�But Chrissy! Look outside! You can�t drive in a rain storm like this!� Sarah exclaimed, Christina�s childhood friend.
Christina did as her friend said. She bit her lower lip as she saw how bad the weather was. She looked helplessly at her friend who shook her head knowing that the weather wouldn�t stop her from going back home.
�I think it�s crazy to go out in this storm. Do what you want, but if I were in your place, I�d call my mom and tell her that I couldn�t leave in this rain. I�m sure she�d understand.� Sarah said getting up from her place.
She walked into the kitchen to get another glass of orange juice as Christina looked at her watch and was surprised to see that it was only six thirty in the evening. She looked back outside at how dark it was.
By the time Sarah came back, Christina was nowhere to be found. They all looked at each other and settled back into a comforting position on the couch and on the floor before they continued to watch the movie as thunders started to illuminate the sky.
When I'm lost in the rain
Christina passed for the third time in front of the same house. She was getting more and more frustrated that she accepted the invitation to go to Mary�s country house to spend the weekend there. She was also mad at herself that she didn�t leave at noon as she had planned. She stopped at the intersection and was about to turn left when the motor decided to stop functioning. She tried to start the ignition but the motor didn�t listen to her. �Come ON! Don�t do this to me NOW!� she yelled as she tried again.
After a few more tries, she slammed her hands on the wheel and cried out in the dark. She placed her forehead on the wheel and did a silent prayer before she tried again. She completely lost it and started to scream at the top of her lungs. She grabbed her purse and got out of the car. She slammed the door shut not bothering to take the keys. She screamed at the car as she kicked into the front tire and hit the hood with her purse.
In your eyes I know I'll find the light
To light my way.
She stopped screaming and hitting the car and slowly turned around as she cried silently. She brought her purse to her chest and embraced herself to keep herself warm in the rain. She slowly started to walk in the direction she wanted to, looking around herself at every step she took. She heard weird noises coming from the woods nearby. At every wood crack, a little scream would come out of her mouth and she�d look in that direction asking if there was someone out there. At every thunder, she�d jump and look around herself.
After a good half an hour of walking in the rain, Christina saw lights coming from behind her. She kept walking as the car slowed down beside her. She held herself tighter when she heard the window going down as she could hear the radio that was played. She kept walking not knowing who it was and what that person wanted from her. �Where are you going in this weather?� asked a deep voice coming from the car.
And when I'm scared,
And losing ground,
When my world is going crazy,
You can turn it all around.
And when I'm down you're there
Pushing me to the top
Christina bit her tongue and started to walk faster. Out of the corner of her eyes, she saw the car keep up with her new pace. She shut her eyes for a few moments not knowing what to do. �Where are you going?� the driver asked again. �Leave me alone.� She whispered. �I�m sorry, what did you say?� asked the driver as he turned the radio off and leaned towards the passenger seat to see her better.
Christina stopped and turned towards him. �LEAVE ME ALONE!�. She turned again and started to run away from him.
�Fuck.� Mumbled the driver. He parked the car and flew out of the car leaving the door open and the motor on. He ran after her and grabbed her by her left arm. Christina felt his hand tighten on her arm and screamed at the top of her lungs wishing more than anything that she stayed with her friends. The man turned her around and pulled her into his chest.
�Stop screaming! Please! No one can hear you. I promise you I won�t hurt you.� He said into her wet hair. Christina calmed down after a few moments and slowly pulled away from him. She looked up and gasped when she looked into his eyes. She had never in her life seen eyes like his. His eyes reminded her of her cat�s eyes. They were almost the same shade of green.
You're always there,
Giving me all you've got.
For a shield from the storm,
After they stared into each other�s eyes for a few seconds, he turned her towards his car and slowly walked with her to the warm awaiting car. He opened the passenger�s side�s door and she sat down while he went around to the driver�s side and opened the trunk. He ran to the back of the car and took out the two warm blankets that he always kept and shut the trunk close. He went back to the passenger�s side and wrapped her in one of the blankets. After she said her weak �thank you�, he closed the door and went around the car again and sat in the car. He turned the heater on and placed the other blanket on his back before he drove away.
Christina couldn�t stop herself from shaking even though the heater was on and that she was wrapped in a warm blanket. She kept looking outside as they passed silently by the welcome sign to the area where her friend Amy lived. The driver glanced at her before looking back at the road. �What�s your name?� he asked quietly.
