Fragments

Lost

I can't believe it. I got lost. On the way to church. It isn't that far away from my house and I've been there over a hundred times. And yet I got lost the first time I try to go there by myself. I was so confident when I left the house, and it was all working out until I second-guessed myself and took the wrong turn.

I'm so frustrated, I pull off to the side of the road. It's not like anyone would notice, I'm on a rickety side road in the middle of nowhere. Did our church really have to be this far into the country? Not that I don't love the scenery, it's just the whole getting lost without anyone around.

I take a deep breath and turn off the radio which isn't helping right now. I close my eyes and lean my head against the headrest. The clock on the dashboard says 6:48. I need to get to youth group soon or I'm going to be late. It doesn't help when I notice that I also need to get fuel on the way home if I ever get there.

I roll my eyes at the thought. Then everything goes quiet. It feels like my eyes are going to pop out of my face and I could run a hundred miles with the adrenaline that just burst through my veins. "No. Nonononono!"

My dad's ol' reliable truck that only has a problem with its battery sometimes when it's being temperamental and doesn't start on cold mornings just stalled. "This cannot be happening."

I tried to start it again and watch the battery level dip way below where it's supposed to be. "You've got to be joking!"

When I try again nothing is different. I grab my phone and get out of the truck. A deep breath does little to relax me. Don't worry, You can still call someone. Everything's going to be fine.

You know, unless there is no phone signal anywhere on these stupid back roads! My hands start shaking with anger. The phone goes gently in the truck before I crush it. My hands crash through my hair and I am about to give up entirely and just scream, but then I notice that I've parked in front of a house. I didn't see it at first for all the trees in front of the beautiful two-story.

There is a car backing out of the driveway too! It might be a psycho killer, but if i don't take a chance, I might become one. "Hey!" I run up to the Jeep waving my arms around my head wildly.

The window rolls down. "Liza?" 

"Hey, Jimmy." Suddenly I'm a nervous wreck instead of a raging one. When I first met Jimmy, he was the best friend of the boy who made my best friend cry in 6th grade. I went to a different school in 7th grade, but when I came back in 8th grade, he was a different person. He even started showing up to my youth group. Let's just say I might have developed a slight crush on him in the past few years. 

I smile shyly before getting back to business. "Hey, uh. I kinda need a jump, could you help me out?"

He looks over to my truck, then at the clock on his dashboard. "Hmm. Well, why don't you ride with me to youth group, then we can deal with that when we get back. That's where your headed, right?"

"Yeah. I kinda got lost. Took a wrong turn because I second-guessed myself. Thank you so much. I'll just grab my bible and phone and be right back." I did such, but not without a small squealing session before running back to his jeep and into the passenger seat. "Thank you, again.

"No problem. It was my duty to save the damsel in distress." He grins.

"I was not a damsel in distress." 

"You looked about ready to scream and rip your hair out."

"True," I admit. "You did save my vocal chords and hair. I do love my hair and being able to speak, so thank you. But I did know what was wrong and how to fix it, so all I was in danger of was anger issues. My uncle's a mechanic. Between him and my parent's record with car trouble, I'm not as lost as most girls when looking at an engine."

"Not many girls, or boys for that matter, can claim that. But you were still a damsel in distress."

"Well, I was freaking out! My phone had no signal and I was stranded on a desolate street. I would've had everything sorted eventually." We pull into the church parking lot. "But thank you for the ride." I start to gather my things. "Uh... You are going to give me a ride back right?"

"And you were trying to tell me you aren't a damsel in distress." He looks at me for a second. "Of course I'll bring you back. You think I'd leave you stranded at church?"

"No," I was suddenly shy again. This all sounded too much like a date in my head. "I was just making sure. I have a terrible sense of direction. I am a damsel in distress when it comes to that."

We get to the doors and I am bombarded by my friend (the only who doesn't know that I like Jimmy) "Liza!"

I smile almost apologetically at Jimmy as she pulls me in for a hug. She takes a look at the parking lot behind us while I watch Jimmy walk in and say hi to his friends.

"Where's the truck? I thought you were driving yourself." She stares at me quizzically.

"I did but I got lost and the truck stalled in front of Jimmy's house, so he drove me here, and then he's gonna jump the truck when we get back."

"Oh, you should have called me."

"My phone didn't have any signal." The pastor called us in then for youth group to begin.