amber's pov:
Sneaking out of school wasn't hard, it was the trying not to get caught in the student parking lot that was the tricky part. Teachers really didn't care where you went, they were happy to let you leave, but the security officers on the other hand were another story. They were planted all over the parking lot like a lion awaiting their prey, eagerly wishing to get students in trouble.
I got a pass signed by Nurse Thomas and headed towards the courtyard. Once I saw Grayson standing at the gate, butterflies rushed to my stomach. I'd never felt this way before. His tall figure leaned against the gate, and he looked up from his phone as he saw me approaching. A smile instantly appeared on his face, and once I reached where he was, his arms widened. He pulled me in for a hug, and I felt safe for some reason, I wasn't afraid.
Pulling away from the hug, he said, "Ready to go on our date Amber?" I felt my cheeks redden, as I looked up to his eyes and raised my eyebrow. "Date?" I asked beginning to walk towards the parking lot. He laughed as he gently grabbed my hand and began to swing my arm. I didn't stop him, after all I did feel safe with him. He would never do anything to hurt me right?
Once we arrived at Chick-Fil-A, Grayson quickly parked the car, and got out to open my door on the passenger side. With big smiles on each of our faces, we walked into the restaurant, Grayson opening every door that was presented.
He was such a gentleman, I had never meant any guy who was so gentle with me, I liked that. I went off and found us a booth to sit in, while Grayson went to the cashier and ordered our food. I watched every move he made, I couldn't help but to be mesmerized by the sight of him.
"Excuse me?" a male voice startled me from my daydreaming. "Yes?" I ask scooting closer to the inside of the booth, away from the man. He looked so familiar. Not a familiar that you would want to remember, someone that you tried endless nights to forget, but could never get them out of your head. "Listen, you better stay away from that boy over there. I am the only man that can ever be with you Amber, and you need to remember that or bad things will happen." The man said grabbing my forearm.
I tried to pull away, but his grip was too strong. Suddenly, I began to have flashbacks from that cold November night. The darkness all around me was overbearing, and I couldn't see much. Right as he was finishing off, he flashed a light onto his face, an image that still gives me nightmares and chills to this day.
"Do you hear me?" the man raised his voice slightly. No one around us was paying attention, so this really didn't matter. I couldn't get the words to come out of my mouth. I froze up, and he let go of my arm, slamming it down against the table. The sound of my arm hitting the table made a loud enough noise to where some attention was drawn to us.
Grayson was done ordering our food at this point, and he was heading over to our table. "And if you tell anyone about this, oh Amber, you will have to pay the price. But maybe at your age you'll enjoy it." the man said as he walked away, then out the side door of the restaurant.
When Grayson got to our table, he sat down in front of me and smiled. "Did you know that guy?" he asked pointing outside where the man had went. I quickly shook my head, as I pushed my hair behind my ear.
Looking down at my bruised arm, Grayson began rubbing over the purple and blue spots with his thumb. "Where did this come from?" he asked with a concerned expression. I took a deep breath, and glanced out the window, then back at Grayson and said, "Nowhere." Grayson looked up at me, then at my arm.
"This just doesn't come out of nowhere. This is pretty bad, I bet it hurts." I nodded my head slowly, and Grayson could tell my mood had completely changed. "After we eat, can you uhh, take me back to my house?"
Before Grayson responded, a waitress came to our table with our food, and with a forced smile, I thanked her and grabbed my tray. "Sure I can, what's going on?" He grabbed my hand, and I quickly pulled away. "Just some family problems, I'm sorry. My mom just um texted me." We began eating, and although I was very shaken up from what had just happened, I did talk to Grayson.
I enjoyed talking to him about his interests, and about his family. I liked watching the way his mouth moved, and formed the letters he spoke. He just seemed so perfect, too good to be true almost. After we finished eating, we headed to the car, and once again Grayson opened every door for me. I directed him to my house, which surprisingly wasn't very far from his, we both lived in the country.
Once we got to my house, I told him not to come to the door, I didn't want my mom seeing me with anybody, or at least that's what I told him to believe. I waved to him with a smile as I walked inside my house, and he began backing out of my driveway.
There was nobody home when I got there, so I began to play some music on my bluetooth speaker to lift my mood up. Right as I pulled my phone out of my pocket, and began to scroll through Instagram, I got a facetime call from an unknown number.
Without thinking twice, I answered it, and on the other end was a black screen. "You did good today Amber, just don't let that little Dolan win your heart over. Reject him." It was the same male voice as before. How did he get my phone number? I placed my thumb over the camera, and built up the courage to say, "I'm not afraid of you."
As I said this, I knew I was lying. I was afraid of this man and what he could do to me. "Keep telling yourself that. I'll see you later Amber." the man said then hung up the phone quickly. My house got silent, and a spirit of fear ran over me.
My parents weren't coming home because of work, and neither was my sister Ashley Caroline because she was spending the night at a friend's house. I would be all alone.
I unlocked my phone, and went to my contacts, pulling up Grayson's name. Hesitantly, I pushed the call button, and the phone began to dial his number.
"Grayson?" I ask after he answers the phone. "Yeah Amber?" his voice sounded deeper over the phone. I liked it. I took a deep breath before I muttered the question, "Can you come back over here tonight?" "What? I can't hear you." He said on the other line.
"Um, I'm going to be alone at my house tonight, and I was wondering if you wanted to come over to keep me company. I just uh, don't do well alone at night." "Yeah sure, I don't mind, I understand. I'll be there in half an hour, is that okay?" he asks. "Hurry." I say before hanging up the phone.
I ran upstairs to my room, and started to pick up some things off my floor, just to make sure it wasn't a complete mess. I didn't bother making my bed, I never did. I mean I was just going to get back in it. In just a matter of twenty minutes, I heard the doorbell ring, and I walked downstairs to the front door.
Before opening it, I looked out the peephole to see Grayson standing on the other side of the door. I unlocked it, and opened the door welcoming him into my house. It was around 4:00, and it was already getting dark outside. "I'm sorry for the last minute idea." I say bringing him upstairs to my room. "No it's fine, I like last minute plans, they're more exciting." he said with a smile. I could never get over that smile of his. It always seemed to make me smile no matter what I was feeling.
Grayson sat down on my bed next to me as I sat criss -cross- applesauce style, with a blanket covering my legs. "Why are you scared Amber?" I looked down at my phone, which had an unread text message from the unknown number, then back at Grayson. "I can't tell you." He moved himself closer to me, then asked, "Why not? I won't tell anyone."
I thought about it to myself, then decided to tell him everything. That man couldn't hurt me as long as I was with Grayson right? As the night progressed, Grayson and I got closer, and he practically knew my life story. Around 10:00, I noticed Grayson yawning. "Are you getting sleepy?" I asked teasing him. "Yeah, I've had a long day with you." "Oh so I'm the reason you're tired?" "Nah. Well, maybe." he replied.
"I'm going to go change into my pajamas, okay?" I said as Grayson nodded his head. I went into my bathroom, and put on my matching pajamas, which I rarely wore. I wanted to look cute for Grayson, I mean who wouldn't.
Once I walked out of the bathroom, I went over and laid next to Grayson, who was dozing off every so often. "You're so beautiful. You know that right Amber?" he said as he traced the freckles on my face. I smiled, not accepting the compliment. Turning away from Grayson, I turned the lamp on the side table off, and turned back towards him.
"Goodnight Grayson." He smiled, as he said, " Goodnight Amber."
