Chapter 26
Anna was sitting at our favourite table in the back. She was playing with an empty coffee cup—not a good sign.
“I am so sorry I'm late, Anna,” I apologized as I leaned over and instinctively kissed her on the top of her smooth hair.
“Jake, you're forty-five minutes late,” she said, her disappointment apparent.
“I know, I—“
“I guess this wasn't that important to you.” She looked crushed. I hated that I made her feel like that. I seemed to be doing it a lot lately and it killed me. She deserved so much better.
“It's not that at all, Anna. This is very important to me. More than you know.”
She smiled. Finally, I broke the ice.
“Where were you?” she asked.
I hesitated, then remembering my promise not to lie to her, I said, “Rachel needed me—” but I stopped when I saw her expression go from hopeful back to disappointed.
“Rachel? I should have known.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I'm sorry, Jake. I guess I wasn't ready for this, either.” She stood and before she turned on her heel to go, she murmured, “I have to go.”
“No, Anna, wait!” I called after her, but she wasn't turning back. I knew that walk. She was determined and I wasn't stopping her without making a scene, which after the day's events, I wasn't in the mood for.
I spent the evening in my bedroom, laying on my bed, staring at the piece of folded-up paper that Anna gave me before I left for camp. Every half hour or so, I picked up the phone and called Anna's house, left another message for her, then called her cell phone and left yet another message.
The last time I called it was almost midnight, and my message was no different than the previous ones: “Anna, it's me again. I am so sorry. You have every right to be upset. I just wish you'd call me back. Please call me back.” This time I added, “I don't deserve you, I know. Actually, I don't even blame you for not calling me back. I'm a jerk. You deserve so much better. Good night.”
I was getting sleepy and delusional, but I hoped that my message would at least make her smile. Maybe she'd call me back in the middle of the night when she got lonely. Maybe.
The next day as we pulled into our regular parking spot, my stomach was in knots. I felt sick. Was I just nervous to see Anna? Noah and I walked into the school and I immediately sensed an uncomfortable atmosphere.
“What's going on?” Noah muttered.
I looked around at all the prying eyes. “I have no idea.”
Then we saw Rachel coming out of Ms. Peters' office. Her smile quickly faded when she caught my eyes.
“What?” I demanded.
“Have you heard?” she asked without taking her eyes off of me.
“What are you talking about?” I swallowed the dryness in my mouth.
Rachel looked around and leaned in to whisper, “I heard that Eric and Anna were on a date last night, and he asked her out again, tonight.” She watched me carefully.
The colour drained from my face as my stomach threatened to release its contents. How could she do this? I fell a step backward and caught my balance.
“Jake, if you think about it, this is a good thing. She's in no harm this way,” Rachel tried to reason.
“Shut-up, Rachel,” I said and stormed off down the hall. I had to find Anna. I didn't know what I was going to say or do when I found her, but I needed to hear something straight from her mouth.
I found her standing outside the classroom door talking to Monica and Lexie. They were giggling about something, but Monica’s face turned serious when she saw me coming. Anna turned and gave a weak smile in my direction.
“Ladies,” I politely greeted.
“Wow, Jake, have you been working out?” Lexie said as she ran her hand along my bicep.
I was a little caught off guard. “Uh, yeah,” was all I could say.
“Not hard to tell,” Monica joined in.
“Anyway!” Anna glared at her friends. “What’s up, Jake?” She knew very well what I was upset about.
“I need to talk to you,” I said as I pulled her away from her friends. She didn't object, so I kept talking. “Is it true? Were you out with Eric last night?”
“Jake, keep your voice down,” Anna warned in a whisper. “Yes, I went out with Eric last night. We went to see a movie. I didn't really feel like going home after you stood me up at the Coffee House and when he called me, I took him up on his offer.”
“He called you?” It took all my strength to refrain from punching a hole in the wall.
“Yes, Jake. At least I can count on Eric to be there. He doesn’t hide stuff from me.”
Ouch. “I . . . I . . .” I stammered.
“Don't bother, Jake.” She held up a hand to suggest she wasn't going to believe anything I said anyway. “Just answer this: Have you been one hundred percent honest with me?”
I paused and closed my eyes remembering my promise not to lie. I answered, “Anna, all you need to know is that I am scared to death of losing you, but I still care so much about what happens to you.” It was the truth, but I knew it wouldn’t be enough.
She took my face in her hands and looked deeply into my eyes. “Jake, you're not telling me everything. I wish you would so I could help you. This hurts me so much.” Tears filled her eyes.
