Keep You From Harm

by Debra Doxer

  “Seriously?” she whines.

  I level pleading eyes at her.

  “Fine,” she huffs.

  Once she’s gone, I take a deep breath and turn to Lucas. He’s leaning back in his chair. The glare is gone. Now he’s just staring at me stone-faced. “Chad keeps asking me out,” I begin and watch the muscle in his cheek tic. “And I keep telling him no. But I think I hurt his feelings, and I don’t believe there’s any need for you to bully him or get physical with him.”

  He barks out a laugh, but he doesn’t seem at all amused. “He’s the one who threatened me. It doesn’t bother you that he’s walking around declaring that you’re his?”

  “Of course it bothers me. There’s obviously something wrong with him. But, I don’t know. I guess I feel kind of bad for him.”

  “You feel bad for him? He screws a different girl every night. He has groupies hanging around him all the time. You do not need to feel bad for the man whore of the school.”

  I roll my eyes at his reaction. “Fine. I’ll talk to him. I’ll ask him to stop saying untrue things about me.”

  He sits forward. “No, you won’t. You’ll stay away from him.”

  “You’re overacting,” I complain, annoyed.

  “I mean it, Raielle.”

  I blink in disbelief at him. “What makes you think you can tell me what to do?”

  “I’m not telling you what to do.”

  “Sounds like it to me.”

  He shakes his head. “I just think that staying away from him is the smart way to handle this. Eventually he’ll get the picture. If he doesn’t, I’ll have to explain it to him again.”

  “This whole thing is ridiculous,” I mutter. “I can’t believe we’re fighting about it.”

  Lucas reaches over and takes my hand. From the corner of my eye, I’m aware that most of the cafeteria is watching our display. “Is it wrong that fighting with you turns me on as much as everything else about you does?” His hand tightens around mine because he thinks I’m going to pull away in embarrassment. But I surprise myself by smiling at him instead because I feel the same way, completely alive when we’re together, fighting or not.

  “So, I was thinking,” he begins, my hand still in his. “I could pick you up after work tonight and we could go get some dinner.”

  “Okay,” I answer, letting my irritation dissolve away. Kyle already said he would come get me after my shift, but I don’t think he’ll mind if I tell him Lucas and I are going out.

  We gather our things and leave the cafeteria together.

  When I text Kyle to let him know that Lucas is getting me after work and we have dinner plans, he surprises me by texting a short reply back, telling me I have to be home by ten on school nights. I get the feeling he is not pleased.

  Gwen is waiting by my locker after school. She informs me that she’s driving me to work and during the ride, I’m going to tell her everything about Lucas and me.

  “You haven’t really kissed him yet?” she asks as we’re sitting in traffic, waiting to get out of the school parking lot.

  I shake my head. She already dismissed the peck he gave me as nothing more than a preview. “This is barely twenty-four hours old. We mostly just argue so far,” I laugh.

  She clears her throat and glances at me. “I overheard something today, but I’m not sure if I should tell you or not?” she hedges.

  “Tell me what?” I ask, of course.

  “I heard Sophie and Kellie at their lockers after lunch. They were basically talking shit about you.”

  “That’s not exactly a big surprise,” I reply shrugging it off. Then my curiosity gets the better of me. “What were they saying?”

  She doesn’t answer.

  “Gwen?”

  She blows the hair out of her eyes and glances warily at me. “It was mostly Kellie. She said that you’re basically a slut, and the only reason you have Lucas panting after you is because you’re leading him around by his penis.”

  “Great,” I mutter, resting my head back against the seat. “If Lucas hears this, he’s going to go crazy.”

  “He should,” she says.

  “How did I get pulled into all this drama? I just wanted to keep my head down and finish my senior year.”

  “It’s high school, Raielle. Drama is a required part of the curriculum.” She pulls up in front of Scoops and turns to me. “So, you’re all in on this? No more denying it. No more pretending that there’s nothing between you and Lucas? You’re going to go for it?”

  I chuckle at her. “Yeah, I guess I am. I couldn’t deny it if I wanted to.”

  “Smart girl,” she says.

