Lifelines

Chapter 6

"Oh my gosh! This is the best espresso I've ever had!" I yelled excitingly. "Can we take some of this to go?" I asked the waitress who smiled at my enthusiasm.

"I'm glad you like it." Carson took a sip and I looked around the rustic place. It was very comforting. I started to hear a child whine to my left and looked to see a little girl begging for a cookie. I chuckled. "What's so funny?" Carson asked and I shook my head.

"No seriously. What is it?" He looked around the café making it very obvious we were talking about someone.

"Fine. The little girl over there." I discreetly pointed and Carson scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. "Why were you laughing at a little girl?" He seemed amused and I traced the little patterns on my cup.

"She reminds me of when I was younger. The crazy hair. Mischief in her eyes. I was such a weird kid."

"You were cute. I mean, it is why I was always so shy." He said and I stared at him.

"You had a little crush on me?" I questioned with amusement and he looked at me like I was insane.

"Oh, I said cute? Oops, I meant crazy. And you were freakishly intimidating. Remember the week after we became friends on the bus and Jimmy Reynolds tried giving you a flower? You punched him so hard." He laughed and I sat there trying to remember the memory.

"I didn't punch Jimmy Reynolds! It was his brother, Jason." I took a sly sip of coffee, raising a brow to Carson who stared at me with an intensity I couldn't describe. "What are you-" His phone cut me off, blaring. He looked down and said, "It's Luke. I'll be right back." He picked it up and walked outside to take his call.

It was ten minutes later that I started to worry. I almost called him before he walked back in and sat across from me again. He had a huge smile on his face and his cheeks were very rosy. "Sorry about that uh, Lucas said he won't be home until late tonight." I gave him a suspicious glance but ignored the dorky grin on his face.

I looked at the clock on the wall and saw it was already a quarter past twelve. "We should probably head back. I need to go back home. Aunt Ray might be worrying." I stood up with the help of the crutches and Carson quickly stood up to help me. "If you want we can just get your stuff and you can stay over again. Only if you want though."

"I think I'll be okay. I have a bunch of chores to do anyway." I thought Carson looked concerned for a moment but covered it up quickly. "Alright. Let me just pay the check."
Once he was done we left to go back home.

It was around 1:30 p.m. when we got back to my place and Carson walked me up to the front door. I grabbed my keys from my pocket and as I turned the knob I heard the screaming begin.

"She hasn't come home! She ran out because of you! I'm supposed to take care of her!" I heard my Aunt scream and involuntarily took a step back. I then heard a loud thud followed by silence. I rushed towards the door but Carson held me back.

"There is no way in hell I'm letting you go in there." He told me angrily and pulled me away from the door.

"We'll sneak in later to get your things." He said as he guided me across the street and back to his house. "I shouldn't have left." I whispered to myself and didn't realize Carson had heard me. He gently tugged me by my shoulders so I looked up at him. "You did the right thing. You're safe now. Who knows what the creep would've done to you?" He clenched his jaw tight and had a certain seriousness in his eyes.

"I can take care of myself." I snapped and pulled away from him roughly. "Everyone needs a little help sometimes Cassie." He told me gently and opened the front door, walking in and leaving me staring into the house like an idiot.
                                *****
            "Margret it's time for bed!" Cheryl yelled from the kitchen and Maggie groaned beside me. She was wearing Care Bear pajamas and had her hair in two little braids. "Mommm!" She whined, "I'm not sleepy!" She snuggled in closer to my arm and continued watching Cinderella.