To Save You (6 page)

Chapter Eleven

Presley Masters

“What the...” Mathew's eyes were on me, but I had to look away. I wouldn't be able to lie to him if I was looking him in the eyes. “What happened to your tire?” It was on the rest of the road. Half of my tire was gone.

I was driving a hundred miles an hour and I must've ran over something sharp and my tire just ripped open in seconds. I got lucky no one was on the road, I had swerved and I was panicking. Somehow in midst of a panic attack, I managed to pull over. Took me about half an hour before I could even call James.

“I don't know.” I couldn't come up with anything that would make sense.

“How fast were you going?” I shrug. “Presley.” I looked at him.

“A hundred.” His green eyes widened.

“Do you have a death wish?” The Northern Highway was considered one of the most dangerous roads in Illinois. It was a rural area that went on for miles, what made it dangerous was the sharp turns. Night time was usually when the accidents happened.

“I was doing fine. The flat was not my fault.” He rolls his eyes.

“I can see you had trouble pulling over right away, This needs to be fixed before a tire could be put back on it.” I had been driving on the metal part of the tire or whatever. I couldn't stop soon enough and now my parents were going to kill me.

“What am I going to do?” I sat on the grass and I wanted to cry, but I wouldn't. I never cried when I was with people, I hated doing that, I always wanted to be alone when my emotions came pouring out.

“I have a buddy who can fix it up, I'll have him tow it to his garage.” I nod.

“Thank you, Mathew.”

“I'll be right back.” He went back to his car, his tools would be of no use tonight. I texted Dessie that I would be late to movie night.

She convinced me to come back after the few days I took off of school. I didn't want to come back. I had been offered another freelance job at the art gallery. Someone there recognized my name from European magazines, and he offered me an opportunity. I would have to travel to LA to get photos of some surfers.

I got home and my parents were getting ready to leave for a conference in Texas. I told them, and they immediately shot me down. They said I had to finish college first before I could even start thinking about jobs. That I couldn't be missing class for a stupid job.

“Come sit in the car, it'll be a while.” Mathew says as he opens the passenger door for me. I get up and I walk on over to him.

He closes the door behind me and I watch as he gets into the drivers seat. “How long did he say?” I ask.

“Twenty minutes.” I nod slowly. “I thought we had plans after the soccer game.” I had been waiting for this question.

“You don't want to be seen in public with me because of James. I don't think I am okay with being a booty call to you, I'm sure you have many volunteers.” I look away.

“You're not a booty call, Presley.” I could hear that I had irritated him a bit with what I said. “I like you. I know I barely know you, but I want to know more about you.”

“Why? There is nothing remotely interesting about me. I'm a plain looking girl who does photography. I care too much about what people think. I am flawed. I-ugh- there's just nothing interesting about me. Why do you even like me?”

“You are extremely interesting to me, Presley.” He says in a way that I just have to look at him. His green eyes are dark in the lighting. “You are not plain, trust me. Your blue eyes are a blue I don't think has even been discovered, your lips are so plump I just want to kiss you every time you talk. Your photography is beautiful. Everyone is flawed, and I know you're battling your demons, and I am willing to help you out in any way I can.” He's touching my arm. My bad arm.

“Please.” My eyes are stinging with tears. He raises my wrist to his lips. I watch as he kisses the wounds on my bad wrist. I think I stop breathing. I thought Mathew would be like the others, just pretending that those markings don’t exist. He’s acknowledging them. What?

“Stop.” I say in a whisper and I close my eyes in fear that I would cry. He lets go of my wrist realizing that he’s upset me.

“Talk to me.” He pleads.

I look at him, the tears falling quite quickly. The high I had while driving a hundred miles an hour was now gone. I hated my brain. Whenever I felt good and things were clear, I always fell into this black hole afterward.

“I’m messed up. I’m a broken person. Why would you want me?” He wipes the tears away.

“Beautiful, I already told you why. I will take you as your are. I meant it when I said that I would help you. I keep my word.”
I can’t be helped. I can’t be loved.

