Let Me Fall

I readjust the strap of my messenger bag and hit my mom’s number on speed dial as I reach the bottom of the staircase. I lift my phone to my ear and go to my right, following a small group of girls out of the building as I listen to the line ring. I bite my lip at the fourth ring and grimace when I get her voicemail, but I try my best not to worry about why she didn’t answer her phone. Maybe she was busy changing Trevor and just couldn’t make it to the phone in time. I’m sure that everything is okay; it has to be.

“Hey, Mom, it’s me,” I start after hearing the tone to leave a message. “I was just calling to let you know that I just finished with classes for the day. I might stop somewhere for lunch, I’m not sure, but I should be home soon. I hope everything’s going okay and I’ll see you in a little while. Love you. Bye.”

“So, you are hungry,” a voice that is quickly becoming far too familiar asks me, and I huff as I turn around to see Brian standing behind me.

“What are you doing, stalking me?” I ask him as I shove my phone back into my pocket.

“Damn, you caught me red handed. Think I should try a different approach next time? Maybe hide behind a trashcan, pretend to be reading a newspaper, or jump in the bushes?”

“Or maybe not talk to the person you’re stalking,” I reply, rolling my eyes at him. “In case you didn’t realize this, it draws attention to yourself.”

“Well, what if I want you to pay attention to me?” he asks with a smirk on his lips, and I scoff at how full of himself he is.

“And what if I want you to leave me the hell alone?” I retort as I turn around to walk away.

“Oh, come on, Piper, I just wanna have lunch with you. That’s all I’m asking you to do. It’s not like I’m asking you to jump off a bridge with me, or marry me, or anything like that. It’s just lunch.”

I stop in my tracks and look back at him in confusion. “Why on earth do you even want to have lunch with me, Brian? You don’t even know me.”

“Well, maybe I wanna get to know you.”

“And why would you wanna do that?”

“I don’t really know,” he says with a shrug. “But there’s something about you that’s interesting.”

I raise an eyebrow at him. “Interesting?”

“Yeah, interesting,” he repeats with a nod as he takes a couple steps towards me. “You don’t seem like all the other girls here.”

“Yeah, I’m sure I don’t. Listen, Brian, why don’t you do both of us a favor and just leave me alone? You’re just wasting your time with all these stupid little lines because I’m not falling for them,” I tell him sternly as I look up into his eyes. As much as I hate to admit it, he really does have pretty eyes. There’s something about them that just draws you in and you can’t help but stare.

“Why do you insist that I’m just feeding you a bunch of lines?”

“Because that’s what guys like you do. Now, why don’t you go run off and find someone stupid enough to fall for the cheesy shit that’s coming from your mouth? I’m going home,” I tell him, turning and starting my way towards the parking lot.

“Wait, guys like me? What the hell is that supposed to mean?” he calls out, and I can hear his footsteps behind me as he quickly catches up to me.

I huff and turn to face him once again. “Oh, come on, who do you think you’re kidding? I’ve known guys like you before; you’re all the same. You’ll say anything just to get into a girl’s pants.”

“So you’re just going to brush me off because you think that I’m just like all the pricks you’ve met?”

“I guess you could say that,” I nod.

“Well, don’t you think that’s just a little unfair? I mean, you’re not even giving me a chance to prove your faulty assumptions wrong.”

“That’s only because I have a pretty good feeling that my assumptions aren’t faulty. You’re only wasting your time. Why don’t you go move on to your next target now, because I am clearly not interested in you.” He doesn’t say anything in response, and I give a slight nod of my head. “Bye, Brian. I guess I’ll be seeing you Friday.”

I start to walk out to my car, listening carefully for the sound of his footsteps behind me. As far as I can tell, he’s given up, and I’m grateful that he finally got it through his thick skull that I’m not interested in him. I walk across the quad and make my way towards the parking lot behind the theatrical arts hall. It’s not the best parking lot on campus, but it was the only place I could find a spot this morning. I take a quick glance behind me to make sure that Brian hadn’t followed me from a distance, and I’m knocked down to the ground.

“I’m so sorry!” I exclaim as I look out at the books and notebooks scattered in front of me and I immediately reach for one of the books to help the person I’ve bumped into gather up their things.

“Piper?”

