Young Annabelle Series: Young Annabelle, The Truth About James, What My Heart Wants

by Sarah Tork

  Dean!

  Dean: Hey, I’m sorry I didn’t text you yesterday. Coach was angry that we lost and yelled, a lot. I threw the last pitch and your school got a homerun off of it, so coach laid into me especially. Hope you aren’t angry at me for not texting like I said I would.

  Annabelle: It’s okay. I’m sorry your coach yelled at you. Wasn’t it just a practice game, it doesn’t count.

  Dean: Every game counts. Anyways, did you guys have a half day today too? My school did.

  Annabelle: We did too, but I forgot. It was good news though.

  Dean: What are you doing now?

  Annabelle: Relaxing, thinking.

  Dean: Thinking about what?

  Annabelle: Life, making mistakes.

  Dean: I can relate. I keep thinking about a big mistake I made a while ago.

  Annabelle: You wanna share that mistake.

  Dean: When I didn’t call you after that disaster date.

  Annabelle: it’s okay, I’m over it.

  Dean: I’m not. I wish I did things differently.

  Annabelle: I wish I had done some things differently too.

  Dean: Like?

  Annabelle: I’d rather not say it’s embarrassing.

  Dean: I can respect that. What are you doing tonight?

  Oh God!

  Was he going to ask me out?

  What about James?

  I’d already cried enough over him, maybe I should just move on, quickly.

  For real this time.

  Annabelle: Nothing, why?

  Dean: Some of my friends and I are going to see that new action adventure movie, you should come with us, bring your friend too.

  I didn’t know what say.

  Annabelle: Can I get back to you about that?

  Dean: Yeah, we’re going to the 7:30 pm show. Text me.

  Annabelle: Okay.

  Dean: GTG, TTYL.

  Annabelle: Later!!!

  I dropped my phone back on the side table and tucked my head into my hands. Why was this happening to me? Why couldn’t James be clear with what he’d wanted? Even though I could just be misunderstanding this entire situation and it was really nothing. But for some reason, deep down, I had a feeling things were exactly how they seemed.

  He had run away again. Or he thought he could have the best of both worlds.

  If that’s the case, he couldn’t!

  He couldn’t have the best of both worlds, I wasn’t someone he could walk all over. I already gave him something very important to me last night. I couldn’t believe I gave my virginity to someone I wasn’t a hundred percent sure of.

  Even if it had felt right in that moment.

  I hoped he was innocent.

  At that moment my door bursts open and Jenna steam rolled in. “He’s not innocent!”

  I jumped off my bed and quickly shut the door behind her. “Keep your voice down, my parents don’t know about James!” I hissed at her as she planted herself on my desk chair, turning on my laptop.

  “Wait – just wait until you see what I have! I have my evidence! He’s so guilty!” She screeched a touch quieter.

  “What are you talking about? What do you mean you have evidence to prove he’s guilty?” I asked as my heart ran a mile a second.

  No! Please let her be wrong! I prayed inside as she logged into her Facebook account. Once she’s on her news feed page she turned and faced me. “Guess what I found on Latisha’s Facebook page an hour ago? By the way she didn’t show up for practice this morning either. Not cool.”

  “What did you find?” I asked her quietly, slowly.

  “All of them, together at some cabin place.” Jenna informed, clicking on Latisha’s page. A window popped up and Jenna scrolled the cursor down to a folder called ‘Our long weekend bitches!’ She clicked on it and ten pictures popped up. I leaned over her shoulder to get a better look. The time was at the bottom and it was taken at 9am this morning. It was their whole group standing in front of one of their cars, a Red Ford Escape. James stood with a huge smile on his face beside his boys. Donna and her hot girl crew were crouched on knees in front of them. Guess who Donna crouched in front of?

  “That girl will not quit.” Jenna murmured, shaking her head. “You really believe he hasn’t tapped that too? I don’t know, the way she’s been trying to hand it out to him, it be hard for any guy to resist.”

