Saved By the Man by Vanessa Lynn Gilbert (rm book recommendations txt) 📕

Erik or someone else I care about and threaten their lives to. I sat on mom’s bed staring at the phone…maybe I can buy some time. Yea I can buy some time figure out who kidnapped her and then save her…she’ll live, Carter will go to jail, and…Erik well go back to normal. I sighed. Only one problem with this plan…it doesn’t change Erik at all. I looked at the phone and then text back, “I’ll drop the charges but you have to give me some time. My lawyer is hard to find and she is a busy woman.”
I sent the message and put the phone down. Now I just had to wait. I looked at the door way expecting Erik to walk in and say he is sorry…but nothing. The door way was empty of presence…empty of Erik. I sat on the bed for a few more seconds before laying down and curling up. I was alone…mentally alone…physically alone…and socially alone. I sighed and then stared at Erik’s phone. I wonder…if he still has pictures of us from last year. I picked up the phone and click on the camera button. A rush of pictures showed up on the screen and the first one was of me and Erik in Washington in front of the Lincoln Memorial. I smiled. Last year was the year me and Erik got really close.

1 YEAR AGO
“I can’t believe it’s raining this hard.” Erik said. “I know right. Who knew that it would rain this hard?” We stood in front of the Lincoln Memorial and we both were soaking wet. Oh Erik was so cute during that field trip. He decided that he was going to be a gothic person but he wasn’t pulling it off. “Hey do you think that Mr. Diota will understand why we are late for the bus.” I shrugged. “Maybe,” I answered. “Hey let’s just make a run for it.” Erik said. “Okay,” I answered. I was about to run when Erik grabbed my hand and pulled me close to him. “Hey what if we didn’t go back?” Erik asked. I laughed, “Well we wouldn’t survive.” “I could get a job, we could just…stay here…together.” I looked up at Erik and say full seriousness in his eyes. I smiled. If I did run away with him right there right then…we wouldn’t be here…in this situation. “We can’t…what about your sister or our mothers.” He nodded, “Your right…besides I couldn’t stand living with a pig like you.” He said in his mocking voice. I smiled at him. “Well speak for yourself,” I said. We laughed as we ran towards the bus.

PRESENT DAY
I sighed. Last year I was happy I didn’t really care that much about my crush but because of the crush becoming more than just a crush I was always depressed and always mad. I never ever felt happy. I sighed and a single tear went down my face and landed on my mom’s pillow. I never ever felt truly happy. Ever since Ella came into our lives and flirted with Erik I have been depressed. I looked through the rest of his pictures and found one of Erik and Ella…kissing. They must have dated over the time period when Ella and her boyfriend broke up for a bit. I dropped the phone on the bed, full out crying now. I sobbed in a breath and let it out on a loud obnoxious sobbing sound.
Ugh I am so disgusted with myself. I said I’d never ever loose myself over a guy and here I am sobbing because I saw a picture of Erik and Ella kissing. I heard running footsteps getting closer to my mom’s room. I quickly ran to the door, shut it, and locked it. A banging sound followed by, “Zoe are you okay,” filled the room. I slid down the door and covered my face with my hands. I can’t believe they kissed. My obnoxious sobbing got louder and louder with every bang of the door. “Zoe what’s the matter?” Erik’s voice called. Just hearing his voice hurt. I stopped sobbing and took a deep breath. “I-I-I’m f-f-f-fine.” I said still sobbing. I took a deep breath then looked at the window. I could run now. Get away. Maybe Carter or the Piranhas will come finish me off. I got up and picked up Erik’s phone.
I quickly unlocked the phone and saw the text message I was waiting for. I looked at the door and said under my breath, “Bye Erik I love you.” I quickly grabbed a note pad and wrote the messages I wanted him to read then I looked back out the window. I ran over looked down then stepped on to the roof for the floor below. I slid down the roof jumped, caught a tree that I usually climbed, and then dropped the rest of the way. I never did this when I broke a few ribs so I don’t know how bad it’ll hurt. As soon as I hit the ground my chest hurt but I was to depressed to care. I looked around then ran around the house to the front. When I started working at the new hospital as a care giver I saved up 10,000 bucks and I hid it just in case one day my dad pissed me off (which was impossible) or I had to help a friend.
I grabbed the lime green plastic container. Okay I can stay away for maybe a month or so which wasn’t how long I was going to be gone. I’d be back in a day or two. All I needed was space. The plastic container, two bags, and another set of keys were all hiding under the porch. My mom and dad knew of my stuff under the porch and told me that it was fine. They knew I love them too much to stay away for long. I grabbed the stuff and ran over to my Decoty. By now mom and dad got the extra set of keys and where reading my note saying that I’d be back later that I just needed some space and that if I stayed I’d surely comment suicide. I got to my Decoty and started the engine.
My mom would tell Erik were I usually go to get some space and then he’d go home get his motorcycle and come try to take me back. I didn’t want this but at the same time I did. As soon as the Engine roared to life I heard the door open and saw Amber, Makayla, Erik, and Mom come out. I kicked the stand up and rode off. As I looked to see who came out I saw that Erik had his phone back. That meant he read the note and he saw the text message from the Piranhas. I rode of tears blurring my vision but not stopping me. Right now I didn’t care if I died…I didn’t care if I ended up in the hospital again…all I cared about was getting away.


