((I finally decided that I would just post it all at once :D It would have made two very short ones otherwise. so Read away and enjoy!!))
Chapter 2: The Call and Memories
I stood motionless in Corey's apartment. Shawn stood beside me, his face free from any sign of the smile that had lit his face ever since I'd met him. He had seen through my lie so easily, though I do admit, it wasn't the most convincing lie either. Still, he had answered without hesitation. "Liar". Just one simple word revealing it all. I decided to play it off...
"No. What are you talking about?" I asked half looking away from him and shuffling through more of the papers. "I'm gunna go home to my family."
He stood there watching me for a moment. Watching my every move. I didn't think I'd fooled him until that old familiar smile returned to his face.
"You got the money to make it back? Where did you say you were from again?" he cocked his head to the side thoughtfully.
"I didn't say, and yes, I should have enough money to get home. Even if I didn't, then oh well. I'll just have to do a few odd jobs on my way home." I spoke easily and bored. I knew from the start that it was a possibility that I didn't have the money to make it all the way to Tyler and that it was possible I would have to do odd jobs. So that part wasn't a lie.
"Or you could let me give you a little extra cash." he smiled more at me.
"No"
"What? Why?!"
"Because I don't take free money."
"O.K. You can pay me back then."
I rolled my eyes," I doubt that after I leave I'll ever see you again."
"Oh well then."
"No."
"Oh come on Ana! Let me do this for you!" he pleaded leaning closer to me on the ground.
"No. Why would you even do that? You don't know a damn thing about me Shawn." I glared at him a bit. It was sweet, but not going to happen.
He leaned closer to me, "Because... I really like you..." then he quickly moved in to kiss me, catching me by surprise and causeing me to fall over; taking him with me.
Quickly I pushed him off and grabbed my binder, closing the contense inside, and walking even quicker outside to my truck, leaving Shawn sprawled out on the ground trying to collect himself. I was already in the truck and starting it when Shawn sprinted out of the apartment. I was too stunned to pay much attention to him. He had just kissed me! That was it. I had to get out of Chicago. I didn't care if Tyler would take me in or not; I'd live in my truck if I had to!
"Ana! Wait!"
I still had the truck in park though I was ready to take off. But why not, I decided to stay and humor him rolling down my window.
"I'm sorry I did that. It was inappropriate," he exclaimed out of breath from the short run down the stairs and over to my truck. I watched him carefully and he took a moment to breath.
"You're right. It was. Thanks for athe appology. I'm leaving now," I took the truck out of park and turned around ready to leave when I saw it. Corey's car was pulling into the parking lot, "Oh damn it!"
Shawn looked up following my gaze to see what had upset me. He must have caught sight of Corey because he smirked quite a bit.
Corey pulled in beside Shawn and me, a wide grin plastered on his face, "Heh, knew you'd come back to me," He aparently hadn't caught sight of, or didn't recognize, Shawn standing beside the truck just barely out of his line of sight. I glared at him, wishing I hadn't waited to hear Shawn out.
"Oh hey! Look Ana! It's the idiot from the club!" Shawn cut in laughing and leaningn easily against my truck. I was so tempted to just throw the thing in reverse and move it out from under him. Though that wouldn't have been the nicest thing to do.
Corey glared at Shawn as he got out of his car but spoke to me, "Babe, why'd you bring this basterd with you?"
"He was helping me grab my things. I was just leaving," I turned to look at Shawn, still keeping my eye on Corey, "Thank you for the help Shawn, I'll see you around."
Corey broke in laughing now leaning bakc against his car; Shawn and I both glared at him. Had I said something funny? This idiot deserved a good sock in the jaw; though from the looks of it, Shawn had made sure he'd gotten that last night. The skin around his eye and entire cheek was black and blue. From the looks of it, it hadn't finished changing color yet either. Guess Shawn had one hell of a right hook.
"What the hell are you laughing at?" I snapped at him. He'd never gotten on my nerves this much before.
Corey stopped laughing, but instead began chuckleing, "Where do you think you're gunna go? You don't have the money to go home, much less find your own place. Hate to say it babe, but you're stuck with me," he started laughing again.
Shawn glanced a bit nervously at me; this had just been the topic between the two of us, and now Corey was jumping in. Oh joy.
"For your information, you over confident basterd, I do have a plan. I have somewhere far from YOU to go," I snapped at him
He stopped laughing and his smile faded; that seemed to deflate his ego just the tiniset bit. Good, he needed it; his head was begining to grow too big for his body. Shawn stayed quiet watching me as I spoke.
