Safe by Rachel Hanna Page B

she thought it best to have his friendship for life than a dating relationship that would only end in heartache.
     
    “So what are you doing tonight?” Zinnia asked as she pulled her kinky red locks up into a ponytail.
     
    “I am staying home. I have one more exam on Monday, and I need to cram for it this weekend,” Carly said with a smile. She knew that her mother would be out of town over the weekend. She had a new boyfriend who lives in Alabama, so she was often away seeing him. Carly hated it because she needed her mother during her senior year. So much was changing in her life all at once, and the thought of it scared her to death.
     
    “Well, have fun with that! See you next week, girl!” Zinnia said as she jumped into her yellow VW Bug and peeled out of the parking lot. Carly had no idea what was about to happen that afternoon.
     
    ***
     
    Studying was the last thing on Carly’s mind as she sat in her living room on the sofa. She felt alone in her house, like no one else lived there but her. Gone were the days of her mother cooking a big breakfast on Saturday mornings and watching old TV shows with her on Sunday afternoons.
     
    She slammed her book shut as she leaned back against the sofa. After recently breaking up with yet another boyfriend, Carly had decided to retire from the dating scene until she went off to college in a few weeks. While her other friends were planning to wait until fall to start college, Carly had scheduled summer classes to get a head start. No reason to stay home alone for the whole summer. She was anxious to get a fresh start in a new town with new friends. She dreamed of meeting a man who would sweep her off her feet and make her forget about this dark time in her life.
     
    Her thoughts were interrupted by a random knock at the door. She wondered who could be there at seven o’clock on a Friday night since all of her friends were out partying. She felt like such a hermit staying home to study, but she had to do well on her exams.
     
    “Who is it?” she yelled while simultaneously opening the door. There stood a tall, handsome guy with brown hair, dark brown eyes, and a devilishly crooked smile. “Aidan!” she yelled as she threw her arms around his neck.
     
    “Carly!” he yelled back picking her up in the air. “Am I glad to see you!” His thick English accent bowled her over. She had missed hearing that voice. He held onto her for what seemed like an awfully long time, burying his head in her strawberry-scented hair.
     
    “How did you get here? I don’t understand…” she stammered and stuttered, unable to get the silly grin off her face.
     
    “Can I come in?” he asked with a smile. His eyes hadn’t changed a bit. He was still as handsome as ever and seemed taller, too.
     
    “Of course. Come on in! Mom is out of town, as usual,” she said pointing for him to come inside. “I still cannot believe you are back.”
     
    “Me either. It was so long, Carly. I thought I would never make it back home.” His eyes were almost pleading as if he had been pining for home. “I brought presents!” he said with a big grin.
     
    “Oh really? For me? Cool!” Carly said jumping up and down on the sofa on her knees.
     
    “It’s not much,” he said handing her a bag. Inside, she found two small teddy bear figurines. One was standing beside an English phone booth. The other was holding a bouquet of flowers.
     
    “These are adorable, Aidan. Thank you,” she said reaching out and hugging his neck. She felt different hugging him than she used to. He seemed to hold on to her a little longer, a little tighter. The smell of his cologne floated by her nose, and her insides started to quiver.
     
    “You cannot imagine how much I have missed you, Carly,” he said looking at her in a way that she didn’t remember before. His voice was soft and sincere, and oh so delightfully British.
     
    “Well, I missed you, too. You are my best friend, and it royally stunk not