Just A Kiss

Chapter 16: AnnaLyn

I watch Caleb fall asleep, his chest slowly moving up and down. His lips are slightly parted, his hair lifted off of his forehead.

I smile a little. It was just a kiss, I think to myself. Inside I feel like I'm flying.

My eyelids are heavy, my muscles exhausted, but I don't want to sleep. If I do, this moment will go away.

I close my eyes, just to rest them for a second, but then my mind drifts off, and dreams fill the back of my eyelids.

***

"AnnaLyn, it's time to go home." Caleb says as he shakes me awake. He helps me up and puts his arm around me.

Leading me outside, Caleb smiles at me, but it doesn't seem the same. His eyes look different, too.

He opens the car door for me. I'm suddenly scared, the images of the crash playin over and over in my mind.

"It's okay." Caleb says and helps me onto the leather seat.

We drive onto the freeway entrance, cars speeding past us on the freeway. My heart pounds.

It's snowing, the roads icy and wet. I stare directly ahead of me, the sound of engines roaring in every direction.

A song plays on the radio, so I focus on the words.

Clinging to me
Like a last breath you would breathe
You were like home to me
I don't recognize the street

Please don't close your eyes
Don't know where to look without them
Outside the cars speed by
I never heard them until now

I know you care
I know it is always been there
But there's trouble ahead, I can feel it
You are just saving yourself when you hide it

Then I hear a loud crash, a car in front of us slipped, hitting another car that we're headed straight for.

I scream.

"AnnaLyn!" A voice yells. It's Caleb. My body shakes.

I open my eyes. I'm in the hospital room, Caleb's hands are on my shoulders and he looks worried.

"What?!" I say, grabbing his arms.

"You screamed in your sleep." Caleb says.

I try to remember what I dreamed about, but nothing comes to mind.

"You were sweating and crying."

Snow. I remember snow. I live in Texas, why would it snow? And cars. That's all I remember.

"Sorry.. I didn't mean to scare you." I say, letting go of his arms. His hands run down my arms, grabbing my fingers.

"It's alright. Go back to sleep." Caleb sits down in the chair, his hand still holding my fingers.

***

I wake up to people talking, but I keep my eyes closed.

"You didn't have to stay, Caleb." I recognize the voice as my moms.

"It's alright, I wanted to anyway."

"You can go see your dad. I need to talk to AnnaLyn."

"Okay." I feel Caleb's hand brush mine. Footsteps are all I have left of him now.

"AnnaLyn?" My mom puts her hand on my shoulder.

I open my eyes. "Hi mom."

"How ya feeling?"