Free Moon Shadow: The Totally True Love Adventure Series (Volume 1) by R.L. Fox Page A

nearly fall out of my chair. He said my name. But of course, my mother intervenes, stifling the joy. “Sarah studies dance, the ballet, but she has school tomorrow. I don’t think you should stay out late, darling.”
    “All tragic dance originates in the ballet, right son?” Frank doesn’t wait for Dan’s answer. “Dan’s Mr. Christie thrives in the tragic realm of the performance arts. What is it this year, the dance in Ancient Greece again? Sarah will enjoy it. Dan’s a cautious driver, with nearly two years of experience. Can you get Sarah home by eleven-thirty?”
    Dan slowly nods and says, “This isn’t Jonathon’s production. It’s Fletcher College.” He pauses a moment and then says, “I’ll have Sarah home on time.”
    My fingers are crossed under the table while my mother and Frank talk quietly. I feel my breathing move towards hyperventilation as I wait. Mike returns to the table, takes his seat and eyes the cake. I watch as Mike gives Dan a look that goes beyond brotherly chiding.
    My mother, smiling again, declares, “Not a minute past eleven-thirty, young lady. Right to bed when you get home.”
    I wonder what Frank has said in order to get my mother to agree, but it doesn’t really matter. I want to jump for joy, except that I have to stay cool, oh so cool. Must keep impulsive psycho persona in check.
    Mike says, sarcastically, “Sarah, you can meet Liz, Dan’s girlfriend, or rather his
ex
-girlfriend.” He adds, in a shrill little-girl tone, “Try not to bug him too much; he’s in the Dan zone. He’s Dan-ing out.”
    Dan ignores his brother’s comments. He looks a little nervous. Wow. I am about to, well, almost, go on a date with a hot guy who is seventeen.
    I stand, carefully, and smooth my dress. I rejoice in the fact that I’m a couple of inches shorter than Dan.
    He looks at me as if he were my big brother. “Come on, let’s go,” he says, impatiently. He waves goodbye to the others and walks away.
    I follow, closely, and once we’re out of earshot, I say, brusquely, “I’ve never been so ordered about before in all my life.” I quickly add, “Wait a minute, I have to tell my mother something.”
    “Forget it, squirt. We have to go.”
    “Don’t presume to tell me what I will or won’t do.”
    “Then don’t presume to think you’re better than me.”
    Dan walks out of the restaurant as I hasten back to the table. Has Dan taken my furtive glances the wrong way? Does he really think that I believe I’m superior, that I’ve tried to patronize him? I kiss my mother on the cheek, and say, “Thanks, Mom.” Then I run after Dan, or rather, Daniel, because that’s what I’ve decided to call him from now on.



8
Daniel
Thursday evening, July 31
El Cajon Valley
    O utside the restaurant, I walk casually through the parking lot crammed full of cars. I glance over my shoulder. Sarah, thirty yards or so behind, is running between cars to catch up. Suddenly I notice a flash of lights to my left. A Porsche 911 Turbo has entered the lot and is gaining speed rapidly; the car roars down the lane in back of me, headed straight for ... Sarah! ... My God!
    I wheel around and dart to the middle of the lane where I arm-tackle Sarah, lifting her off her feet and driving her back between two parked cars a split-second before the Porsche streaks by us in a red blur.
    The 911 Turbo screeches noisily to a stop, too late, accelerates and races out of the lot. I’ve stayed on my feet, with Sarah in my arms. I hold her a moment, then release her slowly. Sarah leans back against a parked car, gasping for air. As we had collided I’d knocked the wind out of her, and she’d let out a pithy cry, a yelp. Now she begins to cry, her face flushed, the teardrops streaming down her cheeks. She covers her face with her hands.
    “Are you all right?” I ask, perhaps foolishly.
    Sarah stops sobbing, brushes the tears from her face with both hands and stands up straight, smoothing her dress. “I, I,