�Christina, you?� she replied looking away from the window.
�Lance� replied the driver with a small smile. Christina smiled back at him before turning her head back and continued to look outside.
After a good ten minutes, Lance turned into a driveway and pressed a button and waited patiently as the garage door opened slowly. Christina tensed up a little when she saw that they arrived at his place. He slowly drove into the garage and turned the car off before he closed the garage door. He got out of the car and closed and locked the door. He walked to another door and turned the lights on before looking back at the car. He stopped moving when he saw Christina sitting in the car and just staring at him blankly.
He stood there wondering if she�d come out but after seeing that she didn�t move at all, he walked to the car slowly hoping she wouldn�t freak out again. He stopped in front of the door and saw that she was crying silently. He slowly opened the door and kneeled down in front of her. �Hey, why are you crying?� he asked as he slowly brought his left hand to her face and he gently wiped her tears away.
�I�m scared,� she whispered softly as she closed her eyes. Lance wiped a new set of tears away.
�You�re scared of what?� he asked. He lost his breath when Christina opened her eyes. Her eyes were so blue, so clear.
�You.� She replied before looking down at his hand.
For a friend, for a love
To keep me safe and warm
They slowly walked into his living room where a dog was lying peacefully. The dog looked up and got on his feet when Lance and Christina walked closer to the sofa. Christina sat down on the sofa and the dog immediately jumped on the sofa and layed across her lap. Lance smiled at the dog�s action. He walked to the fireplace and made a fire. After the fire was started, he walked out of the room and left Christina with the dog. She looked around the room while she waited.
She was surprised at how beautiful the room was. She felt guilty for being in his house as soon as she looked around. It was too perfect to be a guy�s room. Maybe he was heading to pick his wife or girlfriend up and he brought her home. But as hard as she tried, she didn�t find one picture frame of him and a girl. The only girl that was beside him in a picture was his sister. Even Christina could tell that because of the similarities on their faces. After doing the inspection from the sofa of the pictures, she relaxed a little.
She heard Lance coming back into the room and she turned around to tell him something when he placed beside her three blue towels, a pair of grey sweat pants, a white t-shirt and a pair of light grey boxers. �They are all clean, never used them. There�s a bathroom here downstairs if you want to take a hot shower and wash your hair. It�s the second door on your left.� He said before walked back up the staircase.
�Lance, wait,� Christina said getting up from the sofa after the dog jumped off of her. Lance stopped and turned around to look at her. �Thank you for everything,� she said grabbing the things he placed there and walked down the hall and into the bathroom.
Lance waited until she closed the door before turning around and walking up the steps. �Your welcome Christina,� he said under his breath.
I turn to you.
For the strength to be strong,
For the will to carry on
For everything you do,
For everything that's true
I turn to you.
They both took a shower, Christina downstairs and Lance upstairs in the master bedroom. Christina was looking around the living room when Lance came down wearing an outfit similar to hers. Christina turned around and giggled softly when she saw what he was wearing. Lance shook his head and headed into the kitchen. Christina followed him and looked around the small kitchen. �What do you want to eat?� asked Lance as he looked into the fridge.
�What do you have?� she asked walking beside him to look inside the fridge also. �Ooh! What�s this?� she asked pointing at something.
�Orange juice.� He laughed lightly.
�What about this?� she asked pointing something else.
�Milk� he replied chuckling.
�And what about�.� she said looking at something else to point at.
�And what about you call your mom and tell her what happened?�
Christina pouted as she walked away and grabbed the phone that was hanging on the wall as Lance grabbed a few things before closing the fridge. As Christina talked to her mom, Lance made a few sandwiches and placed them on the table where Christina sat at talking to her mother. She tried to grab a sandwich but he slapped her hand away making her stick her tongue out. Lance shook his head at how friendly they were acting. They were two complete strangers acting as if they knew each other since they were kids.
When Christina hung up, Lance placed a glass of milk in front of her before placing one beside his plate as he sat down. They talked about funny events that happened in their lives while they ate the delicious sandwiches. They were washing the little dirty dishes they made when the power went off. Lance heard Christina gasp and he loud crashing noise as she let go of the plate she was holding.
