Thanks to The Boots

Chapter One

I stare at the book in front of my and sigh. Finals week starts Monday, and though that means summer soon, it's so stressful. I've been studying for around six hours, and I've just about reached my breaking point.

"Bri, dinner!" Mom yells from downstairs.

"I can't, Mom! It's finals-"

"Finals week, I know. Bri, if you don't eat you won't absorb the information or something like that," she laughs.

"Okay, I'll get frozen yogurt in an hour and study there."

"It'll be dark."

"It's only six-thirty!"

"And you'll drive with what car?"

"I'll walk!"

"Again, it'll be dark!"

I sigh, "I own pepper spray, Mom! Don't worry, I'll be fine."

She doesn't respond, so I turn back to my textbook.

An hour later, Mom yells at me, "It's been an hour, go get food."

"Okay, okay," I mumble and slap a sticky note in my book. I throw it into my bag and slip into my hand-me-down black combat boots. Dad gave them to Mom back when they were dating, and she gave them to me.

The frozen yogurt place isn't far, so walking only takes about ten minutes. We live in a private gate community, the frozen yogurt place isn't in the gate but our house is near this path that is like a shortcut to town. It's through the woods and a little sketchy at night, but because it's summer the sun hasn't set yet.

I get to the place, get my yogurt, and sit at a table in the back. I unpack my books and settle in. I begin to study and eat.

I get so into my studying, that a worker at the yogurt place has to tap me on my shoulder to tell me the restaurant is closing.

"Crap," I look at my phone and see that it is nine-thirty.

Then I see it. The worst thing anyone could ever see on their phone.

'Missed Call-Mom (10)'

I curse under my breath and throw my things into my bag as quickly as possible.

"Are you okay?" the worker asks me.

"Sorry I've been here for so long," I apologize.

"Finals week?"

I laugh, "Yeah. It's been crazy and it hasn't even started yet."

"Hey, that just means summer is soon."

"Thankfully," I try to throw my precalculus book into my bag, but I miss and it flies to the floor in front of the worker.

He laughs and picks it up, "Wow, you must really be hurrying to get home."

I sigh and shake my head, "My mom tried to call me ten times and I missed every single one because I put my phone on silent so I could study and now she's probably mad and I have to walk home in the dark."

"Ooh, that's rough," he helps me put my stuff away.

"Thank you so much," I sling my backpack over my back, and go to walk out. But then I turn to him, "What's your name?"

"Brett," he holds out his hand for me to shake.

"Brianna," I shake his hand.

"Nice to meet you, I hope we see each other again."

I smile, "I hope so too."

"Good luck with finals."

"Thank you, you too."

He winks and walks to the back.

I walk out and call Mom.

"You know, I thought I was paying sixty-five dollars a month for someone to have a cellphone and yet, when I try to call that number, she doesn't pick up! Hmm, funny how that works."

"Mom, I'm so sorry. I turned my phone on silent to study more. I'm just trying to get good grades, you know."

"I know, but your father and I are in bed so you have to walk home."

"I get it, I'll be home soon."

"Love you."

"Love you too," I hang up and look around. It's dark outside with only the street lights casting a dull gaze. The sky is clear so the stars are shining bright. But let's face it, do they really shine that bright enough to see in the dark?

I make my way to a crossroad. I could either go the long way, on the not sketchy sidewalks, or the short way, through the sketchy woods.

I take a deep breath and say to myself, "YOLO." Then I cringe and think to myself, If that's my last word...

As I reach the halfway point, I hear a snap in the trees. I gasp, and stop walking.

I look around me, I could either run back to the street or run to my house. While I'm deciding, another stick snaps. I break into a sprint toward the gate to get to my neighborhood.

Before I could get far, I'm tackled to the ground. There's a lot of struggling and after a minute, I end up pinned to the ground with my bag next to me.

"Listen, I just want some money," the guy whispers.

I start to hyperventilate and tears slip out of the corners of my eyes.

"I don't want to hurt you," he whispers.

I let out a sob/scream noise, causing him to place a hand over my mouth.

Another stick snaps in the woods. My eyes grow.

"You brought friends?" I ask against his hand, it sounds mumbled and hard to understand.

"They're here for me," he whispers, quieter than before.

My vision blurs with the stream of tears pouring from my eyes.

He curses under his breath, "Listen, I'm going to reach into your bag and take out your wallet. I'm going to take the cash from it."

I sniffle, wipe my face on my shoulder, then nod.

He reaches over me and for a moment let's go of my arms. His knees are on either side of my thighs and I take the opportunity to get away. I raise my leg so that it hits his jewels. He curls into a ball at my side, so I fling myself up and grab my bag.

When I first start running, it kind of looks like I'm doing bear crawls in gym. But then I stand up and run as fast as I ever have.

I get to the gate and type in the pin as fast as I can. I mess it up, because I was typing so fast. The fourth try, I hear someone behind me. I curse, and type it in slower. I slip in through the gate and close it behind me quickly. I look through the fence and see the guy who tackled me right at the fence.

Feeling confident, I stick out my tongue at him.

He smirks at me. Then reaches behind him, and pulls something out of his back waistband.

I raise an eyebrow.

Suddenly, he's holding his arm out, pointing something toward me.

I stare with large eyes at him.

He raises an eyebrow and his smirk deepens as he clicks the safety off.

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Author's Note

Woahhhh new book!! Whoop whoop. I started this book on February 17, 2016! Okie dokie here we go.

Bam
-Anna