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

then walked back over to her yard. I sighed faced the house and walked in. This was my house…or that’s how it felt.
Mom and dad never really wanted to come or buy this house it was too close to my real dad. As I walked in and took a deep breath of the houses air and let it out slowly. I haven’t seen or been to this house for maybe 1 year or 10 months. I looked around the house and smiled. The floor was hard wood, the walls where a green and dark green stripped, and there was a mat in front of the door that read, “Welcome home, Zoe.” I smiled and walked all the way in. The living room was the first room that greeted you. There is two white couches, a glass table, a flat screen TV, a few game systems, a couple of games for each system, and a large book shelf.
I walked to the couch sat down and let out a long heavy sigh. I love this house so much. My phone let out its little jingle that meant someone was calling me. I picked up the phone and said, “Hello?” “Zoe why did you ride away like that, and why the hell are your parent so calm about it?” Erik’s voice asked. I sighed sadly and said, “If you must ask look through your recently looked at photos and then call me when you’ve got a damn clue.” I hung the phone up definitively then went upstairs to my room. He might not be mine but I have the right to get pissed at him. He kissed Ella for god’s sake. She’s a no good piece of unwanted trash. I sighed. I’m not mad at her I’m mad at him I told myself.
I unpacked the clothes in my bags then went downstairs and checked the food supply. I had zero food…eating at the Clearfalls sounded good. I sighed and walked over to the phone and dialed Pizza Hut. I love pizza so much and thanks to the money I saved up and thanks to my mom and dad for saving up I can live and pizza. “Hello how may I help you,” a male voice asked. “Hey I’d like 2 large Pizzas um, 2 large galloons of Dr. Pepper. That’s it I live at Mapel Drive house number 77890 thanks.” I hanged up the phone and then laid on the couch. I loved this house but…I hated how empty it felt when I was alone. I looked out the back window and then down at my phone with it chipped the usual ring. “Hello?” I answered. “Okay yes me and Ella kissed but she kissed me.” Erik’s voice said definitively. “Then why do you have a picture?” I asked. “She stole my phone okay.”
“Whatever Erik besides it’s none of my business who you kiss.” I said. “Your right it’s not but still I don’t want you to think of me that way.” He said. “Why do you care what I think?” I asked. A long silence was at the end of the line. “Well,” I asked. Another long pause followed by a honking sound. “You know what forget it.” I said as I hung up. A tear trailed its way down my face. I sighed and got up off the couch. I don’t know why it bothers me so much. He’s a big boy, he’s single, he’s…not mine. I crumbled to the floor sobbing and curling up as I sobbed.
I hated this feeling. I felt as if my heart was caving in on its self. I couldn’t breathe or think. I got up slowly still sobbing but not as bad. Sat up and let out the rest of my tears. I hated how bad I felt and I hated how I sobbed. After I finished sobbing I got up and went upstairs. I had to wash off the bad feelings or else I might start hurting myself. I walked up stairs and into my room to get some different clothes. My room has hard wood floors, a light yellow walling, and was decorated in yellows and greens. I had a queen sized bed that was facing towards the opposite wall it faced and it had a light green comforter. At the end of the bed there is a light brown dresser and on the opposite wall there is a flat screen TV.
I opened the dresser and pulled out a huge grey t-shirt and my red and black skeleton designed pajama pants. After I had all the clothes I needed I walked over across the hall to my bathroom. I started the water then went down stairs. My bathroom was normal. It had a shower that was also a bathtub, a toilet, and a sink nothing to special. I ran downstairs grabbed my Evanescence CD that had all of my favorite songs on it then ran back up to my bathroom. Whenever I was or am upset I grab their CD and listen to it. I never thought I’d listen to their songs thanks to Erik. He always made me laugh. I walked into the bathroom, put the CD into the yellow stereo and then switched to track 17, song, “The Last Song I’m Wasting on you.” I got in the shower and started getting my hair wet.
20 MINUTES LATER
I stepped out the shower turned off the stereo and walked down stairs. After a good shower and some crying I was ready to talk to Erik again…maybe. I picked up my phone and went to Erik’s name. For his contact picture there was him and me hugging side to side and in front of the high school…it was our first day of high school
5 MONTHS AGO
“Erik, I don’t know.” I said. “Come on Zoe. We need to do this.” I looked at Erik and shook my head. “You meant we want to do this.” I responded. “No we need to, how else are we going to remember our first day of high school?” I looked at Erik still thinking over what he asked me and then I said, “Um, okay lets do it.” Erik smiled and said, “Okay let me get ready.”
