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

by Sarah Tork

  We entered the school’s crowded hallway. James held my hand tightly and led us towards the rest of the Kings. Peter, Tom and Roy, plus a few other players from the Baseball team were hanging out a row of lockers away from English. Peter was the first to spot us as we weaved through small huddles of people. He began clapping and the rest of the boys followed after eyeing us.

  “Well, well, well, look who finally got back together.” He grinned as we halted in front of the entire group.

  Tom stepped forward, high fiving James. “Congrats bro, glad things worked out for you.”

  James gave him a smug smile and pumped out his chest. “Don’t ever doubt ‘the master’ in anything.”

  “Yeah boy!” Tom hollered.

  My eyes rolled….who was a master?

  Of what?

  I chuckled and decided to intervene. “The only thing he’s a master of is being honest. Listen up guys, learn from James, he bared his soul to me last night, he cried a little too. My heart broke into a million pieces. It was so beautiful, my little fluffy bunny boy.” I cooed a smirk-less, shell shocked James.

  James coughed, eyeing his boys and shaking his head. “Yeah, my girl likes to joke…just so you guys should know.” He eyed me like ‘What are you doing, are you trying to make me look like a pussy!’

  I burst out laughing as each guy broke through the shock haze of my little speech. Soon they were each sporting huge grins, joining me in laughing at a flabbergasted, yet very amused James. He was the man to them, but he was ‘Tiger’ to me.

  Maybe I should tell them that too? You know, embarrass him a little as a little taste of payback for all the crap he put me through earlier.

  “Don’t worry, my little sweetie_” I began to coo James but was interrupted by a high pitched squeal.

  “Hey boys, looking good this morning.” Donna exclaimed, stepping in front of me with Stacey, a blonde haired Barbie wannabe right beside her, completely ignoring my presence. “What are you guys up to this morning? Class doesn’t start for like fifteen minutes, let’s go chill outside. James, you have to help me with English, I’m so going to fail if you don’t.”

  Okay…what? My brows furrowed. What the hell did she think she was doing? And why was she asking James to help her with English? He was doing okay, but not enough to give advice on how to do better, and even if he did….that wasn’t going to happen.

  “Um excuse me?” I said to her back, crossing my arms over my chest.

  Donna turned around, pumping her own chest out in the low cut, tight, blue sundress she wore to school today. She raised an eyebrow and pursed her lips in disgust at the sight of me. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there. What do you want, Annabelle?”

  This was it….my moment……James’ moment…our moment to come out to everyone…officially as a couple.

  I smiled. “I wasn’t talking to you.”

  She raised her eyebrow again and gave me a patronizing glare. “Then who were you speaking to sweetie? One of your imaginary friends?” She giggled at Stacey, who joined her with her own brand of dimwitted giggles.

  “No, my boyfriend.” I looked past her shoulder at James who was leaning against a locker. He eyed Peter, who had the biggest grin on his face. Maybe he thought there was going to be catfight. “You ready to go to class James?”

  This was it….

  James pushed off the locker and high fived Tom, Roy and Peter, and then sidestepped around Stacey and Donna to join my side, smiling shyly. “Yeah baby, I’m ready.” Donna’s jaw dropped as James’ hand interlocked with mine. “So you guys later.” He nodded at his friends…and Donna, pulling me away into the crowded hallway.

  A few feet away from the shocked duo, James chuckled, shaking his head. “Happy, Fireball?”

  “It’s about damn time Tiger…it’s about damn time.” I smirked, enjoying the moment of walking with my man, hand in hand to English…for the first time.

  *~*~*

  The bell signaling lunch rang. I left class and headed to my locker. James texted me earlier about an emergency meeting the Baseball team was having during the beginning of lunch, Coach’s orders. So he’d be twenty minutes late for lunch.

  I didn’t mind, in fact it was actually perfect timing, I needed to find Jenna and have a face to face talk. I left my school bag in my locker, leaving my phone inside it. I grabbed some money from my wallet for lunch and shut my locker. I wanted no distractions, even if it was James texting me or whoever. I needed uninterrupted time with Jenna so we could hash things out and get back to being best friends.