My heart stops at the sound of his voice and my hand releases the book that I’ve started to pick up. My palms start to sweat and I swallow hard to look up to see the person that I’ve run into. His brown eyes meet mine, and I quickly look away. I pull myself up off of the ground and dust myself off, my gaze now focused on the fallen books.

“What the hell are you doing here?” he grumbles, kneeling down to pick up the fallen textbooks. “Have you decided that you’re going to be a fucking creeper and stalk me now?”

“Nice to see you, too, Kendall.”

“Seriously, Piper, what the hell do you think you’re doing here? I thought you dropped out.”

“Yes, that would be correct; I did drop out last year. But you already knew that. And now I’m back. People are allowed to come back, you know.”

“And you decided to come back here why?”

“Because I’m allowed to apply to and attend the college of my choice. I really liked it here before and I was able to get another scholarship to help me out. Plus, it’s close to home. You being here has nothing to do with why I’m here. I looked at all of my other options, and this was still the best choice for me.”

“Yeah, I’m sure it was,” he mumbles, and I can see him roll his eyes. “I know that you’re still hung up on me, Piper. I know that you’re upset that I was able to move on and you’ve been stuck in the same place, wishing you could be with me again. But you have to understand that I’m with Reese now, you can’t keep up this unhealthy obsession.”

“Unhealthy obsession? Why on Earth would I be obsessed with you, Kendall? Seriously, after what you did to me, I want nothing to do with you.”

“If you don’t want anything to do with me then why are you back at this school? Face it, Piper; you’re a pathetic little bitch. Whose side did all of our friends take when we split up? Oh, right, mine. You’re just desperately trying to get back everything you lost, and it’s too late.”

I bite my bottom lip hard for a moment, trying my best to maintain my composure. “Well, after you painted a picture that made you look like you were simply the victim of a cheating girlfriend who was trying to pin another man’s baby on you; it wasn’t exactly easy for me to keep any of our friends. Especially Reese.”

“It’s not my fault that she’s not your friend anymore.”

“How is it not your fault, Kendall? She wanted to be friends with both of us until you started to say all that made up crap about me, saying that I cheated on you when you know damn well that I didn’t.”

“Well, how was I supposed to know that you weren’t cheating on me? You’re not as innocent as you always make yourself out to be, you’ve always been a little whore,” he seethes.

I open my mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. Instead, my mouth simply hangs open as I try to grasp a hold of the sentence that has escaped from me. But there isn’t anything coming to mind; it’s as if I’ve totally gone blank and can’t do anything but stare at him openmouthed like an idiot.

“What is it, Piper? Can’t think of another little lie to make me look like the bad guy again? Just admit it; you’re nothing but a lying whore.”

“Hey, what the hell is going on here?” someone shouts out, and I turn my head to see Brian walking up to us.

“Nothing, my friend and I were just having a little discussion. It’s not a big deal, right?” Kendall replies, his eyes flashing to me, telling me to agree.

“You know what? For some reason that lying whore comment makes me think that you’re full of shit. But what do I know?”

“Listen, man, you don’t know either of us so why don’t you just mind your own business and leave us alone?”

“Huh, maybe I should. But something about you calling Piper names just doesn’t sit well with me.”

“So, you know--”

“Yeah, I know her. And I really don’t appreciate you calling a sweet girl like Piper a whore. So why don’t you do everyone a favor and just leave her the fuck alone, asshole?”

“Sweet girl?” Kendall laughs. “You must not know Piper very well then, because if you did, you would know that she is anything but a sweet girl.”

“Just leave her alone, alright?” Brian growls as he inches towards him.

Kendall’s jaw clenches, and I watch him as he back away a little bit. A tiny smile tugs at my lips at the sight of anxiety reflecting in his eyes. Kendall’s never been a tough guy to begin with, but he has always put on a macho façade to make people think otherwise. He’s never really had much a problem dealing with other guys; mainly because he likes to think that if he can’t overpower them physically then he can always break them down with what he thinks are clever, witty remarks to break the other guy down to size before any punches are thrown. But for some reason, it doesn’t look like he can think of anything to say to Brian that will make him back down.

“Well, just so you know, she’s a lying little bitch and isn’t worth your time. Just don’t say that someone didn’t warn you,” Kendall mutters before he quickly turns to walk out of the parking lot, leaving me with my savior.

