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Chapter 7- Can I leave?

"Annie!" Zak called, I turned towards him only in time to feel the Frisbee hit the side of my face.

"You OK?" Kyle asked running up to my, forcefully chucking the Frisbee in the direction it came.

"Down boy," I giggled dragging is scowling face from the group that'd hit me. Zak came over cupping my face and looking at the bruise that probably had begun to form.

"Geez guys, calm down. You act like I'm going to die," I said pushing myself up and dusting off. 

"How about we leave this place and go get ice cream," Kyle said also standing and going towards.

We walked into a small ice cream parlor the cool air assaulting my face.

"Hi, how can I help you?" the perky girl behind the counter asked staring at Zak.

Quickly ordering and settling down at a table near a window. 

"I don't want to leave," I professed licking my ice cream and looking at Zak and Kyle. I wish I could stay, that would make my life. Quenton hasn't found me at their house yet, if only I could make that stay forever. 

"We don't want you to leave! Who's going to cook?" Kyle asked glancing at Zak. 

"Take-out can cook pretty good," Zak joked scooping up his ice cream and shoving into his mouth. "But seriously, you don't have to leave Annie. They might find you at school. Your parents are expecting you to go there. What if you never went back."

I glared at Zak, "yeah, let me just throw away my life for my parents!"

Zak and Kyle shrunk in their seats, they had obviously thought about me staying and hoped to convince me. 

"I'm not going to run from this, it's going to happen whether I like it or not. But I'm not giving up my education for some idiot who has to get married," I said going back to my ice cream. 

The rest of the time spent in the ice cream parlor was awkward tension. Whenever one of us talked it made the air worse, even Kyle's lame jokes weren't funny. I huffed, this wasn't what I wanted to happen on my last day here. 

*

Kyle and Zak had raced to their rooms as soon as we'd arrived home. I felt like they were ignoring me and that didn't sit well with my stomach. I wanted to make amends, they were my only friends here and could help me with the whole Quenton situation. 

Humming to myself I made supper, a basic steak and mashed potato's. The meal was basic and easy to make, as I cooked I couldn't help but think about their propsition. What if I did stay? Maybe I could take classes at the local college, I wasn't going to the best college but at least it was a univerity. I wasn't sure if I could graduate with what I wanted at the local college, it was just that, a local college. I quickly shook that thought off.

I wasn't going to hold myself back because some rich jerk wanted to marry me. I was going to do what I wanted, become a teacher and teach English. 

"Yum," Kyle said coming into the kitchen. He leaned against the counter drinking a Coke. "Look about earlier, it was out of line. I know how much this teaching thing means to you. Zak shouldn't have said anything about that."

"It's fine, I thought about it. I understand where you thought it would help but I'm not holding back for Quenton. He's just a rich pompous jerk that isn't going to get the graditude he wants."

Kyle cracked a smile pulling me into a shoulder hug. I felt him kiss my hair.

"Thanks, you have no idea how much I've wanted to come and talk to you again."