My stomach turns for the sign that reads 'Phoenix' to come into view. Exactly 6 miles from the place I grew up in and swore I'd never move back to. And even though I've driven almost a thousand miles to get here, I still wasn't ready to see that sign. Not yet.
I take a turn on a gravel road, not wanting to go downtown. It's near midnight on a Friday night, which means a lot of people I used to know are probably riding around, hanging out, and drinking. Someone is bound to recognize my car and start up the rumor mill. I don't want to risk it. With any luck, I won't even have to face my parents tonight. I just hope they are already asleep by the time I get to the house.
The car vibrates as I drive along the loose gravel with grey dusk surrounding me. Ten minutes ago I could barely keep my eyes open, but now I'm wide awake, wishing I had another 100 miles to go. From the corner of my eye, movement on the side of the road catches my attention. I slam the breaks as a duo of deer run out infront of me. I turn the steering wheel, remembering my fathers advice on always hitting big animals at an angle instead of straight on. I realize that it's too late and I yanked the wheel too hard.
The tires slip and the car lurches sideways, throwing my shoulder against the window. It doesn't break. The car skids off the road and flies into a ditch. I press the breaks hard with my right foot, but it's no use. I managed to miss the deer, but there's no way around that big tree. I brace myself for impact and hold my breath. There's a brief moment where I'm thinking "This is it. This is where I'm going to die."
A scream rips from my throat as I get jerked forward violently. There's a full second of the loudest noise I've ever heard, and then everything comes to an abrupt stop. I sit there, body tense. Fingers wrapped around the steering wheel in a death grip. I force myself to breathe. My whole body is trembling.
What. The. Fuck. I can't move, I can't even think. I can just stare in complete silence. I gradually unbuckle my seat belt, that's cutting off my circulation now. Tiny shards of glass fall from me as I move. I try to open my door but it doesn't budge. I slowly, and shakily, climb across to the passenger side. The metal is mended together, so it doesn't open either. I sit back in the chair and slowly put my feet onto the dash.
I kick the windshield once, nothing happens. Twice, I hear a crack. Third time, it falls forward and onto the grass. I slowly climb out. Once I'm out, I grab for my phone in my back pocket. Of course, how could I forget.. Out here there is no signal. Who would I have called, anyway? I couldn't have called my parents.
I sit against a tree, right beside the wreck. All I can do is cry into my hands. How can my life get any worse? First, I break up with my boyfriend, therefore I have to move back into my parents house.. And now I crash the only vehicle I have. I honestly hope a wolf or something comes out from the woods and just eats me up.
In the midst of my thoughts, I hear tires crumbling against the gravel rode, and I then see headlights. I try to stand up, but notice a sharp pain shooting through my left leg, which causes me to tumble back onto the ground. I wave my arms like a madman.
The car comes to a stop, but I can't see who is in it. I wait a minute, staring at the vehicle. A silhouette of a man walks towards me. It's pitch black outside, so I can't quite see his face.
As he gets closer, I get more scared. What if he's a murderer or rapist or something? What would he be doing at 1 in the morning, just driving around?
"Are you okay?" He asks. He has a soft, kind voice. Which gives me a reason to relax a little. He repeats his question.
"Oh.. uh, yeah. I just, my leg hurts, and I.. I crashed my car.. and I have no service.." I say, holding up my phone to show him. He grabs my waist and hoisted me up. He carries me over to his truck, and sets me in the passenger seat. There is a little bit of light, so I can finally see his face. I don't know him, but he's cute. He seems to be about my age, 20. He has short, brown hair. Also, from what I could see, he had green eyes. He had nice, broad shoulders. He looks like he works out.
"Do you need anything from your car?" He asks.
I think for a minute. "Oh! My purse, it's underneath the passenger seat. And.. uh.. my Beatles CD.." He smiles at that last part.
"Be right back." He says, motioning a finger.
I look around in his truck. There's a lot of fast food trash in the backseat. Along with CD's, clothes, and old cigarette cartons.
Not even five minutes later, he walks back to the truck. As he jumps into the driver seat, he looks over at me.
"Bad news.." He says. I frown. He holds up my Beatles CD, and I realize it's in two halfs.
"No!" I say, with a laugh. We both share another laugh together.
He hands me my things and says. I look into his eyes for a split second. Yep, his eyes are definately a beautiful green color. "So, where am I taking you? Hospital?"
"No!" I blurt out. I close my eyes for a second. "I mean, no please. Just my parents house will be fine." He nods, puts the keys in the ignition, and starts up his truck.
I give him the directions, slowly. So he doesn't get confused.
"So, what's your name? I haven't seen you around here before." He says, keeping his eyes on the road. I wait for a minute. Should I tell this stranger my name? Well he did save my life, metaphorically speaking.
"Claire Raiwood. I used to live here, about 2 years ago with my parents. Then I decided to move out with my boyfriend, ex now. But we broke up and now I'm back. I haven't even been in town for 10 minutes and I already have bad luck."
He looks over. "I asked for your name, not your life story." He says with a laugh. I force a laugh, too.
"Nah, just kidding. Well, I'm Ryder. In case you were wondering." Of course I was wondering..
About 15 minutes later, I hear the car tires grinding against the gravel. It's the gateway into my neighborhood. All of a sudden, my stomach started to hurt. I don't want to be here anymore.
"Which house is it?"
I pause for a minute. "The uh.. the last one, on the left." I say, pointing. His eyes widen.
"What?" I ask, staring at him.
"It's.. big." He says quietly.
He pulls up to my house, near the curb. I curl my lip inward and reach for my door handle.
"Aah! No." He stops me. I look over at him, but he's already out of the truck and headed to my side of the car. He opens my door, and helps me out.
I smile, and then look up at him. He was staring at me, smiling back. He walks me to the front porch.
"It was very nice to meet you Claire, under such circumstances.." We laugh. I grin.
"It was nice to meet you, Robin." Oh my God, I said the wrong name.
He furrows his eyebrows, then curls in his lip. He leans in and whispers, "It's Ryder.."
I close my eyes tightly, I am so humiliated. I open them back up, leaning in and whispering back, "I knew that.."
He smiles. I realize now that we are really close. And I mean, really close. Honestly, now feels like the perfect time to kiss. It's like a movie. So, I lean inward, towards his face, puckering my lips.
I feel his warm lips, intertwined with mine. It was almost like electricity when he kissed me. Out of all the people I've ever kissed, I've never felt something like this, and I guess that scared me because before I knew it, I pulled away.
He raises his eyebrows.
"I'm so sorry." I say, putting my black hair behind my ear. He grins.
"It's all good. I have to go. Hope to see ya around, Claire." He says, walking back to his truck.
After he leaves, I turn around toward the front door. Clutching the doorknob, I turn it to open it. It doesn't move. It's locked. Oh my God. I left my keys in the car. Shit.
I didn't want my parents seeing me tonight, or lecturing me, which I know they will do. But I have no choice. I ring the doorbell. I could hear footsteps coming down the long, wooden staircase.
