The paramedics cleared Paige, stating she had experienced a panic attack. Once the paramedics exited the shed, Serenity gave Paige a look of concern. Paige lowered her head, ” I don’t want to go through this again Serenity. I fought extremely hard to rebuild myself after him.” Paige poured her heart to her bestie without hesitation. Serenity comforted her best she could. “Paige, you don’t have to lose yourself again, but you also can’t keep running from him. If you give him that kind of power over your life, you will have given him your life because you’ll be too afraid to live.” Paige nodded her head in agreement.
Bentley enters, ” Ya’ll okay in here?” He takes inventory of the looks on the girls’ faces. Particularly Serenity’s. He could see that whatever this was, it scared her, but yet she still stood there in strength for her friend. ” Ya’ll need a ride home?” Bently asked out of concern. The girls look at each other, Paige responds. “Could you please? That would be great. “Yeah, it’s no problem,” Bentley responded.
The ride home was filled with silent tears for Paige and a ton of worry for Serenity. Here she was, trying to hold it together for her friend, all while wanting to embrace the moments with Bentley. Yet she could feel the storm that was brewing and heading her way. Bentley broke the silence, ” Are ya’ll sure ya’ll are, okay? Yall haven’t said anything since we left the party. Paige just sniffled and put her head down. Serenity glanced at her friend, and replied “We will be fine, tonight was rough for her, but she’ll be fine. I appreciate the ride and the way you came to our rescue especially being that we had just met.” Bentley looked at Serenity, smiled, licked his lips, and said “say less, I was right where I needed to be, as long as I’m around y’all good. “
Bentley pulls up to Serenity’s house. Paige manages to gather her words enough to whisper, “ Thanks for the ride.” Bentley nods his head in her direction. “No problem, feel better.” Paige heads to the door and enters the house. Serenity turns to Bentley, “I don’t know how to thank you for tonight. I really appreciate you being there for us.”
Bentley smirks, “I told you. I was right where I needed to be. Hopefully this won’t be the last I see of you.” Serenity blushed, moved her hair behind her ear, “I wouldn’t want it to be.” Bentley smiled so hard Serenity blurted out a laugh. “I have to get inside, tonight was pretty rough for Paige and I need to make sure she’s okay. Take my number?” Serenity said.
Bentley handed her his phone and she input her number in his device. As she reached his phone back to him, Bentley grabbed her hands and planted a soft, tender kiss on the back of her hand. “Good night Serenity.”
Serenity smiled, “Good night Bentley.”
(To Be Continued)
Kae Jaye The Writer 