I laughed at him and said, “Okay.” He held up his phone and fixed his hair and then he looked at me. My heart was up in my throat and I could barely breathe. “Okay I’m ready, come here.” He said. I giggled then climbed on top of his lap. “Okay let me see the camera.” I smiled and handed him the camera. He held it up then pushed the button with the picture of a camera on it. The phone snapped and then he retracted it. “There a picture of us on our first day.” I smiled and looked at Erik still sitting on his lap.

PRESENT DAY
I smiled but lost the smile when I remembered what Erik did. I’m being so stupid so what he kissed Ella he cares that I ran off and he probably is on his way now. Oh listen to yourself you are fantasizing that he’ll show up and you guys will kiss, well sorry to ruin your dream but that isn’t going to happen. My phone suddenly ringed. It was a text message from an unknown number. “Hello Zoe did you get in contact with your lawyer.” My heart was beating loud and clear. Fear was all I could see and think of. They know my number they have all they need to track me down. I ignored the terrifying fear I felt and texted back, “No like I said my lawyer is busy.”
I sent the message and waited for a reply hoping they bought it. I had a mission that’s also why I ran off. I had to do this far off so my parents aren’t involved. If they got hurt I would be to depressed…I’d be past depression. I sat on the couch staring at the door imagining what it would have been like if we lived here. Neighbors wouldn’t leave us alone, we’d know all the neighbors and they’d know us, and worst of all I’d be the odd ball of the neighborhood kids. I don’t care if I’m the odd ball but at the same time kids would stare at me and rumor about me and yes I’d kick their ass if they did but it would be a hell whole. Worst of all I wouldn’t have met Erik and ended up a good friend…even though I want to be more.
My phone sang out its song and I picked it up. Please be the Piranhas, please be the Piranhas I thought and pleaded. Nope it was Erik. I sighed and stared at the phone. Should I answer It? I sighed and pressed answer. “Yes,” I greeted. “Wow is that how you great everybody?” Erik’s voice asked. “Well guys like you yes.” “What are guys like me?” Erik asked. “Flirters, cheaters, abusers, and filthy liars,” I answered. “Come on Zoe we both know you like me and you can’t stay mad at me forever.” Erik said. I sighed. Why did he have to bring this up? “I will agree to the I like you part but not the mad forever part.” Erik sighed and said, “Yes you can never stay mad at me all I have to say is stop being mad at me please in a dobby voice and you aren’t mad at me.”
I growled under my breath and said, “For your information that doesn’t work I can’t stay mad at you when you are face to face with me and saying how sorry you are.” Suddenly the door rang. “I gotta go.” I said as I hanged up. I opened the door and there stood Erik. “Erik…what-what are you doing here?” I asked stumbling. Erik looked at me and said, “I’m here to help you.” Erik looked dead tired and looked as if he might just pass out right here right now. I swallowed hard and said, “Help-help me with what?” Erik sighed and said, “Stop acting stupid.” I angrily put my hands on my hips and said, “Look who’s talking.” He sighed angrily and said, “Don’t start Zoe.” I glared at him and said, “No I will start you…you…” I didn’t even have a good come back or a cuss word.
Erik sighed and walked past me into the house. “Uh excuse me who invited you in?” I asked angrily. “Well by the whole “you, you” thing I guess that I was invited.” I rolled my eyes and said, “I’d kick you out if it weren’t for the fact that it’s almost dark and that you look exhausted.” He smiled and put his feet up on the class coffee table. Erik had his leather jacket on and what he had on when we were at the house. I sighed. I was pissed at Erik and trying my best to keep that pissed attitude up. I sat down at the farthest end of the couch. Erik looked at me and said, “Oh so now I have a disease or something.” I looked away to keep from smiling and said, “Yep I’m not coming an inch closer to you.” I kept looking away.
I couldn’t look into his eyes or I would surely lose the pissed of attitude that made him feel like a jack ass. I stared at