�Are you alright Christina?� he asked trying to find her in the dark. Christina screamed when she felt something touch her. �Calm down, it�s me.� He told her as he picked her up and walked out of the kitchen with her holding on for dear life.
�Lance� I�m so scared,� she whispered.
�Christina, don�t be. We are perfectly safe in the house and my dog is trained. He�ll protect us if anything goes wrong.� He walked into the living room glad that he built a fire. At least it brought light into the living room.
Lance placed Christina down on the sofa as his dog jump on and laid his head on her lap. Lance put two more logs of wood into the fire and sat down beside her. She immediately hugged him, which surprised Lance. He placed his arm around her shoulder while she got more comfortable in his arms. After a few moments, he realized that she was shaking in her arms.
�Are you cold?� he asked her trying to find the blanket he always kept.
�No,� she mumbled before sniffing slightly.
�Are you crying?� he asked looking down at her.
�Yeah,� she replied weakly.
�Christina, nothing will happen. The power went off, nothing else.�
Christina shook her head before telling him what happened to her when she was ten years old.
** Flashback **
Christina and her mother were sitting in the living room in front of the fire while a storm was rumbling outside. They were listening to the radio when the power went off. Both of them looked at each other surprised by the sudden silence. They shrugged off and kept looking at the fire when they heard the kitchen window shatter. Both of them got on their feet and looked terrifiedly into the kitchen as they saw a man dressed in black open the back door. Christina and her mother ran out of the living room quietly and went up the stairs to hide in her mother�s walk-in-closet. Her mother grabbed her cell phone from her purse and dialled 911 quickly. Christina cried silently in the corner of the closet behind a few boxes as she heard the heavy footsteps of the man walking up the stairs and her mother�s quick whispering into the phone.
She heard her mother turn the cell phone off just as they heard the man open the bedroom door. Christina shut her eyes tightly and held herself tighter as the man opened the closet door. She heard her mom begging the man to take whatever he wanted but not to hurt her. She then heard a struggle between the two and not five seconds later; she heard her mother scream at the top of her lungs while the man raped her while laughing. Christina jumped slightly every time she heard the man slap her mother across her face.
After he ejaculated, she heard him get up and zip himself up as her mother laid on the floor moaning in pain. Christina bit on her knee when the man shot her mother just as the police was arriving. She heard the man curse under his breath before grabbing her mother�s purse from the closet and run out of the room. Christina stayed in the closet until a police officer grabbed her gently. Christina screamed at the top of her lungs and kicked her feet�s wildly as she was being lifted off of the floor. She opened her eyes when she saw a flash go and looked down and screamed even louder when she saw her mother lying on the floor in a puddle of her own blood with a bullet whole in the middle of her forehead.
** End of Flashback **
Lance held her tightly as she cried hard in his arms. He shut his eyes tightly as he felt tears running down his own cheek. He grabbed her and placed her across his lap. She turned around and straddled his lap and placed her head on his shoulder, her forehead touching his jaw. Lance placed his forehead on her shoulder and let her cry.
When I lose the will to win,
I just reach for you and
I can reach the sky again.
I can do anything
'Cause your love is so amazing,
'Cause your love inspires me.
Two and a half months had passed since the night Lance saved Christina from the storm. She still kicked herself for not asking his number or his address. She still couldn�t believe that she told him about the night when her mother was killed. No one knew about it, except for Lance. Everyone thought that she was living with her mother, but it wasn�t her mother at all, it was her mother�s sister, Christina�s aunt, Kare. It was true that Kare was scared for Christina when she told him that her car broke down in the middle of the night. Not only it was at night, but also in a rain storm and that she was staying at a stranger�s house named Lance.
She never told her friends that her car broke down and that she met a guy that stole her heart. Yes, Christina fell in love with him. She never in her wildest dream would have believed that her, Christina Aguilera, would fall head over heals over a stranger that she met not three seconds ago. But she did and she was angry with herself for not telling him about her feelings or asking for his number when she left the next morning. She couldn�t believe how safe she felt in his arms and how easily she could tell him about herself.
In school, she had to be in character, she was the most popular girl in the building for crying out loud! The popular girls are always happy, always smiling, always around people laughing and having the best time of her life. No one in her group of friends has ever seen her cry or show any emotions beside anger towards people that messed with her friends. She missed Lance terribly and Kare could see it in her eyes. She tried to cheer her up that one day, she�ll meet him again if they were meant to be together, but Christina didn�t believe in that. Because if there was faith; her mother would still be living with her.