  But here was the dilemma, would she even listen me? Yesterday I was practically chewed out by Tina and Dana for sitting at the Baseball teams table. The way they spoke to me made me feel like a witch about to be burnt to death. Hopefully she’d be alone.

  She probably wasn’t. The Swim team lately have been crowding around each other a lot. I turned the corner to the North West hallway where Jenna’s locker was. Through the crowded hallway, I quickly spotted her long dark brown hair in a high ponytail, and most importantly she was alone. I was about to call her name when four girls huddled around her all of a sudden, two of which were Dana and Tina.

  Damn…I was too late. Instantly my heart plummeted into my stomach. How was I going to talk to her now? Tina put her arm around Jenna and the entire group headed down the hall crunched tightly together like the close nit ‘family’ they were.

  At this moment, I saw no way of talking to her in private. If I went up to her in the cafeteria, Dana and Tina might give me a hard time again. Like, how dare I? They’d be quick to dismiss me in front of everyone.

  I scowled at the back of them. How did things get like this? My best friend was….she was….abandoning me. She was staying away from me, on purpose. My eyes grew wet, instantly feeling a sting. I quickly make my way to the washroom back in my hallway. Frustrated tears were on the verge of exploding down my face. I entered a quiet washroom, relieved of its emptiness. Just as I was about to open my favorite stall at the end, the entrance doors popped open, bringing with it a barrage of clicking and clacking sounds.

  So much for privacy to soak my wounds, or whatever they called it.

  “Wait, right there!” A girl screeched behind me, instantly freezing me. I knew that voice, it taking only a second for me to distinguish. I turned towards the entrance and come face to face with Royal Heights High’s Queen ‘B’.

  “What do you want Donna?” I scowled at her. Didn’t she get confirmation of James and I’s relationship before class started this morning? Why the hell was she bothering with me? She should just move on, with the little bit of dignity she had left.

  “What I want?” She shrieked, eyeing her partner in crime for this afternoon as ‘she’ came to a stop right beside her, crossing her arms over her chest. “Everything good?” Donna asked Stacey, who was blocking the exit.

  Stacey nodded. “Totally.”

  “What’s good?” I cringed, eyeing past their shoulders. They were blocking the exit. All of a sudden a dreaded feeling consumed me.

  Donna took three long steps, coming to a stop right in front of me. “You and I, we’re about to have a talk.”

  “We are?” I raised an eyebrow.

  “Yeah,” Donna growled. “You need to know your place and I’m here to show you where it is!”

  CHAPTER 47

  So this is how it was going to end. The dual that’s been lurking, hiding patiently behind jealous glares and thoughts of revenge….it’s finally about to happen.

  In my mind, classical, dramatic music plays as I stare at Donna, dumbfounded. Her mouth moves, but I hear nothing. Instead I notice the slight twitch of her eyebrows and lips. What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she see what was right in front of her? James and I had walked hand in hand this morning, right in front of everyone. She was probably lurking around, hidden behind a crowd, eyeing us with distain. He hugged me, kissed me, whispered sweet things into my ear…and she still thought I was over stepping my
mark?

  What else did she need to see to be convinced that he’d never be with her? Did she have any dignity at all? Or was she going to stop to nothing, just like Latisha, to get what she wants?

  I looked at the snarling girl in pity. How many nights had she fantasized about James declaring his love for her? Was that fantasy driving each beat of her heart? And now because of me her heart beats rapidly, driven with anger because I’ve ruined her fantasy. I’ve made her nervous, angry and confused to the point of insanity.

  But let’s hope its only borderline insanity.

  She wanted to hear what I heard last night from James. She wanted to hear the soft in his voice as he’d whisper words of love and passion. That she was the only girl for him despite the stupidity, despite the insanity of…someone like ‘me’. I’m the evil one. I’m the one who’s shamelessly trying to distract him with my lost girl puppy dog eyes, urging him to love me, urging him to care for me. I’m the manipulative one and in the worst way possible. I was overstepping my mark, going for someone who I had no right to be going for.

  How dare I stand in the way of their ‘love’? I clearly needed a ‘talkin’ to.

