Crash Into Me

Sandy was hyperventilating by Lucas’s car, her legs had given in to the panic. She slumped on the pavement and wept. “Get in the car,” Lucas came rushing. “Was it him?” Andrea asked. “It was him! I saw him!” Sandy exclaimed. “Yeah … it’s Patrick,” Lucas said calmly. “Shit! We have to call the police!” Andrea screamed. Sandy went into a complete panic, she was on the verge of hysteria. Lucas held her up, opened his car door and let her in. “Stay calm … we’ll figure this out, okay? Let’s just get out of here first.” Then he drove them back to La Lune. “We have to contact the police,” Andrea said while consoling Sandy. Lucas paced back and forth, “We can’t … they’ll just dismiss it … he hasn’t done anything wrong.” He was turning his brain upside down. “Are we going to wait for him to do something wrong?” Andrea was terrified for Sandy. “He knew I was there … he’s coming for me … he said it to me … he’s going to go after me if I ever told anyone,” Sandy was panting uncontrollably. “Does he know where you live?” Lucas asked. “He can find out … I don’t know … I can’t think …” Sandy sobbed. “Look, don’t worry, okay? I’ll take care of it,” he kneeled before her, took her hands and calmly talked her out of her panic state. “I can call some people and get some information … it’s gonna be fine,” he stroked her hair. She nodded, somehow Lucas’s words made her feel a little safer. Her phone rang, it was John. “It’s John, I have to take this,” she stood up and walked away with her phone. “John?” Lucas turned to Andrea. She raised her eyebrows, “John Brady.” Lucas was rendered speechless. “He’s the client that rented her cottage,” Andrea explained. He was quiet. Andrea touched his shoulder, “Please don’t tell anyone … it’s confidential.” John : Are you okay? What happened?

Sandy: Nothing … I’m fine …

(Silent)

John : I saw you left in a hurry, something wrong?Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

Sandy: (Hesitant) I’m okay … it’s a long story

John : Will you tell me later?

Sandy: Of course

(Silent)

John : Where are you?

Sandy: (Hesitant) At La Lune

John : With Lucas?

Sandy: Yeah … and Andrea

John : I’m finishing up here … I’ll come and get you He didn’t wait for a reply, he turned off the call. “He’s coming to get me,” she told her friends. Lucas looked at Andrea with a million questions in his eyes. Andrea tapped his shoulder as if to confirm his worst expectation. John arrived at La Lune an hour later, tired and worn out for the day. He managed to force a faint smile and the courtesy to be polite to her friends. He took Sandy’s hand, nicely excused himself. They left Lucas and Andrea watching them as they left hand in hand in his motorbike and drove away. ********** She told John what happened. She wasn’t crying anymore, but she was shaking. The reality had sunk in, she knew she had to be brave. She hugged herself and tried to control her shivers. John pulled her in his embrace and kissed her forehead. “You’re safe with me … will you stay here tonight?”. She nodded, she needed to be with him. He went upstairs to take a shower and contemplated his day. He was falling for her, hard, but their relationship is walking on thin ice. He desperately wanted it to go further, deeper, as deep as his feelings for her. He knew he couldn’t force it, not until she was ready. He didn’t know what more to say to her to make her feel safe with him. To her, he was a complete stranger who trampled upon her life so suddenly. She was curling up on the sofa with a hot coffee in her hand when he came down. She looked more beautiful every time he saw her. He kissed her shoulder and hugged her from behind. She made him feel at home in a rented cottage in a foreign country. “Are you okay?” he whispered in her ear. She leaned on him and nodded, “I am now.” “I want you to be able to tell me anything … I know we’re not there yet, but I want to be.” She closed her eyes and felt his warmth, “I want that too … I’m sorry about earlier, I just don’t want to throw things at you and scare you away.” He shook his head, “No, I want it … everything, all of you … whatever it was, whatever it is.” No one had ever said that to her before, so early in a relationship. He kissed her hand. He put her arms around his neck, and kissed her. He wanted her to be so much closer to him, with what he was starting to feel for her, he wanted everything at once, right then and there. “I want to tell you something,” he broke the kiss. “It drives me crazy every time you’re with Lucas … I just …” Sandy didn’t let him finish, she kissed him to assure him there was nothing to worry about Lucas. He laid her down on the sofa, her legs were tangled around him. His hand slid up along her thigh. Her heart was throbbing, she was sure he could hear it. She felt his weight on her, they were breathing heavily. She wanted to pull off his shirt, but she stopped him instead. “John …” she whispered. John opened his eyes and looked at her, “I’m sorry … I shouldn’t have done that.” “I’m sorry … I’m scared,” she said. He smiled, pressed his forehead against hers, his breathing was slowly lowered. He kissed her lips, “It’s okay, I’m sorry … whenever you’re ready.” She wrapped her arms around him, he felt her tremble. It made him regret his advances. He was supposed to take his time. But he couldn’t help it, she drew him in so deep to a point where it felt scary for him too.