“Yes, of course,” I managed to reply. My friends began to walk ahead of me as I followed behind with Buddy. A few of his friends still lingered behind us.
“Did you enjoy the show?” he asked, walking so close to me I could feel his arm against mine. The warm leather lightly brushes against my bare skin causing my body to heat.
“It was amazing, exactly as I dreamed it would be,” I gushed, smiling as I remembered the concert again.
“They do put on a good show,” he agreed. “I almost missed it but a friend of mine told me he just landed a bunch of tickets and offered me one. I tend to go to more smaller club shows, mosh pits are more my thing, but I decided to come because I love music. So here I am, walking with you,” he said, grinning at me again.
“Lucky you,” I teased, grinning back. “Do you live in Toronto?” I asked, digging for more information on this boy I didn’t want to say goodbye to.
“No, actually I live in Buffalo,” he informed me. I couldn’t hide my disappointment. I looked ahead, realizing this was it as we neared the parking lot. I felt a sense of panic wash over me. My heart began beating too quickly, my stomach was turning as I looked up at him. I felt his fingers intertwined with mine as he held my hand again. Immediately a calmness overtook my panic. I stared into his eyes, wondering how it could be possible that this stranger made my anxiety disappear. How is it possible that just a touch from him could calm me and why does he feel so comfortable, so familiar and so meant for me.
“Scarlett Rayne, will you come home with me?” he whispered, pulling me out of my thoughts. I gasped, shocked by his sudden plea. No boy has ever been so bold with me before.
“I can’t go to the United States,” I told him. Not sure if I really could or not, but I felt like I needed to at least try and protest his request.
“I’ll give you my address, tell the border patrol it’s your home and he’ll let you pass,” he instructed me as if I already said yes to his offer. I glanced down at his hand holding mine.
“Scarlett, I can’t let you go. I’ve met you for a reason tonight. I need to know you. I promise I’ll keep you safe and bring you back when you ask me to,” he almost begged. I didn't realize that we had stopped moving. My friends were walking far ahead of us now. I must have gone crazy, but I felt like I couldn't leave him either. He reached for my other hand and pulled me closer to him. I stood mesmerized in front of him. He released my hands and I immediately felt his arms wrap around my shoulders, startled but pleased by how good it felt as I rested my hands on his hips and closed my eyes. He turned me away from the direction my friends took and led me to his car. With his arm wrapped around my shoulder, I glanced up at him. He was smiling and seemed so happy, as though he’d just won the lottery or something.
I felt incredibly nervous as we headed toward the border. I know I should tell him to stop, to bring me back. I should not be doing this. I needed to call home, my parents were going to kill me. Although I have been fighting with them constantly for a while now, maybe some time away is a good idea, I tried to convince myself. Buddy sensed my apprehension and placed his hand on my knee, gently.
“It’s okay Scarlett, I promise you this is right,” he said, glancing at me before concentrating on the road again. One of his friends sitting behind me leaned forward and handed me a burning rolled smoke.
“It’ll calm you darlin,” he mumbled. I could tell he had consumed more than enough, his eyes were barely open, I didn’t know how he could see out of them. I decided it was worth a shot, because I couldn't stop shaking. I took it from him and finished it off. He placed his hands on my shoulders, squeezing gently.
“Better now?” he whispered, before leaning back again. I turned and looked back at him smiling. “Thanks, better now. I'm Scarlett,” I said as I coughed.
“Nice to meet you Scarlett, I'm Ira and that big lug is Evander,” he said grinning as he smacked his shoulder. Evander just nodded at me then looked back out the window.
Settling back against the seat, I tried to remember Buddy’s address again as we neared the border. I quickly pulled out my notebook and dug through my bag for a pen. I wrote it down, then reread it a few times. I should be afraid of getting it wrong but surprisingly I wasn't feeling too worried about it anymore.
We pulled up to the border and I sat calmly as the patrol looked at me then the back seat. “What’s your hometown?” he asked each of us. We all replied Buffalo. He stared at me a moment longer then asked why we were in Canada tonight. Buddy answered him calmly, sounding confident. I held my hands together, trying not to shake. The man looked at me again and I smiled briefly at him.
“Welcome back,” he said, waving us through. As soon as Buddy rolled up his window and drove away I released all the air I had held inside, a nervous habit of mine.
“Wow, that was intense,” I said as he pulled the car into the nearest fast food place across the border. The two guys in the back hopped out. Buddy told them what he wanted and they ran inside. He walked over
