Save Me by L J Baker

rolling my eyes at him.
    "I'm serious Andi. This is for both our sakes." Will gently grabbed my chin, ensuring my full attention.
    "Okay, okay, let's hear it." I suppose I could at least listen to what he had to say since it seemed to mean a great deal to him.
    "First of all, we have to stay together. No more going off on your own without telling anyone. No one leaves this basement alone."
    "Agreed." It wasn't the worst idea in the world so I refrained from additional eye rolling, at least for now.
    "Second, we have to trust each other. I know that's difficult for you, but you really do have to try. Andi, I'm not going to screw you over. I would never abandon you, even when it might seem like I have."He lifted my chin again, making eye contact on that last part. I could tell he still felt guilty about not being able to do anything as the cousins dragged me away from him. I know now that he was doing what was necessary in order to live long enough to actually get me away from them. I just wish I had known then that he knew where to find them.
    "I'll try." I meant it too. Trust wasn't something that came easily for me these days, but after what my mother had asked of me in her letter, I knew I had to try. "Anything else?"
    Will smiled. "Do you need more?"
    "Well no, but I figured since you appointed yourself King of the world, you might have more rules." It was Will's turn to roll his eyes at me this time.
    "Andi, this is serious."
    "Yes, Will."
    "Promise?"
    "I promise."
    He still had his arms wrapped around me, our faces only inches apart. For a moment, his eyes focused on my lips and I thought he might kiss me. My breath caught in my throat at the thought. Any thoughts of Will in that way were pushed aside quickly up to this point. Here in this moment however, I let my thoughts linger. My mind joined forces with my body, nearly begging to be kissed. He brought his hand up, brushing stray hairs off my face and stroking the back of his hand over my cheek. My stomach flip flopped a few times, bringing back the nausea but as I looked into those sparkling emeralds, nothing else mattered.
    "We should probably get some rest." Will gently pushed me back, releasing me from his arms.
    I swear that boy just lived to confuse me!

~Chapter Nine~
     
     
     
    "Andi, you really are going to have to try." Frustrated, Will dropped his bow to his side and let out a sigh. He had been trying to get me to hunt with him all week. I had no trouble with the bow when it came to members of the undead, but when it came to fuzzy woodland creatures, I missed every time. I really wasn't doing it on purpose, at least not consciously. Every time I lined up the shot, and saw little Thumper or Bambi in my sight, I missed.
    "I am trying!" We were spending more time chasing down arrows than finding food. Will could have easily handled this on his own, but he insisted I needed to learn. Honestly, I think he just didn't want to leave me alone. Since that night he found me upstairs, things were different between us. He insisted that I learn different weapons and has even been teaching me some basic self-defense moves. He was always around keeping an eye on me, yet he seemed distant at the same time, like he didn't really want to be around me.
    "Fine. Let's take a break." Will's patience was at an all time low. He found a rock to sit down on a few yards away from where we were practicing. Closer to where we were, sat a larger rock with smaller ones beside it. There would have been enough room for us to sit together but instead he chose the one where I'd have to stand if I wanted to follow, or sit in the wet grass. Will had been doing whatever he could to keep some space between us all week. He went back to sleeping on the sofa and even ate breakfast before I woke up to avoid sharing the meal with me. He spent most of his free time reading, avoiding all but the briefest of eye contact or conversation. I was beginning to wonder if he was teaching me this stuff so that