Safe and Sound

Safe and Sound - Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Coach bought the team pizza and milkshakes and we laughed and cheered and had a super fun time. I was so glad to have been able to be a part of it all, considering I'd thought I was going to miss out entirely.

  It was early evening when people started to leave, so I texted Rowan that he could come back for me.

  BE THERE SOON. WHERE ARE YOU? he answered.

  GEORGE'S PIZZA. ARLINGTON.

  OK, BE THERE IN TEN MINUTES.

  "Ready to go home?" Kate asked Sonya and I, as she finished her milkshake.

  "Yes, I can't wait to get out of this outfit, and wash my hair-" Sonya answered quickly.

  "I'm actually... Rowan is coming to get me," I told them, then added, "I'm staying in Fort Worth tonight."

  "What did you tell your mom?" Kate wanted to know right away.

  "She actually said I could sleep at Rowan's tonight."

  "Uh, woah. That's a shock," Sonya said, surprised.

  "So she knows you're having sex?" Kate asked, her eyes wide.

  "Well, Rowan has slept at my house every weekend for a month," I told them, then laughed.

  "Wow. Your mom must love him," Sonya smiled.

  "She does. And he's just so... good."

  "Well my stupid boyfriend didn't even come watch the competition today," Kate pouted.

  "Did you really expect him too?" Sonya asked. "He told you yesterday he was busy."

"I know... but he's such a dick sometimes."

  I didn't know what to say. I was actually surprised they were still together. Kate liked the idea of having a boyfriend but Archie was a pretty crappy one, it turned out. She really did deserve better.

  "Let's go, Sonya," she went on, then hugged me. "Have fun tonight."

  I nodded and then hugged Sonya before watching them leave the restaurant. Coach and a few other girls were still there when I glanced out the window and saw Rowan's truck pull into the parking lot.

  I waved over at Coach before heading outside, carrying my bag.

  "I feel like I'm kidnapping you," he grinned as he started driving, after I hopped in beside him.

  The truck smelled like a pine air freshener and I smiled at him, then reached for his hand. I was so happy about the competition but I just felt so different with Rowan. He was a good boyfriend. He truly cared about making me happy. I couldn't comprehend why I found him - or he found me.

  "Why are you so quiet?" he asked, glancing over. 

  We were already on the highway back to Fort Worth.

  "Just thinking about how lucky I am to have you," I admitted. "I can't imagine... what I'd be doing if we'd never met."

  "I don't even want to imagine that," he told me. "I mean, I might be in jail, or worse."

  "Was it that bad?" I asked him, rubbing the inside of his palm.

  He nodded. "I don't want you to know how bad it really was. But yes, I was getting really high and ending up in places I shouldn't been. And..." He didn't continue right away, and I was glad. I didn't want to think about it. "I left it all behind, when I got on that train. My "friends" were so angry that I was leaving, especially Ashlyn. I told them I wasn't going back to Texas at all."

  "Really? You were planning on moving to St. Louis?" I asked him, surprised. He had never told me that.

  "Yes, I was sick of the life I was living. I know I was meant to be on that train, Cass... before I found you, in the forest, I thought I was going to die. And I thought it was my punishment for how I'd been living. I laid down and just cried, praying for a sign that the world wasn't all shit. And then I just had this feeling, and went all the way down that hill, and I saw you..." he continued, glancing over at me for a second.

  "Rowan..." I breathed out, tears in my eyes. "I laying there crying, too. I was praying someone would find me. I knew I wouldn't be able to get to safety on my own."

  I saw some tears drop out of his eyes and he didn't wipe them away, but he didn't say anything else about it.

  Waking up with Rowan's arms draped over my mostly naked body made my heart flutter. He was fast asleep, naked, under the blankets. It was only 6 A.M., I realized after checking my phone. But for some reason I was wide awake. We hadn't fallen asleep until after midnight.

  I texted my mom Good Morning and told her I'd be home in a couple of hours, then put my phone on the bed beside me. He had to work at nine, so I knew we had to leave before eight. I had to wake him soon. But he looked so peaceful, I really wanted to let him sleep.

  After checking my social media, twenty minutes later I kissed his cheek, then touched his hair. He stirred, grinning as soon as he woke.

  "I love seeing you the moment I open my eyes," he whispered.

  "Your eyes aren't even open," I told him.

  "I know you're there," he laughed. "Can we stay in my bed all day?"

  I sighed. "You have to work in two hours. And one hour of that is just taking me home and driving back here..."

  "Ugh, Sundays are stupid," he groaned. "Just cuddle for five more minutes?"

  "Yes," I agreed, laying my head on his arm.

  For some reason, when I kissed him before getting out of his truck at my house this time, I didn't feel like we were being ripped apart. I guess I just knew I'd see him again soon.

  "Have a good day at work," I said, then kissed him.

  "I'll try," he grinned. "I'll call you later?"

  "Okay," I smiled. "I love you."

  "I love you, Cass," he finished.

  It felt like such a normal day. Kate called that afternoon and complained for an hour about Archie and how she was going to break up with him. My mom and I had dinner together and talked about school, the competition and Rowan. She asked about my college applications, which I was doing at school with my guidance councillor. I told her they were almost ready to go out. She knew I was applying at both Dallas U and U of Houston. Rowan and I hadn't talked about college yet, but it still seemed so far off. He knew college was part of my plan. We would talk about it when acceptance letters came in a few weeks.

  He called me at ten o'clock that night, as I was laying in bed. He told me about his day, and he said he missed me and wished I was with him. I felt light headed, just hearing him talk to me like that. It still felt unreal. I told him I loved him and I would see him on Wednesday, his day off. And then I feel asleep, after saying goodnight.