Living With Ian

          Sarah Carter watched as cars passed her as she sat on the street curb. She felt a fresh wave of tears come along and she didn’t try to stop them as they ran down her face. She didn’t care who saw her now. People passing by were giving her some strange looks but they kept on walking. She looked up as a big shadow loomed over her and blocked the sun from beating down on her back. She turned around and saw a man looking down at her. She couldn’t see his face though. The sun was too bright.

          “Are you alright?” his deep voice asked. Sarah stared back out into the traffic. She knew that she wasn’t. She felt a fresh wave of tears coming up. The man sat down beside her and Sarah looked at him good for the first time. She gasped. She recognized him. She had seen him before when she was in town. She had always managed to avoid him though.

          “My name is Ian,” he said. Sarah nodded. She knew he was. Everyone knew who he was. There were so many rumors about him. He was the kind of person that old ladies would click their tongues at in disapproval and mothers would shield their children from. Sarah looked at his muscles and she shied away from him. She was intimidated by him. Not only intimidated though; she was terrified. The rumors she had heard about him were scary.  Sarah looked around. There were several people on the streets. He couldn’t do much in the broad daylight.

                “Well,” said Ian as he snapped Sarah out of her thoughts. “Aren’t you going to tell me your name?”

                “It-it’s Sarah,” she said. Ian nodded.

                “Will you tell me what’s wrong?” Sarah shook her head. “You need to go home. The sun is setting. This isn’t a good place for someone like you to be after dark.” Sarah looked up at Ian and gulped. She couldn’t help but start crying again as he mentioned home. Ian sighed and scooted closer to her. Sarah scooted further away. She didn't want him touching her. She hated that.

                “Where do you live?” he asked her. “I’ll take you home.” Sarah looked around.

                “I live right there,” she said as she pointed to an apartment building. “I can walk home.” Ian frowned. Sarah sighed. She was awful at lying; she always had been. She was never able to look a person in the eyes and her lie would always fall flat.

                “Are you sure I can’t do anything to help you?” Sarah nodded.

                “I’m sure,” she said. She wiped away the last of her tears and stood up. “I’m fine, really.” She started walking away. She was well aware of Ian staring at her as she left.