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Post by Thursday on Oct 25, 2006 11:01:06 GMT -5
The rest of the day was uneventful. Owen and I both avoiding each other more. Too bad there wasn't an Olympic event for avoidance. I would be winning the gold medal. I silently prayed thanks to god every chance I got that we didn't have play rehearsal today. I would have died if I had to face Owen after our little tete a tete after lunch. But I had made a decision. In Health I set it into motion.
"Hey, babe," Chris said, his standard greeting and after our required hello kiss I asked him.
"I need to talk to you. Can I come over after school?"
I'd done my homework. There was no basketball practice. It was the perfect occasion to tell him about Owen. I promised myself that I would tell him and we would either work through it or break up. Surprisingly, the thought of breaking up didn't really scare me or make me sad. It kind of made me hopeful. Because what Owen had said was right. I did feel something around him that I'd never felt around Chris. i wasn't exactly sure yet if I wanted to pursue those feelings but I knew I couldn't stay with Chris if i was thinking about someone else.
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Post by Thursday on Oct 25, 2006 11:12:49 GMT -5
Chris winced.
"It's not a good day. The 'rents are going out and I'm taking the twins to soccer practice."
"Oh," I answered dejectedly. My whole plan had just gone down the drain. "Maybe some other time."
He was about to say something else but then our teacher walked in and set us to work learning about vitamins.
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Post by Thursday on Oct 25, 2006 11:20:52 GMT -5
During the day, thick black clouds had rolled in covering the sky. It was pouring by the time school let out. It was the perfect weather for my mood. All I wanted to do was lose myself in a book and forget all about Owen and Chris. But Emily cornered me by my car.
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Post by Thursday on Oct 25, 2006 19:02:54 GMT -5
I groaned outloud.
"I'm working on it Emily. I decided to tell him."
She looked confused for a second and then remembered what I was talking about.
"Oh! That's good!"
I stare at her blankly. Wasn't it her a few days ago telling me not to worry about it? Could she be more bipolar?
"Good luck with that."
"Thanks." I was going to need it. The only problem was when.
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Post by Thursday on Oct 27, 2006 13:24:54 GMT -5
When I got home I attempted to lose myself on the internet and forget all my troubles. But no such luck. What I found instead was an e-mail from my favorite drama teacher (saracasm in case you couldn't tell) Mr. Jensen. He was informing all members of the play that opening night had been moved. This was not a good thing because it was moved up by a week! The play was this Friday! That gave us three days! It's impossible. I had more problems to worry about.
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Post by Thursday on Oct 31, 2006 14:34:11 GMT -5
After I had read the e-mail Melissa came bursting into my room, staring at her chest.
"I think my boobs are getting bigger!"
She destroyed my peaceful solitude for this?
"So?" I ask somewhat rudely, but hey! It's my room! She can knock!
"I don't want huge boobs like you!"she wailed.
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Post by Thursday on Oct 31, 2006 14:35:23 GMT -5
I chalk it up to my extreme self control that kept me from rolling my eyes and screaming at her to get out of my room.
"I'm sorry?"
"It's all mom's fault!"
"Mom's? Why?"
"She gave us her genes!"
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Post by Thursday on Oct 31, 2006 14:52:06 GMT -5
What impressive logic. She stormed back out just as quietly as she had come and left me in her wake. Why did everyone's problems seem so much simpler than mine. I longed to talk to
Chris and get this whole thing sorted out. I glanced at my watch. It was still early. He might still be at the twins soccer practice. I dialed his cell phone but it went straight to voice mail. that's odd I thought. He never turns off his cell phone. On a whim I tried his house and i couldn't have been more shocked when one of the twins answered the phone.
"Hello?" a voice asked.
"Hi! Is this Cody or Josh?"
"Josh,"
"Hi Josh! This is Anna!" I said in my babysitter voice.
"Hi Anna! Do you want to talk to Chris?"
"Don't you boys have soccer practice today?"
"No why would we?"
Hmmm. That was odd. Why would Chris say they did?
"So Chris is home?"
"Yeah, you want me to get him?"
"No, no.That's okay. I think I might just surprise him."
"OK!" Josh said brightly. "I won't tell! I keep secrets unlike Cody who..." I let him blab on for a few more minutes. Little kids liked to be listened to.
"OK, Josh. I got to go! Bye!"
"Bye!" Josh said, happy to have had someone to tell his story to.
After I hung up, I still had no answer as to why Chris would intentionally lie to me. Maybe he got the days mixed up or something. Either way I needed to hear the truth from him. Then I could break my news.
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Post by Thursday on Oct 31, 2006 14:56:50 GMT -5
I decided to walk the short distance to Chris' house and surprise him so he couldn't say he had other plans or try and get out of it. I was going to tell him and that was final.