  “Thanks, Gwen. For being so supportive.” I feel badly that Jake is so obviously interested in Kellie and Gwen is pretending that it doesn’t matter to her. “What do you think about Tyler?” I ask.

  “What do you mean?” she asks, wrinkling her nose at me. “You mean, do I like him?”

  I nod. “He’s adorable in a subtle geeky kind of way. I don’t think there’s anything going on between him and Lisa.”

  She shakes her like it’s a crazy suggestion. “No way. Now, go. You’re gonna be late.”

  “Will you think about it? I’m pretty sure he’s interested. I catch him looking at you a lot.”

  This news seems to surprise her, but then she shakes her head resolutely. “Nope,” she says, popping the P.

  I frown at her reply. Then after thanking her for the ride, I head into Scoops.

  “I’m Stacy,” the owner greets me. She’s extremely short and petite with a mass of dark curly hair that rests stiffly on her shoulders. “It’s just you and me tonight. On Saturdays, you’ll be working with Jacinda. She’s my niece. You guys will get along great.”

  Stacy has me fill out all the employee forms, and then she proceeds to show me where everything is. She tells me how much ice cream to use for each size cup and cone. Then she demonstrates the cash register to me. What I hadn’t counted on was how cold it would be in the store, which of course I should have anticipated. Stacy is bubbly and friendly, and she disappears into the back after my brief orientation.

  My first night is pretty quiet. Only a handful of people come in. I’m so cold I’m not even tempted to eat any ice cream myself. I’m actually shivering when Lucas arrives to get me at seven.

  “Jesus, it’s cold in here,” he says. “How was your first day?”

  “Good,” I reply. I poke my head into the back to let Stacy know I’m leaving. Once we’re in Lucas’s truck, I reach over and crank the heat up as high as it will go.

  He glances over at me. “You need to dress warmer when you’re working.”

  “Yeah, that’s the main takeaway from my first day. By the way, Kyle said I have to be home by ten on school nights.”

  He gives a little surprised laugh. “Okay, then. Well, we’re just going to a little place I know in Ridgeton. That should get you back in time.”

  “Thanks. I’m starving by the way.” I reach my icy hands toward the heater vents.

  “We can’t have you going hungry on my watch. What the hell?” he mutters, glancing up at the rearview mirror.

  “What is it?” I ask, turning around to see what he’s looking at.

  “It’s Grady Callahan and one of his idiot friends. They’re all over the road back there.”

  I look back again and see a Mustang close behind us. Suddenly, its engine roars to life, and it moves up to pass us on the left. When the car is even with us, a guy hangs his head out the passenger window and whoops loudly at us before tossing an empty beer can onto the road. The Mustang quickly overtakes us and speeds ahead, disappearing around the bend.

  “Morons,” Lucas mutters.

  “Dangerous ones,” I add. “Grady’s in my art class. He drew a lewd picture the other day. I think he freaked the teacher out.”

  “Did he freak you out, too?” He arches a brow at me.

  “Yes,” I reply. “The thought of Grady having sex and possibly proc
reating does freak me out.”

  Lucas laughs, and it’s a deep rumbling sound that vibrates through me. Smiling, I let my eyes travel over the contours of his face, following the defined line of his jaw, darkened by stubble, as it disappears into the shiny waves of his overgrown hair. Then I follow the curve of his shoulder down to where it widens into his bicep and then tapers into a forearm corded with muscle. When my gaze settles on the strong hand that grips the steering wheel, I think of that hand on my skin, of his long fingers touching me. Just then, he glances at me and my eyes flick up to his. Despite the darkness, I recognize the look I see on his face because I’m sure it mirrors my own. Desire.

  When Lucas turns back toward the road, his eyes widen. “Fuck!” he yells and hits the brakes, throwing his arm out in front of me to hold me against the seat. Startled, I peer out the windshield and see Grady’s Mustang sitting across the middle of the road. The front of the car is folded in on itself like an accordion.

  Lucas maneuvers the truck over to the side, and I see the guy who stuck his head out the window stumble around the car and drop to his knees. His face is covered with blood. “Call an ambulance,” Lucas orders as he jumps out and rushes over to the Mustang.

