He had called me Riley; he had said my name. Maybe I was misremembering or possibly losing my mind, but I could’ve sworn I’d never actually introduced myself. He knew my name, but I hadn’t told him. Had I?
Winding down the path leading to my dorm building, I trudged over gravel as a small patch of trees rose to my right. The late afternoon light cast long shadows along the trail, and I tugged my backpack higher on my back. A twig snapped, and I glanced over my shoulder.
The trail was abandoned, save for me, and I studied my surroundings a moment before pressing onward. I had laundry to fold and homework to do. My fingers itched to finish my adventure to save Zelda, and I quickened my pace.
Brush rustled and another twig cracked, closer this time. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. I slowed, peering into the trees as the sensation of being watched coated my skin like oil. Chirping birds stilled, and the buzz of distant conversation turned to white noise as my ears strained to catch the specific noises of the woods.
Something snuffled, leaves crunched underfoot, and a rumbling growl traveled through the air.
What the…
I didn’t think wild animals lived this close to populated areas. It was most likely a dog, but my heart pounded in my chest as something large traveled through the brush. I caught a glimpse of black, a flash of ruby-red eyes, and I stumbled back as an aggressive snarl echoed from the trees.
Spurred by survival instinct, I spun on my heels and ran for it. Waiting to identify the mystery creature was the opposite of logical, and I pumped my legs as fast as they could go. The patch of woods faded behind me.
Too panicked to focus on my surroundings, I leapt over the curb to sprint across the parking lot to my dorm building. But I was tugged to a stop by the back of my shirt moments before a car screeched to a stop before me. I tumbled backward onto my butt as my heart pounded in my ears.
A car door opened. Hazel eyes widened in alarm behind black-rimmed glasses as a skinny boy rushed to my side. “Oh my God, are you okay? I didn’t see you until you were suddenly right there. I almost killed you!”
My tongue froze in fright as he helped me to my feet, his grip tight on my biceps as my legs wobbled. Freckles smattered over his nose, standing out starkly from his fear-whitened face. I released a shaky breath as his brown hair rustled in the breeze. Taller than me but nearly as thin, he barely managed to keep me on my feet as his own hands trembled.
“I didn’t hit you, did I? Oh God, do I need to call an ambulance?” His voice hit a painful falsetto, and I cringed away from him, jerking out of his hold.
“No, I’m fine. You didn’t hit me.” I ran a shaky hand through my unruly curls as the moments leading up to the almost-accident played through my mind. “Someone grabbed me. Someone—”
I spun in a circle, searching for the person who had hauled me back in the nick of time by my shirt. But there was no one there. Students milled about, some pointing and watching from afar like they’d witnessed my near-death experience. But no one was close enough to have been my savior.
“You just jumped back. Like, seriously, your reflexes are insane,” the boy said, and I tuned back into his voice as fear lodged deep in my throat. “One second you were there, and the next you were gone. I thought I ran you over.”
With a hand on his chest, he listed to the side like he was going to pass out. I tangled my fingers in his Mario Kart T-shirt to keep him upright. “Whoa, do you need to sit down?”
“I almost killed you, and you’re asking if I have to sit down?” He leaned his butt against the hood of his car and removed his glasses, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Oh shit, I feel lightheaded.”
“That’s why you should sit down,” I muttered under my breath.
Wanting nothing more than to escape this horribly humiliating situation, I checked my surroundings again to ensure I hadn’t missed whoever had saved me from certain death. But other than me and the boy with glasses, there was no one close by. Maybe I had imagined the pull on my shirt. It had happened so fast, and my mind was already panicked thanks to the scary dog. My body must have reacted faster than my brain could comprehend, leaping out of danger.
Yeah, that had to be it.
“Are you okay? Like, for real, did I hit you?” The boy’s genuine concern was sweet, and I patted his shoulder awkwardly as I shook my head.
“No, I’m fine. I’m not hurt. Promise.” Touching a stranger made my stomach cramp, so I withdrew my hand after two pats.
“Well, good.” He didn’t seem convinced, but he traded his concern for a sheepish smile as he tapped the side of his glasses. “Trust me, this was not how I ever imagined us actually meeting.”
As I tilted my head in puzzlement, he blushed red, the color crawling down his neck and disappearing under his collar. “Sorry, that sounded stalkerish. What I mean is, um, I’m in your biology lab. On Monday mornings.”
I didn’t recognize him, but that wasn’t too surprising. I couldn’t think of any faces from that class besides the professor. For my own sanity, I tended to keep my head down and my focus on the teacher. It was easier than traversing the stressful territory of social interaction.
“Oh,” I said to fill the expectant silence. “Um, sorry, I—”
“It’s fine. You keep to yourself, so I won’t take it personal you don’t recognize me.” He scratched the back of his neck before offering a hand. “I’m Danny, by the way. Danny Richards.”
Manners took over, and I slipped my hand in his. “Riley. Shepard.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” He grinned eagerly as we shook hands, and my eyes strayed unbidden to his car. He blanched. “I mean, you know, the attempted manslaughter notwithstanding.”
Flustered and embarrassed, he dropped my hand and tapped the side of his glasses again. His nervousness added to my own, and I chewed the inside of my cheek as I searched for an appropriate response.
“It’s fine. It was an accident. I wasn’t watching where I was going, so it was my fault, too.”
Danny looked at me like I was insane, and I fidgeted with the hem of my shirt as I shuffled around the nose of his car. Courtesy dictated I stay to verify he would be all right, but the adrenaline and nerves were too much. This was turning into the strangest day. Giddy and overwhelmed, I just wanted to get to my room and hide.
“Just forget about it,” I mumbled as I took another step into the parking lot.
“Wait, Riley. Hold on a sec.” He straightened as I paused in my retreat. “I totally owe you a coffee or something. I mean” —he waved at his car— “I almost killed you. Let me make it up to you?”
Coffee? With a stranger? I didn’t think I would survive without making an utter fool of myself. “I don’t drink coffee,” I said with what I hoped was an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I gotta go. It was, uh, nice to meet you.”
He deflated. “Oh, okay. Rain check, then.”
“Sure.” I backed away, offering a pathetic wave. “Um, drive safe.”
And with that, I turned and jogged across the parking lot, ignoring Danny’s farewell. I used my student I.D. to unlock the front door, and without a backward glance, I ran past the front desk to the stairwell.