Love Alone

I take step outside and listen as the bus drives away. The night is so dark it swallows almost all the light from the buildings. During the day the campus is crowded with students coming and going but now it’s completely empty. Suddenly I remember the poster I read with a warning going out to all females that a man had attempted to rape a young student on campus a few nights ago. Luckily she got away, but they didn’t catch the man. The poster had a startling statistic revealing that one in four women are raped. I cringe at the thought that I could be one of them.

NO!

I start to walk quickly towards my dorm and remember it’s the furthest one from campus. I pick up the pace and practically jog. I hear something behind me and get goose bumps—Oh dear God it’s that man, he’s following me! I start running and before I know it my feet get tangled and I trip. I land on my knees and catch myself with my hands so that my face doesn’t slam against the pavement. Oh no why did I have to work so late today? I get up and look around hoping I out ran who ever was following me. I catch my breath and listen for any signs of a person creeping close by. Nothing—no breathing no footsteps just silence.

Maybe I’m just paranoid? This is still way too creepy! I look to my left and see a dim blue light. Yes! I walk towards it and see the button that calls for campus security. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind walking me to my dorm especially with that warning out. I run to the light post and press the button. I can hear my heart beat loudly as I wait for assistance. What’s taking so long? Agh I get the feeling someone is watching me and turn around quickly. It’s no one just me being paranoid and then I turn around again—Ahhhh! I yell and throw a punch at the tall figure that suddenly appeared behind me.

“Jesus!” The guy yells and takes a step back away from the light. He covers his face in pain and I can’t tell what he looks like. Oh no is this him the creeper sexually assaulting women!?

“Stay away from me!” I press the button a few more times. Oh screw the button I’m leaving! I turn and run in the opposite direction when the guy yells, “Miss I’M campus security!” Is he really? I stop and look back at where he’s standing. From where I’m standing it looks like the guy has a uniform on and a radio hanging from his pocket.

“How do I know you’re not lying?”

“Lying? About being security?”

“Yes! How do I know you didn’t just attack the real security guard and steal his clothes in order to rape young unsuspecting women?” At this point we are both practically yelling since we are standing far from each other.

“You have a sick mind . . . and trust issues,” he yells and for some reason I walk towards him, but I’m still far enough to run away quickly if he decides to attack me. I stand and try to get a better look at him. He looks too young to be a security guard.

“I can’t really prove to you that I’m a real security guard expect maybe I can show you my campus ID card. Actually you might not even believe me then.” Why should I believe him? I could just walk to my dorm alone.

“Why did you even call security if you’re just going to run away and go off into the darkness on your own?” He makes a good point and he sounds like he’s telling the truth. I hope my judgment does not mislead me. I walk towards him and he says, “My name is Tyler by the way.”

Tyler? Sounds oddly familiar. Tyler ? Tyler!

“You’re Kayla’s older brother the senior?”

“Kayla Jones?”

“Yes she’s my roommate.” I recall that Kayla once told me her older brother works as campus security. Oh crap this is embarrassing. . .

“That’s my sister alright. So you’re her roommate eh?” He starts to laugh and I can’t help but feel that it’s at me. I made a complete fool out of myself, great.

“What a terrible first impression,” I say and start to laugh.

Once I’m standing in front of him we shake hands and I get a better look at him. He’s wearing black pants and a black button up shirt with a campus security badge clipped on the right side of his chest. His radio is hanging from his belt and next to it his college ID cards also hangs. I look up at him and smile feeling a tad bit safer. He smiles back at me and his eyes smile along with him. He has black curly hair, light brown eyes, a five o’clock shadow and a sharp jaw line. He’s so cute . . .

We start walking towards my dorm and he explains, “The university likes to hire students as security that way the person is already familiar with the campus. Plus students feel safer when it’s someone they know that is in charge of safety and not just some stranger. Don’t worry though I am qualified to be security. I’m CPR certified, I take boxing lessons, I know karate and the list just goes on.”

“It’s great that you’re telling me all of this but why are you doing it? I don’t mean it to sound rude I’m just wondering why.”

“I just want to gain your trust that’s all.” Wow this is some guy. Trying to gain my trust? He doesn’t even know me why does he care if I trust him or not?

“Why does it matter?”

“I’m campus security people are supposed to trust me and I don’t want you feeling unsafe around me. I wouldn’t be doing my job right if you remain afraid.”

“Oh, well then you seem trust worthy but I’m still not sure.”

“Really?” We reach my building complex, I just wave and run inside not giving him a chance to say anything else.

For the next two weeks I end up working a late shift and arriving at the campus late at night. I try to lock my paranoia away, but I just can’t. Every night I try to walk to my dorm all by myself and every night I hear something that sends me running to the security post. Tyler always has to come and tell me there is no one following me and escort me to my dorm. He must think I’m crazy.

