"Cut it out. It's not funny anymore." I turned to leave the room but Andie caught my arm before I could even take a step. I looked back and yanked my arm away from her.
"Look, we're sorry." I don't believe her. I don't think I ever will. God, I've been so stupid. I knew this was too good to be true but still, I had allowed myself to believe. How could they do this to me?
"Sorry? You..." I couldn't find the right words to say. Tears started to escape from my already puffy eyes. And that's when everyone started to make their way towards me. But before they could even go near me, I was already out of the door.
God! I hate this day. I was sobbing so hard but I couldn't care less. I need to get out of there. With an uncalculated haste, I made my way into the exit gate. I just looked at the guard on duty and seeing the state I am in, he opened the gate without a second glance.I should remember to give him a thank you note.
I was barely seated in the cab when someone climbed in after me. "Get out! Can't you see that I got here first?" I wasn't looking when I said that since I was busy wiping the tears off my face. "This is my cab! Why aren't you getting out?" And this time, I was already looking at him. I know I was acting like a kid but this is my cab. I don't think I know him. I don't think I've ever seen him before. "Let's go," he was talking to the driver. The driver looked at him and then to me. "Get out!' I couldn't hold it any longer. I was crying full on; not because he won't go out but more because of what I found out and before I knew it, the guy already has his arms around me.
I didn't make any effort to escape from his embrace. His hands were patting my back and my head is rested in his chest. I hate to admit it, but I'm not bothered by the fact that he is practically a stranger. And I find his touch comforting. He might have motioned the driver to go while I was on my crying hiatus because when I pulled free from him, I realized we were already passing by the park.
"Where do you want to go?" His eyes are full of concern. But now that I've gained composure again, my brain is flashing danger at me and is all, you don't even know the guy. I need to stop this. Yes, he's been very kind but this is too much on a first meeting. "I'll just stop here." The driver pulled over the curb and as he did, I fish out some bills from my purse. I was about to hand it to the driver but he was faster than me. "I'll get it."
"Who are you?Why are you doing this?" I looked him square in the eyes. He didn't answer my question but instead, opened the door. He went out first and motioned for me to follow. I did as I'm told since I was already causing the poor driver too much delay. But just because I followed him doesn't mean I'm just going to let this issue go.
Just as I was about to ask another question, he offered his hand to me for a handshake. "It's James by the way." James who? "Kath. So are you going to answer any of my questions?"
He shook his head and went, "No." His response caused me to let out a small giggle. "You're beautiful when you cry but even more when you smile." With that, he started walking away from me and I just stood there and watched him leave. What an introduction. Anyways, it's not like there's a chance that we'll see each other again.
Standing there in the middle of the park, the clouds that were looming over me before the James incident started to take over me once more. This unwelcome feeling made me want to curl up in a ball and cry again. I feel betrayed. I thought they were my friends. What did they take me for? With all that has happened today, I've allowed myself to collapse in the fairly trimmed bermuda grass and the memories started flashing unbidden in my mind.
Remember when I called Dan, well our real conversation went like this with bitter commentaries from me:
"Hey, why did you call?" Why did I call? Is he seriously asking me this? Well, here goes,"I've read your confession in the school website. And..."
"What? I think I'm lost here." His voice sounds confused. But I thought he was just teasing me so I said, "You don't have to be shy. I feel the same too. I have always loved you and yes, I want to be your girlfriend." And his reply? "Wow. I don't know what to say. Really. I don't want to be a jerk but I don't know what you are talking about."
"Then, how would you explain the messages, and the phone calls from last night? Are you trying to get even because I ignored all of your calls? Because believe me, this is not funny anymore."
"Ann, I would never pull a prank on you." So is that what this is? A prank? And that was it. I didn't want to hear anymore. I ended the call and allowed myself to reflect on all of this. I couldn't quite believe that I've been played. Who would do such a thing?
Oh, I know who would. And just thinking about that fact makes me want to puke all over this velvety green landscape. I was so dazed after my disastrous conversation with Dan and the crushed hope of a happily ever after that I decided to check my phone for answers. I went directly to my inbox and started rereading Dan's messages. And then it hit me, this isn't the way write and the lines were definitely scripted like they were taken from a movie or something. Why haven't I noticed that. Oh, the pathetic freak that I am! I hate myself, really. And then I was smart enough to check the caller ID and true enough, it's not Dan's number.
Why is this happening to me? Really? And as if that part wasn't enough, I had to deal with something worst at school today. My eyes were all puffy and red from all the crying I did from last night and I wasn't very good in hiding them. Everyone was eyeing me when I entered the room. Lets say I was half-expecting this but gosh, this is just too intense. I directly went to the table where Jenny, Vicky, and Kayla are. And what happened next? This is what happened next, as I was about to sit in my usual place beside Kayla, I chanced upon a crumpled piece of paper. I picked it up and what I saw in there made me explode into another episode of crying. I think I've cried for a lifetime's worth in just a day's time. Written on the paper were the actual messages that were supposedly sent by Dan.
And to top all of that, my friends weren't a bit surprised when I asked them about the paper. And it wouldn't take a genius to know that they were involved in this. You might be wondering about the other conversation you've read, well, I've prepared that just in case people started asking me about how it went with Dan. But now, I know better that I no longer need that.