  “He said he hasn’t had sex since meeting me.” I told her, staring at every inch of the photo. They all looked so happy.

  Jenna snorted. “Yeah, I don’t believe that.”

  “Next picture.” I ordered, disregarding her last statement. Jenna clicked the next picture. It was taken at 10am and it was of Donna and her hot girl crew lounging on a beach in their bikinis.

  “Where do you think they went?” Jenna asked.

  “Maybe they went to his cabin, he said his parents have one close by.” I told her emotionless. “Next picture.”

  She clicked picture after picture, they were all almost the same, their group together hanging out on the beach, looking like they were having the time of their lives. We stared at the pictures for a few minutes until Jenna broke the silence.

  “Did you call him?” She asked.

  I nodded.

  “Did he answer?”

  I shook my head. “I got his answering machine.”

  “Did it go straight to his answering machine or did it ring first?” She asked like it made a difference.

  “It rang first.” I informed her, emotionless.

  “I see.” She murmured, inhaling deeply. “Anna, what do you think?”

  “I don’t know.” I whispered looking at the floor.

  “He didn’t tell you about this trip, and he’s supposed to be yours.” Jenna said, sounding sad. “You can see it right? The truth, its right in front of you what his true intentions are.”

  “I don’t know.” I whispered again, still looking at the floor.

  “He failed.” Jenna whispered.

  “I don’t know.” I murmured.

  “He was supposed to show you today, show you that he was serious, that you meant so much to him that he would proudly announce to all his friends that you were his girlfriend, especially after last night.” Jenna said.

  I sighed. “Do you think I’ve been played again?”

  Jenna was silent for a few seconds before answering. “I think you gave yourself to someone who made you believe he was telling the truth. He told you what you wanted to hear, maybe he even wanted it at that moment, but things changed. He changed his mind, and he obviously doesn’t want to mix you with them.”

  “So do you think maybe he just doesn’t want to mix me with them, and it has nothing to do with how he really feels about me?” I asked her, sounding hopeful. I slumped down onto my bed, sitting with my hands curled over my face.

  “I don’t know how he feels. But from what I’ve seen, even if he really likes you, he’s still not treating you like you deserve to be treated. And that’s with respect.” Jenna said.

  “I have to give him up?” I whimpered, still staring at the floor. I felt her body weight sink beside me. Her hand grasps my shoulder, squeezing it delicately.

  “Dude, I love you like a sister. I think if you want to not go crazy, then maybe it’s for the best if you just give him up and find someone who won’t treat you like shit. I don’t know, just my opinion.” Jenna sighed. “He’s not going to change. He’s going to do whatever he wants because he feels like he has that power. He’s a master manipulator, look how he conned you yesterday.”

  Tears streamed down my face, dripping down, splashing against my feet. I sobbed quietly, trying to get it all out as fast as possible. Jenna stayed quiet, consoling me with another squeeze to the shoulder.

  So this was how things were going to end between us. I told myself that if he failed me again, this time would be the last.

  I was devastated.

  He promised me!

  He told me that it was going to be
me and him from now on, in front of everyone. Why was he so scared to show people he cared for me?

  I wasn’t that bad.

  I had lost weight.

  I looked good.

  What more was there for me to do to make him believe that everything would okay?

  “He’s scared of Donna?” Jenna asked. “Maybe he’s scared of losing all the hot girls’ attention. That asshole is an attention whore!”

  I laughed, wiping the tears away from my face. “He really likes being in the spotlight.”

  Jenna snorted. “I don’t know about you, but my future man better not be like that. There can only be one diva in that relationship, and it’s going to be me!”

  I laughed again. She wasn’t even trying to be funny on purpose, that’s just who she was. “You got that right, you definitely are a diva!”

  Jenna bumped her shoulder playfully into mine. “I knew you didn’t have all rocks and air up there Anna!”

  “Screw you.” I told her with a small smile.

  She leaned in. “Don’t cry anymore okay.”

  I nodded wiping the rest of my tears away.