  “You’re a loser.” Donna screeched, her face turning a deep shade of ruby red.

  And so it…officially begins…three months in the making.

  “You think you’re so smart.” Donna sneered, looking as evil as a Disney villain.

  My jaw clenched. I was so over this girl. “I don’t think I’m anything.”

  “That’s because you are nothing. So let me give you some advice, don’t mess with me. It’s not smart.” Donna stated, pointing at me like I was her cracked iPhone screen.

  “Is that a threat?” I asked, feeling my stomach do flip flops. I didn’t even have my phone to call for help. Not that I needed help against Donna…but she was looking… ‘Not all there’ right now.

  Donna took a step closer to my face. “It’s reality. I run this school. You’ll understand soon enough. I’ll have you ruined by tomorrow. It’ll be my life’s mission to make you suffer!”

  Freaking hell….this girl….needed a hobby if she had nothing else to do but to make my life a living hell. I shrugged. “Do whatever you want. I don’t care.”

  “He’s just going to use you again. Then he’ll come back to me.” Donna said, giving me the ‘eye’. You know the look a girl gives when she wants to invoke superiority. Like…the…..I’m so much better than you look.

  So what I think she’s trying to say is….. ‘Look at me…I’m skinnier than you. You’re fat, I’m not. I’m pretty, you’re not. I’ve got a trail of guys waiting to ask me out, you don’t. I have a ton, I repeat a ton of friends…you have one, who by the way is also a loser, therefore IT SHOULDN’T EVEN COUNT AS A FRIEND! You have no friends.’

  Something like that. However…I did have something she didn’t and never would have, thanks to me.

  I thought of James’ beautiful green eyes. The image makes my insides warm, destroying some of the anxiety Donna had succeeded in making me feel only a second ago. “He’s never gone to you period.” I stated to her, slowly enunciating each word so she’d get it. “Now get out of my way.”

  Donna shook her head, side stepping to block me. “You’re not leaving here until you and I have an understanding.” She ordered.

  My eyes bulged. “Get out of my way.” I demanded.

  “You think because you lost a hundred pounds or something that you’re something special? I’m here to tell you that you aren’t. You aren’t me, bitch.” Donna hissed through her teeth.

  “Whatever.” I shrugged.

  “You’re a nobody.” Donna whispered, shaking her head, giving me a look like she was trying to do some sort of voodoo.

  “Get out of my way.” I demanded again, trying to move past her, but she blocked me again.

  “Not until you get it.” Donna snapped, this time pointing her claw into my chest. Honestly it kind of hurt since she had massive acrylics on.

  I slapped her hand away. “Get what? That you’re psycho? Well you win there, that’s exactly what I think you are. And you’re delusional.” I snipped back.

  Donna’s eyes flared, grabbing my arm. “What did you call me, loser? Say it one more time, I dare you!”

  The washroom door slammed open.

  “Get your nasty ass hands off my best friend, now!” Jenna yelled, with Latisha right behind her.

  “You freaking traitor!” Donna shrieked. “You were supposed to stand guard, not bring her back-up!”

  I yanked my arm out of her grasp. Jenna pushed past Stacey, as Latisha quickly stepped back into the hallway.

  “Get back in here, you traitor. Just you wait Latisha, you’re going to get yours. I’ll ruin you bitch.” Donna yelled.

  “You okay?” Jenna panted, eyeing me worriedly. Her face was red and sweaty. I nodded and she faced Donna and Stacey, snarling at them like a real lion would have. “You’ve got ten seconds to explain yourselves before I make your lives a living hell for the rest of the year.”

  Donna snorted. “That’s a lot of talk for someone who’s got no power in this school. I’m not pathetic like Latisha, Jenna. You can’t talk down to me and use your loser friends from the Swim team to take me down. I. Run. This. School!”

  Jenna sneered, a bitter laugh escaping her. “I’m going to ask you again, psycho, what are you and your brainless minion doing in the washroom with my best friend?”

  Donna jerked her chin up dismissively at Jenna, snarling as well. “She stepped out of the line and she needed a reminder where her ‘right’ place was. She’s taking something that’s not hers to take.”

