Safe Zone

{Katy’s Point of View}

The moon light was bright as we laid under it in the middle of the baseball field. Matt had walked out of a party that we were invited to after seeing Val with another guy. So being the concerned friend, I followed him and the middle of the high school baseball field was where we ended up.

They had been together off and on for years, but according to him she had never been with another guy when they were on a break. Which I knew was a lie, but I wasn’t one to stir the pot.

“It just hurts,” He sighed, his hands behind his head as he looked up at the stars, “I mean. I know we’re on a break. But man, I didn’t think it was going to hurt this bad.”

“I’m sorry, Matt. I wish I could fix it,” I looked over at him as he kept staring up at the world’s ceiling. His eyes looked hurt and glossed over. It slowly made my heart hurt to see him that way because for about a month now I had been starting to have feelings for him, more than I already did.

Carefully, I kept watching his facial expressions, then watched him turn to his side and prop his head up with his elbow. He kept his eyes on mine, “I don’t know what to do anymore. Should I wait around or should I take my chances?”

“What chances would you be taking?” I asked, still laying on my back but could still see his face since he was propped up.

“Like with another girl or maybe just play the field a little.”

“Oh,” I mumbled, turning my attention up to the sky. My hopes were very high, but they dropped suddenly when he mentioned other girls.

“But I really can’t think of any other girl I’d want to be with except,” My heart was racing, what other girl was he ever around, why couldn’t he see past our friendship, “you.”

My thoughts stopped in their tracks and my mind went blank, “what did you say?”

“You, you’re the only other girl I could actually see myself with. I mean you’re loyal and you never keep me from my friends,” he kept looking away when we would make a brief eye contact, “I mean if you want to. We can take it slow and see if it works out. Definitely don’t want to rush into something and ruin our friendship.”

My young sixteen-year-old body began to tingle, “I mean I don’t see why we couldn’t. We’re always together anyways.”

“Then let’s give it a try,” Matt smiled and sat up, and I followed in suit. He leaned over and kissed my forehead, then stood up and helped me up. I felt like my legs were jello, literally I had been dreaming of this moment. He pulled me in close and wrapped his arms around my neck, my head laying on his chest. We had hugged me before like this but only when we were solely friends.

I would trade every single one of those hugs for this hug…



We were all sitting around the small fire pit, smiling and cracking jokes. There were old stories coming back up and new ones being formed. And for once my life didn’t seem boring dull and stuck on repeat.

“So how long have you and Brett been married?” Michelle asked sitting on Brian’s lap.

“Eight years,” I jokingly sighed then chuckled, patting Brett on the leg while he grabbed my hand and squeezed, rubbing the tops of my fingers with his thumb.

“So you don't have any kids yet?” Val asked with her head tilt. I hated this question, because it wasn’t a choice. I had never fell pregnant. Secretly, I figured it was karma. But then sometimes I figured it just wasn’t meant for me to be a mother.

“No,” Was all I could say. Matt was looking my way. He was probably thinking the exact same thing I was thinking. But no one else knew about our teenage mistakes, well except Jimmy.

“I’m kind of glad. We’re able to live free,” Brett spoke up. It angered me so much how he thought child were inconveniences.

“May I use your bathroom?” I asked, looking towards Val. If I were to look at Matt I would be liable to tear up.

“Of course,” Val nodded, but Matt started getting up before her.

“I’ll show her,” Matt smiled bending down and kissing Val. I quickly looked away and slipped my flip flops back on.

Matt led the way in to their house and took me down a hallway. We passed two other doors with neither of us saying a word. Matt stopped and then turned around, looking me in the eyes.

“You okay?” Frankly, I wasn’t expecting it. But I wanted to fall into his chest like when we were younger and he would wrap his arms around me. I felt safe there. My life seemed unbearable lately, like it wasn’t worth living. I was stuck in a rut, and couldn’t find a happy place.

But I just smiled, “Yeah. Just have to pee. You okay, Sanders?”

There was no way he was buying it, but then again we haven’t had a connection in over sixteen years.



“Go home, Sanders.” I motioned walking to my bedroom door then went to open it.

“What’s wrong, Kate?” Matt had both of his hands on my shoulders, now.

“Nothing, just want to be by myself for a while. There is nothing wrong, honestly. You know me,” I was looking down now, because my eyes were slowly starting to fill with tears.

“Exactly, I know you. And you called me Sanders, which means something is wrong. That’s your secret cry for help.”