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Post by Thursday on Nov 6, 2006 15:04:57 GMT -5
As I walked the short distance to Chris' house, my heart was racing for some inexplicible reason. But strangely I also felt kind of happy. Like Chris lying to me would give me a reason to break up with him so I could be with Owen. Whoa. Where did that thought come from? What was I thinking? I shook my head trying to get that thought out of my head. Why would I break up with him for a stupid little white lie? I'm sure he had a perfectly good reason. By the time I reached Chris' house I had convinced myself it was all just a misunderstanding. I knocked on the door. No answer. That's strange. I tried the door. It was unlocked so I walked on. The house was quiet except for the flashing lights and sound of gunshots coming from the family room. That explained it. The boys were playing video games. I walked up the stairs and stopped in front of Chris' door.
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Post by Thursday on Nov 7, 2006 18:40:58 GMT -5
I opened the door and at the same time my mouth fell open. There was my boyfriend wearing nothing but his boxer shorts. Okay, this wasn't the shocking part as I had seen my boyfriend in boxer shorts before. No, the shocking part was that he was not alone. Wrapped in his arms was none other than Sara Evans, wearing nothing but a tiny, red, lace thong. It was easy to see what was going on, especially by the front of Chris' boxers, but my mind didn't seem to register it.
"Anna!Um..." Chris stammered turning the same color of Sara's underwear.
"Oh, Hi Anna," Sara said cooly, a wicked smile curving across her face as she grabbed a tee-shirt to cover up with. Now it all made sense. My shock was taken over by pure rage. What I did next I can't explain. It was like someone had taken over my body.
"Look Anna, I can explain..." Chris started.
"Save it you bastard!" and then I kicked him. Hard. Somewhere that boys don't like to be kicked. While he was doubled over in pain I turned to Sara.
That smug little smirk still covered her face.
"What did I tell you Anna? Little naive Anna. This has been going on for weeks." she said, her voice filled with venom.
Then I slapped her across the face. "I guess that makes you a whore." and then I walked out. I was so angry I felt like my head was going to explode.
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Post by Thursday on Nov 7, 2006 18:46:28 GMT -5
I raced down the stairs and out of the house, slamming the door behind me. It was pouring cats and dogs and I was soaked to the bone in just seconds. But I didn't care. The farther I got away from Chris' the more my rage faded and was replaced by pure, raw sadness. Sara had said it had been going on for weeks. All this time I was being deceived and I never knew. Suddenly all of the weirdness my friends had been giving me made sense. Emily knew at least and tried to tell me. Tears started streaming down my face. Houses passed by but I couldn't see anything. My vision was blurred by tears. Suddenly someone grabbed me.
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Post by Thursday on Nov 7, 2006 18:50:47 GMT -5
I looked up and saw Owen. I wiped my eyes and saw that I was in front of his house.
"Anna." That was all he said. He didn't ask me what was wrong or why was crying just said my name and took me in his arms.
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Post by Thursday on Nov 7, 2006 19:06:00 GMT -5
He took me inside and ordered me to go change clothes.
"You'll freeze if you stay in those."
So I grabbed the sweat shirt and jeans he offered me that he'd pilfered from his mom's closet and went into the bathroom to change. I glanced at my reflection in the mirror and winced. I looked like a half drowned rat. My hair was soaked and my make- up was running down my face leaving harsh black tracks. Plus I had the whole nipple thing to worry about from the cold. I cleaned up as best I could and then joined Owen in the living room.
"Where is everyone?" I asked looking around. His little sister was usually somewhere running around.
"My parents took my sister to D.C. for the weekend to see Sesame Street on Broadway."
"Oh." I said lamely.
"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked after I had sat down on the couch. Strangely enough the whole ugly story came spilling out. Owen didn't interrupt me except to mutter,"Asshole!" occasionally. When I finished he just looked at me.
"Did you know?" I asked.
"Not for sure. But I suspected."
"Oh my god! Everyone knew! Except me! Why couldn't I see it?" I said softly and put my head in my hands. Owen pulled me back up.
"Anna, he and Sara are the ones who should be beating themselves up, not you. You didn't see it because you cared about Chris and thought he cared about you."
"Obviously not," I added bitterly.
"But you know," I said suddenly," I'm not as sorry as I'd thought I'd be."
Owen gave me a look and burst out laughing.
"That isn't funny," I said glaring at him.
"It's a line from the play!"
I couldn't help it. I laughed too.
"But really," I started again after we had both composed ourselves. "I was kind of looking for a reason to end it."
"Why?" Owen asked staring at me intently. I turned to him.
"Because I remembered something you said. And you were right. It really is you I want to be with. It just took me a while to realize it." He didn't let me say anything else but then he was kissing me and let's just say that this time, I didn't stop him.
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Post by Thursday on Nov 18, 2006 20:41:49 GMT -5
I woke the next morning and rolled over on my back. My five alarms hadn't been set so I woke only to the bright sun spilling through the window. I yawned and lay back and watched the ceiling fan make its slow rotation around and around. There was something white hanging from it. A second later it fell down at my feet and I realized it was my bra! Then I heard the slamming of car doors. I sat up quickly and noticed something. Okay, I noticed a few things. First of all I was in Owen's room, in Owen's bed, with Owen. And we were both naked. Oh god.
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