Feeling Safe With Danger

I ran into the women’s bathroom, hoping he would stop at the door. I found myself inside a stall, slumping down into a ball. My body quivering in fear. I heard footsteps walk up to me, I looked at the shoes, instantly putting them as Harry’s. I prepared myself for the worse, wincing with my eyes closed. I felt two arms grab me, pulling me up. Harry sighed in frustration, as I refused to look at him. He pulled me over his shoulder and walked me outside of the theater.
I didn’t fight back. I didn’t have the energy, I lost it all due to my nervousness. He put me in the passenger seat and buckled me up. He came around to his side, turning the car on. He made a quick glance at me before swiftly pulling out of the parking lot.

I thought back to what happened in the movie theater; the way his lips moved along my neck, the softness of them sending tingles down my spine. His eyes, full of lust, gleamed fervently into mine. The soreness above my collar bone began to ache as I thought of him trailing lower down my chest, I began to wonder what would happen if he kept goi-
The car screeched to halt.
I looked around the familiar neighborhood, I saw that we had pulled up to my house. I I could tell Harry was looking cautiously over at me. He sensed my anxiety, his features softening. I snapped my glare to him. His face hardened, jaw tense.
“I’ll pick you up at seven tomorrow for our next date. Don’t eat dinner, wear something nice, alright?”
I looked at him in disbelief, mouth slightly agape. Could this guy not take a hint? Clearly, I had no interest in him. Why was he pushing me so hard? Before I knew it, my eyes welled up with tears. I fall back into the seat out of frustration.
He looked at me, confused slightly. Without hesitation, and without asking me if it was even alright, he placed his soft lips against my quivering ones. He proceeded to move his along mine, receiving no reaction from me. I just sat there, shocked. I pushed him off.
“Don’t pretend you didn’t like it.” He laughed lightly. I rolled my eyes, and proceeded to get out of the car, filled with disgust. I stomped over to my doorway, but was stopped before reaching the door handle.
“You know, most girls don’t get a second date with me. They just spend the night in leave. So be happy that I’m offering you this second date, I don’t hand it out often.” His words made my skin crawl. He acts as if I should feel special, that I should be happy to be going on a second date with him. I began to feel a bit hope, realizing Harry moved on from girls pretty face, practically forgetting about them after night. Soon, I hoped, he’ll forget about me.

Or so I thought.

He grinned, showing of a sly smile. He took one last look at my chest, before his soft lips grazed the back of my cheek.
“See you soon, baby.” His hot breath practically sizzled on my skin. It took all my strength to raise my hands to chest as I pushed him off as far away as possible. He walked off as I opened my front door and slammed it shut.
The tears in my eyes spilled over as I heard my father run from his room, and down the stairs. My mom appeared to my right, coming out of the kitchen.

“What happened!? If he hurt you in anyway, I swear I’ll have his-
“Dad! Please. Stop. He.....didn’t hurt me.” And again, I lied to my father.
My mom stepped forward, ready to push the hair out of my face. I quickly remember the hickey Harry probably left behind above my collar bone. My hair was covering it. I pushed her hand away before it met her target. Her concerned look grew.
“What happened, Vana? Why are you crying? This was your first date, you’re supposed to be happy!”
Obviously, she didn’t know about my “date” with Blake that basically started this whole mess. And she sure as heck didn’t know who Harry really was.
“Nothing bad happened. It’s...it’s Caleb.” I began to sob. I couldn’t believe I was lying, and using Caleb to do it. I was truly crying, but my cause for it wasn’t what my parents believe it to be. My mom looked confused. My dad had a sympathetic look on his face.
“Vana told me earlier that Harry reminds her of Caleb.” He informed her while placing a hand on the small of her back. My mom attacked me with a giant bear hug.
“I’m so sorry dear. Let’s get you some hot cocoa. The way Caleb likes it.”
The way Caleb likes it. Those words stung in my ear. I nodded as more sobs sprung from my mouth, and more tears washed my face.
“Go get into something a little more comfortable. We’ll have the hot cocoa waiting for you when you’re done.” My dad said calmly.

I rushed up the stairs. I kicked off my shoes, practically ripped of my pants, and switched out my shirt in a matter of seconds. I walked over to my drawer and found a pair of mid-thigh red shorts that I wore when I missed Caleb. He had a pair that matched these, only his were basketball shorts.
I looked at the bracelet dangling around my wrist.

*FlashBack*

“VANA! WATCH OUT!”
*THUMP*
“Ugghh...” I groaned, feeling my head. It pounded; I was hit by something fast and hard, a basketball. Caleb rushed over to me, wearing his red basketball shorts, his brown eyes full of concern. He looked like a cute puppy.
“Vana, you took quite the hit.” He laughed lightly, when I realized I would be okay. I playfully hit him on the arm.
“Don’t make fun of me. That one really hurt. Who threw that?”
“James. James Henderson.” I gagged when Caleb mentioned his name. James was a huge basketball star, completely full of it and a complete bully.
“Someone needs to teach him a lesson.” Caleb cleared his throat.
“Looks like someone is.” I looked over in the direction Caleb was staring at. There was a tall, semi-muscular figure towering over a cowering James. The figure had dark curly hair, he grabbed James by the shoulders and slammed him against the school’s brick wall. “Be more careful next time, you hear me?! You’re a fucking cock, you nasty no-good prick!” He then kneed him in the stomach before walking off in complete rage.
“Wow, I wonder what James did to deserve that. Ya know, someone needs to teach Harry a lesson too. He is just as bad, if not worse. Always picking fights with the most random people.” I gritted through my teeth. I never liked Harry. The first time I saw him he told me I had a nice ass, and that turned me off immediately.
“Well, why don’t we then?” Caleb looked at me, I could see in his eyes that he was forming a mischievous plan.

---End of school day/Still flashback---

Caleb and I stood on top of the roof, a basketball joining our company. We waited until Harry and his friends came out of the school and hang around the flag as usual. They always did that so they had the opportunity to yell crude things to pretty girls who walked by, and to tease any outcast that walked out.
Caleb grinned at me, holding the basketball out over the roof railing, placing right above Harry’s entourage.
“Ready?”
I nodded quickly.
We peered over the railling to watch the ball fall straight onto Harry’s head, resulting in a less-than manly screams from him and several of his friends. He was knocked down to his butt. This amused us beyond belief. We laughed about it for five minutes straight before we rushed off the roof, to escape being caught.
The next day, Caleb came to school with a basketball charm to add to the charm bracelet he gave me. He grinned widely as he hooked it on and enveloped me in a friendly hug.
*End of flashback*
I could almost feel Caleb’s hug around me, while thinking back to the story behind the silver basketball charm.
I removed myself from my room to place myself in the kitchen, where my mom and dad were waiting for me. My mom had out three mugs, pouring the hot cocoa into each. She grabbed the can of whipped cream, spraying it out generously, before placing one giant chocolate chip on top of each mountain and shaking colorful sprinkles on top.
She handed me my warm mug with a sympathetic smile.

Notes