White Daisies

Chapter 19

I shouldn't have been surprised that he joined the Nazi regime. He was never really Danish in the first place. His family had fled here from northern Germany when the first Great War had ended. They lost their status, power, and money. Now, he was like the many others that I had heard about. South of Copenhagen, in the lower Jutland, there was a small minority of German-speaking Danes. I suppose they felt a greater allegiance to Germany than they did to Denmark, so they volunteered to serve the Nazi regime when the Germans invaded. The thought that people from my own country wanted to join the Third Reich still made my blood boil.

I forced a smile. "I'm sure your family is very proud." He nodded his head. He asked me about my sister and told me a little bit about Karina. I gave terse responses, polite but not generous.

Relief washed over me when we finally reached my house about twenty minutes later. I couldn't get away from him fast enough. I was about to head up to the front door when he reached forward and grabbed my wrist. "Ana, wait," he declared. 

I turned my head to look at him. He pulled my wrist to tug me closer to him. I felt my heart begin to pound in my chest. What is happening?

"I've always thought that you were incredibly beautiful," he said quietly. His azure eyes trailed over my features. He stepped close enough that I could feel the heat of his breath. "I had a crush on you in school, you know?"

Yes, I did know, I thought quietly to myself but didn't say anything. I pressed my lips together and stared at him. A few water droplets dripped down my cheeks.

"I'm really sorry about making you angry that one day," he apologized. "That wasn't my place. But I would like to put that behind us." My thoughts began to burn. Oh no, where is this going?  I hold my breath.

"I would like to ask you out on a date," he finished. His eyes gazed hopefully into mine, looking for the answer that he wanted.

Panic welled up inside of me. What have I gotten myself into?

"I'm sorry Elias, I'm already spoken for," I answered him. His optimistic expression melted, and disappointment took its place. He nodded his head and turned around to leave.

I was about to breathe freely again when he stopped in his tracks for a minute and turned back around to face me. "Wait, you're not still going steady with Koenig, are you?"

I had to keep my temper in check. "So, what if I am?" I responded neutrally.

His eyes narrowed in anger. "Of course, you are. Goodnight, Ana," he scoffed. "I'm sure that we will be seeing each other again."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Frances questions me, cutting off my story. She lays on her stomach, her head chin propped up by her hands.

I throw my arms up in the air as I stare at the ceiling. "I don't know! It felt so weird."

"That sounds vaguely threatening," she concludes slowly.

"What am I supposed to do?" I lament.

Frances flips over onto her back and lays beside me. "Maybe you should tell Jacob about this."

I shake my head quickly. "I can't do that. He would question everything."

She draws her eyebrows together. "You're not going to ever tell him about the White Daisies?"

"You should've heard what he said about the resistance. If he ever found out that I was involved with it, he would never forgive me. I don't think our relationship could survive that."

She falls silent. "Maybe you shouldn't be with him then."

My heart aches painfully in my chest. "But I love Jacob. I don't think I could ever lose him."

"If Jacob really loves you, he should accept all of you. Even the parts that he doesn't like," she points out.

I know that she's right. 

"Just think about it," she urges. "You don't have to tell him right now. Find the right time to do so."

I sigh. "Fine, I'll think about it. That's it." A grin stretches on my face. "But just so you know, it would be weird for you to date his brother if we broke up."

She springs up from her place on the bed. "I've already told you, nothing is going to happen between Ben and me!"

"Yeah, but you want something to," I tease. She picks up her pillow and slugs me with it. I'm about to retaliate when Eva bursts through the door, waving something in her hand.

"You guys are never going to believe this," she pants as if she had run all the way here. She drops a green leaflet in my lap.

"It's a newspaper," I observe when I sit up.

Land and People, the top reads. A lightbulb goes off in my head. "Hold on a second, this is the communist newspaper. I thought they banned this?"

"They did," Eva confirms. "Someone is still making it though."

Frances leans over to read it over my shoulder. "I don't understand," she shakes her head. "How did you get this?"

"Turn it over," Eva commands. "I found it in my mailbox this morning."

I do what she says.

To the White Daisies,

Your intelligence has been recommended and we request your cooperation. If interested, meet at the corner of Strøget and City Hall Square at 9 PM on Friday for further instructions.

LF

"How did they get your address, Eva?" Frances demands.

"I have no idea," Eva answers.

"It's Mr. Jensen," I supply. "It has to be. Who else would recommend us?"

"Or it could be a set-up," Frances argues. "Maybe the Gestapo intercepted one of our letters."

I frown. "No, they would've just arrested us. They wouldn't know Eva's address either. It has to be someone we know."

Eva looks between us. "Well, are we going or not?"

"It's your call, captain." Frances casts her eyes to me.

My fingers skim the newspaper. "It's too late to back out now, is it not?"