Abandoned At A Green Day Concert, chapter 8
As Mike drove, I explained to him everything that had happened. Then we rode in silence for a while. I knew what Mike was thinking about, long before he said it. He parked the car in front of and old deserted strip mall, and turned to face me. I dreaded the question I knew would come off his lips. He gazed at me for a few minutes, his bright blue eyes not flickering from my green ones. It was hard to look at him, but I had to. I couldn't look away, or he would see that the same thoughts he was having were the ones I had, too.
Did I? Did I kiss Mike like that just because Jack was there? It's not like I wanted to make him jealous. He already was. Then I realized: No, I didn't kiss Mike because of Jack in the way Mike hoped I didn't. I kissed him because I was falling in love with him, and when Jack came after me, I thought for sure he would catch me this time. Then I might not ever see Mike again. When I got in the car I wanted to make sure Mike at least somewhat knew I loved him, in case I never got to tell him. Why didn't I tell him after our kiss? It takes me a long time to trust anyone enough to actually tell them I love them.
The dreaded question came out of Mike's mouth, and I began to cry. I told him the truth, and he listened, still never taking his blue eyes off of me. When I was done explaining, I was still sniffling, and Mike scooted from the driver's side of the car to where I was. He held me close to him, protectively. "I'll never let anything happen to you. I promise,"; he whispered. He pulled away just enough to make me look at him. "You hear me, sweetie? I promise. As long as you're with me you'll be safe.";
Then, he kissed me. At first softly, and then deep and meaningfully. My stomach must've flipped at least three or four times before our lips parted. "I love you,"; I said quietly. "I love you, too..."; Mike replied. We sat silently for a long time, letting the events of the past couple of hours sink in.
Suddenly my stomach growled, and we both snapped out of our trances and looked at the clock. It was already 4:00 in the afternoon, and we hadn't actually eaten all day. Mike's stomach growled even louder than mine, and we laughed. "Well, I guess I know what we should do next," he said chuckling. "What is there to eat around here?" I asked him, and he grinned, "Food, silly!" I punched him in the arm and told him to shut up before I knawed his arm off. "Honestly I'm not sure. Let's go have a look," Mike said.
He drove back to the main road, and right in front of us was a Souper Salad. "Let's eat there!" I said. It had been a long time since I had eaten at one; all of the ones in northern Georgia had been closed down, and it was a pain in the butt to go way south just to have a good salad. We went inside and while we were standing in line I saw someone smirking in my direction. I squeezed Mike's hand tight and he looked down at me. I nervously glanced up at him and said quietly, "We can't stay here. He's here. We have to go." Mike put his arm around me protectively and said, "Don't worry. If he bothers you, he'll wish he hadn't been born." That made me feel a little bit better, but I was still creeped out, and definitely didn't want to be there. Nevertheless, we got our drinks and went over to the table to sit down for a second before we got our food...
Did I? Did I kiss Mike like that just because Jack was there? It's not like I wanted to make him jealous. He already was. Then I realized: No, I didn't kiss Mike because of Jack in the way Mike hoped I didn't. I kissed him because I was falling in love with him, and when Jack came after me, I thought for sure he would catch me this time. Then I might not ever see Mike again. When I got in the car I wanted to make sure Mike at least somewhat knew I loved him, in case I never got to tell him. Why didn't I tell him after our kiss? It takes me a long time to trust anyone enough to actually tell them I love them.
The dreaded question came out of Mike's mouth, and I began to cry. I told him the truth, and he listened, still never taking his blue eyes off of me. When I was done explaining, I was still sniffling, and Mike scooted from the driver's side of the car to where I was. He held me close to him, protectively. "I'll never let anything happen to you. I promise,"; he whispered. He pulled away just enough to make me look at him. "You hear me, sweetie? I promise. As long as you're with me you'll be safe.";
Then, he kissed me. At first softly, and then deep and meaningfully. My stomach must've flipped at least three or four times before our lips parted. "I love you,"; I said quietly. "I love you, too..."; Mike replied. We sat silently for a long time, letting the events of the past couple of hours sink in.
Suddenly my stomach growled, and we both snapped out of our trances and looked at the clock. It was already 4:00 in the afternoon, and we hadn't actually eaten all day. Mike's stomach growled even louder than mine, and we laughed. "Well, I guess I know what we should do next," he said chuckling. "What is there to eat around here?" I asked him, and he grinned, "Food, silly!" I punched him in the arm and told him to shut up before I knawed his arm off. "Honestly I'm not sure. Let's go have a look," Mike said.
He drove back to the main road, and right in front of us was a Souper Salad. "Let's eat there!" I said. It had been a long time since I had eaten at one; all of the ones in northern Georgia had been closed down, and it was a pain in the butt to go way south just to have a good salad. We went inside and while we were standing in line I saw someone smirking in my direction. I squeezed Mike's hand tight and he looked down at me. I nervously glanced up at him and said quietly, "We can't stay here. He's here. We have to go." Mike put his arm around me protectively and said, "Don't worry. If he bothers you, he'll wish he hadn't been born." That made me feel a little bit better, but I was still creeped out, and definitely didn't want to be there. Nevertheless, we got our drinks and went over to the table to sit down for a second before we got our food...
