Learning to Swim

Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The next few days after Dane attacked me were difficult. The police still haven’t found him and it makes me extremely nervous. I haven’t seen any sign of Dane, but it still scares me that he could be lurking somewhere nearby and that I would never even know. I have been being extra cautious to make sure that I am never alone, mostly I've been with Liam, in case he does show up.

I did fill Liam in on the phone call from the police station and he took it better than I thought he would. I think he suspected that they wouldn’t be able to find Dane right away. He is still being extremely protective of me, refusing to let me out of his sight for very long. I think that he’ll probably continue to do this until he is sure that Dane is locked up and that I’m completely safe.

By that Friday, though, I was already starting to relax a little. Nothing has happened so far and I'm beginning to think that nothing will. I mean, Dane may have skipped town or something. It would have been the smart thing for him to do. I know that I still need to be careful, but each day that nothing happens I'm beginning to relax a little more.

That’s why when Maggie reminded me that we were supposed to go on a double date that night I didn’t see anything wrong with it. It’s not like I could stay locked up inside my house forever just because I’m scared something might happen. Liam, on the other hand, didn’t agree. He told me that Dane could be anywhere and it would be safer for me to just stay home. I then reminded him that he would be there too, so it’s not like I would be alone and Dane isn’t likely to try anything when other people are around. His only response to that was that it would just be easier to keep an eye on me if I just stayed at his house. I wasn’t sure if he was just being overprotective again or if he just didn’t feel like going out with Maggie and Daniel. I promised Maggie, though, and I honestly did want to go. So, in the end I just told Liam that I was going whether he did or not. This, of course, immediately convinced him to go as well. Maybe it was a bit selfish on my part, but I knew he would go even if he didn’t want to if I said I was going with or without him.

So, that’s how Liam and I ended up at the local pizza place on Friday night. I told Maggie to just decide where we should go and this is what she happened to choose. After we eat we are supposed to be going to a drive in movie theater. I’ve never been to one before, but I always wanted to so I’m kind of excited.

“Liam, you really didn’t have to come if you didn’t want to,” I tell him as we are walking up to the glass doors. I’m feeling really bad for making him come in the first place when I knew that he didn’t really want to.

“No way was I going to let you go anywhere alone. Not with Dane still out there somewhere,” Liam states grimly.

“I wouldn’t have been alone. I would have been with Maggie and Daniel,” I remind him softly.

“I know that, but the only way I can be certain you are safe is if I’m here. I won’t rely on anyone else, not when it comes to you,” he argues and I sigh deeply.

“Well, you can at least go home early if you want. I know that you really didn’t want to be here,” I say and he shrugs.

“I’m just tired is all and I guess I’m a little stressed. I have exams next week and there’s a lot I have to study for,” he admits and I feel my eyes widen.

“Why didn’t you tell me? I just thought that you didn’t feel like hanging out with my friends. If you had told me I would have just told Maggie we had to do it some other time!” I exclaim, feeling guiltier by the second.

“It’s fine, Dakota. I know you were looking forward to tonight and I didn’t want to disappoint you. I just wanted to make you happy and I knew that if I came you would be,” he says and I give him a little smile.