Becoming

Heros Are Overrated

          A short while later Easton enters the locker room, "Charlee!" He calls out to me.  I sigh with relief that it's him and not that other man.  "I'm over here!" I call back.  When Easton gets to me he has a look of concern all over his face.  "Are you ok?"  "I mean, considering that creepy stalker guy showed up at my school and was watching me swim for God knows how long and I'm pretty sure was about to pull a gun on me, yea I'm doing fantastic!"  I rush back in a panic.  "We need to get out of here why don't you get dressed and I'll take you home."  I stare at him as if he's grown two heads.  "Are you freaking kidding me?! How can you stand here acting so calm and then think that somehow I'm going to go anywhere with you?!"  "What?" He asks as if he didn't just save me from a man that was about to pull a gun on me.  "Ohhhh nooo, no, no, no, you are too much.  You're crazy I don't know what's going on but I'm done.  You need to stay away from me far, far away from me."

               I had just finished pulling my pants over my suit when we hear a group of men approaching the locker rooms. "Is that him again?!" I quietly scream digging my nails into Easton's bicep.  "Shhh, come on we need to get out of here!"  He looks at me with a hint of fear in his eyes.  "There is only one way out and they are standing in front of it!" I say back starting to panic.  "Look you need to hide in this locker and stay as quiet as possible I'll lead them off and then come back to get you!"  He directs me into the open locker.  "No, no, please, please don't leave me!" I beg as I grip two handfuls of his shirt.  He calmly grabs my hands and pulls them off his shirt, "It will be ok baby doll, I promise, I'll be right back for you, you just need to stay in here and stay quiet." 
                Unwillingly, I quietly step into the locker and press my back as far into the back wall as possible.  He gives me one last look and closes the door.  I try to control my breathing as much as possible and look out the small slits to see if I can see anything.  Of course, I can't so I try to listen as intensely as I can.  For a few moments everything is quiet and then I start to hear a bunch of yelling and what I think is growling.  In the next moment everything is silent and it stays that way for a few minutes when suddenly, the locker door springs open.  I grab my heart thanking God above that it's only Easton. 

               "They are gone, let's go." He barks at me.  "Easton, who are they? What is going on? And did they have dogs?"  He just walks away leaving me to follow in silence.  "What's wrong with your ankle?" He asks as we are approaching his car.  I hadn't even realized I was limping until he brought up.  "Oh, I hurt it yesterday when I fell off my bike, I guess I hurt it again running into the locker room."   He just rolls his eyes at this news and sighs.  "Of course I get stuck with a defenseless little girl." I hear him quietly mutter under his breath.  "You know what, you stupid giant!? You're not stuck with me! I don't need you, so if I'm such a stain on your life why don't you just stay away from me?!"  He raises an eyebrow at this, "You don't need me? What do you think would have happened if I didn't show up to save you yet again?"  "I didn't ask you to save me, I don't know who that man is, I think he has me confused with someone else but, if I'm such an annoyance to you why didn't you just let him shoot me?!"  He looks at me shocked and then he does something I totally wasn't expecting, he got in his car and drove off.  "Well, shit."

                   You know that wonderful saying -It could be worse- well, I was experiencing it.  While limping home, now really feeling the pain of my swollen ankle the storm clouds roll in and it starts to pour. "Oh come on!" I yell trying to cover myself with my backpack.  I bet that stupid prick really thinks he's funny now. 

              Arriving at my house it's still pouring down rain.  I walk in the front door and immediately leave a giant puddle all over the floor.  "Charlee!" My mom screams, "you're going to ruin the wood! Why didn't you call me I would have come and picked you up!"  She reminds me, as she comes over with a towel for the floor.  I totally forgot my mom was going to be home early and slap my forehead.  "Hey mom, can you give me a ride to work today?" I ask as I'm standing on the towel shivering all over.  "Yea, hurry up and get upstairs and take a shower before you get sick, and don't make a mess all over my floor!" She calls back to me.  I roll my eyes and slowly scoot across the floor on the towel.