Believe Me ✔️

[16] Not My Protector

I look over at Douglas as we walk out of school and ask, "I'm curious. How did you end up in detention?"

"Stupid shit, really," He admits, and I admire his honesty. "Being late to class. Not doing homework. This particular time, though, I was using my phone during a test. In my defense, Mr. Kapp said we could use it for a calculator."

"Were you using it for a calculator?"

"No. I was playing Clash of Clans."

Laughing, my stomach cramps and I say through happy tears, "Mmm, I wonder why you got detention."

"I have better things to do, you know," Douglas defends and I can't stop laughing. "Instead of being stuck in detention, I could be doing something cool, like sleeping or playing Skyrim."

"Is that a game?"

He shakes his head and mutters, "I am going to pretend you did not just say that."

"So it is."

"Yes, it's a game, but it's so much more than that."

"A video game?"

Douglas sighs in defeat. "I'll teach you to play one day and you'll see what I mean." We reach the senior parking lot. I look around, but I don't see Logan's car. "You have a ride?"

"Yeah, I'm sure he's just running late."

"Cool. See you in detention, tomorrow." Douglas waves and crosses the parking lot.

I grab my phone and call Logan. Straight to voicemail. I try again. Straight to voicemail. He's not coming. "Logan, I'm here. At school. Waiting for you. You said you'd pick me up. Where are you?" I hang up and wait ten seconds before calling again, rolling my eyes when I get sent to voicemail a third time. "I'm just going to get a ride from Douglas, so save your breath."

Douglas comes turning around the corner. I run in the road and jump in front of his truck. He hits the brakes in time and stops, the hood gently bumping my sweater. He throws off his seatbelt and shouts out the window, "Are you trying to kill yourself?!"

I run around to the passenger side. "Sorry! Do you think I can get a ride? Turns out he's not showing up after all."

"Of course. If you promise not to throw yourself out of the car." He reaches across and opens the door.

I climb in and take in a deep breath. "Thank you."

"You're insane," He whispers to himself, laughing. "With just the right amount of crazy."

"I am not crazy."

He glances over and does a double take. "You literally threw yourself in front of a moving truck."

"You didn't hit me. I trust you."

Douglas shakes his head and chuckles. "You can drive, right?"

"Yeah. I have my license, but I don't drive much anymore. Usually my brother or best friend gives me a ride. Guess I'll have to start driving myself now." I look around and get a good look inside his truck. It's clean. "Nice truck, by the way. I like the color. Sage green, my favorite."

"Thank you."

We're stopped at a red light in awkward silence. Douglas breaks the ice again. "So, your boyfriend didn't show up."

"Probably still at the movies," I find myself defending, but I don't know why. "His phone must be off."

"If you say so."

The rest of the car ride is quiet and ten minutes later Douglas pulls in front of my house and stares at the long driveway. "This is your house? I swear it's bigger than I remember."