Safe and Sound

4

Chapter 4| Ride with Me

"A Friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity."
Proverbs 17:17

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I sling my books in the backseat of my vehicle. I really do not want to drive to school this morning. I feel this slight urge to go crawl back into my bed, and pretend this day doesn't exist.

Today is my first meeting with my doctor. It isn't until 4 pm, so my mother is definitely forcing me to go to school.

I sit in my car with my door open.

I start it up, 7:15 am.

I contemplate going back inside, or shutting my car door and facing this dreadful day.

Honk! Honk!

I literally jump out of my skin, hitting my head on the back headrest of my car.

"Fiddle sticks," I mutter clutching my head in pain.

I turn around feeling like I should start crying.

But I don't.

Instead, I see the green-eyed boy smiling quiet enthused.

"Hey princess," he waves smirking.

Princess?

"Uhm," I say looking at him with nothing but confusion.

It has been three days since I've seen Ashton. We actually haven't exchanged any words since the day he came over to my house determined to my friend.

Now, this dummy pulls into my driveway, like he is the one who lives here.

"Need a ride?" He smirks. I look at him quizzically as if he can't see that I'm sitting in my car.

"Um, you can clearly see that I have one," I laugh pointing to my steering wheel.

Ashton laughs confidently as he continues, "Like I said princess, I'm pretty determined. So," he says dragging the 'so,'

"Get in my car, we ca-"

I stutter the words falling out, "B-but I have a d-doctors appointment after school."

Ashton's face falls, looking at his steering wheel in thought.

He looks back up at me, and smiles, "Not a problem, we can leave and come back here right after school," he chirps.

I was debating extra hard on this. I didn't want to drive today, and I really didn't want to go to school alone. My anxiety is currently trying to get the best of me, already this morning.

"Well?"

"Uh," I say meeting his green orbs.

"Give me a second," I smile. I turn my car off and grab my books throwing them in Ashton's backseat.

I make sure my car is locked, and I put my keys in my bag shutting his door. I climb in the passenger side, he helps me open the door from the inside.