Page 111 of Choosing You

“That’s it? You’re not gonna try to convince me to sleep up here with you?”

“I can’t.” He smiles. “I’ve been away from you for too long. I may not be able to control myself.”

I smile back. “That’s okay. I don’t mind.”

“First date, remember? Then we’ll go from there.”

Garret insists on having this first date before he’ll go beyond kissing me. He wants us to be officially dating. It’s completely ridiculous, but it’s also kind of sweet.

“All right,” I say with an exaggerated sigh.

He walks me back to my room. I get into bed, but I can’t sleep. Ever since that call last Sunday I’ve had trouble falling asleep. Earlier in the week I tried reading before bed. It worked, so I get a book and try it again. Within the hour, I’m asleep. But not for long.

Around midnight the phone rings. I hurry to get up but my feet get tangled in the sheet and I fall out of bed on the hard floor. I hear the phone again and think that maybe it’s just a bad dream, but then shooting pain comes from my knee where it hit the floor and I know I’m awake.

The ringing continues. As before when this happened, my mind considers that it could be Ryan calling about some emergency with Frank. I decide I should answer it.

“Hello?”

The person on the other end of the phone is silent.

“Who is this? Is anyone there?”

It’s silent again and I feel like I’m in one of those horror films where the crazy killer just sits on the phone and listens, then finally announces he’s in the room ready to murder you. I turn on my desk lamp, still holding the phone.

“Is someone there or not?” I raise my voice, hoping to sound angry instead of scared.

There’s still no response. I slam the phone down on the receiver. I race over to my closet to make sure someone isn’t hiding in there, then I yank a sweatshirt off the hanger and put it on. The phone call gave me chills and now I’m freezing.

Although I try not to be the type of girl who runs to a guy for protection, I feel like I have to now. It’s not so much for protection. It’s more that I don’t want to be alone. I take my room key, lock my door, and bolt up to the second floor, sprinting down the hall to Garret’s room.

“Garret, are you in there?” I knock repeatedly until the door opens.

“What’s wrong?”

“That guy called again.” I push past him into his room, out of breath from running up here so fast.

He closes the door. “What did he say?”

“Nothing. He just listened. I don’t even know if it was him. But it totally freaked me out.” I put my arms around Garret, latching onto him like I’ll never let go. Given that I rarely hug him, or anyone, my actions prove how scared I am.

He hugs me almost as tightly. “Stay up here tonight. I should’ve just had you stay here earlier. I wasn’t thinking. Of course you don’t want to be alone at night.”

“I’ve been alone every night this week. It’s just that tonight, I don’t know, that call scared me. But I’m probably overreacting.” I let go of him. “I guess I can go back downstairs.”

“No, you’re staying here with me.” He leads me over to his bed.

“But what about your lack of control problem?” Saying it makes me laugh.

“I’ll deal with it. Now get into bed.” He pats my backside.

“Hey. Watch it there. You’re already losing control.”

He laughs. “It’s gonna be a long night, isn’t it? I can already tell.”

He goes over and plugs in his blue ceiling lights, then joins me in bed. “How’s that? Now it’s not so dark. And you’ve got me here. You should go right to sleep.”

He’s lying on his back. I lift his arm up and sneak under it, sliding my body as close as possible to his and resting my head on his chest. His arm lays back over me and he kisses my forehead. “You’re safe now, Jade. I won’t let him hurt you.”

---