He Led Me To Life

Chapter 24:

Prom was coming up fast.

The thought suddenly struck me. I don't know what brought it to mind. Maybe it's just the fact that I'm hanging out with Samuel, but the sudden realization just takes me a bit by surprise. I'd been so eager to go to prom just a few days ago. It seemed more like years. I had forgotten all about it until just now.

But the thought quickly drifted out of my mind when the movie ended, and a more pressing matter took over. I would have to go back home now, and there was more of a chance than ever that I might accidentally bump into either or both of my parents. I knew that they didn't really care, but there was a very small chance that they might try to confront me about coming home late from school. It's a strange hope, and it brings up that feeling of guilt again, but hopefully, they care little enough about me to just leave me alone.

We had walked to the theater, so that meant we either had to walk back to each of our respective homes, or we would have to phone for a ride and wait there until the ride arrived. Neither option held much appeal, so we decided eventually that I would head home, and Samuel would walk with me for a while. Then he would branch off towards his own home, and I'd keep going towards mine. I tried not to think of the inevitable separation as we set out.

The air was pleasantly warm for the season. The sky was almost purely blue except for a few milky wisps of clouds drifting high in the sky. I looked up as I walked because we were on a long stretch of sidewalk with no danger of cars, so I didn't have to watch where I was going so much.

Suddenly, Samuel's hand was clasped in mine yet again. I looked over at him, slightly surprised by the sudden movement, but he was looking at the sky, much like I had just been. The only thing that betrayed him was the ghost of a smile playing across his lips. I smiled as well and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

We walked like that for a while. Neither of us said a thing because nothing needed to be said. At first, I was half-afraid that the silence would allow for thoughts of home and my reluctance to return, but nothing like that happened. It was just companionable silence.

But then came the point in the road where Samuel would start having to double back to reach his house if he walked with me anymore, so it was wordlessly decided that this would be the parting of ways.

"I'll see you on Sunday, right?" he asked, turning to me before he left to walk back to his house.

"Yeah, of course. I can't wait." I smiled.

"Me neither."

He took a step forward and suddenly there wasn't any space between us anymore, and then we were kissing. It was so sudden and surprising that I didn't react at first to his lips pressed against mine, but then I leaned in and wrapped my arms around him.

And then just as suddenly as it had started, the kiss was over. Samuel smiled at me and gave me one more, quick kiss before he turned and walked away. I watched him go until he turned a corner and I could no longer track his progress.

My chest felt warm and fuzzy, and my face felt similar. I guessed I was blushing again, but it didn't really matter. The memory of the wonderful kiss was still quite fresh in my mind, and it stayed that way as I started back home.

The neighborhood was still not very familiar, and I absently supposed that I must have only passed this way once or twice before. And then the thought of prom and going with Samuel again dominated my headspace, and I lost interest completely in whether or not the neighborhood was familiar.

Until, that is, that I heard footsteps behind me. I tried to turn discreetly to see who it was that was behind me, and whether or not they were following, but whoever it was was too close for me to turn enough without being obvious.

Ugh! Me and my stupid daydreams. If I had been paying attention, I probably could have avoided this, but as it was, my heart started speeding up. I was in an unknown neighborhood and there was someone right behind me that might be out to get me. I sped up just slightly, trying to keep myself from panic.

But then someone who looked like your typical suburban dad walked by, holding a golden retriever firmly by the leash. I wondered why I hadn't heard the collar jingling before, but it was probably just the fault of my near-panic. The dog and its owner turned into one of the yards only a few yards ahead of me, and soon they were both in the house at the other end of the lawn.

I kept walking, scolding myself for being so dumb. I was acting way too skittish. It was ridiculous. But I was a bit further from home than I'd first thought, which is how I justified being so scared. It was just jumpiness and nothing more. I was being irrational from my life being so high-strung lately, and that was that.

Well, at least that's what I told myself. That's what I told myself right up until I was being dragged off the street. Strong arms circled my body, and I knew even as I struggled that I wasn't going to be getting free anytime soon. I hardly realized the cloth pressed to my mouth and nose, but I started to give it more attention as my mind started going foggy. The last thing I really took in was that I was being yanked into a thicket of bushes in the yard of a house, which was the last in the loop of a cul-de-sac.

Strange how you can notice such a minute detail before you black out entirely.