Cross My Heart

Chapter Six

       - Katelyn - 

My eyes fly open and I gasp. Flailing my arms, I reach for something, though I don’t know what, and find myself falling.

            Then a strong hand grips my wrist and I’m being pulled up. I fly up and around, then stop, slamming into someone. It takes a moment for my brain to catch up to my senses and I realize I’m standing against Dan Smith, staring at his throat, while he holds my hand up beside me.

            My breath catches and I stand still. The moment passes, though, when Dan lets out a huge breath and jumps back. I do the same.

            I turn around and run a hand over my hair. Whoa… what the heck just happened? Where am I?

            I hear Dan start behind me start trying to apologize. “Katie, I’m sorry,” he says.

            I spin around, “No, no it’s fine.” I glance wildly around, trying to figure out where I am.

            “I was just…” Dan tries again, but we stand in silence for a few moments.

            “Dan…” I start carefully. “How did I get here?”

            Dan’s eyes widen and he gasps. “Oh! Well, it’s just… You fell asleep, so…” He sighs and starts again. “You fell asleep backstage and we had to go. I—I brought you to the bus. And we all fell asleep. Don’t worry, we haven’t gone far,” he says, gesturing to the road.

            I wrap my arms around myself, trying to wrap my head around the situation. “Oh, God… So, where exactly are we?”

            Dan coughs. “Um, I don’t know. Just outside of town?”

            I stare at him with wide eyes as the realization dawns on me. “Did you… did you just kidnap me?”

            Dan gapes at me. “I—I don’t know. Did I? Maybe… God, I’m so sorry!” He takes a step toward me and grabs my hand. “It’s okay; I can take you back home.”

            I nod, holding his hand tighter. I can’t figure out if I’m scared, okay, or just shocked by the fact that I just spent the night with Dan Smith.

            I settle on the fangirl theory and launch myself forward, wrapping my arms around him and squeezing. I know I’m scared, I know I’m nervous, but I feel okay when he’s here, close to me.

            He lets go of my hand to hug me back. A shake wracks me as I take in the fact that I’m hugging my idol, and how nervous I really am. “Okay,” I breathe into his shirt.

            I don’t want to let go, but eventually I pull back and let out a shaky breath. “I’m okay. You just scared me.”

            Dan rubs the back of his neck. “Sorry…” The silence grows until he suggests, “Want some breakfast?”

            I nod and follow him through the bus to the front end. I pass a sleeping Woody, Kyle, and Will and can’t help a small laugh. They look ridiculous, sprawled out all over the couches.

            I catch up to Dan and he pulls open the refrigerator. “Anything you want?” I peer in. I see some English muffins, orange juice, bread, butter, carrots, and a random, half-eaten banana.

            “Um… I start. Nothing looks appetizing.

            Dan looks at the fridge himself. “Well, that’s not good. What do you say we take a trip to town?”