The Bet

16. Unforgiven

Monday

I'd say I was taking the break up pretty well. Although he wouldn't stop texting and calling me it made me want to give his neck a nice squeeze. Fortunately, I haven't cried yet even though I had to explain the whole situation twice. One to my mother and one to my father. I visited him yesterday. He started his chemo and he seemed to be handling it well, thank God.

Today I showed up to school in sweatpants and a t-shirt.

Hahaha who am I? Still trying to figure that one out.

"Hey Anna..." Ashley smiles weakly, I happily smile back.

"Hey guys, what's up?"

"Nothing much," Chelsea says causally and Ashley punches her arm.

"Ow what was that for?"

"This girl is going through a break-up, the least you can do is have some respect for her feelings," Ashley snaps.

"What the hell? I didn't even say any-"

"Girls, girls." I interrupt their feud and slap my hands on my lap. "I'm fine, I cooled off. Don't worry about me too much, okay?"

They nod slowly with a sour expression on their face. I peep around the classroom after the first bell ran and Eugene was no where to be seen. I suddenly grew annoyed.

I was not ready to deal with him yet. And when he came up to me at lunch I was so tempted to scream my lungs off at him again.

"Annalise, please. Just listen."

"No, kid. Don't make me fucking yell in front of this entire cafeteria. Don't talk to me." I hissed.

Brad finally huffed in defeat after begging me for ten minutes to give him attention and walked away.

I had no intentions of talking to anyone else who had witnessed the situation and those who wee involved in it as well. When Eli rushed to sit by me in Chemistry class I just sat back in my chair and read my book, ignoring her constant glances at me during the entire class period. When the final bell rang, she began to plead for my forgiveness.

"Anna, can we please just talk about what happened."

She followed me to my locker and as much as I wanted to yell at her, I couldn't respond. She spoke as I retrieved my material.

"I had no idea Brad was your boyfriend. Or is your boyfriend. Well, I'm not sure about that but he hadn't told me anything at all. He started hitting on me and he gave me a couple of drinks, nothing was completely clear after that."

I finally make eye contact with her, cocking a brow at her and she throws her hands on my shoulder.

"Please hear me out, Anna you're my best friend in the whole world and I would never do anything to hurt you."

"I'm listening," I say.

Her eyes nearly welling up with tears while she chocked out the words, "I'm so sorry."

I bite my lip, not knowing how to respond.

"Just give me a sec, okay? I need time to think about all of those before I make any irrational decisions. Get your ass to class," I force a smile. She pulls me into a hug and I roll my eyes, watching her scrambles off through the halls.

English should be interesting.

"Martinez!" James hollered as soon as I walk into the classroom. I shush him but he can't hide the smile on his face.