I bite the inside of my bottom lip and glance over at Brian, unsure of what I should say to him. I mean, he did just get Kendall to leave me alone; so should I just say thanks and leave it at that? But then again, why was Brian even here? Did he follow me over here and just decided to step in? He did follow me out after class, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he did.

“Thanks for that, Brian,” I mumble as I look down at my feet.

“It’s not a problem, Piper. Who was that prick anyway?”

“That lovely person was my ex-boyfriend Kendall. He’s kinda an ass.”

“Wait, you dated that jerk?” he asks, and I let my eyes flicker up to look at him.

“Unfortunately, yes, I did. I guess I thought that he was charming or something like that. Now I don’t know what I ever saw in him.”

“Well, at least I get it now.”

“Get what?”

“Why you’re so guarded. If I had a shitty ex like that, I think I’d be the same way.”

“I’m not guarded,” I defend, crossing my arms across my chest.

“Sure, you’re not,” he says with a tiny smirk. “But you gotta remember that just because he’s a jerk, it doesn’t mean that all guys are.”

“I know that.”

“I’m sure you do. I was simply just reminding you that little fact.”

“Well, thanks, but I didn’t need any reminding.”

“Alright, if you say so; well, I guess I will be seeing you in class then, Piper.”

“Okay…” I trail off, watching Brian as he turns to walk away. I furrow my brow and bite my bottom lip for a moment. “Wait, Brian!”

He stops and turns to face me. “Yeah, Piper?”

“What are you doing here anyway?”

“I was just walking to my car. I heard that douche bag shouting and when I saw that he was talking to you, I decided to step in and help you out.”

“Oh… Okay. I was just wondering.”

“You thought I followed you out here, didn’t you?” he chuckles, an amused smile pulling at his lips.

“No… I mean… I was just making sure. I mean, the whole stalker thing was kind of a joke, but if you were really stalking me then that’s not cool.”

He gives a light laugh and shakes his head. “Nah, stalking’s not really my kind of thing. I usually get here early enough to park in another lot, but I was running late this morning and this was the only lot that had any spaces left.”

“Yeah, I know. I had the same problem this morning. I thought I had enough time to get here without having to worry about parking and all, but I guess people had early classes today or something.”

“Looks like it. I know a few people who commute that like to go for the early classes and just have all their classes back to back so they’re not waiting around on campus for their next one; that and they end up getting home sooner.”

“Yeah, I put all my classes back to back so I can get home earlier in the day, too. Just makes it easier since I don’t live on campus and all.”

“Yeah, it’s nice not living in the dorm, but commuting definitely has its downsides.”

“Mmhmm,” I nod, crossing my arms across my chest and letting my gaze fall back down to my shoes.

We fall into an awkward silence and I bite my lip, wondering if I should just thank him again so we can both go our separate ways. I look up at him again, and his eyes meet mine. I give him a tiny smile, and he returns the gesture. But the uncomfortable silence continues, and I just wish that it would end already. I’m thankful that he defended me, but now I wish that he had never come by. I think I’d rather deal with Kendall’s insults than to stand here any longer with Brian.

“Well, I guess that I should get going,” he says, breaking the silence, and I nod my head in agreement.

“Yeah, I guess so. Thanks again for the whole Kendall thing.”

“Yeah. Yeah, it’s not a problem. Anything I can do to help. So, I’ll be seeing you in class on Friday then, right?”

“Yeah, Friday.”

“Great. I’ll see you then, Piper.”

“Bye, Brian,” I tell him with a small wave.

He smiles, and I watch him as he begins to walk back to his car. I readjust the strap of my messenger bag and exhale audibly through my mouth, stating to short walk to my car. I pass by a couple of cars and stop in my tracks, looking back to where Brian had walked off to. He’s not too far away; I can see him start to pull something out of his pocket, probably his car keys, and I bite my bottom lip.

“Hey, Brian?” I call out.

He looks up at me, and I nervously chew on the inside of my bottom lip as I walk across the lot to where he’s standing. He sees me heading towards him and he starts walking over to me, meeting me halfway. I take a deep breath and look up at him, mentally debating over what I should say.

“What is it, Piper? Is there something wrong?”

“No, nothing’s wrong,” I reply with a gentle shake of my head. “I was just… I was just wondering if that offer for lunch is still standing.”

He smiles and nods his head. “Yeah, it is. Why? Are you thinking of taking me up on it now?”

