Keep Me

Chapter Three

January 3rd, 2011

Present day,

As soon I stepped into the treeline, I stopped.

I was so close that my nose brushed against a large maple tree out in front of me. The wind swirled past me, ruffling the maple's leave so that it sounded as if it was roaring in protest. I stood there, breathing deeply and wondering if I could take another step further. My heart pounded loudly in my ears and my breath became rigid and shallow. I stood absolutely still, listening to the roar of the maple and taking note of each passing second. Everything within me was alarmed, and everything within me was afraid. Nervously, I laughed.

I used to be so fearless, I thought, and it was true. I used to see these woods as a place where my imagination conquered all, a place where I rang dominant. But now, I couldn't even walk out of my own home without casting a frantic look this way. Inside, I felt pathetic but I knew that this was how I should've been from the start. I should have never wondered so deep here, I should have stayed in the safety of my own reality.

I closed my eyes in defeat, and took a step away from the tree. The wind danced around me, as if teasingly, and blew golden-red curls away from my shoulders. I stood there a moment longer, watching the sway of the triumphant maple and trying to remember a time much better than this. Heat bore down on me from the sky above, but I didn't feel warm. The only thing that I could honestly feel was frozen, and in pain. I continued to walk backwards, afraid to turn my back. All I could think was, Something could be watching me. Something could be waiting for a chance. Once I felt like I was close enough to the house, I turned and ran as far as I could towards the porch.

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Work wasn't that much of an escape, though I couldn't help but feel as if a large weight had been lifted off of my shoulders. I never understood why the diner relaxed my mind, but it did. I wasn't close to anyone here so it wasn't like there was someone that I talked to. I pondered all this for a while as I tended to my tables and took my tips.

Today was a busy day, which was good since there was no time for me to think too much. All there was time to do was serve food, place orders, and clean tables which I had no problem with at all. Actually, I didn't have a problem with my work in general. I enjoyed the diner, it never seemed to disappoint me. Sure, sometimes the tips weren't all that great but that wasn't very important.

" Corbin," I was in the middle of placing an order when I heard my name be called. It was my boss, Lisa. Lisa was a nice woman, but she could also be a bit nosey. For the most part, though, she had a crush on my father so I figured that this would probably be about him.

" Yes, m'am?" I knew that Lisa loved being addressed this way, and I wanted to give her what she wanted since she was my employer. I turned on my heels and walked over to the table she always sat at, which wasn't very far from the serving counter.

Lisa's thin blond hair was pulled up into a messy bun today, her soft blue eyes were complimented by the turquoise shirt she wore along with fitted dark jeans. Lisa wasn't that old really, I figured that she was still in her early forties or so. When her face split into a smile, I stopped detailing her and tried to focus more on what she was saying. " You haven't seemed like yourself lately." Her voice was soft and very caring, but her words still bothered me.

I didn't want to seem rude, so I smiled and shook my head at her. " I don't know what you mean." She sighed and looked down at a mug of coffee that sat in front of her. She seemed to think about something for a while before she pointed over at the chair across from her's. " Have a seat, hun." Obediently, I did so but I knew I had an awkward look on my face.Lisa and I didn't talk like this, if it wasn't about work or my father we didn't speak at all.

" Corbin," she began and gave me her most compassionate look, " now I know you don't think we're that close but..we do at least know each other. I've noticed that lately you don't seem that happy, and I just wanted you to know that you can talk to me."  I knew that I couldn't, but I didn't speak. Deep down, I was touched by this. Outside of Leon and my father, I was close to no one.

" Thank you, Lisa, but...I'm really okay." I was saddened to see that it sounded like a lie and to confirm it, Lisa's face sunk.

" It's okay to share how you feel, Corbin." I looked at her long and hard. Was I actually going to consider telling her all of this? Surely I couldn't, some of these secrets weren't even mine to tell! I shook my head and bit back the urge to confess it all to her.

" No thank you, Lisa. I appreciate the offer, but...I gotta get back to work." I didn't look at her again as I stood up, instead I scanned the whole diner looking for someone, any one, to assist.