67 Summer Nights (Unedited)

Chapter 4

There was this thing about Hanna. She liked to run, and that was good, run Hanna run, but let me sleep in woman! By 7 a.m. every morning, I could expect that girl knocking at my door dressed in running clothes with her hair pulled into a ponytail. Today was no exception, but Hanna wasn't having it anymore. She ripped those sheets off and lifted up the blackout shades earning groans and obscenities from me. Not that she cared, she cussed so much she made sailors blush. Needless to say, she was my favorite in the house. I dragged myself to the bathroom to wash my face and get into my cute running clothes. There was a standard out here and I had to live up to it, you know?

The puppies met us at the door with hopeful expressions. Aw, I couldn't say no to those faces and Hanna couldn't stop me. I grabbed the four leashes hooking them onto the collars and handed two to Hanna. We stepped outside, beginning our daily route. We'd cross through residential going for the town square. Europa and Gaia ran along with their tongue hanging out. Like Hanna, they forced me to keep up.

"Still, nothing from Anders?" Hanna asked, somehow sounding perfectly.

"Nope." I answered, trying to sound like I wasn't totally out of breath because you know, I wasn't.

"It's been three days." She said.

"Well in America, that's standard, maybe it's the same here?"

"You could try texting him?"

"No, no, no, you never do that." I said.

"Why not? It's the 21st century, it's okay to do that."

"No it's okay. Besides, it'd cost me a fortune to text way out here."

Just because it was the 21st century, that did not mean that all tradition had to be thrown out. Let's be real, we've all felt really needy and clingy when we text someone first, right? Hanna shot me an irritated look before picking up the pace. Woman, my lungs were burning, could you not?

"Give me one good reason you won't text him." She demanded.

"I'll give you two. One, because I don't want to, and two, because I'm not going to." I told her.

"Stop being so difficult."

"You sound just like my mother."

"Well she's right. You like Anders right? And I know he likes you."

"He said something to you?"

"No, but it's not like I can't ask Viktor."

I shook my head, focussing on the run. This was entering catching feelings territories and everyone knew that that was a danger zone. There was probably a very good reason why he hadn't called and I wasn't going to become one of those girls who stood around waiting. So Anders was cute and sweet, but they were apparently a dime a dozen around here. Hanna amped up the pace again as we neared the town square. This was when that runners high was supposed to kick in, but I was hitting that runner's bye. Europa, Gaia, Athena and Aphrodite were enjoying their puppy high, chasing after every squirrel and butterfly in sight. We reached our final destination and stopped to catch our breath. The puppies sat at our feet with their tongues hanging out and panting.

We walked into a market to purchase two bottles of water. The clerks had gotten to know my face, just too bad it was always red and sweaty when they saw it. Hanna and I sat down at a cafe to regain the strength to walk back home. Or maybe I could get the dogs to carry me back. My skin felt incredibly hot against the cold metal of the chair coming in as a relief. I pressed the bottle to my cheeks, neck and forehead before taking another drink. Tourists were out having breakfast with a few locals mixed in. I looked down the outdoor seating of the various restaurants suddely coming across a familiar face.

I felt a sharp pang in my stomach for a second as it truly dawned on me that that was Anders. Across the small table from him was a girl with long blonde hair. Hanna followed my line of sight gasping quietly.

"Do you know her?" I asked.

"Yes, that's his ex-girlfriend, Amanda... I didn't know she was back." Hanna replied.

"Where did she go?"

"It's very embarrassing for Anders, I shouldn't say."

Almost as if he felt us staring, Anders suddenly averted his attention to us. Oh crap. I offered a smile and gave him a little wave. His stare lingered for just a second longer before he turned back to Amanda. I thought it was embarrassing that one time in high school when I got my period and accidentally stained the chair I was sitting on, but no, this was way more embarrassing. I didn't want to look at Hanna, but I did anyway. The apologetic expression her eyes made me regret that move.

"It's not how it seems." She said.

"Maybe he didn't recognize me." I shrugged.

"You're the only hispanic girl in Sweden, believe me, he recognized you."

"Then ouch."

"No, no, listen. It's a custom really."

"To ignore people?"

"Well, see at this moment he doesn't have the time to stop and talk to you. Here, if we don't have the time to catch up or talk, then we don't say hello to a person. It's not meant to be rude."

I should have read up on customs before getting here, but still, it seemed rude. Try pulling that in the United States. Someone was bound to get butt hurt. 

"So then he hasn't called because Amanda is back?" I asked.

"It could have something to do with it."

"How long were they together?"

"Only for 8 months, but it was the way things ended that left him wishing for her." Hanna explained.

"What happened?"

"I can't tell you."

"Is it that bad?"

"No, but it's Anders' business, and I don't want to spread it even more."

Amanda reached across the table, placing her hand on his. Hanna stood, blocking my view and suggested that we walk back to the house. Anders sensed our movement and looked our way again. Hanna turned my shoulders, tugging the puppies along.

Uh-oh Anders hasn't called her or contacted her in anyway and now she spots him with his ex-girlfriend? That can't be good. Be sure to drop me a vote or a comment :)