That night, I closed up quite late again. I wouldn’t usually mind the last minute shoppers. They were good for business. But then they were making my walk home a little bit more dangerous. By nine in the evening the streets to my house would still be well-populated. In other words, safe. However, past ten, it was almost deserted, to the point that you should actually beware of the people who walked around you… especially those that regularly followed you, pretending to keep their distance, waiting for the right moment to attack.
I looked around the streets before I started my journey. No one was around. A car or two passed by, but I didn’t see the hooded boy lurking in the shadows.
I walked two blocks in safety. However, when I turned the corner, I saw two guys leaning by the light post. They were wearing shabby clothes and it looked like they were smoking pot. My heart pounded in my chest. There was no way to avoid them, unless I turned around and walked back.
They were blocking the sidewalk. I calmly stepped out of their way and walked past them, not making a sound, not even breathing, praying that they wouldn’t notice me.
I managed to walk two or three steps away when I heard somebody ask, “What’s a pretty miss doing here at this time of the night?”
I heard their footsteps behind me. I increased my pace, trying to keep my cool, quietly reaching out for my pepper spray.
“Hey! We’re talking to you!” I felt somebody grab my arm and pull me back.
“Please!” I managed to say. “I’m just passing through. I need to get home.”
I saw their faces. They looked older than me and they stank of pot.
“Come on. Sure you can spare a few hours of fun.”
I shook my head. “Sorry. I have to go.”
I yanked my arm away and tried to escape. But soon the other guy grabbed my arm again.
“Not too fast!” he said. They both blocked my way and stared at my face.
“Wow! This one’s a looker,” one guy said.
“Aren’t we lucky?” the other guy grinned maliciously.
“Please! I don’t want trouble,” I pleaded. “I need to get home. Let me go.”
“Why would we do that? Seeing as you are hot and… alone,” the guy said, stepping closer to me and pulling me to him.
I reacted on instinct. I raised my hand, the one holding a pepper spray, and started spraying on his face. He released me, giving me time to push him away, finding that little space I needed to escape.
I prayed to God that I would make it home in one piece. I prayed that they weren’t runners. For the second time in my life, I wished I had a guardian angel who will protect me and save me from a certain doom.
“You, bitch!” I heard one of the guys shout. “You will pay for that!”
I heard their footsteps as they ran after me. Unfortunately, their strides were longer than mine, and they were able to close the distance on me within seconds. I felt somebody grab my jacket and then my arms.
“Help!” I shouted as loud as I could. I struggled to get away from them, but there were two of them and one of me. And they were a lot stronger and taller. I flung my arms in every direction, tried to spray on them again, but one of them got hold of my hand and the pepper spray. My only defense now was to shout.
“Help!” I didn’t give up shouting. They pulled me to them, getting hold of my arms. I sat on the ground, making it a little difficult to pull me.
Suddenly, I saw a blinding light, and then I heard a screeching of tires. A car stopped by near us.
“Help!” I shouted once again.
One of my attackers was pulled behind by a strong force, and the next thing I saw was his body falling to the ground. As he struggled to stand back up, the other guy released me and went for their attacker.
I was free. That’s when I saw the guy who came to my aid. He had his back on me. His head was hidden under a gray hood. But I couldn’t have mistaken it. I know it was him. That boy who followed me. The one I called my stalker. He was driving a black Porsche this time. He fought off my attackers almost effortlessly.
I turned to grab my bag and started to run. I heard a sharp scratching sound. I stopped to look behind me and saw that one of the guys was down on the ground now. But the other one had a knife with him and he purposefully scratched the hood of the car of my rescuer.
“Fuck!” I heard somebody curse. It could be my rescuer when he saw what the guy did to his Porsche. Panic was still gripping my senses. I did the only sensible thing I could think of at that moment. I ran.