“I can’t ask you to be the person that I call when I’m having a bad day. I’ve been doing fine alone for four years. I can do this by myself.” I can bring myself out of this nightmare alone.
Stop lying to yourself.

He keeps looking at me and then grabs my phone out of my other hand. He’s typing something. “I’m serious. Even if it’s four a.m. on a Monday morning and there’s a tornado outside your dorm. I will get to you. I will be your person. I promise.” He hands me my phone back and I see that he’s put in his number.

“Thank you.” Mathew pushes a few of my hair strands behind my ear and he frowns. “What is it?”

“You look so distressed. I just want to kiss you however many times it takes to comfort you.” I bite my lip. “And then you do that. Do you even realize how incredibly sexy you look biting your lip? You’re killing me, beautiful.” I laugh. First laugh I’ve had in a few days.

“Can I kiss you?” I ask him. My heart was beating so fast.

“Yes.” I lean over the seat and I could see him waiting patiently…studying me. I softly pressed my lips against him.

I kissed him slowly for awhile. Then I did something I’ve only ever seen done on Tumblr and I’ve read about in books. I nibbled a bit on his lip and I caused a reaction I really did not think I was going to get.

He moaned. The kiss got hotter and suddenly, I felt his hands around my waist and he lifted me onto his lap.

“Is this okay?” He whispers. I nod and get back to his intoxicating lips. I’ve never gotten drunk before, but I imagine that this is almost the exact feeling. If not, better.

I could feel his hands on my hips, going up and down. Not really touching any place I haven’t given him permission to touch. I found it endearing, but also annoying.

My big sweater wasn’t too comfortable anymore so I took this opportunity. I pulled away and I pulled it over my head. I wasn’t wearing a shirt underneath.

“Don’t treat me like I’m fragile.” I plead. He nods. Finn is the only who has seen me naked, and even then I have never felt this comfortable with him like I do with Mathew. We’re in a car on a highway, I feel like this is a high school thing to do.

He kisses me on the lips for a moment before he starts making his way down. First my jaw, then my neck, then my collarbone, then my chest, and then…

Mathew kisses the part where my bra meets my breast and then sucks on it lightly. I push my chest closer to him, wanting more.

I was blessed with good boobs. It’s one of the few things I like about myself. I was a solid C cup, and I still don’t know how they happened. I was fairly thin other than my butt and boobs. Dessie told me the other day that she was jealous of how my curves were, but I was also jealous of hers.

“You taste so good.” He says. He looks up at me and I am just so fascinated with how green his eyes are in this light. “I want keep tasting you, but I think if we keep going, I will not last.” He nods down.

I start blushing as I realize that I’m sitting on his hardness. I’m about to move, but he stops me.

“I like you on top, just would you do me the favor of putting your sweater back on.” I giggle and I nod.

He passes me my sweater and I slip it on. Mathew keeps his hands underneath and I don’t mind it.

“You’re really beautiful.” He says softly as he’s looking into my blue eyes. I give him a small smile, but I don’t say anything. I thought differently, and I knew he’d tell me otherwise with a million reasons.

The yellow lights of the tow truck flashed behind us. I heard Mathew sigh and I got off his lap. He didn’t really say anything and he went outside to talk to the man. I just looked at my phone.

Dessie had been calling my phone nonstop but I hadn’t realized because my phone had been on silent. I called her back.

“Are you alive?” I could hear her southern coming out. She was a bit pissed off. I was over an hour late to our girls night.

“Yes.” I answer.

“Where are you?”

“My car has a flat, so I’m currently on the highway. A tow truck is about to tow it for me.” I say.

“And you couldn’t call me to tell me that?” I bite my lip.

“I got a bit busy and I texted you.” I began blushing.

“Oh.” There was silence and then she came back. “Busy with what?”

“Not a what. A who.”

“Who?” She yells into the phone. I giggle and look out the window to see Mathew still talking to the man.

“How about I tell you later? I’ll tell him to drop me off at your place.” I laugh knowing that I was working her up.

“Please, tell me!”

“I will.” I pause and see Mathew coming back towards my door. “I have to go get my stuff out of my car. I’ll see you in a bit, okay?”