Christina blinked a tear away as she came back to reality.
�Hey you all right?� Sarah asked who was sitting in front of her.
�Yeah, just have an eyelash or something in my eye,� Christina lied as she blinked her eyes a few more times for effect.
�Hey, have you all seen the new guy?� Amy asked.
�What new guy?� Christina asked taking a bite out of her fries.
�Oh, there�s this new guy in College� He�s wearing this ugly pair of glasses. Not talking to anyone. He�s always in the library reading books about astrology and stuff about space.� Amy said who was whispering quietly, but loud enough for Christina to hear her.
�What�s weird about it?� Christina asked not really interested in the way her friend was talking about the new student.
�Well he�s not talking to anyone for crying out loud! Once, Mark went to him and asked a question and he just talked for a good five minutes about gravity on the moon! Mark just wanted to know what time it was!� Sarah said.
�Shhh he�s coming!� Amy said looking at the guy. �Just look at the way he dresses! Looks like he came right out of an 80�s movie or something.� Amy added, before she laughed at her own comment. Christina looked up and gasped. �Told ya!� Amy said laughing at Christina�s facial expression.
Christina got up from her seat and walked to the new guy. �Excuse me.� She said placing her hand on his shoulder. The guy turned around rolling his eyes not knowing what kind of rude comment this girl would tell to him. He looked into her blue eyes and dropped his books on the floor. His jaw dropped when he saw her. Christina, in front of him. �Oh my God! Lance!� she said hugging him hard.
�What� What are you doing here?� he asked puzzled but happy to see her at the same time.
�I study here! I can�t believe this! I thought I�d never see you again!� she said as tears ran down her cheek. Lance pulled her into his arms again and held her while she cried.
Both of them forgot where they were until Amy�s voice broke their moment. �You KNOW him?� she asked in a rude way. Christina pulled away from him not bothering to wipe her tears away. She looked at Amy as she grabbed Lance�s hand.
�Yes I know him, have a problem with it?� Amy�s jaw dropped when she heard the intonation Christina talked to her and watched in disbelief as her best friend walked out of the cafeteria with Lance, holding his hand tightly.
And when I need a friend,
You're always on my side
Giving me faith
That gets me through the night.
For a shield from the storm,
For a friend, for a love
To keep me safe and warm
I turn to you.
For the strength to be strong,
For the will to carry on
For everything you do,
For everything that's true
I turn to you.
For the arms to be my shelter
Through all the rain,
For truth that will never change,
For someone to lean on,
For a heart I can rely on through anything,
For that one who I can run to...
For a shield from the storm,
For a friend, for a love
To keep me safe and warm
I turn to you
Lance stopped Christina in the middle of the hall and she turned back to look at him weirdly.
�What�s wrong?� he asked looking deep into her eyes. Christina sighted and looked around as people stared at them, not believing that Christina was with Lance.
�WHAT?� she yelled angrily. Everyone gasped and hurriedly left the hall. They couldn�t believe their ears. Christina was not the type of person to yell in the hallways. Lance watched in amazement as everyone literally ran out of the hall. Christina looked into Lance�s green eyes. �I need to talk to you, can we go somewhere quiet?� she asked, pleading with her eyes.
Lance grabbed her hand and they both walked out of the building. They crossed the street as a mass of people gathered to watch the two forms walk toward a big tree that was in the park in front of the school. The students were whispering to each other as Christina�s friends pushing through the crowd to see what was going on.
Lance stopped in front of the tree and turned to look at Christina who looked at their hands. �What is it Christina?� he asked after a few silent moments.
�I� Um� That night when you �saved� my life�� she said looking up at him.
�What about it?� he asked as he took a strand of her long blond hair away from her face and placed it behind her ear as she smiled at him.
�It meant a lot to me,� she said as a tear escaped her eyes. Lance smiled down at her as he wiped her tear. �I� I told you things that none of them know.� She said pointing at the crowd that was watching them. Lance looked toward the direction she pointed and he nodded.
�What are you trying to say Christina?� he asked looking into her eyes.
�I fell in love with you the moment I looked into your eyes,� she whispered looking deep into his soul.
