I do.  You can stop worrying about me now.  No car crashes for me tonight." I smile. "You can park Lauren's car there," I say nodding in front of my car.

He pulls into the spot, parks it and gets out.  He locks her door, walks over, and hands me the keys.

"Thanks," I mumble.
I turn to walk in and after a few steps I turn around. "Wait, how are you getting home? Do you need a ride" I ask puzzled.

He smiles back at me.  "Aww you do care.  I live a couple blocks from here, so I can walk." he teases.

"Ok, well good night then," I say a bit embarrassed.

"Good night," he says as he turns and walks down the road.

I watch him for a moment and then head inside, making sure the door is securely shut behind me.  I take the elevator up instead of the stairs, walk to my door, and go in.  I throw my bag in the chair, and slide exhausted in my bed - I'm exhausted.  My breakdown really took its toll.  Just before drifting off the sleep I realize, I never got his name.  Oh well, doesn't matter anyway. Not like I'll see him anyway.