The Complication

Chapter 6

Chapter 6: The Place

~Annabelle's POV~

"Tim. Where are we?" I ask, trying to figure out where we are. This place is breath taking.

"Don't you remember this place?" He asks, as he unbuckles his seatbelt and leans across the arm rest between us to put his hand on my upper thigh. He rubs gentle circles into as a shiver runs down my spine.

Wow. How could I forget this place?

"Tim... Why are we here?" I say, looking at the gourmet seafood restraunt Tim took me to on our first date.

"I... I don't know. I didn't know where to take you, and before I could decide, I realized I was driving here. I mean, I could drive ANYWHERE, miles and miles away, but no... I drive over here." His facial expression is full of confusion and hurt.

I let out a sigh. "We are pretty far away, you know. We've been on the road for 3 hours. The only reason we came here the first time was because we went to the ocean earlier, and this was the closest nice restraunt we could find. But Tim..." - I sigh again - "I've got to know. Why are we here? Why am I in danger? And... why are you being so nice? You've been a dick to me ever since I found out you were cheating on me. Even today! You told me you were cheating the whole time. Why would you say something like that?"

"Annabelle... We're here because this is where I drove us for dinner. Still, I can't tell you why you're in danger. But have I really been that mean? I mean, I wasn't trying to. Honest. It's just... It pissed me off, seeing you with.. Him... And-"

"Wait a minute. You're jealous of Jake? Oh, this is rich. This is just... Oh my." I laugh a little. My plan WORKED?! Wow. 

"Shut up, okay? I never said that. But I said what I said today, because I felt like you deserved to know. And after seeing your boyfriend just walk out of there like that, completely... I don't know. Uninterested. I just felt like maybe you'd... Nevermind." He takes his hand off my thigh and leans back into his seat, looking down at his feet, then he runs his fingers through his hair as he looks straight ahead. "Just never mind." He repeats, his expression blank, as he shakes his head. I just stare at him for a while, then I speak.

"Tim. Look at me." When he doesn't stop staring out the windshield, I put my fingers on his jawline and move his head so he's facing me. "Tim. I'm not an idiot. I see what you're doing." His confusion and fright was apparent on his face momentarily, until his face was wiped of all emotion again.

"What do you mean?" He asks, his tone sounding somewhat interested, despite how hard he's trying to act like he doesn't care. I dated him for a few months. I know when he's trying to hide his emotions.

"Tim. Don't play dumb. You put all this together so we could go out on a date. I just don't see why..." My voice trails off as one thought explodes in my mind. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO JAKE?! 

Tim begins to look worried as he sees my face go pale. "Belle. Are you okay?"

I snap out of my thoughts of where on Earth Jake could possibly be, and speak. "What happened to Jake." My expression is hard as I glare daggers at him.

He looks down at his lap. "They warned him."

"Who warned him?" I prompt.

"The people. The ones I'm keeping you from." He continues to study the jeans he's wearing while he talks. Why won't this boy just talk to me like a normal person?

"Tim. Look at me." He looks up, his face expressing his hurt, and his longing to explain it all to me. My expression goes soft. "Is he okay?" I can't stop my lower lip from quivering as my eyes begin to water. I turn to the window as a single tear rolls down my right cheek.

His hand reached to my chin, and pulled my face towards him. His free hand slowly wiped the lone tear from my cheek. He looked more hurt than I've ever seen him be. "I honestly don't know."

My eyes filled with warm salty tears as my lower lip quivered uncontrollably, and I began to cry. He pulled me towards him, and I cried on his shoulder. He pulled me over the seat while I ruin his shirt with tears, and positioned me on his lap. He rocked me on his lap, his arms around me as I cried. He whispered things like 'everything will be alright' and 'I'm sure he's fine' and 'please don't cry, everything's going to be okay'. When i finally finished, he pulled back, still holding me, and examined my puffy blood shot eyes and tear-streaked cheeks. "Hey," he whispered, "don't cry. I'm sure Jake is fine. But... I have to know something." I looked at him, my full attention to him as I waited for him to continue. "Are you really dating that Jake guy?" He looked away and blushed as he said it.

"I... uhhh... no." I say, my voice craking, "I'm not. I wish, but he doesn't like me." Then it's my turn to look away and blush. He turns towards me and his eyes widen.

"Wait. So... Why did you kiss his cheek today?"

I keep my face turned away from him as I say, "I wanted to make you jealous. It was my own little way of getting back at you for what you did. I never thought it would work." I look up at him as I finish speaking, my face a flattering shade of firetruck-red.

Tim takes my face in his hands as he leans towards me, his eyes darting from my eyes to my lips. As I close my eyes, our lips connect, and fireworks go off in the air between us. Our lips move passionately against each other like they used to, and it just feels so... right.

He pulls away and he smiles as I do. My smile fades quickly though, and then concern fills his eyes, as the smile is wiped from his face. "I can't do this. I can't. I promise myself I wouldn't let this happen again. What if you... I mean, I just can't trust you. You should understand that." I say as I look away.

"Annabelle Avery-Rose Martin. I don't know what I was thinking before, but I know what I'm thinking now. It's never going to happen again. I promise. Just... Please. Give me another chance." I look over at him, and his yes are begging me to give him a second chance.

"Tim, I like Jake anyways. You know that."

"But you said yourself he doesn't feel the same way. Please, just give me a second chance."

"My eyes are open wide. And by the way, I made it through the day..." I start to sing.

"...I watched the world outside. And by the way, I'm leaving out today." He sang/replied.

Then we start to sing together. "I just saw Hailey's comet, she waved. Said why you always running in place? Even the man in the moon dissapeared... Somewhere in the stratosphere! Tell my mother, tell my father, I've done the best I can. To make them realize, this is my life, I hope they understand. I'm not angry, I'm just saying... Sometimes goodbye is a second chance..." We both smiled at the little concert we put on for ourselves.

"So, what do you say? Give me a second chance, Annabelle?"