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eyes. Nice excuse, Alice . I had to have dozed off because class had never gone by so fast. “Wake up,” he said. My eyes shot open and I looked at my side view mirror to see Cole and Camille walking up to my car. I slid the seat up, shoved my bad habit deep in my pocket and stepped out.
    “Give me your keys,” he said. I started to argue but was too tired to really even try. I threw my keys to him and he handed them Camille. “Drive her car to the bar. I’ll drive Alice since she isn’t feeling good enough to have left yet.” Very clever, Cole , I thought.
    I nodded and followed slowly behind Cole toward his shiny car. He turned and reached for my hand. Normally I would have reached miles to touch his hand; today, however I was too afraid he would see my bashed up knuckles, so I just kept my arms folded. He stopped walking and wrapped his arm through my own like a gentleman. I barely heard Camille’s squeak in excitement behind us as I felt the electricity pulse between us. It was almost as if a part of him was surging through me. He opened the door to his sleek car and I released myself from him and got in. The first few miles, he didn’t say a single word to me. Some music played at too soft a level to hear and he had his extremely tinted windows cracked just enough to hear the roar of the engine. The drive was going fine but then I felt him, his concern for me; it pained him. “What happened?” He demanded.
    “Excuse me? I’m sick.”
    “Alice, do not bullshit me. You have a huge dent in the side of car and your face looks bruised under those giant, ridiculous glasses. Just tell me what happened.”
    “I can’t.” I wanted to but how could I?
    “I’m here for you. You think I go to this bar because it’s convenient?” I sat in silence, staring at the air vents on the dashboard. “And what is with that scarf? It’s hot as hell out.”
    “Cole, I just can’t,” I pleaded. How could this be the moment he was going to give me the “I’m into you” signals?
    “It can’t be that bad,” he said.
    “Not that bad?” I said feeling the anger rise. “Pull the car over.”
    “You are not getting out of this car on the side of the highway,” he protested.
    Pull the damn car over now and I will show you . He stared at me in shock. Eyes on the road . I had no idea if it would work but clearly it did. He pulled over onto the shoulder and threw it in park. My bravery fleeting as quickly as it had arrived, I shakily pulled out my cigarettes for comfort. He grabbed my hands, looking at my knuckles. The pain dulled from his touch almost instantly. Go ahead and smoke , his voice said. I lit one and took in a deep breath. As I exhaled, I removed the scarf, listening to his reaction. He held in his gasp but his mind was louder than his words ever could have been. I took off my sunglasses and stared into his beautiful, amber eyes.
    “What happened to you?” he begged, trembling.
    “I can’t explain it. I’m honestly not even really sure.” He nodded, grabbing my hand and holding it tightly to his chest. I felt his calmness run up my arm, washing the pain off like rain. I wondered if he knew that he was doing it. I inhaled, pulling my newly found tears back in. He kept one hand locked with mine and used the other to put us back in drive and pull away. I rolled the window down, letting the cool air rush against my battered face. I closed my eyes, soaking in this moment. Regardless of how I imagined it would be, this being far from it, for a short moment, I was alone with him and by his choice. I curled up against the door and started daydreaming of an ice bath.

    My bruised skin started to feel inflamed. My eyes shot open and I found myself alone in Cole’s car on the side of the road. I jumped out of the car, slipping into a panic as I spun around searching for him; but he was nowhere in sight. The darkness was consuming. I must have fallen asleep for hours. Did he leave me here? I started regretting