Fangs & Roses

Him

As I stand in front of my house, a black Ferrari pulls up. My heart races as I approach the window, and Roman rolls it down with a smile.

"Hello," he greets me.

"Hi, um, okay, so you have to promise me something before I go anywhere with you," I say nervously.

"Okay," he agrees.

"You're not a serial killer or anything, are you?" I feel my cheeks flush as he bursts into laughter.

Was he mocking me? "I'm being serious! People out there are crazy, you never really know."

"Do I look like a serial killer?" he asks, raising an eyebrow.

I bite my lip anxiously. "No... but neither did Danny until he met that clown and things went really crazy."

He looks puzzled. "Am I supposed to know what that is?"

I roll my eyes, realizing he doesn't understand the reference. "Never mind."

"But I promise you, I am not going to hurt you," he assures me softly, and for some reason, I believe him.

I get into the passenger seat, and he starts playing classical music on the radio.

"So, where are we going?" I ask, sudden nerves fluttering in my stomach.

He smiles and accelerates. "Hiking."

As we approach the White Tank Mountains, my anxiety intensifies. "What about wild animals and crazy people? There's a serial killer on the loose."

He looks amused. "Trust me, nothing or no one will get past me. I will protect you."

"But you're just one person. I seriously doubt you could take down a mountain lion," I argue.

He shrugs. "If it comes down to it, I guess we'll have to see."

I feel a sense of safety with him, but I remind myself to stay cautious. No matter how attractive he is, it's dangerous out here. I have a small knife tucked into my combat boot, just in case.

"Why did you come if you're frightened of me?" he asks curiously.

"Sometimes it's best to follow your instincts. And sometimes it's best not to," he says, making me gulp.

"What about right now?" I ask nervously.

He smiles. "I'm glad you did. I wanted to see you again."

"I wanted to see you too," I admit.

"Tell me about your family," he asks.

"Well... My parents are ex-hippies, but I wouldn't rule out the 'ex' part too much. And I have a little sister, she's 10. What about you?" I inquire.

He smiles sadly. "My family passed away. I've been on my own for a long time now."

"I'm sorry. That must be hard," I offer sympathetically.

"It's easier now than it used to be," he replies, his voice tinged with a hint of pain.

I want to ask how they died, but I hold back. I couldn't imagine the pain of losing my family.

It's dark outside, and I can't see well. Roman offers me his hand, and after almost tripping three more times, I finally accept.

"So, who was your friend at the mall?" he asks, changing the subject.

"That was Alley. She had a date last night," I respond.

He must have heard something in my voice because he asks, "Does it bother you that she had a date?"

"No, it's not that. I'm happy for her. I'm just not sure about the guy. He's kind of a jerk," I admit.

"How so?" Roman inquires.

"I don't know. He goes out with a lot of girls, and he's always kind of bullied me," I explain.

"Does your friend know about this?" he asks, concern evident in his voice.

"No, she seems happy, and he might really like her. It's not my business anyways. Besides, he's left me alone for a while now," I say, trying to sound nonchalant even though my voice comes out shaky.

Roman's eyes darken. "You don't deserve that."

I shrug, attempting to sound calm, but my voice betrays me. "That's life. People get shit that they don't deserve. We just have to learn to deal."

"Don't you want revenge, though? After everything he's done to you?" he questions.

"I'm not going to lie, it's nice to think about. But I would rather show that I am the bigger person. I won't stoop down that low," I reply honestly.

He looks at me with his deep blue eyes. "You are a good person."

I want to look away, but I can't. He stands at least a foot taller than me. "I try to be."

He cups my face in his large hands, and I close my eyes, expecting his lips on mine. But it doesn't happen. I open my eyes and see him looking up at the stars.

"Are you okay?" I ask, concerned.

He smiles down at me sadly. "Yes, but it's time to get you home. It's almost 5 am."

5 hours?! "Yeah, we better get going," I say, getting into the car as we head home.