Lifeline - Chapter 1

          "Liz, he's here! What's taking you so long?" My mother's squeaky, high-pitched voice rang from downstairs and echoed in the upstairs hallway. I wish I could be half as enthusiastic as her, but it just wasn't happening. I opened my bedroom door and called over the balcony.
"Hold on, I gotta grab a coat!" The doorbell rang once more before I heard her open the door.

          I took one last look at myself in the mirror. My tousled, ash brown curls draped over my shoulders perfectly. The new eye liner mom bought me this morning made my green eyes look like emeralds instead of peas. My red party dress flattered my long, slender body in every way, and my satin black flats fit like a charm. The only thing missing from my outfit was a smile. And a black, leather jacket, which I yanked off a hanger in my closet and out the door I went.
          At the bottom of the stairs was my anxious, smiling mother. It wasn't a high school graduation kind of smile, either. It was one of those half fake, half creepy smiles only a 46 year old woman could pull off. Y'know, the kind your waitress gives you so you tip her more. The kind your mom gives you when you haven't had a date in two and a half years. "You look amazing!" Mom gushed, but my attention averted to the angel standing beside her. He had to be atleast 6'2, dark curly hair, broad shoulders, standing with his hands in the pockets of his khakis. I didn't even care that he was wearing khakis, he was absolutely gorgeous.
          I didn't expect to feel like this. I didn't expect to actually be excited. But when the angel walked up to me, took my hand and pressed it against his lips...I felt electricity take place of the blood in my veins. Then the angel spoke. "She's right, you look beautiful. I can't wait to take you out and show you off." I swear to you, my heart was doing jumping jacks inside my chest. .

Mom still had that creepy smile plastered on her face, but I knew why now. "Liz, this is Adam. This is the guy from the office I've been telling you about. I know you like being within the four walls of your room, but I really think you should give him a chance." I wanted to talk, I really did. I wanted to hug mom, and thank her for setting me up with the Greek god of gorgeousness. I wanted to ask the angel if he was sure he wasn't at the wrong house. But I was speechless. The words were forming on my tongue, but they just wouldn't leave my lips. So Adam said them for me.
          "Thank you, Mrs.Carson. I promise to have her back by midnight."
"Oh, there's no rush! I just want you guys to have fun. Keep my baby girl safe." He nodded at her, and with that, we walked out the door and down the driveway to his car. I didn't pay a lick of attention to the color or model, and not just because it was 9pm at night and I couldn't see, but I genuinely didn't care. All I could think about was that this beautiful creature wanted to devote the next few hours of his life to me.

He put the key in the ignition, and the car roared to life. Then reality hit me. Hard. I was in a car with a guy I barely knew. Gorgeous as he may be, he was nothing more than a beautiful stranger. Panic flooded my body. I shrank as close to the passenger door as possible, but not as subtly as I was aiming for. "Are you alright?" Adam was looking over at me, a wide grin on his face, and I was a putty in his hands again.

"I-I'm fine. Just...I don't know. I mean, you could kidnap me right now. You could do anything. I don't even know who you are."  Adam's grin didn't move, but his eyes suggested that he was a little hurt by my remark. He wasted a few seconds staring at the steering wheel before speaking to me.
          "I understand that. But I don't know who you are either. Do you see me accusing you of being an undercover serial killer? No. I promised I'd keep you safe, and I intend to. So sit back and enjoy the ride."