  With a shaky hand, I dial 911 and give them our location, explaining what happened. Then I get out, too, and approach the car. Lucas is on the other side, trying to pry open the driver’s side door.

  “I smell gasoline. Get back!” Lucas yells to me.

  Feeling my body fill with adrenaline, I run the final few yards to the car. When I reach the guy on the ground, a burst of bright energy flows through me, but I continue past him. Peering through the window, I see Grady slumped over the wheel.

  “I said get the hell away!” Lucas reaches in through the open driver’s side window, trying to get a grip on Grady. The door itself is bent, and I figure he can’t get it open. I watch as he gives up and runs around to the other side where I’m standing. The passenger door swings open easily, and Lucas begins to pull Grady out that way. I move beside him and reach in to dislodge Grady’s heavy boot, which is wedged beneath the steering wheel. “There’s someone in the back, too,” I tell Lucas. He grunts under Grady’s heavy weight, finally pulling him free and laying him on the pavement.

  When I push the front seat forward and reach in toward the person in the back, he moans and begins to sit up. I startle when Lucas’s arm winds around my waist and hauls me backward, wordlessly setting me aside as he leans in to grab the last person. I move back to the first guy still in the road. I put a hand beneath each of his arms and start trying to pull him away from the car. The smell of gasoline is strong, and I can hear liquid dripping onto the ground from beneath the Mustang.

  I pull with more urgency, and the moment my fingers graze his bare skin, there’s nothing I can do to stop the pull his injuries have on me. As we’re moving, my fingers remain on the skin of his arms and his bleeding head is lolling across my stomach. I know I’m healing his wounds; the head gash, some broken ribs and internal bleeding. I feel lightheaded and energized as I lay him down gently and release him. He’s already sitting up, looking around, seemingly confused.

  I turn and notice Lucas struggling to pull Grady away from the car. The third person is moving on his own, looking stunned. When I reach Lucas to help him with Grady, I freeze. Grady is badly hurt. Blood is leaking from his ear. The front of his forehead appears dented in. He’s fighting for his life. I know I can’t touch him. I can’t risk healing someone who isn’t meant to recover. Just as I back away, I hear the sirens approaching. I’m fighting my natural instinct, and it’s turning on me with a vengeance. I move further and further away, all the way back to Lucas’s truck. I lean against the front grill, watching through a haze of misery, as Lucas talks to the paramedics who have just arrived. My skin breaks out in a cold sweat, and I sink down onto my knees. The guy I healed is stomping around now, yelling at the paramedic who is trying to look at him. I hear more sirens and watch as a fire truck arrives. The night is lit with strobing red lights and dense with static-laced voices streaming over radios.

  The front of the Mustang emits a loud crack just before it bursts into flames. I hear more hollering and watch as Lucas suddenly appears frantic, his eyes darting around the scene. When his panicked gaze lands on me, his relief is clear. He rushes over, brushing past the firefighters and their heavy gear. I watch as they spray white mist at the car.

  Lucas crouches down in front of me. “Are you okay?” he yells over the noise around us. His face is shiny with perspiration, and his grey shirt is spotted with blood.

  I nod and watch as his eyes travel over me and widen. When I look down, I realize that I’m soaked in blood. “I’m fine,” I tell him.

  He lowers himself to the ground and pulls me into a tight embrace. From over Lucas’s shoulder, I see them wheeling Grady away on a gurney. Once he disappears inside the ambulance, my body begins to settle down. My senses clarify again as the haze clears, and I lean into Lucas, feeling his arms tighten around me.

  “Why didn’t you stay away from the car like I asked?” he says beside my ear.

  I pull back and stare into his eyes. “That’s a seriously stupid question.”

  He nearly smiles as he cups my cheek in his hand. Then he slowly lifts me to my feet. “They told me the police have some questions for us,” he says.

  We both turn when the paramedic who was arguing with Grady’s friend walks by. “He’s fine. I don’t know where all the blood came from,” he tells the other paramedic.

  The same friend then approaches us. “Grady is so dead,” he says, shaking his head. “His parents are gonna shit a brick when they see his car.”

