Seven Dates

Chapter Twenty

"Um, I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. Could you please let me go?" I beg.

What am I thinking? What am I doing? I'm trespassing somewhere with a total stranger who very likely might beat me to a pulp right now. I glance around anxiously, looking for an escape. I would have to climb the fence to even get away from him.

"No, I can't. I'm going to make you regret thinking you could slap me," he says, twisting my arm.

It's not enough to break it, but it is enough to send a wave of pain all the way up to my shoulder. I jerk back, slipping out of his grip for just a moment, and grab the first thing I see. I don't even know what it is, I just slam it as hard as I can into his thigh.

It seems to do the job. He staggers back, grabbing at his thigh. Unfortunately, when Vince staggers back he falls into a glass door leading to the inside pool area. I hear a theft alarm strike up the instant the glass breaks.

"Damn it," he swears.

Panic races across his face. He looks at me, like he might fully attack me, but then he looks away from us. I hear him hiss under his breath and he takes off running, jumping over the fence and sprinting into town.

I do the same, except I choose to run the opposite direction. I climb over the fence slower than he does and only make it halfway down the street before the police catch me. I do my best to explain what happened to the officers who gaze down at me through narrowed eyes.

Thankfully, they seem to believe me. I doubt it's because of my story, but it seems like as soon as I mention Vince's full name they remember something. I can't help but feel curious.

"I'm sorry, do you know him?" I ask. The cop nearest to me chuckles.

"Know him? I can't wait to catch him. That kid has a history of causing problems. I'm just glad we have a witness and YMCA's footage now," he tells me.

I sigh, putting my hand against my forehead. Of course my best friends sent me out on a date with a criminal.