Derrick and I strolled down the chip’s aisle of the convenient store, getting junk food for our Saturday night movie-athon, a tradition carried on since the night Derrick’s best friend Julie and my best friend Alec had decided to invite a friend to their private, movie-watching night. And every Saturday since the unforgettable episode one year and, almost but not yet, twelve months later, we adopted and kept their tradition like a commandment.

I watched his eyes scan the shelves from my spot, riding backwards on the cart. "Nuh-uh! You have to give me a hint about our anniversary plans. I gave you hints last year!" I argued logically.

Derrick gave me his characteristic impish grin. "My Faith, you couldn’t pry it out of me with a crowbar!"

As was my habit when I became emotional, I fiddled with his Senior High Ring that hung on the gold necklace he’d presented to me eleven months previous. The motion, as always, caused me to glance at the small bulge where the silver chain he wore under his shirt for my junior year ring resided against his chest. As he spoke again, my eyes moved from the bulge up to his lips to his eyes then back down to his lips.

I stepped from the back of the cart and tossed a packet of extra butter popcorn into the cart. Derrick was studying the other side, trying to decide which chips he wanted this week. He picked up two different sacks as I stepped up behind him. While he turned toward the cart, I slipped my arms around his back and pulled his six foot six height down to where his brown eyes met up with my golden ones. Derrick dropped the bags into the cart and ran his hands tenderly up the back of my white baby tee until they rested under my black hair at the nape of my neck.

I tip-toed about the time he bent towards me, and his lips caressed mine. Amazingly enough, my toes curled just like they had during every kiss for almost two years. We broke away at the same moment; I noticed again how well his black, sleeveless shirt and khaki cut-off shorts set off his tan complexion and gorgeous eyes. Leaning forward, he rested his forehead against mine. We watched each other’s eyes, almost daring the other to blink first. I whispered, "Have I ever told you that your eyes look like aged whiskey in a crystal glass?"

His smile was every bit as impish as always, except now it was drowned by his tender eyes and the gentle caresses on my back. "Only as often as I've told you that yours look like they'd better serve a leopard."

"Ha!" I murmured. "You're almost as charming as your father!"

The grin took on a sly cast. He recaptured one of my hands from his back and gently twirled me before gracing me with a bow. "Such courtesy, Milady."

I laughed softly and suggested we continue or leave. "Milady, art thou being uncharitable to thy liege lord? ..." He glanced at his watch, "We have ten minutes to get to the movie store. Let’s not keep Mr. Kelley waiting."

          As we continued toward the only checkout line available, we haggled; the usual routine over who got to choose the movie, which we would settle as we hit the video store parking lot. We'd both choose two. Unfortunately, our arguing covered the voices at the front. As we stepped out of the aisle, I froze at the sound of a clip being loaded into a gun. Two yards in front of us, the clerk, Mr. Kelley, stood with his hands on his head as a deeply tanned man aimed the gun at us. His deep, quivering voice yelled, "Don't move! I'll shoot. I swear I will!" When he seemed assured that we wouldn’t threaten him, he set the gun down and began throwing money from the counter into his sack.

Derrick slowly edged closer to me, grabbing for my hand without taking his eyes off the robber. His foot caught the cart behind us, and, startled, the robber picked up the gun. Worried, I ran to stand in front of Derrick. Derrick’s eyes were riveted upon the gun, but his hands grabbed my waist, trying to move me.  He wasn’t fast enough. The semiautomatic went off once; a second later, pain jolted through me, emanating up from my abdomen.

My legs gave way, but Derrick caught me easily, lowering me slowly. He rested me on the sun-patterned tiles, obviously at a loss for what to do. I managed a weak smile when he gripped my hand a little more tightly than he meant to. His right hand stroked my dark hair while his left hand refused to release mine. My peripheral vision was closing in. "Derrick, I love you ..."

The tears erupted from his eyes, but I felt too weak to even consider raising a hand to brush them away. "And, I you! If you really love me, then quit all this nonsense talk." Suddenly, or it seemed to happen all at once, my eyesight only took in black and white. I slid my right hand over the wound near my abdominal region. Wanting to relieve the tension, I tried to crack a joke, but my mind couldn't recall what color the substance covering my hand was supposed to be.

Derrick kept patting my cheek, trying to keep me awake while repeating, "Faith, hold on. Surely someone will be here soon to help you. Just a little while longer, okay? You can do that for me, right? Just keep your eyes open a few minutes longer."

From a distance, I heard the clerk murmur in a steely voice, "Leave now, because I am gonna call an ambulance for that girl. The only way to stop me will be to shoot me too." Just moments later, I heard Mr. Kelley beg someone to send an ambulance to his store.

"Faith!" At the sound of a pleading voice, I made the horrific effort to open my eyes.

Darkness stained the front of my shirt, like it stained my hand. Then it occurred to me; red. I dimly felt Derrick squeeze my left hand as I raised my right one a bare two inches. "I always ... told ... mommy that ... red isn’t my ... color."

Tears refilled his eyes as mine closed. Hazily I heard occasional comments that Jake made to whoever was dispatched for the call. A woman’s voice broke through, "Sir, you have to let go of her. Back away."

"Her parents are off on business. She has to know I am here for her. It’ll make her ..." My mind wouldn’t let me wonder what he had been saying. As a calm, feminine voice began to speak to me, my body relaxed to let the blackness reign.