I turned so my lips could touch her hand. The warmth of her fingers melted my face and I just wanted to stay like that forever. I hung my head in defeat. “I know it hurts you, Anna. And it kills me that it's hurting you. I just . . . I just can't.”
Anna huffed and then adopted an annoyed expression. “Anyway,” she said as she threw her hands up in the air, “until you figure things out, I'm moving on.” She looked past me and her expression changed again as she regained her composure.
“Hey Anna,” Eric slid in beside Anna and put his arm around her shoulder. I was pleased to see her smoothly step out of his reach.
“Eric,” I reluctantly said.
“Jake,” he nodded. “So did you hear Anna and I are going out tonight?” Eric said smugly.
And that was all I needed to push me over the edge. I felt my temperature rise and my fists clench. I saw nothing but Eric and red. My plan was to throw him through the wall, or maybe through the second-storey window, far away from Anna. But then a soft, smooth, familiar touch landed on my arm. It was Anna's touch. I melted back to reality and looked at her perfect face.
“Jake, I'll see you later, maybe,” she said in her sweet attempt to calm me down. It worked. Sort of.
I turned to Eric and warned, “Be careful with her, Eric. I swear I'll be watching.” Then I left and went to homeroom where I agonized over leaving them alone in the hallway. Would he kiss her? Would she let him? I felt sick again.
I laid my head on my desk and groaned. The sound of Rachel's heels clicking across the floor brought me back to the present as she stopped beside my desk. She knelt down, put her arm around me and whispered, “It'll be okay, Jake. She's much safer this way.” She paused and took on a disgusted tone, “And don't worry about Eric. I'll take care of him.”
I felt a little relieved and thankful for Rachel’s presence. I smiled at her. “You'd do that for me?”
“Of course I would. We're family now.” She slid her watch up her arm, revealing her mark.
Maybe Rachel wasn’t that bad after all. Anna walked into the classroom and stopped when she saw Rachel and I huddled together. I couldn't read her expression but it wasn’t hard to assume she was disappointed, or maybe she felt justified. Whatever it was, I didn't like it.
When the bell finally rang for lunch, Noah and I made our way to the cafeteria.
“So how did it go this morning with Anna?” Noah asked uncomfortably.
I kicked at a stray sneaker in the hallway. “Not so good. She's going out with Eric tonight.” My temperature began rising again.
“I can't believe he'd do that,” Noah snorted disgustedly. “Hasn't he heard of the Bro Code??
??
“Apparently not,” I said as I pushed open the doors to the cafeteria. I scanned the room and caught sight of Anna sitting at a table with Eric across from her. She was laughing at something.
“Maybe we should sit over here,” Noah suggested, leading me away from our usual table.
“Yeah, maybe.” We sat down at the empty table, only to be followed by Rachel, Claudia and Nick.
Rachel sat down, took out a banana and started peeling it. “Rumour has it he's taking her to play minigolf tonight,” she said nonchalantly.
“Maybe we shouldn't talk about this right now,” Noah said.
“No, it's okay,” I tried. “Minigolf?” Ha! She hated minigolf.
“That's what I heard. Monica told me.”
Then I had an idea. “Claudia, can you go over and let me know what Anna really thinks of Eric? Can you do that?” What an ingenious idea. This could set my mind at ease, or make it ten times worse. Who knew? Claudia could.
“Jake, I can't believe you'd even ask me that. I can't do that. It's a clear violation of her rights.” Claudia was disgusted.
“What? And reading our thoughts isn't?”
“That's different. I can't help it. I'm not doing it on purpose and then telling everyone.”
“Yeah, yeah. Okay, I get it. You're not a team player. I get it,” I teased.
She threw me a nasty look and then smiled as she shook her head at me.
“You guys want to do something tonight?” I asked in the hopes of spending my evening doing something other than obsessing over Anna’s date.
“Sounds good,” Noah said.
“I'm in,” Nick added.
“What did you want to do?” Claudia asked. “Play minigolf?”
I laughed. “Or just spy?”
Eric, Anna, Tyler and Monica got up and left the cafeteria. Maybe I should go with them, I thought. Just to make sure she’s safe. Or just keep an eye on her from a distance.
“I'll be back in a few. Going to the washroom,” I excused myself. Then I remembered that Claudia would know what my intentions were. I glanced back at her and she was giving me a warning look.
I’ll be good, I promised her.
Anna was heading outside with Monica and Lexie, but Eric and Tyler weren’t with them. That made me feel better. Remembering Claudia's disapproval over me following Anna, I decided to leave her be and head to the washroom.
I was only in the stall for a few seconds when the door opened and Eric and Tyler walked in. The conversation that followed drove me over the edge.