I ran without turning back. I ran without checking if the boy who helped me made it through the fight scathe-free. I didn’t even stop until he finished the fight, so I could thank him. I was so scared. I didn’t have time to think logically. I only did what I thought would save my life… or my virtue, or both.
Only when I was safely inside my house did I realize that I hadn’t been breathing properly. I double-locked the doors. Then I turned on the lights and checked if all the windows were also locked. When I peeked through the front window, I saw a black Porsche pass by. It slowed down in front of my house and then it sped off.
I breathed in relief knowing that he made it out of the fight alive and well enough to drive away.
I lay on the couch and hugged myself. I was thankful that Meredith still wasn’t home. If she knew about this, she would panic, or worse blame herself.
I allowed myself a moment of weakness. As I wrapped my arms around myself, I let all the tears out.
When the tears subsided, I replayed the moments in my head again. I remembered the first night I saw that car. I walked past it, and I knew the engine was on and somebody was inside. Then as I walked the streets, that car was there until I safely got home. Then the following days, the hooded boy was following me, keeping his distance, but now… I couldn’t help thinking that he was watching me… making sure I would get home safely, knowing I would be walking the streets alone.
Chaise.
I’m sure it was him. Same height, same built… same black Porsche he drove to school.
He was protecting me even though I made it clear that I didn’t want him, didn’t need him. Even though I believed I didn’t need somebody to protect me or come to my rescue when I meet danger face to face.
Tears rolled down my cheeks. I realized that I owed him more than an apology for treating him the way I did. Now, I owed him my life. And I would always be thankful that he was there… he protected me… he saved me… he risked his own life for mine.
I felt both guilty and grateful that he had been there for me this night and every night before. I underestimated the danger around me. I thought nothing worse could happen to me after that night I lost my parents. I thought I didn’t need a protector. But God knew I did! And even though I didn’t know it, I realized that I did have a guardian angel after all. And because of him, I’m still alive… whole… scathe-free and safe.
***
The next day in school, I was pretty quiet. Denise was rambling about not being able to get a good night’s sleep because of some chaos in her house. Something about her father and some relative staying over. I wasn’t listening to her. I was still pretty shaken up about what happened to me the night before.
I wanted to tell her. But I didn’t have the courage. And I didn’t want to burden her or scare her. But I wanted to talk to somebody… somebody who would understand what I went through.
I was on the lookout for Chaise all day. I sure hope he was alright. I hope he didn’t sustain any injury at all.
I was sitting under a tree with Denise. Our last period was literature. Our teacher wanted us to write an essay. He thought it would inspire us to be outdoors.
I worked on my essay fast. Writing was effortless for me. I practiced every day writing to Hunter. I took my diary with me to school today and decided to write on it again. I told him everything… from the way the guys attacked me, and how that boy from school came to my rescue.
I knew Hunter would want to know every little detail about this event. And even if he didn’t get to read it at all, I wanted to remember everything that happened so I could read about it in the future, and know that during the times my life was an utter misfortune, God always sent a guardian angel my way.
I heard Denise cough beside me. She nudged my arm with her elbow. I turned to her. With her head, she motioned for me to look up.
I looked over at my left side and saw a guy looking down at me. I shut my diary and hid it in my bag. Then I stood up and faced Chaise. He was wearing a gray hooded jacket again, much like the one he wore the night before.
He looked down at me quizzically through narrowed eyes, as if he was studying my expression, searching my face for answers to questions he didn’t even ask.
Finally, his expression softened. “Are… are you okay?” he asked in the gentlest tone he could manage.
Immediately, we both knew we were talking about the same thing. I felt my knees tremble and the brave façade I wore all day began to crumble.
I nodded. Tears rolled down my cheeks. Chaise reached up and wiped them with his fingers.
“It’s okay,” he whispered. “You’re safe now.”
I tried to laugh in spite of my tears. I was so thankful to him for saving me… protecting me. And I knew I would never be able to repay him for what he had done, so instead, I leaned forward and hugged him. I buried my face against the lean muscles of his chest. I felt him enclose me in his arms.
