Save Me

Chapter 10: My Superhero

Erika

"Let's go," Lucas said. We got up from the couch and Amy followed us. His family followed us into the mud room.

"Lucas, ¿Cuántas horas vas a estar afuera?" How long will you be gone?

"Por una hora y media," he said, putting on his shoes. About an hour and a half. I put on my shoes and jacket and got my stuff.

I went to his parents. "Thank you for having me."

"Oh, it's fine. Thank you for coming," Maria said, hugging me.

"You're welcome anytime," Will said, hugging me next.

I went to Amy and hugged her as well, pecking the top of her head. I let go and looked back at her.

"Bye, Amy!"

She just smiled.

I stood back up and waved at everyone again, who smiled in return and followed Lucas out to my car.

"Erika, do you trust me?"

"Why?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Just answer the question."

"Yes, I do."

"I'm taking you somewhere."

"Technically, I'll be taking you because you don't have your license for some reason."

Lucas sighed a little bit. "Just get in the car and follow the directions on my phone's GPS."

"Ugh, okay. Fine."

I settled myself in the driver seat and started the car, driving off. Out of my peripheral vision, I spotted the road we were supposed to turn onto but instead, I followed the GPS, passed it and got onto the highway, driving into the city.

"Luke, where are we going?"

"Somewhere."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were going to kill me." I turned on the signal and merged onto the highway.

"Well, I know how much you like surprises."

"I hate them."

"Exactly." I blew my hair out of my face, grumpy. If I could cross my arms, I would have. Luke looked back at me. "Now that's not a pretty face," he teased. He laughed at my grumpy behavior. "You're going to like it, I promise."

That was enough for me to calm down and admire the beauty of the buildings I drove past. The highway wasn't busy at all so I slowed down a few miles per hour. All the lights in the background from the various buildings that lined the horizon twinkled with a quiet kind of beauty. It was silent in the car, but it was a comfortable silence, full of excited anticipation. After about thirty minutes, we arrived at the address.

"Lucas, why are we at the edge of Miami?" I asked. From where were parked, I could see the water a few blocks from where we stood.

"Come on," he said, walking toward the beach water. I followed him to a road that was at the edge of the beach and followed him along the sidewalk. He stopped in front of a building. Deng Photography.

"What's this place?"

"Connor's dad's business," he said, taking me to the side of the building. He opened the side door with a key and it led into a stairwell. Roof Access. Lucas ran up the stairs two at a time and I was trying to recover from the first flight.

"Slow down, Luke. God damn."

"Maybe you shouldn't wear those death traps you call heels." I rolled my eyes. "You do that a lot," he remarked.