For the strength to be strong,
For the will to carry on
For everything you do,
For everything that's true
I turn to you.
For a shield from the storm,
For a friend, for a love
To keep me safe and warm
I turn to you.
For the strength to be strong,
For the will to carry on
For everything you do,
For everything that's true
I turn to you.
I turn to you...
Lance stared at her, not believing his ears. �What did you say?� he asked to be sure. Christina looked down at her feet. She grabbed both his hands and looked back into his eyes. She smiled at him.
�I�m in love with you,� she said laughing a little. Lance smiled from ear to ear before picking her up and twirling her around both laughing in joy. After a few turns he placed her down on her feet and held both her hands.
�You have no idea how much I thought of this moment,� he said to her. Christina smiled at him as he looked at their joined hands. He looked up at her through his eyelashes as he slowly blushed. �Christina�?� he asked shyly.
�Yes?� she replied, laughing at his boyish manner.
�Will you do the honour and be my girlfriend?� he asked tilting his head a little to his side to see her reaction better.
�YES!� she jumped into his arms and laughed as he lost his balance and fell on his back.
Both of them laughed as the group of people ran towards them when they saw them fall. �Are you all right?� Amy asked concerned. Christina laughed as she looked up at her friends.
�Yeah, we are fine,� she said as she slowly got off of Lance and offered him her hand. Lance took it and smiled mischievously. He pulled her down on him and she giggled before he captured her lips and kissed her passionately. Christina snaked her hands around his neck as his went around her waist, both pulling the other closer to them.
Everyone gasped. None of them could believe what they were seeing. Amy looked at Sarah not understanding why Christina was on the floor making out with a freak of space. �Um� Christina?� Sarah asked. Christina kissed Lances lips one last time before getting up and helping him up.
�Yes?� she asked as Lance snaked his arm around her waist. Christina looked up at him and grinned.
�Care to explain it to us?� Amy asked crossing her arms.
�Explain what?� Christina asked looking at her two friends.
�Why are you all smooshy smooshy??� Amy asked raising her eyebrow.
�Um� Because I love him?� she asked her friend with a frown.
�How can you love a guy that dresses like this and have an ugly pair of glasses?� Sarah asked.
�See, that�s where we are different.� Christina said pulling away from Lance before grabbing his hand tightly. �I don�t care what he�s wearing, I can tell him everything that I have on my mind knowing that he wouldn�t judge me like you guys are.� Christina said walking away as students made a path for them.
�What�s THAT supposed to mean?� Sarah asked angrily.
�You didn�t talk to him and you were already making fun of him.� Christina said without looking behind her.
�Yeah and?� Amy challenged.
Christina stopped and turned around. She walked to her two friends and stared at them. �Remember that night I left in the storm?� she asked as Lance walked behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and placed his chin on her shoulder as Christina�s left hand went to his hair and her right hand went above his hand on her stomach.
�What about it?� Sarah asked not understanding what Christina was implying.
�My car broke down and I started to walk home when Lance came and brought me to his house.� She said as Lance kissed her neck softly. Everyone gasped when they heard what she said. �None of you guys even THOUGHT of going out and look for me. The movie was more interesting then wondering if I made it home safely,� she said as tears started to burn her eyes.
Amy and Sarah looked down at their feet feeling embarrassed. Christina wiped her tears away with the back of her hand. �You know, Lance knows me more then you guys do.� She said laughing bitterly.
�What?� whispered Amy looking up at her friend in disbelief.
�Yeah. I told him about what happened to my mother when I was ten years old.� She said looking up heavenly.
�What happened?� asked someone in the crowd.
�A man broke in their house and raped her mother, then killed her all the while Christina was in her mother�s closet behind boxes hearing everything,� Lance said looking at Sarah and Amy. Christina turned around in Lance�s embrace and Lance went aside.
�Let�s go,� Christina said under her breath. Lance grabbed her hand tightly and they walked away. Christina didn�t acknowledge her two best friends who begged her with their forgiveness.
�Are you okay?� Lance asked after they crossed the street. Christina looked up at him and smiled.
�I�ll always be alright beside you,� she said before kissing him again.
�I love you,� Lance said looking into her soul. Christina kissed the tip of his nose.
�Thank you for being my shelter from the storm,� she said as a tear ran down her cheek.
�Your welcome baby,� he said kissing her tear away.