You Saved Me Once Book 1

When everyone’s up, and it’s not just Hayes and me, I was able to loosen up.

Hayes hovered me, he was worried from earlier today. I didn’t want him to worry, I shouldn’t have hugged him. I’ll try to keep my dis-tance.

“Let’s get doughnuts, Little Richards.” Hayes says.

Hayes tosses me his car keys. I look at Jeff.

“Jeff, you want to go with me?” I ask him.

I look at Hayes, he smiles. It’s forced, I can tell.

“Sure. Don’t scratch it Little Richards.” He nudges me.

I toss the keys to Jeff.

“I’m a terrible driver.” I laugh.

“If that’s okay?” Jeff asks.

I look at Hayes, he’s looks at me. I brush him off, because his warmness gives me chills. Hayes nods to Jeff.

“Let’s go.” I say.

We get in Hayes’s car, and drive to Roger’s Bakery.

The entire ride is silent, I don’t take my eyes off of Jeff though.

The rain gets heavy, and I start to reminisce.

~~~~~

The sky was grey, the thunder shook the house. The lightning was bright.

It was storm season in Versa.

I was 11 years old. It was spring break.

Ms. Bartley’s car was in our driveway, I ran to the garage to see her. I hadn’t seen her in months, I missed her.

After Ms. Bartley found out about the affair, I thought she hated me. I still thought it was my fault, for everything.

But it wasn’t Ms. Bartley in our driveway, it was Mr. Bartley.

I walk up to him, slowly. He quietly watches me, yet he doesn’t say anything. He’s slumped against the car. He is crying. I’ve never seen him like this. I’ve never looked at him for this long.

My mother comes out from behind me and hugs him.

She starts to cry.

I stepped out into the rain to ask him about Hayes. My pajamas are soaked now. My slippers are drenched in the warm rain. I felt but-terflies.

I felt scared.

Mr. Bartley ignores my questions. He keeps looking at me but won’t say anything. I walk closer to them.

I’m close enough to hear everything, now. I’m close enough to know why Mr. Bartley and my mother were crying. I’m close enough to know what had happened to Timmy, at The Coast.

Everything goes numb. A strong drop in my stomach pulses and doesn’t go away. I cry.

“Alex, go inside!” My mother shouts to me.

In shock, I do as I’m told.

~~~~~

“We’re Here.” Jeff’s voice wakes me up.

It’s pouring out now. Jeff parks far from cars, which meant we had to dash to the door.

Once we get inside, our clothes are soaked, my slippers are full of water. They bring back memories.

I press the water in my slippers, out onto the laminated tile, in si-lence. The rain, buzzing lights, and un-needed ac, covered the noise.

“Hayes texted me, told me to get three weird doughnuts, for you.” Jeff smiles.

“I’m not hungry.” I lie.

“Okay.” He says.

Hands in pocket, he goes to order. Jeff orders a dozen doughnuts, including three for me, and two coffees.

He hands

will wake you

it. It burns my tongue. I hold the cup, it warms me

rain, a box of doughnuts, and driving a car that doesn’t belong to him. He smiles

bakery door, and I run to the car. Jeff walks, with

laughing at Jeff. Eventual-ly, I go back out into the rain, to help

inside. Each time we

The ride home wasn’t quiet though, the rain was loud enough. The radio stayed off, until we reached Rochelle’s.

parks across

“I don’t want to go

volume on the radio, and we sit in silence, watch-ing the

Our bodies collide again. I hear

my hands down Jeff’s pants. They glide over his briefs, then

Jeff, and he felt me. We are now drenched in rain,

are heavy, our lungs

crushed doughnut box, and we race inside the

happy now. I

were you guys?”

I are still trying to catch

rain got

as he takes off his shirt and goes to the

and thank him. He’s about to say some-thing, but I feel too

“How are you feeling?” He

wet, and guilty. He looks

a doughnut, in front of

my pulsing stomach

the rain flavored, now cold coffee that aided my burnt tongue. It’s bitter, and earthy. I like

there’s too much silence between the two of us, I go upstairs, and put on some clothes Rochelle gave me.

freshmen cheer gear. I’m wearing a school

~~~~~

in most of the day, because it’s

to Jeff the entire time, and he was glued to me. He

I can feel, is him. I enjoy being around him.

Rochelle gave Jeff and I, googly eyes every minute. Hayes kept his distance, he

eye contact, I’d feel guilty. I’d think about

and waited for the rain to stop. Once it did, we decided to eat out at a

than two real “restaurants” in Versa.

went to Rizzo’s, which

which made things feel, and look blue. It was

sitting in silence, while I wait for everyone else

purple cleaner. Jeff and I sit on one side, and Hayes and Rochelle sit across from us. The seats

start to bring in the food. I asked for anything without

to bring me a spinach salad with two cherry tomatoes on each side, and an almost raw, doughy bread stick. Even though this was a pizza, and pasta-based restaurant, this is

out, and Hayes starts up

they give

“Yep, olive oil

the pesto, and eats it. I

“I like

in Rochelle’s ear, she pushes

and Rochelle when they kiss. Jeff holds

did you

salad.” He smiles

face beats. Hayes’s foot hits mine under the table.

then back at my salad. I bite down on

my lips, and my coffee burned tongued. I

both Rochelle and Hayes’s eyes on us. I hold Jeff’s hand under the

look up at Hayes. He’s not looking at me

bathroom. It’s

party, or something? He’s like, to-tally glued

more water, my

sex

talk about it. Hayes is staring

did you get?” I

and starts to trace circles on my

The waitress brings in a pizza. I tense and look at Hayes,

loves pizza, I hate it. I

smell brought back memories, sad memories, bad ones. Hayes grabs a slice, it’s still piping

the heat

I hold my stomach, too sensitive to look at anyone now. I stare at my salad. I’m

my bare shins under the table. She’s doing something, to

I drop my fork.

at me now, he’s mad. I’m about to cry, because the room

still under the table. My eyes start to water, I bite down on my lip, and pick my nails. I’m trying