Next day at school, Stacey was a total wreck. She hadn't slept at all last night. She dragged her feet from class to class all day, not paying attention to any of her courses.
Kate saw the heartbreaking sadness on Stacey's face. As soon as the lunch bell rang she pulled her into the girl's bathroom.
-"Stacey, what's wrong? You look like Shit."
Kate always had a way with words.
-"it's nothing." Stacey barely managed to say.
But Kate noticed that her voice was quivering.
-"Did something happen yesterday?" asked her Kate.
Stacey just lowered her eyes. She felt the tears she was trying to hold back all day finally flow down her cheeks.
-"oh, honey. What's wrong?" asked her Kate, now really concerned.
-"she-she's avoiding me..." answered her Stacey.
-"why?"
-"I-I don't know." Stacey was barely able to speak over her sobbing.
"She-she never called me. And when I tried c-calling her, her cell phone was closed and-and when I called her house the maid kept saying she wasn"t there. But-but.."
-"but what?" Kate urged her on as she handed her a tissue.
Stacey dabbed at her tears with it and managed to continue.
-"I-I heard her telling the maid to say she wasn't there. I heard her say that!"
-"but why would she do that? Did something happen between you two?"
-"No!" Stacey yelled in frustration and threw the now crumbled tissue forcefully across the room.
"I told you I didn't see her at all!"
-"alright. Calm down."
-"I-I'm sorry. I just don't understand what went wrong."
-"did you try calling her today?"
-"it's worse. Now it's ringing but she won't answer."
-"here.'" Said Kate and she took out her cell phone.
"Try my phone. She doesn't know my number."
-"Kate, it's obvious she doesn't want to talk to me."
-"well if that's the case she should at least have the decency to tell you that." said Kate, handing Stacey her phone.
"call her now, she must also be on her lunch break."
Stacey took the phone and she composed herself. She took a deep breath and dialled Ann's number.
After three rings, a very dull Ann answered.
-"hello?"
-"it's me.' Stacey said.
There was silence on the other end of the line.
-"what do you want?" Ann simply said.
At Ann's uncaring tone, Stacey's sadness got replaced with anger.
-"what do you mean what do I want?! Why have you been avoiding me?!"
-"look, I don't have time for this right now." said
Ann with frustration.
-"well make time!" Stacey shouted, her heart breaking at Ann's indifference.
Kate gestured for her to keep her voice down.
-"tell me what's wrong." She said a bit more calmly.
"You have no idea how worried I was yesterday. I waited for you all day."
-"I'm sure your dear Kate kept you pretty busy." said Ann cruelly.
-"What? What are you talking about?" asked a completely confused Stacey.
-"oh please, Stacey. You know exactly what I'm talking about!" this time Ann raised her voice.
-"Ann, what?!"
But Ann suddenly asked her:
-"from whose phone are you talking?"
-"Kate's, but..."
-"it figures. I'm sure you two are having a good laugh at my expense."
-"Ann, please! You're not making any sense. Why are you throwing away everything that has happened between us?"
-"I'm not, Stacey. You are."
-"Me?!" asked a completely stunned Stacey.
-"goodbye."
-"Ann, Wait!" but it was too late, she had hung up the phone.
Stacey just stood there bewildered, staring at the phone. She felt her eyes welling up again. She looked up at Kate, who was looking at her with questioning eyes.
-"she wasn't making any sense."
-"what do you mean? What did she say?"
-"She said that this is all my fault and that you and I are laughing at her?"
-"what?! That doesn't make any sense!"
Stacey just fell silent. A million thoughts ran through her head. Why was Ann acting this way?
Did she regret what happened between them and was trying to put the blame on her? Was she scared?
Stacey was scared too. She had thought real long and hard if this is what she truly wanted? The answer came very clearly to her. She had never been happier and felt like she could be herself than when she was with Ann. She felt that with Ann by her side she would have the courage to face whatever may come their way in the future.
She had thought that Ann felt the same, but apparently she didn't. She never knew that love could feel so wonderful one minute and then unbelievably painful the next.
Stacey went through the rest of her classes with great effort. All she wanted to do was crawl into bed and cry her eyes out.
And that's exactly what she did as soon as school ended and Kate drove her home.
She slid under the covers, took Ann's shirt that she kept under her pillow and hugged it to her as she allowed the tears to flow down her face.
Kate sat by her side and gently rubbed her back. She didn't know what else to do. It killed her to see her best friend hurting so much. She was fuming inside and wanted nothing more than to give Ann a piece of her mind. Stacey finally fell asleep, tired from all the crying and the previous sleepless night. Kate turned off the lights and silently crept out of the room.
She was glad Stacey's parents weren't home yet, as they would surely want to know why she was crying her eyes out like that. And she couldn't imagine herself telling them that a girl had broken their daughter's heart.
And speaking of that particular girl, Kate walked determinedly to her car, started it and headed straight to Ann's house.
She knew Stacey would kill her if she found out but she had to do it. She parked her car in front of the big mansion and walked to the front door and rang the bell. A maid opened the door.
-"yes?"
-"may I please speak to Ann?"
-"who shall I say it is?" asked her the maid.
-"euh, just say it's someone from school and it's very important. I'll wait for her right here."
-"just a moment please."
The maid partially closed the door and disappeared inside.
A couple of minutes later, Ann came to the door.
Kate gasped when she saw her.
-What the hell happened to you?