  “And the whole virginity thing, are you okay about that? Are you devastated now that you know what you know and you’ve given it to him?” She asked.

  I shook my head. “No, I wanted to.”

  Jenna rolled her eyes. “I’m sure it was nothing to call the president about anyways.”

  “It was pretty good.” I informed her sheepishly.

  “Anna!” Jenna jaw dropped. “You’re not supposed to be complimenting his skills. You’re supposed to be downgrading them! Jesus! Have I taught you nothing in life?”

  I burst out laughing at her exaggerated tone of voice. “He was horrible in bed and his thingy was a little thingy. I’d barely felt a thing!”

  It was Jenna’s turn to burst out laughing. She fell backwards on to my bed, rolling around laughing out hysterically. “That was a good one! That was a real good one! His little thingy!”

  I joined her in laughing, falling to the ground rolling around, belting out deep in my belly laughs.

  Jenna stopped laughing and turned to face me. I was on my back on the floor. “You feel better?” She asked.

  “A little.” I sighed.

  “Then it’s a step in the right direction. Hopefully by tonight, you’ll be brand new.” She exclaimed.

  “Tonight?” I repeated, stunned.

  “Yep!” She chirped sounding sure of herself.

  “That quick?” I asked.

  “It’s like a Band-Aid, we have to rip it off quickly. The pain will go away soon after.” Jenna explained.

  We lay in silence for a few minutes. My mind was still all over the place. I didn’t know what to do now.

  “What are you thinking about?” Jenna asked.

  “I’m lost.” I informed her.

  “You’re not lost, you’re just healing. It’ll ease soon, don’t worry.” Jenna assured.

  “I hope so.” I murmured.

  All of a sudden Jenna jumped off my bed, clapping her hands wildly. “I have a great idea!”

  “I don’t know about that.” I smiled, unconvinced. “What’s the idea?”

  “Correction, genius idea.” She announced loudly. “We are about to make things more interesting!”

  I jerked upwards into a sitting position. “How so?”

  “We are going to move on and we are going to take a lot of pictures looking fabulous and we’re going to put them up on Facebook!” Jenna explained.

  “How is that a genius idea?” I asked, still confused.

  “Because I’m going to put hot pictures of you having the time of your life on Facebook tonight, I have lots of friends on Facebook one of whom is Latisha, I know shocking but swim team mates for life, anyways, I know that bitch checks my page just as much as I check hers. She’ll see my fabulous night out pictures later tonight, and knowing those girls, they like to gossip.”

  She gave me a look that’s best described as, ‘I’m a genius, bow down to me now!’

  “I don’t know about that.” I said, worried.

  “We needed to spice up your Facebook account anyways. Your pictures are all old! We need to take a hot picture of you, make things sizzle a little!” Jenna said. “Then….BAM! Friend requests galore, hello boys! Goodbye James!”

  “I still don’t understand what you’re proposing.” I told her.

  “Enough questions! We have a night out to plan and we have to make you hotter!” Jenna stated firmly.

  “A night out, well Dean texted me earlier about going to the movies with his friends, told me I should bring friends too.” I informed her.

  She snapped her fingers and pointed at me. “Yes! That’s what we’re going to do tonight. We’re going to the movies with Dean and his hopefully just as hot or reasonably hot friends. We’ll fix ourselves up and take lots of pictures. Then we’ll put it up on Facebook!”

  “Will you quit it about this whole putting up a million hot pictures on Facebook thing! It sounds ridiculous!” I grimaced.

  “Anna, the craziest ideas are usually the most brilliant. So sit back and let the genius do the thinking tonight! It’s going to work!” Jenna exclaimed.

  “You think James’s going to see those pictures?” I asked her.

  “He will once those girls see the hot and new Anna step out for the first time in all her glory! They’ll be like a pack of hyenas out for fresh meat. Guess who you play?” Jenna giggled deliriously.

  It was contagious, because then I started to giggle. “You’re crazy you know that?”

  “Really?” She giggled some more.

