The Truth about Love

Chapter 20 Stop and Stare

Aidan seemed to be able to read my thoughts, since he gave me a knowing smile, and at that precise moment a crow nearby decided to screech loudly making me jump. 'Haha your face just then was priceless.' Aidan laughed at me, I shot him a glare, but walked grudgingly to his car and get in the backseat (I am not going to seat in the front where he would be in close proximity).

Inside, I couldn't help but think how ironic this is. When Aidan's words broke my heart, Will found me (not literally, but you know what I mean). Now it's the other way around.

'You can seat up here, you know.' Aidan said, looking at me through the rear view mirror.

'I don't think we know each other well enough for that.' I said, Aidan chuckled at my words and drove off.

'I thought after our little conversation you would have warm up to me, at least a little bit.' He said, smiling.

I smiled as well at the memory at tasering him at the party. 'Still, you are not exactly my favorite person in the world.' I replied. We then made small conversation and soon we arrived at my house.

'Hey, can I ask you something?' Aidan poked his head out of the car window as I walked up the sidewalk towards my house. I was about to say no when he decided to just ask anyway.

'What were you doing, crying on a bench?' He asked, his face looked a lot like Will right at that moment in the dark.

'It's none of your business.' I replied, not too kindly either. Aidan shook his head at me.

'Alright, just don't do anything stupid.' He said and drove off.

I ran straight back to my bedroom, where unfortunately the teddy bear that Will gave me sat right in the middle of my bed. I dropped my bag and took hold of the teddy bear, curling up in my window seat, punching the bear and crying. How could he said that to me, I thought he would be the one, even if he isn't, I thought we would last long than that.

At some point Gina called me down for dinner, but I told her that I wasn't hungry. I sat at the window seat with my window opened for some fresh air, staring down at the cars passing by letting the tears dry on my face, letting the cold night air numb my pain. I pulled the teddy bear closer, my brain was fuzzing and my eyes hot from crying and the pain in my heart still fresh.

I must have fallen asleep at some point, since I woke up shivering to bright sunshine at the exact same spot. My head was throbbing painfully and my throat hurts, I tried to close the window and realised that my body was too limb to move.

With great effort I managed to close the window and crawled back on my bed with Will Jr. (that's what I decided to call the teddy bear, now it seemed like a bad idea). I huddled in my duvets trying to get warm again when I heard a knock on the door and Gina walked in.

'Anna, are you OK?' she asked cautiously. Ah, so me and Will's confrontation must be all over school my now. Although he didn't say it out loud, but I am pretty sure that we are no longer together. Even if he didn't say it, I wouldn't have continued to be with him after that. I might be in love with him, but I haven't lost my head in love completely yet.

'Yeah.' I replied, although it came out more like a coarse, Gina frowned and sat down beside me putting a hand on my forehead.

'OMG, you are burning up! What did you do last night?' Gina shouted, my head began to throb more painfully at her voice.

'I fell asleep by the window.' I said, Gina rolled her eyes at me, but she looked relieved.

'Alright, I will call the school for you and get you some water before I go.' She said and patted my arm, I muttered a thanks before rolling over and falling asleep.

I was woken up by the sound of my phone buzzing, I groaned and snatched it off my bedside table, cursing myself for not turning it off. I opened my eyes grudgingly to look at the screen, it was just past noon.

I saw that I had about half-a-dozen missed calls and even more texts from various people. I ignored most of them and opened the one from Hannah first.

OMG Jules are you OK? I heard about the break-up. I can't believed he said that! Call me asap xxxx

The texts were a nasty reminder of yesterday, I buried my head in the pillow, wishing a hole will open up in the ground and swallow me. I am glad that I was ill so I didn't have to face school. God know what it would be like. People will laugh at me for being so naïve, some might show sympathy but I know most will just laugh at me – the new juicy gossip target.

There were a few more texts like this from Hannah and same one from Alison and one from Melissa. Luke sent me a text telling me that a rumor of me in the hospital after committing suicide had spread around the senior year and the popular people were having a good laugh at my expense, apart from some of my friends.

I texted them all back saying that I had only caught a cold, then fling my phone away from me. I rolled over and hugged Will Jr. closer to me. I don't even know how to face school anymore. Thank god Christmas break is just around the corner.

I called in sick for the rest of the week, the cold had worsened and I had to stay in bed most of the time. Alison and Hannah came and visit me frequently after school, I told them what happened and they were furious at Will. By now I had came to the conclusion that Will might not had loved me, but he certainly liked me a lot, it was his thirst to remain popular that had cause him to say those words. I can see from his behavior on that day.

Melissa and Luke had stopped by too, they were worried that I was actually in the hospital and was relieved when they saw that I was only suffering from a bad case of cold. Andy had stopped by too, I guessed the rumor had really taken its toll in school especially with me being absent in school as well.

I was alone at home on Friday when the doorbell rang. It was only noon, so no one should be visiting me since it's a school day and my parents and Gina have keys.

I got up from bed grudgingly, feeling dizzy as I made my way downstairs. I ran my fingers through my hair hoping to smooth them out, they were in a right mess from me sleeping for so long. I pulled the door open a crack with the security chain still in to see who in was disturbing me from my rest.

To my surprise, Will was standing in the front porch, holding a bunch of flowers.

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Poor Anna.....what do you think Will is going to say? eeek