I walk towards my dorm and don’t hear anything alarming this time so maybe I can actually get to my dorm on my own tonight. I approach the light post and see Tyler standing there with his bike and a backpack on.

“What are you doing here?”

“I figured I would spare you the effort of pressing the button frantically.”

“I’m actually not panicking. I haven’t heard anything startling so I think I can make my way to the dorm on my own tonight,” I say proudly.

Tyler takes my coffee mug from my hand and drinks the rest of it. I stare at him awkwardly as he drinks from it. I just met him two weeks ago and he already feels comfortable enough to drink my coffee? He’s so strange.

“Can I give you a ride there?” Why did he bring his bike and a backpack today?

“I got off early tonight so I was on my way back to my apartment and decided to wait for you.”

“Um I don’t know can’t you just walk me? Do I have to hop on your bike?” How awkward I don’t want to ride with him.

“I’m kind of in a rush.” Yes perfect excuse for me to not ride with him.

“Then don’t wait for me.”

“Just get on the bike Gina.”

“Fine.” I can’t believe I’m going to do this.

I step onto the pegs his bike has and grab onto his backpack. He starts peddling and I notice he takes the long way.

“I thought you were in a rush?”

“I’m not. I just said that so you could get on the bike. Does this mean you trust me now?” So this is what he’s up to eh?

“Yeah right.” I laugh and I can tell he’s getting annoyed. He’s been asking me that same question all week. I stop laughing and he doesn’t say anything, maybe I shouldn’t have said that? I want to say something else but what? I think of something to lighten the mood and hear something coming from behind us.

“What was that!?” I say and look back but lose my balance and almost fall off. The scare from almost falling makes me close my eyes not wanting to watch myself hit the ground. I grab onto Tyler as a way to stabilize myself and pause for a moment. Once I open my eyes I realize my cheek is pressed against his backpack and I’m practically hugging him from behind.

“Careful,” he says and I want to let go and grab on to his backpack again, but just can’t. I like this way better. Then again I hear that noise and start to panic—ruining the nice moment.

“There it is again!” I look behind me again and lose my balance except this time Tyler hits a bump or something so I hang on to whatever I can. After a few seconds I realize I put my arm around his neck and have him in a chock hold. If I let go of him I’ll fall for sure, but I’m chocking him. What do I do? I feel Tyler squirming around and the bike moves along with him until we end up flying off the bike and into the ground.

~~~
I pause and decided to end the story there. They all sit with smiles on their faces imagining Tyler being chocked by me. My silence allows for the pain to creep back in and reattach itself once the last word leaves my lips.

“Real cute,” comments Mrs. Jones. She leaves the room and comes back with my clothes.

I change and Mr. Jones offers to take me home. I sit in the car and stare out the window until we arrive at the campus. He says goodbye and I smile at him, thankfully he didn’t expect me to talk on the ride back. I walk back to my dorm and recall what happened after we fell. I couldn’t tell his parents it would be too weird.

~~~

Tyler lands right on top of me, but it’s not cute like in the movies. I end up face down with my mouth in the grass and he ends up fine. I managed to cushion his fall but his feet are near my head, my legs and his arms are tangled so if I move I might kick him. How did this happen? “Oooooouch,” I say with a mouth full of grass and my limbs all tangled up.

He untangles his arms and is careful not to kick me. He rolls off and sits up. I roll over onto my back and stare at the stars. “Are you ok?”

“I don’t understand how couples in the movies can fall romantically on top of each other. This hurts like hell and it is not the least bit romantic!” I rant and try to make myself laugh so that I can ease some of my physical pain. Luckily I’m not the only one laughing at my own comment, Tyler joins in too. “How is it that you didn’t get hurt even the slightest bit?” I spit some grass out and sit up rubbing my knees to relieve some of the pain.

“I’m superhuman which means I don’t get hurt,” he jokes.

“Sure that’s why you were in so much pain the night I punched you,” I respond and Tyler pulls out a few blades of grass from my hair.

“I guess you’re my weakness,” he says. I don’t know what to think of his comment.

He sits closer to me and takes a blade of grass out of my bangs. He smiles at me and moves his face closer to mine.

“We really should get going,” I whisper. His lips are really close to mine and my heart starts to beat faster.

“Mmhm,” he mumbles and leans in for a kiss. The moment our lips touch, joy races through my entire body. I love this feeling this sweet, joyful, peaceful feeling. I don’t want this feeling to go away. I place my hands on his cheeks and slowly make my way into his hair and run my fingers through it. After a few minutes he backs away and smiles.

“Trust me yet?”

I nod and he takes my hand and we walk back to his bike. I thought the feeling would go away once the kiss ended but it didn’t. It wasn’t the kiss that made me feel that way it’s him.

It’s him.