Hidden Temptations

Chapter Eight

A few blocks from the coffee shop in downtown Seattle, I couldn’t even remember my fear of being in a car. Sarah and I have been singing and dancing to music the whole time. She is my cure to all of my fears. I couldn’t have asked for a better friend to help me through this. The only thing I've been worried about during the drive was the suburban following us, but it never showed up. Maybe I made it up in my head, panicked about nothing. There are a lot of suburbans in Seattle. Sarah turns down the radio.

“Date time!” Pulls into a parking spot on the side of the road next to the coffee shop.

“There he is.” I point towards a table on the sidewalk in front of the coffee shop. I instantly get nervous and blush. By the time I turned to look at Sarah she was already out of the car with my wheelchair at my car door. She opens the door, she helps me hobble into the chair and starts pushing me towards the table Bryan is sitting at. Fixing my dress to cover all of the mess and damage from the accident, I smile.

“Hey Bryan.” I say, he stands up and turns around to see me and smiles.

“Hey Addie! Wow, you look great!” He pushes the other chair out of the way so Sarah can push up my wheelchair to the table.

“I’m looking as best as I can right now.” I let out a small giggle, I looked up at Sarah and nod at her to let her know I will be okay. “A French Vanilla Latte.” Sarah winks at me knowing that’s what I always get. She goes off to get my coffee.

Bryan sits back down, already with a coffee in his hands. He seems nervous as well.

“So, how’ve you been? I mean.. uh.. I’m no good at this.” He stubbles with his words. It’s cute, but sort of awkward.

“No, it’s okay. Other than the chair I am doing alright. It’s a big adjustment, but enough about that, are you excited for your big football scholarship?” I adjust myself sitting up straighter.

“Very! It’s a huge opportunity for me.” He continues on a little bit about how he’s excited to go PRO. I couldn’t help myself but stare into his blue eyes, watch his perfect smile, oh no. I’m starting to gush.

“Here you go, I’m gonna go sit over there. Let me know if you guys need anything.” Sarah hands me my coffee and walks across the sidewalk to a different table and takes out her phone.

“It’s nice of her to help you out.” He motions at Sarah.

“Yeah, she's definitely the greatest friend I could ask for.”

“What are you going to major in college?” Bryan takes a sip of his coffee.

“Biology. Only thing I really have a passion for.”

“That’s cool. Can I ask you something?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“When do you think you’ll be out of your wheelchair?” He blushes, as if it was a bad question to ask.

“I’m not too sure, but hopefully before my birthday party next weekend.” I smile reassuring him it’s okay to ask about my accident or how I’m feeling.

“Oh, about that. Would you let me be your date? Sarah kinda hinted that you didn’t have one yet, and I would like to take you.” He places his hand on mine, it was warm, a little sweaty, he was definitely nervous, or it’s from holding his coffee.

“Yeah, I would like that.” My smile gets even bigger. How can I say no to this beautiful man. I take a look around our surroundings to avoid his eyes. Then I see it. The suburban, sitting down the road, facing right at me. I slip my hand away from Bryan’s.

“You okay?” He looks in the direction as I am. “Do you know who that is?” I look back at Bryan, he notices the suburban too.

“No, I don’t.”

“They have been sitting here since I got here. I thought it was kinda weird.” That means they know where I was headed, but I didn’t see them follow me. The fear returns.

“Addie?” I look up to my left, it’s Mr. Matthews.

“Hi!” I’m shocked, I never thought I would see him again. I can tell by his face he is just as shocked, but not by me, but what has happened to me.

“Are you okay? What happened?” I look at Bryan, he looks annoyed that he is interrupting our date.

“Yeah I’m doing better, I was in a car accident.” He places his hands on my shoulder, sparks. I’ve never felt this way before. The rush of emotion, lust, and s****l tension flows through my body. He made me forget all about Bryan sitting across from me.

“I am sorry to hear that. You need something from me, you know how to contact me.” His voice vibrates through my head, it was music to my ears. My heart beats fast and my face turns red, all I want in this moment is him.

“Hi Mr. Matthews.” Bryan’s voice snaps me back, I look at him and he looks mad.

“Hi Bryan. Good luck with the football scholarship, and you can call me Ian. You’re not my students anymore.” I look back up at Mr. Matthews, Ian, and he gives me a wink and walks away.

“Well that was weird.” Bryan said before chugging the rest of his coffee.

“Yeah, weird.” I watch Ian walk away, so perfect, every once of that man is perfect.

“It’s about time I go, I got some football stuff to wrap up with the college, I will text you, alright?” He stands up, walks towards me and kisses me on the cheek. Nothing. I felt nothing, after Mr. Matthews, I mean Ian, came up. My feelings toward Bryan disappeared.

“Bye.” I wave as he walks away. I sit there for a little bit and gather myself and finish my coffee. I looked up the road, it’s still there, and the suburban watched the whole thing. I start wheeling myself up the road towards it, I need to confront them. It hurts, using my broken wrist, I just need to see what they want. They speed off, they don’t want to talk.

“Where are you going?” Sarah comes up behind me and grabs my chair and we head back towards her car.

“Just thought I saw something.” I let her take me back to her car, the thoughts about the note rolled back into my mind, the texts, I forgot to open the “unknowns” text last night!