Half Baked Ideas
Do. Not. Blush.
I will my body to behave but of course, my cheeks infuse with warmth and I imagine the beautiful tomato I must surely resemble by now. First my brain and now my cheeks. What is it about this guy that just makes me lose focus?
He looks ahead and starts speaking while glancing my way.
"Uhm, I just wanted to say I'm sorry. First with the kidnapping and then my weird request. You must think I'm crazy by now."
Crazy? Yes, with a dash of deranged.
Something in my face must have showed my thoughts because he rushed to explain himself.
"I'm not by the way. I just..."
"I just acted impulsively and did something crazy which I apologize for. I'm beyond sorry for what happened and I'll take you home immediately."
Huh. Seems sincere. Weird but sincere.
"Uhm okay... Can I head home now?"
He blinks at me" Yeah sure. Of course, uhh follow me."
With that, he rocked up from the bench and headed further into the garden away from the house. I pick my cat and shuffle behind him, giving him a wide birth, just in case he starts acting up suddenly. We walk past rows of floral beauties and despite my initial caution I find myself relaxing. Maybe it was the perfumes from the nature all around us or the way the dimming sunlight gave an ethereal feel to the garden around us. Yet, I was sure that it had something to do with the mysterious young man ahead of me on the path.
As if sensing my thoughts, he turns with a sideways glance that leaves me breathless. Mixed amber eyes meet mine and the remnants of the sun reveal lighter flecks of amaretto in that brief moment. A door slams somewhere behind me and jolts me back in time. I quickly avert my eyes to my surroundings in a bid to calm my frenzied heart. The flower rows had shifted into a thicker, greener part of the garden with tall vegetable plants. Thick vines curled around the white picket fence we were standing in front of. I force air into my lungs and hold it there, waiting for him to keep moving. Eventually, a creak reaches my ears, I look up to see a gate open and step out. The garden seems like a haven compared to the forest looming ahead. It looked dense and dark, like it wouldn't hesitate to swallow a person.
Or hide a corpse.
"Over here." I sigh in relief as I spot Cayson to my right. I happily turn away from the forest and hurry towards Cayson, following him as he turned round the side of the house and into a light blue side building. He headed further into the builing, which I can now recognize as a garage. I slow down my steps and observe the interior.
A corner to my right holds a cluttered desk with various tools fitted on the wall rack behind it. I helped myself to a medium sized socket wrench from a toolbox seated on the desk. I silently tuck the wrench under my hoodie and hook one end under my sports bra. I then clutch Lucy to my chest and scramble back to him. He's opening the garage door and offers a tentative smile when he spots me. I smile back like I didn't just pick a weapon to bash his head.
Well, only if he misbehaves.
I spot three vehicles which are parallel parked beside each other. A familiar black SUV sat on the right, a white Camry in the middle and a gleaming blue Ford truck on the left. He gets into the truck and I join him without hesitation, the cold steel of my new wrench providing some comfort. It seemed to provide comfort for Lucy too because she sits perfectly still, concealing the bulge. The windows are down, the breeze gently pulling my hair and we start our journey in silence. I assume he remembers the part of town I was picked from, as he drives with purpose. As we pull out of the driveway, a glance in the side mirror shows the house which seems a lot less frightening now. The forest around us blurs as he picks up speed and I decide to take a chance on conversation.
"Soo... About what you asked for. Why exactly do you need one anyway?"
He sends me a glance and focuses back on the road.
"It was stupid, don't worry about it."
I mull over that before continuing.
"Well consider the answer compensation for this crazy experience. The least you could do is satisfy my curiosity."
He mutters something to himself before answering me." Its for a family event."
I focus on the scenery outside my window as I contemplate his reply. The thick forest had waned into flat terrain with the occasional farmhouse. The radio is off and there's no conversation. Yet, I feel completely at ease as if he's someone I've always known.
A family event huh?
That's the last thought on my mind as I settle into the seat and embrace the drooping of my eyes.
When I come to, I'm startled by the feel of cold metal on my skin. I eventually remember the purpose of the wrench lodged on my chest and turn to the driver's seat.
He looked absolutely adorable. The chair had been set to recline and he'd managed to fold himself onto it while facing me. I could see the fine hairs that framed his eyebrows and the tiny puffs of breath that formed when he exhaled. Thankfully, Lucy's orange tail moved across my vision and stopped me from doing something insane like touching him. I gather my squashed senses along with my cat and quietly jerk the handle. The door remains shut and I contemplate how to reach the unlock button on the driver's side without waking its inhabitant. The view outside my window tells me we're parked beside a park about 5 minutes away from my home. Giving sleepy Lucy a reassuring pat, I slide my body as smoothly as I can to the edge of my seat. Then I reach my fingers across his thigh and hit the button. The soft click assures me my freedom and I release a sigh of relief. Only for me to turn and lock eyes with him. I retract my fingers in shock and blink at him. He sighs and adjusts his seat.
"This is close to where we picked you from so..."
I nod numbly and reach for the door when he adds.
"I'm sorry again for everything."
He looks almost vulnerable as he says this. And in that moment it occurs to me that it's not too late to pull out that wrench but instead of attacking my captor, I open my mouth to say,
"I'll help you out with your issue, I'll be your pretend partner."