One Night In A Supermarket

Fear Not

Chapter Eighteen... Fear Not

James' POV

I must have been out for a few minutes. I really didn't know. But when I came to, there was a girl standing over me, smiling weakly. She was quite beautiful, and she looked familiar. But I couldn't place her.

"You're alive," she sighed in relief. "I was beginning to think you were gone, and that I couldn't save you, James."

She knew my name.

"Do I... do I know you?" I breathed.

"I used to live next door to you," she smiled. "Annabelle Cross. I'm the same age as your brother, Cameron. Where is he, anyway? Letting you roam the streets all injured and that."

"I hope he's okay," I gasped. "We were attacked."

"Oh!" she held her breath. "Where? I heard sirens... assumed that someone crashed in the snow. It's common around here, you know."

"I work at the supermarket not too far from here," I explained weakly. "There was a guy... he just started stabbing people. I know Cam was hurt... You look familiar to me, Annabelle. I just... I couldn't place you. Now I remember."

"Do you remember me having the biggest crush on you in high school?" she asked, grinning. "Oh, I was a dreamer back then. Actually, I still am now."

"I thought that you were the murderer coming across the park before," I sighed. "Coming to finish me off."

"I live just over the road there," Annabelle smiled. "Have for a few years now. I saw you walking... well, stumbling... down the street. And I didn't know it was you until I came out here."

"Who do you live with?" I asked.

"My friend Lisa and her son," she smiled. "Oh! She works at that supermarket! She was there tonight! Is she alright?"

"I don't know," I answered honestly. "Are you babysitting for her?"

"No, her son is at her mothers' house," she explained. "I didn't finish work until an hour ago... late nights for me, too. But I work in Creston Hills at the toy shop."

"Awesome."

"Look, I know that you're dying here and all, but can you walk? I've called an ambulance to my house, but it's cold out here. And I don't have a thick jacket on..."

"I can walk," I smiled, slowly sitting up. It hurt, but the snow was bitter cold. "You called an amublance already?" I asked.

"Well, yes. My cell phone is in my pocket. I couldn't let you die now, could I?"

"Thanks, Annabelle," I smiled at her.

I could remember Cameron telling me that Annabelle had a crush on me. And she was beautiful and smart and friendly. So why did I never ask her out?

"How come if I liked you and you liked me, we never went out?" I asked her.

"Huh?" she frowned. "Uhm... I don't know, actually. I didn't know you did like me. You had your hands all over Stacey Goodwin's ass. Didn'r leave much room for anyone else."

"Oh..." I sighed. "Stacey cheated on me so many times. Did you know she has two kids now? One of them she had when we were seventeen."

"You know that everyone thinks that her son Caleb is yours, don't you?" she scowled. "Please tell me he's not."

"Well, if he is she never told me," I smiled. "But I doubt it. We weren't together when she got pregnant. Pretty certain the kid isn't mine. I actually think he's Jake Ross' son. But anyway... Stacey is a loser, and so is Jake. I don't ever know what I saw in that girl..."