Love vs Life - A.S. Lewis (essential reading txt) 📗

is glaring at me. I am sure I missed the "how to avoid giving your number out" course in the Being a Girl 101 course. My mind is blank. I can't even think of a reason not to and I can feel all the eyes on the table watching me.

 

"Sure." I drawl out. As I'm about to tell him, Danielle grabs me and exclaims something about us being late for something. I don't think she even understands her excuse.

 

I scoop my things into my bag and wave a goodbye and get tugged along to the door by an angry Danielle.

 

"Ugh, he is such a player. I can't stand him. He has a girlfriend and he's making moon eyes at you and asking for your number." She starts ranting. "And you just sat there like a bimbo about to give him your number! Lucky you have me!"

 

I don't even know how to reply. She's right. What was I thinking? It's like my defences are down when he is near. I become some stepford wife who can't say no. What will I do when she isn't there to save me from myself?

 

As we reach the cafeteria door I glance back over Danielle's shoulder. He's looking at me. Not predatorially, but almost wistfully, and my stomach drops, time stops and my world crashes. He sees me and that brief bit of eye contact breaks me and any of the weak barriers I had in place.

 

I'm gone.

Chapter 3

 My feet pound the ground like a heartbeat and Kurt Cobain groans away in my ears.

 

A denial

A denial

A denial

A denial

A denial

A denial

A denial

A denial

A denial

 

I guess there is a reason why the song is called Smells Like Teen Spirit. My teen spirit is certainly in denial.

 

Its been a month of trying to avoid him, of making sure I am no where near him or where he would hang out but it seems to be an impossible feat. He added me on Instagram yesterday, not that I've accepted him yet. I'm sure Danielle can't work out if she wants to slap him or me anymore.

 

Home wrecker. 

 

Thats what I keep saying in my mind as I pound the ground. Except it doesnt seem to sink in. How can I like a guy that is already taken? Is something wrong with me? Am I wired wrong?

 

My breathing picks up as I start the hill towards my house. It's like if I can feel the physical pain I can make penance for my stupid heart. Next thing I know I'm on the ground with a grazed knee and a sore ankle.

 

Stupid gum nut.

 

I sit there cursing the gum nut, the slope, the heat and my ankle, unaware that a car has stopped beside me. Great now I'm going to be raped and pillaged too. I pull my headphones out of my ears and look up. And up. And up.

 

Ben and Max.

 

Nic's two best friends. Timing is everything in life and I'm pretty sure that means I have nothing.

 

"Anna, is that you?" Asks Ben as he bends down.

 

Quite clearly it isn't anyone else, but I figure I shouldn't take my frustration out on him.

 

"Certainly is, what are you guys up to?" I reply. I notice that my knee is starting to bleed around the same time Max does. I can feel it starting to trickle down my calf.

 

"Hell, Anna do you need a hand, what happened?" Exclaims Max. He reaches into his pocket for a clean tissue and hands it to me. Who knew teen boys actually carried tissues around. Clean ones at that.

 

"Thanks" I reply as I take the tissue. "I stacked it on a gum nut. I think I've rolled my ankle too."

 

"Do you want a lift home? Are you far from here?" Asks Max

 

"I should be right" I start to reply as I go to stand up but my ankle hurts too much and I limp. I want to cry like a little girl, but I don't know if it's the ankle or just a combination of everything.

 

"Look we are just on our way to Nic's house, why don't we just drop you off on our way. It won't be a problem will it Max?" Butts In Ben.

 

Max doesn't even answer he just scoops me up and puts me into the back seat of his car. I mumble a thanks and look up into his eyes. They are a spectacular green. He's clearly Slavic background, the quiet but strong type, the type that draws you in without realising. He gives me a shy grin and closes the door. I release a breath I didn't even realise I was holding.

 

The two guys get in the front of the car. Max looks at me in the review mirror and asks where I live. As I rattle of the address I have to turn away from staring at him. Part of me is petrified Mum or Dad will be home when I get dropped off and World War III will start. My Dad is so traditional that there is no way his 17 year old daughter could hang out with guys unless I was ready to get married. I love my Dad, I don't always understand him, but I love him.