Chapter 4
I raced down the pavement roads racing towards the house that my mom, dad, and I bought for me to run away to. It was all the way in Los Angles but lucky for me Midson and Los Angels are really close. I raced pass passing cars and trucks…just a few more miles. I stopped crying a few miles back and was seeing clearly. When I planned out how I’d run away I never expected it to be about Erik or Ella I expected it to be about my mom and dad. I guess I should have seen this running away then coming. I finally entered Los Angles and I was racing toward the house not paying much attention to my surroundings. I heard honks and beeps and a few unkind words but they were slowly becoming mute as I listened to the beating of my heart beat and suddenly the sound of my phone going off. I ignored the song and kept driving. I had to get to the house before I do anything.
Last time I was here was when my dad yelled at me when I was with him. I pushed my scooter all the way there. Thank god mom bought it. I arrived at the house and just stared at it. The house was in a good neighborhood with a neighborhood watch. I remembered the day I first came here what all the neighbors thought of a little depressed girl riding her scooter up to the house with a large backpack and with a chained pocketknife showing.

2 YEARS AGO
I rode up to the big house mom bought and walked up to the door tired from the long work out. I walked to the door and turned the knob. It was locked and I forgot my key. I sighed and pulled out my new red pocketknife mom got me. “Um, excuse me little missy but do you live here.” A voice said from behind me. I didn’t bother looking up or even saying anything I just focused on working the lock. “Excuse me.” The voice said again. I sighed loudly and said without facing whoever was yelling at me, “Yes okay my mom bought the place and I forgot my keys now if you’ll excuse me I need to get in.” “Why don’t I believe your story?” The female voice asked. “Because you’re a stuck up bitch who can’t let anyone do their crap so leave me the hell alone or I’ll call my mom and tell her that you’re stalking me.” Silence, I looked behind me to see if the person was still there to see a tall woman wearing bright pink high heel shoes, a business skirt, and a puffy pearly white shirt. I looked up at her and then read the orange thing around the front of her shirt. “Neighborhood…watch.” I read aloud. I looked up at the tall woman and smiled. “Uh…hi, I’m Zoe Molson and I-,” the woman cut me off and said, “I don’t give a rats ass who you are.” She grabbed and pinched my left ear lobe and said, “I’m calling your parents.”

PREASENT DAY
That lady turned out to be very nice and every time she sees me she gets this bright cheerful face…then again it helps that I dated her son once. The house was a two story, has an attic, a basement, 4 rooms, 3 bathrooms, a large kitchen and a large living room. There also was a pool in the back. The house on the outside was a tan pueblo like house only for the roof is a dark brown brick roof and unlike my home it was clean of weeds but full of organized flowers. I unlocked the tan door and before I even had the chance to open it I heard Mrs. Clearfall’s, the lady who grabbed my ear lobe, voice.
“Hello Zoe.” She called. I turned and saw her right across the street. “Hey Mrs. Clearfall,” I called. She was wearing the usual dress, high heels, and her hair was up in a bun. “What brings you out here?” She asked. “Oh you know trying to get some space and breath.” She nodded and then asked, “Would you like to join me and Mr. Clearfall for dinner?” As much as I liked the Clearfalls I couldn’t handle dinner with them…it was freaking boring. They ate said nothing and that’s pretty much it. “Uh, no but thanks.” I called back. She nodded and