You Saved Me Once Book 1

I was finally going out this weekend. The house was quiet again, not empty though.

“So, we want a side of fries with that. Emma wants Italian dressing for her salad.” Jake says.

It was a Friday night, Jake and Emma were staying in. I offered to go get them food.

Jake, Emma, and me crowd the island table for no reason. Emma’s staring at me, while she eats from the bowl of popcorn on the table. Her crunches grow more intense, the longer we keep eye contact. She’s still silent. Her red bangs cover her eyes. She keeps fixing her car-digan.

“I got it Jake, thanks.” I say.

“What about you?” He asks me.

I look at Emma, then him. I knew why he asked me this. I wasn’t eating, and it was obvious. I was lying to everyone, and it was obvious.

“Why do you think I offered to go and get you food?” My voice is weak.

“For vitamin D?” He jokes.

Emma giggles. She’s picking through the popcorn bowl.

I was too sad to smile at his joke, I nod instead. I put on my hat, then my hood. I leave the kitchen and head to my car in the garage. I park it in the garage now, because I can’t look at Hayes’s car for too long.

I pull off, and head to the pizza place, even though I hate pizza.

There was a reason I offered. The pizza place is close to Shiloh Ridge, closer to Hayes. If he was still there, I could see him.

~~~~~

I wait in my car for a while, and watch people come in and out of the pizza place. I wanted Hayes to see him, I wanted him to like me again.

He wasn’t there. I don’t know, where he is.

I get out of my car and go inside. It’s warm, I can smell the sticky pasta sauce in the air. I can feel the warmth of the ovens; the sour bitter cheese was too yellow. The smell was overwhelming. This was bringing back memories, bad ones.

A little kid is waiting in line with his parent. He sticks his tongue out at me.

Someone comes from behind and gives me a hug. I bite down on my lip, and smile.

“Hayes?” I ask.

The person is quiet, I turn around.

“Hey Alex.” He says.

It’s Jeff. His smiled warmed me for a short time. I was hurt that it wasn’t Hayes. I was so hurt that I wanted to cry, but I hide it. I force a smile at Jeff.

“How are you?” He asks. He’s smiling, he’s happy.

His foot was wrapped, he had a crutch in one hand.

“It’s a sprain. You should see the other guy.” His words are soft. He’s so calm.

“Lucky you.” I joke. He laughs.

We were in a conversation, things were going better then I’d hope. The cashier calls Jeff’s name.

Everything goes quiet again.

I watch as Jeff slowly makes his way over to the cashier. His wrapped foot is in a sandal. He drags the rubber sandal on the laminat-ed floor. I hear it squeak.

it falls onto the ground. The wood from the crutch sounds like it split.

up, and get some wood stuck in my finger.

like taking this thing around. “He

it made me forget about Hayes. Whenever I’m with Jeff, I don’t think about a lot of

are you doing in Orca?” He

town next to Versa. Also, the town next to Shiloh Ridge. I had history with Orca. I

for

can’t help but smile. He looks at his boxes of pizzas, there are more than

I ask. I grab two

team is, I’m paying.” He

front honks at

jerks.”

pizzas to the truck full of empty-handed

music lowers. I

Richards, and the Bartley’s. All for the wrong

silent and hand the boxes to a scared freshman in the back seat. He

slams the door. It’s just

not texting you

He interlaces our fingers,

stop, un-til I smile. He goes to kiss me, I lean into him. We’re both slumped against

The driver in the truck honks, the lacrosse guys hoot. I

back, I pick

should go back inside.” I say. He smiles, before

“Alright. I’ll see you around Alex.” He

passenger seat of the

back inside, and watch the black truck

now. The little kid steps on my foot, on their way out. Through the window, he sticks out

my tongue back at the little

He smiles.

~~~~

I force myself to not drive through

away from Versa, I had a new perspective of it all. I didn’t feel as bad as before.

thoughts are looser away from Versa, they are more alive. This is

back to Versa, I don’t go home. I go to Jeff’s

are

-Alex

House Arrest.

-Jeff

food in hand. I was nervous. I didn’t know if he was actually home. I wasn’t sure, if he

my splinter again, then

can hear birds chirping, once the doorbell jingle fades. I

to the door. The wait gave me butterflies, a

I bite down on my lip, and head for

opens the front door.

was

~~~~

food I brought, lay out on the coffee table, buffet style. My feet were up, socks tickling Jeff. He was eating the cold fries, looking at

smile. He gets shy and finally looks

He made me feel comfortable. Made me feel alive. So alive that I pick at the salad I ordered for Emma. I pick at it, before eating some, but

my socks, it warms my feet. I stop eating

hair was tied up, in my hair tie. I wanted Jeff again. I wanted Jeff, for making me smile, for making me feel

put the salad on the table and take off my jacket to feel his warm body against mine. He lays