He’d made my young heart jump. I watched him under my lashes as he walked across the lot from his car, his stride confident, sure. Nothing like the men I was accustomed to being around that’s for sure.
I remember a moment’s pang of regret as he walked by. And then it happened. To this day I don’t know if the old man had noticed my reaction and was doing something good for me, if he was it would’ve been a first.
But he’d called out to him and I’d known a new fear. You see; if he turned him down, then the first dream I’d had in forever would die a quick death. But if he kept going then I could always imagine for a long-long time.
He’d come over and stood there towering over us, I know now that he’d six-five or thereabout and his arm was covered with tattoos. The thing that had once driven fear in me because up to that point the only men I’d known with ink, were all pretty much losers like my dad, had seemed so beautiful on this stranger.
When he opened his mouth to speak I know I fell a little bit in love, but when he looked into my eyes, that’s when I knew that I would never have to fear him. I think he felt it too, though I could never be sure, but I think there was something.
Not sexual of course, I would’ve known if it was. It was I who years later had started mooning over him, me who chased him away most likely. But back then, that night when my life hung in the balance, I knew he would protect me.
When he’d looked like he wanted to beat the tar out the old man she knew he was the right one. And when all was said and done and he’d taken my hand and led me away I’d felt real hope for the first time in my young life.
Even days later when he took me to my aunt’s it didn’t matter, he’d already promised to take care of me and somehow I knew I could trust him. I didn’t know my aunt well, but from what little I did know, she and the old man never got along.
That had been enough for me back then. And the way she’d gone on while Creed was there, fussing over her only sister’s little girl, I’d thought for sure my life had really taken a turn for the better. Little did I know what was hiding behind that sticky sweet smile of hers.
None of that had mattered though, because I had him and I knew for the rest of my life I would, he’d promised. I had been able to swallow a lot because of that fact.
He’d kept his word, always coming to me whenever he was home. Sometimes he’d come to me before he did anything else, just show up no matter what time of the day or night.
Those times he’d grab me up and hug me so hard, I always cried, and though I could see the emotion in his own eyes, he always kept them contained.
Over the years we’d grown close, almost like best pals. When he was home he’d spend as much time with me as he could, taking me places, showing me new things, and each year I fell more and more in love with him.
Then, when I turned eighteen, everything changed, and not just my body. That thing inside me for him had grown out of all proportion and I didn’t know what to do with myself.
I knew then that I was in love with him, and it scared me as much as it excited me. I knew it would never happen, that he’d never cross that line, but my young heart had yearned and wanted so badly that I think I’d somehow let it slip a little.
And then he’d disappeared. When I’d asked him to prom it had taken every ounce of courage I had. I’d been so afraid of his rejection that I’d thrown up for two days before I finally fond what it took to ask.
That night had been the best of my life. All the girls had been green with envy, but that’s not what made it so special. He’d treated me like an adult that night, almost like a date.
He’d catered to my every wish, making the other boys there seem so inconsequential. And when one of the other girls, one that I absolutely hated had asked him to dance, he’d politely turned her down.
Now that had made my whole time at school worth all the pain and the heartache. Kids can be cruel and in my case they took every opportunity. My aunt had had no problem sending me to school in the cast offs of someone else and since the town was so small everyone pretty much knew.