Chapter 7

"April! Move!" Danny yells.

"I can't!" I struggle, but the kidnapper holds fast.

Danny holds the gun in one hand, and then grabs the kidnapper's hand that holds me fast and jerks it off my arm and snaps it. I hear a crack. Then Danny grabs my arm and pulls me out of our kidnapper's grasp.

He holds me to him with one arm, and then holds the gun out at arm's length towards the kidnapper, with it directed straight at him. I wrap my arms around his waist. "It's okay, I got you," he says to me, looking down.

He pulls the lever on the back of the gun, and then aims it straight.

A shout comes echoing through the halls, and soon FBI agents fill the door.

I stand in the hall, wrapped up in a sweatshirt, and Danny's arms. I can't stop crying.

Mom and Dad come hurrying down the hall, escorted by some police officers.

"Mom! Dad!" I run over, and give them both huge hugs.

"Oh April, I'm so happy your safe. We were worried sick."

"So was I."

I hug them again, and wave Danny over. Dad shakes his hand, "Thanks son for keeping April safe."

Danny blushes, and I laugh.

"Honey, we are going to have to get you two to the doctors office soon. I think you both may have a broken bone or two."

"But cheerleading..."

"It will have to wait. Right now, the main thing is your health, and making sure that things are going to be okay."

I nod, and hug Danny again.

I never thought that I would actually like when his arms went around me and squeezed.

I sat in the back of my car, leaning against Danny, with his arms around me.

"Danny, I want to thank you. I mean, I know that my parents already did and everything, but I want to thank you myself, because of all that you have done for me and everything. I really want to thank you, but I don't know how..." I know I am babbling, and look at his face.

He nods, and smiles kind of.

"What?"

"Can you believe that we are actually here? Can you believe that we talking to each other, and not wanting to be fifty miles away?"

I nod, "Can you?"

"Not really."

Our eyes lock. It feels like I am in a movie or something. The next thing I know, we are both leaning forward, and my eyes are closed.

In that one instant when our lips touched I knew that I was in love, and I would never think of Daniel Cutler in the same way again.