That Last Little Spark

"Um, hi!" I tried to stop myself from gasping in horror and my eyes at a normal size. Every instinct in me was telling me to run as fast as I could in the other direction.

"Wow you look...great!" he smiled.

"So do you." I tried to be polite, conversational. I could do this. He didn't scare me anymore. He couldn't scare me anymore. I was different. I was grown up. I could handle this. I continued walking to the lemonade booth, unsurprised that he followed me. I ordered while I tried to think of a way to get him away from me.

"So...what are you doing here? I haven't seen anyone from high school yet. It seems like they all left town." I tried to think of a polite way to ask him what the hell he was doing out of jail when he was supposed to have 75 years in prision.

"I paroled out early a few years after I went into jail and I've been living with my mom ever since." he shrugged like it was nothing. "How about you?" he asked, his smile brightening.

"I'm back here on a visit. Just to see the town. I'm living up in Niagara Falls now." I lied with a smile.

"Canadian side or American?" he asked.

"American, but I go to the Canadian side a lot. I think it's better than the American side. I was in Quebec a few weeks ago." That wasn't an outright lie. I liked the Canadian side better, and I was in Quebec...two months ago.

"2 large lemonades?" the woman asked. I picked up the chilled plastic cups and turned to Chase.

"Well it was...nice to see you again, Chase, but I have to go." I gave him my nicest smile.

"Wait," he caught my arm. I resisted the urge to scream for help. "I've changed, Jess. I just wanted you to know that. I can never take back what I did, and being in prison gave me time to think about that. If I could go back in time and stop myself from killing those kids, kids I called my friends, I would. But most importantly, I wanted to tell you how sorry I am." his gaze drifted up from the ground to my eyes.

"Um...thanks. I'll...see you around." I said awkwardly and walked away as fast as I could without running, slipping my sunglasses back on and putting my floppy hat on. I found April walking toward me, a smile on her face.

"We have to go." I thrust the cup of lemonade into her hand and kept walking.

"What's wrong?" she asked, suddenly worried as she tried to keep up with me. We kept walking until we turned the corner onto the street where the car was parked. I stopped short and leaned against the wall.

"Jess, what's wrong?" she put her hand on my shoulder.

"Jess!" someone yelled. I looked up in fear to see Bam and the guys heading toward us. I heaved a sigh and slumped to the ground.

"Jess?" Bam kneeled down next to me and I felt the cool breeze on my forehead as the hat was removed. My sunglasses followed and I found myself looking into his baby blue eyes.

"Chase." I whispered.

"Chase who? You were chased?" he asked in confusion.

"No! Chase! Chase Andrews! The kid who killed those kids back in high school! The kid who wanted me dead! The kid who was supposed to get 75 years in jail! The kid that paroled out early for good behavior or something!" I burst out. Everyone gasped.

"We're leaving. Now." Bam pulled me to my feet as gently as he could. Even as he did, I saw how he was trying to keep calm. He handed me my hat and glasses and I put them on, trying to keep a smile on my face to hide how much I wanted to get out of here.

"We parked on the other end of the fair." April said.

"Alright, come on." we started walking, and it wasn't long before we saw Chase.

"There he is." I stopped short before Bam wrapped his arm around my waist protectively. April walked on my other side and the guys fell in behind us.

"Just keep walking." he said. Thankfully, we passed Chase uneventfully, although he did turn around and watch us walk further away.