 

Max pulls up to my house and Ben gets out and helps me to the door. There is that awkward moment where I should really ask them in, but I am too scared on the off chance one of my parents are home. I say thanks again and wave them off.

 

I open the door. No one is home. Of course they aren't. No one is ever home. I mentally kick myself for not being polite and asking the guys in as I make my way to the bathroom. I peel off my running clothes and start to fill the bath. I can't even think about standing in the shower at the moment.

 

While I'm waiting for the bath to fill my phone lights up. A new text message from an unknown number.

 

hey Anna, it's Nic. I got your number from Tegan. The boys just said you had an accident running. Hope you're ok. Nic x

 

A kiss? He signed it off with a kiss? I feel like punching him and jumping for joy at the same time. Do I reply straight away or do I drag it out a bit. Will I look eager? If I wait will I make him worry? Argh. Decisions.

 

I decide to just reply now. 

 

Hey Nic! Yeah a bit bruised and battered. Lucky the boys came by when they did :) Thanks for the message. Anna 

 

I put the phone next to bath and sunk in. My knee stung like hell and I winced. I closed my eyes only to hear the phone vibrate again.

 

wish I had been with them to save you. What you up to now? x

 

Seriously? What is this guy, a serial flirt? I decided I would wait till I finished my bath because somehow I didn't think it would be appropriate telling him where I was.

 

By the time I finished my bath its  time for me to make dinner for everyone. I make dinner, clean up and then eat. No one has come yet so I put it in the oven. I pull out my homework and get started. Before I know it its 10.30pm and I'm exhausted.

 

As I'm brushing my teeth I get two messages. One is from my mum saying she won't be home for dinner. Figured that. The second is Nic. I had actually managed to forget him for a couple of hours. Before I can read it my phone starts to vibrate. Oh great now he's calling.

 

"Hello?" I answer.

 

"Anna, it's Nic. How are you?" He asks

 

I don't even know how to reply. It's that feeling of happiness that I'm talking to him and that sinking feeling of doing something I shouldnt. I decide his ego needs a hit.

 

"Nic...?" I ask

 

"oh um, Nic DeStefani, you know from school." He stammers. Danielle should give me points for that one.

 

"Oh Nic! Sorry I didn't save your number" I reply. Liar. Pretty sure I'll get hit by lightning for that one.

 

"oh that's cool. I just wanted to see how your ankle was going. Max said it was pretty bad and that your knee was bleeding a bit." He says.

 

"My ankle is better thanks. I iced it while I was studying. Hopefully if I strap it I can get running again. How was your night with the boys?" I ask. Seriously this conversation is hard. Mainly, from my making, but still. I'd hang up if I was him.

 

"Yeah good. We just played pool, and watched a movie. Hey, maybe we can go running together some time when my leg has healed up?" He asks nervously. I am actually making him nervous. Glad I'm not the only one suffering here.

 

I'm about to reply when I heard his name being called in the background by a girl. I hear him cover the mouthpiece and say something like "it's just Max Penny." There is my reality check. The line goes dead.

 

Home wrecker. That's my new description. I drop to my pillow with a thud and receive a new message.

 

goodnight x

 

Goodbye sanity.

 

Chapter 4

 I'm sitting in the old part of the library at school. It's on the third floor so it has amazing views of the city so I've switched off to the drone of the teacher and I'm lost in my own mind. It's the girls meeting for the upcoming sports day. The school is divided into 4 teams each with a corresponding colour of blue, red, yellow or green. I've been placed in Blue. 

 

So now I am surrounded by the rest of my blue team mates who seem less than eager for sports day. From the whisperings it seems to be more of a fashion event than a sporting one. My previous school was one of the top athletic schools. We lived and breathed athletics. I was always good, never great, apart from my 8th grade debut. We had to compete to make it to sports day. Here it is all volunteer only.

 

Except no one is volunteering.

 

1500m?

 

That would be me.

 

800m?

 

That would be be.

 

Steeple Chase?

 

That would be me.

 

I hope the other teams have more enthusiasm otherwise I will be running by myself. My old running coach would be having a fit right now. This teacher seems as excited as the students, which isn't saying much.

 

I'm sitting next to Penny and some of her friends that are also in our PE class. The