“Just as a thank you,” I clarify. “I mean, you did just save my ass from my stupid ex; the least I can do is have lunch with you.”

“I wouldn’t think anything else of it,” he replies, still smiling.

“So, that’s a yes to lunch?”

“Of course it is.”

“Great. So, did you have any place in mind?”

“Well, I was gonna go to this diner not too far from here, but we can always go somewhere else if you want.”

“No, the diner sounds fine to me.”

“Great, so, do you wanna catch a ride with me or--”

“I’ll just follow you there,” I quickly answer without giving him a chance to finish his sentence.

“Oh, alright.”

“Well, it’s just that it’s just more convenient if we just took separate cars. It saves us having to make another trip back here and all just to get my car to drive home and all.”

He nods his head in agreement. “Right. Yeah, I guess it would just kinda be a waste of time having to come back here and all since we’re both done with classes for the day. Alright; so I’ll just lead the way then.”

“That’d be best since you know where this place is. Which one’s your car?” I ask, looking past him a little to see if I can remember where he had stopped earlier.

“The black Impala. Why?”

“Because I need to know what car to follow out of here in case someone else pulls out of the lot when we do,” I reply, trying to find the Impala he’s talking about, but I don’t see any Impalas behind him. “I don’t see it. You said an Impala?”

“Yeah. Here, let me show ya,” he says, waving his hand for me to follow him.

I adjust the strap of my messenger bag again and follow him past a few cars, still trying to spot his car, but I’m not finding an Impala anywhere. Maybe he just doesn’t know what kind of car he drives and thinks that he drives an Impala. He stops beside an old black car, and I knit my eyebrows together.

“This is my car,” he says proudly, and my gaze goes to the old car beside him.

I take a good look at the car and my eyes grow wide. “Oh, my God. Is this a 1967 Chevy Impala?”

“Yeah, it is actually. How do you know that?”

“This has been my dream car ever since I was fifteen. My dad used to have one, but he wrecked it. I saw the pictures of it when he had it, though, and it was a gorgeous car. I never thought that I would actually see one up close, though. Where did you find it? I’ve looked everywhere and haven’t been able to come up with anything.”

“I found it a couple years ago. There was a guy trying to get rid of it for two-thousand bucks. It wasn’t in great condition; it needed some body work, but the engine was pretty sound. I’m still working on it, though.”

“Well, it looks beautiful now; you did a great job on it. I still can’t believe you actually have this car,” I tell him as I continue to gape at the Impala.

“So, you still want to follow me to the diner? I can always give you a ride there and drop you back off here when we’re done.”

I bite my lip for a moment, my gaze still on his car. It’s such a pretty car, and I’ve always wanted to ride in a ‘67 Impala; but if I agree to ride with him, I have a feeling that he’ll start to think that this isn’t just a thank you but a date, and I definitely don’t want him to think that. But I’d really like to ride in the Impala…

“I really think it’d be best if I just followed you there. It’s just more convenient that way, ya know?”

“Right. Well, maybe I can give you a ride some other time.”

“Yeah, some other time,” I reply without thinking, immediately kicking myself at the words that just stumbled out of my mouth.

“Well, let’s get going then,” he says with a grin.

“Alright; I’ll see you there,” I tell him as I head back to my car.

“See ya there.”

I make my way across the parking lot and pull my car key out of my pocket. I unlock the door and glance over at Brian’s car to see that he’s still standing there, probably just to check which car will be following him to the diner. I try to ignore him and slip inside my car. I toss my schoolbag in the passenger’s seat and start up the car. I buckle my seatbelt and check if the coast is clear before I start to back out of the space. I look back over at where Brian’s car was and see him already driving towards the exit closest to me.

I take a deep breath as I put the car in drive and start to pull up behind Brian’s car. He drives out onto the street, and I check for oncoming traffic before I move out of the lot behind him, letting out a heavy sigh and shaking my head softly.

Is going to lunch really such a good idea? Maybe I should have come up with some other way to thank him because now he probably thinks that I like him after he stood up to Kendall for me, but I couldn’t think of any other way to show my gratitude for what he did for me. Most people would have just let me take care of Kendall on my own, but he didn’t, and I felt like his actions deserved more than a simple thank you. But now I can’t help but wonder what I’m getting myself into.