“Thank you,” I said in between my tears. “Thank you. If you weren’t there… I don’t know what would have happened to me. Thank you for saving me.”
It took him a whole minute to answer. He took a deep breath and he whispered against my ear. “You’re welcome,” he said in a weak voice. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”
I nodded against his chest. “Because you were there to save me, nothing happened to me.” I pulled away from him.
He stared down at me and looked like he was reading my thoughts… trying to decipher the words I couldn’t say out loud. And then he smiled. “I told you. I’m not such a bad guy, if you only gave me a chance.”
I smiled at him. “Thank you.”
“So does this mean you’ll be nicer to me from now on?” he asked, grinning.
I gave him a short laugh. “I am not making promises. But I sure will try.”
He nodded. “Well, maybe that’s good enough for now.”
I stared up his handsome face and his genuine smile. If in the previous days, he looked gloomy, now, the playfulness returned to his face. Maybe Denise was right. Maybe he really only had good intentions for me.
I stepped away from him and I realized that almost half of the kids around us had stopped whatever they were doing to watch us. A blush crept to my face, as I remembered that I hugged Chaise and he hugged me back… in front of all these people.
I took another step back again and nodded at Chaise. “I’ll see you around.”
Chaise raised a brow at me. “What? I thought we’re okay now.”
I nodded. “We are. We’re okay enough for me not to… be mean to you anymore.”
He shook his head. “Oh no. I just risked my pretty face to save you, princess. You at least owe me a date this time.”
My eyes widened in disbelief.
A date? Is he serious?
I shook my head. “I’m grateful. And I probably will owe you for the rest of my life. But I’m not for sale, not even in exchange for my life.”
He frowned but then he nodded slightly. “Would you at least consider a friendly date? No pressure. You can even bring your friend if you want.”
I looked at him skeptically. First, he helped me out with my job. Then he stole a kiss from me. Then he stalked me and scared me half to death. And then… he saved me from sure tragedy and maybe even a possibility of death. And now, he wanted to go on a date with me.
“What do you want from me, Chaise?”
He shrugged and smiled at me sheepishly. “You really have no idea, rock princess?”
I shook my head.
Instead of answering, he said, “Okay. Friends.” Then he smiled and added, “Now, can I get your phone number?”
“What for?”
He shrugged. “Friends call each other, you know. And you said I could be your friend.”
He got me there. Reluctantly, I gave him my number. He fished his phone and pressed the buttons on it. After a few seconds, my phone beeped. Chaise grinned at me and then he turned to leave.
I sat beside Denise again. She was giving me a weird look. So were the other kids around us. Some girls were even glaring at me, including Candy and Chelsea, who were sitting on a bench nearby.
“Okay, care to tell me what that was about?” Denise asked. I could see the excitement on her face.
“Don’t get your hopes up. You heard what I said. We could be friends. Nothing more.”
“Okay. But why? Why the change of heart? You said you don’t want anything to do with him.”
I nodded. “I did. But that was after…” I sighed.
I guess I really have to tell Denise even a little about last night.
“Well… I owe him. Last night, I sort of ran into some weirdoes. He… happened to be in the area…” Stalking me maybe, I added in my head. “And he sort of saved me from being… assaulted.”
Her eyes widened. “Allison Elise Harley! That’s serious! You realize that you will walk those streets home almost every day until you quit your job, right?”
I sighed. “I know. I was hoping that was a one-off deal.” I wasn’t hoping. I was desperately begging God to make last night the last scare of my life.
“And you’re still showing up to work tonight?”
I nodded. “I need this job, Denise.”
“But how are you going to get home… safely?!”
I shrugged and then I flipped my phone open remembering Chaise’s unread message.
Chaise: Pick you up after work tonight… friend. ;-)
Relief washed over me. I guess I will be safe for one more night.}}}