“Ugh. Fine.” She hangs up and Mathew opens up the door on my side.

“If there’s anything you’d like to get out of your car, feel free to do it now.” I nod and he helps me out of his car.

When I get to my car I just open it to grab my bag and my camera for Photo. I hand the man my keys to give to the mechanic and I get back to Mathews car. He doesn’t look too happy, have I done something to upset him?

“Did I do something wrong?” I ask.

“No. That guy did.” Huh?

“What did he do?” The guy had said nothing to me and he didn’t look upset before I went to go retrieve my belongings.

“He was looking at something that was not his.” Oh. He was jealous because another man has looked at me.

As soon as I have my seatbelt on, Mathew pulls off the curb and onto the empty highway. There’s something in his expression and I just can’t help it. I have to take a photo. So I do. I sneakily turn on my camera and focus in on him.

The sunset lighting captures him perfectly. I take two and when I finish with the second one, he looks at me and smiles.

“Sorry, I couldn’t help it.” I bite my lower lip.

“There you go again biting your lip again. So fucking sexy.” He looks back at the road and gets on the exit that he almost misses to get back to SU.

As soon as we’re back on campus, I start to feel the anxiety I felt at home start creeping back in.

“Um. Can you actually drive to your apartment?” I ask him.

He nods. “Do you need to see James?” I shake my head.

“Dessie’s apartment is actually in the building right across from yours. I’m staying at her place tonight.” We didn’t have class tomorrow. It was a Saturday and Dessie wanted to do some catching up.

He pulls into the parking garage for the nearby apartments and he gets into his designated spot. Mathew turns off the engine and we get out. As he gets to my side, he’s just staring at me, thinking about something.

“Tomorrow night, lets go on a date. 6 pm.” He says. It’s not much of a question.

“Okay.” I nod.

“And no running this time.” I bite my lip and nod again. He kisses me and my phone buzzes with an incoming call.

“That’s Dessie.” I say between kisses.

He pulls away and leans his forehead against mine. Mathew sighs, but smiles at me. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He walks me to the elevator that leads to Dessie’s building. His buildings elevator is on the other side..

“Bye.” I say.

“Bye.” And the elevator doors close.

Chapter Twelve

Mathew Pennington

My breath was taken away when I saw Presley in her dress. It hugged her curves perfectly and the boots she was wearing made her legs look like they went on for miles. Purple suited her.

“Ready to go?” I ask her.

She was surprised that I came up to her dorm her to come get her. I think she expected me to text her when I was here. I was raised to be a gentlemen, and to always treat women with respect.

“Yeah. Do I look okay for where we are going?” She asks. I could see in Presley’s blue eyes that she was nervous. I remind myself that this has to be a perfect first date for her. It’s one she’ll remember forever.

“More than okay. You look perfect.” She blushes.

“Then I’m good.” She grabs her bag and I grab her hand. I give her a reassuring smile and she returns it.

“Pizza?” I nod. I’ve been driving for an hour to get back to Evanston. I hope she doesn’t think it’s because I don’t want to be seen in public with her around campus.

“You went straight to boarding school after eighth grade, right?” She nods, confused .about where I was going with this. “I am guessing you didn’t really get a chance to visit some of our local places. Luigi’s has the best pizza around.” We step inside and the place has candles lit all around and there is a table in the middle.

“You closed the shop down for the night? Just for our date?”

“Yes.”

“It’s beautiful. Wow.” I pull the chair out for her and she sits, then I sit across from her. Marco, the owner of the pizzeria, comes out with two big trays. He sets them down and opens them to reveal the biggest slice of pizza.

“Enjoy your night.” He says and gets to the back.

Presley is looking at me. “This is the biggest slice of pizza I have ever seen in my life.” She laughs.

“I know.”

We spend two hours talking and eating. I could just listen to Presley talk forever, I would never get bored.

“So what’s for dessert?” She asks. We both managed to slowly finish our slices of pizza and she seemed to really like it.

“Frozen yogurt.” We both stand.

“And did you close down this shop as well?”