  I nodded.

  “Thank you! Nicest thing you’ve ever called me.” Jenna said then clapped her hands loudly. “Alright, first order of business, text Dean, tell him tonight is on like Donkey Kong or whatever the saying is!”

  “Then what?” I asked.

  She puts her hands on her hips and tilted her head to the side, exuding attitude from every pore in her being. “Then we turn into hot bitches! Then it’s photo time, get your poses ready, girl!”

  CHAPTER 31

  “One more!” Jenna pleaded after checking the last hundred pictures we just took on her iPhone.

  I shook my head. “No, I’m tired of posing!”

  “Please!” Jenna snorted. “You love seeing the brand new you, looking all fabulous in every frame!”

  After going home and grabbing a few items for tonight, Jenna quickly came back and we spent the last couple of hours choosing an outfit that would showcase my new figure in all its glory.

  “I don’t know about this?” I stressed, getting up in front of the mirror for the millionth time. She absolutely insisted that I wear her short A-line black skirt. I shimmied, flouncing the fabric, and then cringed seeing the amount of leg showing as the fabric bounced into the air. I wasn’t even shaking it hard. If I actually wore this outside, I probably couldn’t do more than walk or else risk giving everyone a show.

  “I’ve never shown this much leg before.” I confessed, eyeing her through the mirror. Jenna ignored me and grabbed the hair spray, sprinkling her newly wavy hair.

  For the thousandth time.

  I rolled my eyes and plugged my nose. “Don’t you think you’ve had enough?”

  Jenna snorted, shaking her head. “No! In fact your waves need a little touch up too.” She moved the can towards me abruptly and sprayed like a madwoman.

  I coughed and waved her away. “I’m choking!”

  “Good, that means you have just the right amount on.” She smiled and placed the spray can down on my desk.

  “My room is a gas chamber!” I choked.

  “The price you pay to look hot Anna.” Jenna informed knowingly.

  It was my turn to snort. “Hot? I’m decent at best.”

  “Shut it, you look hot as hell, in fact don’t move, I need to take another picture.” She reached for her phone on my bed.

  My eyes rolled. “Ha
ven’t you already taken enough?”

  She ignored me and positioned her iPhone. “Give me a hot pose, something that screams, come and get me boys!”

  I laughed. “What? I’m not a stripper!”

  “No, but in that skirt, you could be…..so scandalous!” Jenna grinned slyly.

  Instantly my hands pulled at the skirts hem. “You said it wasn’t that short!” I stressed.

  “Yeah, I lied.” She said nonchalantly. “And no, you can’t take it off, it makes the outfit complete.”

  Completing the outfit? I stared back at my reflection as Jenna took photos of me from every angle. She paired the short skirt with the black top I wore to Peter’s party last month. The tank top elongated my newly thin waist even though it was a little loose from the last time I wore it, but that was understandable.

  Let us not forget the boobs. Yeah I’d lost weight, but the ‘girls’ only decreased in size from the sides.

  No more side boob fat for me! I grinned remembering.

  My phone beeped and Jenna stopped taking pictures. “Is that him?”

  I checked my phone and nodded. “Yeah, he’s outside.”

  “Let’s go, we have a whole night of pictures to take!” Jenna announced, showing me her phone. “I’m making this picture your profile pic.”

  The picture was of me sitting on my bed right after she had put the final touches in my makeover.

  Great!

  *~*~*

  “Wow.” Dean murmured scanning me up and down as he rounded his car in the movie theatres parking lot. “Anna, where have you been hiding?”

  I looked away shyly. “I’m still the same girl.”

  “Only hotter, “Jenna stated as she got out of the backseat of Dean’s Honda. She smoothed the back of her black sundress. She looked so good. Her long dark hair was in a high pony tail, minimal makeup on, unlike mine which she happily slathered with all the trimmings, making me look like a bratz doll. I didn’t know how I felt about that. I’d never looked this shiny and put together, even though I paired the outfit with my Denim jacket and black chucks.