  Jenna cringed, moaning loudly in disgust. “You mean James? Give it a rest, Donna. He’s just not into used cars, so move on!”

  Donna’s eyes bulged. “What did you just call me?”

  “Every horrible name in the entire world. I’m this close to…….UGH!” Jenna growled. “My best friend? You think you can attack my best friend, tag team her and get away with it?”

  Donna’s teeth made their debut from under her rippling mouth. “Yes and yes. We are going to get away with it. Who’s going to believe you? I’ve got the entire Baseball team wrapped around my finger. Wherever the ‘hot’ girls go, they go, and since I’m their Queen…well you get it don’t you!”

  Jenna shook her head. “Not for long, your reign at this school is about to come to an end!”

  Donna smirked, eyeing Stacey. “Stop deluding yourself, you’ll only be disappointed. The reality of the situation is, I’ll always win. So why don’t you be a good best friend to your loser friend and keep her in line before I have to again. I don’t play fair, I play dirty and to win. In fact I think she needs one last reminder before we head back out!”

  With that, Donna tried to push her way to me, but Jenna pushed her back. Stacey stepped to the side of their tussle and came for me, grabbing my arm in what seemed like lightning speed. “Donna, I’ve got her!”

  “Let go of me!” I yelled, grabbing her hands which were clawing my shoulders. I squeezed her wrists and kicked her calf. Her hands instantly dropped, grabbing hold of her calf instead, moaning in pain.

  “Why’d you kick me?” Stacey cried, mascara ridden tears quickly streaming down her face.

  I was no freaking weakling!

  “What did I tell you!” Jenna shrieked, pulling Donna’s hair. Donna crumbled in pain as Jenna raised her free hand, palm open. “You don’t mess with my best friend!”

  Her palm came crashing down, slamming hard into Donna’s already reddening cheek. It sent her flying into the wall. “That’s just a warning shot, Miss Queen ‘B’, you don’t want to know what will happen to you the next time I find out you’ve pulled a disgusting stunt like this!”

  Donna moaned, getting back up. “Screw you.” Donna charged for Jenna.

  Jenna shot out an incredulous laugh. “Alright, again then!” She raised her arm up and slapped Donna’s shoulder, the force of it hurl
ing her into the edge of the sink. “I know I’m skinny, but I’m athletic skinny. You see these arms, psycho? These arms won me the four hundred freestyle and the one hundred fly during the junior championships last year. I got GOLD…..in all of Orlando. You know why? Because I’m strong and I’m fast. Too quick for your lazy eye, even on my worst day. So, do yourself a favor and don’t come at me or my best friend, ever again!”

  I pulled at Jenna’s arm. “Let’s go.” We bypassed the moaning duo, exiting the washroom and speed walking towards the cafeteria in silence. Her hand squeezed mine and right before we burst through the cafeteria doors, Jenna stopped, pulling me to a halt with her.

  “Anna,” Her voice hoarse, quivering with the angry nerves of the fight. Her eyes grew wet and tears began streaming down her reddened, unbruised face. “I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be sorry, this was my fault.” I panted, quietly.

  “It’s not. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Jenna gulped, worry laced in her voice. “This is all me. I’m the one who lost it yesterday. If I just calmed down, then you wouldn’t feel like you couldn’t come and talk to me. You were alone right now because I didn’t want to be around you. And that psycho almost had you.”

  “I’m stronger than I look.” I said. “I could have taken her.”

  “And Stacey?” Jenna reminded, disbelief evident in her voice. “It was two on one!”

  “Stacey doesn’t count, one kick to the calf and she was out.” I laughed, then winced as my shoulders felt a sting. I eyed each shoulder and there were red scratches on each of them.

  “Doesn’t count for, my ass!” Jenna roared. “Look at what that idiot did to your shoulders? I’m going back and giving her a taste of her own medicine!” Jenna started to speed walk away, but I grabbed her arm, pulling her to stop. But she was determined, pulling her arm easily from my grasp and making a run for it. “They’re probably still in the washroom crying, just wait till I see them again, they’ll be crying for days!”