  “Un-fucking-believable,” Lucas mutters, taking my hand and pulling me away from him.

  Over the next half hour, we stay at the scene and answer questions for the police. Despite the denials of drinking we hear from both of Grady’s passengers, Lucas and I tell the officers the truth. We’re exhausted when they inform us that we can go.

  “Our first date didn’t exactly go the way I planned,” Lucas frowns as we’re approaching Kyle’s house. “I guess I lied when I said you wouldn’t go hungry on my watch.”

  “That’s okay. I kind of lost my appetite.”

  When Lucas parks, Kyle storms through the front door, and he marches toward the truck. “I said ten o’clock, Raielle. Do you know what time it is?”

  Lucas jumps out and walks around to meet Kyle. At the same time, I open the door and lower myself down. Kyle’s eyes widen with shock when he sees us. “What on earth happened?”

  “We came across a car accident on the way to dinner. We stopped to help,” Lucas explains as Kyle stares at my bloody shirt. I feel like I’m going to jump out of my skin if I don’t get these clothes off me soon.

  “Are you both all right?” Kyle asks, his gaze jumping between us.

  “We’re not hurt,” I reply. “Just really wiped out.”

  “Come inside,” Kyle puts his arm around me. “Goodnight, Lucas,” he says dismissively.

  Lucas seems torn, like he doesn’t want to leave me. I’m about to protest Kyle’s treatment of him, but Lucas shakes his head, stopping me. Then he tells me goodnight before getting back into his truck.

  “You could have been nicer to Lucas,” I say as we’re walking inside. “What happened wasn’t his fault.”

  “We’ll talk about him later. Let’s get you changed, and then you can tell me what went on tonight.”

  I stand under the shower watching the red water pool at my feet before it finally runs clear again and disappears down the drain. I think of our kitchen table and the last time I saw so much blood. It wasn’t a hard decision not to heal Grady tonight. I have no emotional ties to him. But what if I’d returned home that day just a little earlier, while my mother was still breathing, while there was still time to do something? After all she’d told me about not changing fate and not playing God, I would have disregarded it all to save her. Let the
consequences be damned. I never understood why the need to heal would still be so strong when I couldn’t use it. If a person was meant to die, why did every part of me still want to heal them so badly?

  When I emerge from the shower, Kyle and Chloe are waiting in the kitchen with a cup of tea. I’m beyond exhausted, and the last thing I feel like doing is reliving the evening by talking to them about it. I toss my balled up bloody clothes into the trash before sitting down with them. I don’t touch the tea, and I give them the briefest account possible. Finally, Kyle reads my mood and tells me to just go to bed, adding that I don’t have to go to school tomorrow if I’m not up to it.

  When I retrieve my phone from my bag to charge it, I see there’s a text from Lucas waiting for me.

  U okay?

  I text back. Yes. U?

  Good. Grady’s an idiot but I hope he’s ok.

  Me 2.

  Get some sleep, beautiful. Goodnight.

  I stare at his text for a long time before I respond. Goodnight.

  “How are you feeling this morning?” Kyle asks.

  I’m surprised to see him still at home when I come upstairs. Down the hallway, I can hear Chloe getting Penelope ready for school. “I’m fine.” I see my lunch bag ready on the counter.

  “Can I talk to you for a minute?” He sits down at the kitchen table and waits for me to join him.

  I have a bad feeling that this is either about Lucas or my job again. “You’re seeing Lucas Diesel?” he asks with a frown.

  I’m disheartened to have guessed correctly although his obvious disapproval is surprising. “I guess,” I answer, not being intentionally vague, just not yet knowing what Lucas and I are doing exactly.

  “You guess?” he asks.

  “Last night was our first time out.”

  “It was a pretty eventful night for your first date,” he comments. “Raielle, I’m not your parent. I know that. I know that you’ve had very little parenting and probably very few rules to follow most of the time.” He leans forward, clearing his throat, and resting his elbows on the table. “I’ve been playing this guardian thing by ear since you got here. But as far as boys go, I think we need to have some guidelines.”