"Oh really, and where might that be?" Corey replied, a touch of poison in his tone.
"Like I said. Far away from YOU."
"Yeah, I got that part. But just where might that be?"
"Why the hell do you care?"
"Just tell me you little bi-"
"What did I tell you last night?! Watch your mouth around a young lady!" Shawn cut him off glaring at him.
"Why don't you shut your trap and stay ou of this," Corey snaped back.
"Both of you shut up! I'm leaving and neither of you need to worry about me any more. What I do is my own damn business!" I yelled at them both, "Shawn, move or you're going to end up on your back, on the ground."
Shawn stood and walked quietly behind the truck.
"What the hell are you doing?" I snapped out my window at him. Corey had a smirk on his face.
"You're not leaving unprepared like this. Now tell us where you're going," he spoke seriously not stepping out from behind my truck.
"Hehehe, I think I'm starting to like this guy after all," Corey laughed again.
I glared at corey again and spoke as calmnly as I could, "Shawn, move now."
"No."
"You stubborn idiot! MOVE!"
"No. Not until you tell us where you're going."
"Fine!" I yelled unhooking my seatbelt and stepping out of my truck, "I'm going to call an old friend and go to Florida! You happy?! Now let me go and get out of the way!"
They both went silent; must not have been what they had expected.
"You expec us to let you go just like that?" Shawn walked to the side of the truck again. I glared at him ready to jump back in my truck; the door was still open.
"Yeah baby girl, You're not exactly someone to let go of," Corey added, "I shouldn't have done what I did."
I sighed, "Yeah, well I was hopeing you would just leave me alone. And yes, you're right. I haven't been here for more than two months. I won't deal with either of you anymore. I'm out of here," I bolted for the truck and started it back up. It wasn't going to be my fault if either of the idiots decided to jump in front of me and get run over.
Neither of themmoved to get in the way. I sped from the parking lot and out onto the road. Once I ot to a stoplight I started shufleing around my turck for my cell phone; what better time to call Tyler than now?
I found my phone and pulled into the nearest parking lot looking up Tyler's number; with the any luck he'd still have the same one. As I found his name and opened up the file that hel d his number I sat there and just stared, allowing the memories of the past flood my head....
~~Flash Back~~
"How are you shy?!" I lughed over the phone to Tyler. I was only fifteen years old, my hair was shorter and so was I.
"Just am," Tyler replied laughing back.It was almost as if he had a slight accent when he spoke, but I suppose that'd be due to the fact that he lived in Florida for a long time; I still loved it though.
Tyler and me had been friends for maybe the last four or five years before. He was also a bit older than I was, but that didn't kick that fact that I was begining to fall for him. He would call me sis most of the time and I would call him big bubu or my Tylrt back, jokeingly of course. And to top everything off, that was the first time I'd ever spoken to him on the phone in the four or so years that I'd known him.
"You are so not shy! You're far from it," I'd answered him still laughing. No matter what I always seemed to be constantly smiling or lauhing when I was talking to him.
"No, I swear. I am. You'd be able to tell if I weren't shy. It's a major diffrence!" he chuckled.
"Mmhmm, sure Tyler. Whatever you say."
"Okay Sis, fine. Don't believe me."
"I will. Er I mean I won't..... I will? Okay you know what I'll put it this way, I will be that way and not believe you. So..." I made a noise to the phone, making it clear that I was sticking my toung out at him. He did nothing more than laugh at me.
He laughed a bit more as I did it again and yawned lightly, "Well Sis, I think it's time for bed. You kept me up all night. Lucky I got night shift at work," It was 3 A.M., or 6 A.M. his time, I had most sertainly kept him up all night, "Plus you got school in the morning kiddo."
"Awww, damn. I can't bug you anymore tonight?" I play whined.
"Nope. You better go to bed right now young lady!" he teased me, "Or I may just be forced to do something."
"Oh really, and what might that be?"
"Hmmm.... I have nada clue yet!" he laughed again.
I laughed with him and then sighed a bit, "Oh fiiiine. Be that way. Good night Big Bubu. Love ya, sweet dreams."
"You too Sis," I could hear the smile in his voice as he spoke and then he hung up.
For maybe another hour or so I lay in bed thinking of him until I fell into a dream filled sleep...
~~End Flach Back~~
I stared blankly at the number on my phone. Would he be mad at me for making the stupid mistake of coming here? I had not the slightest clue, but it was the only place I could think of to go. So I pressed the call button.
Ring.... Ring..... Ring.... Ri-
"Hello?"
I froze at the sound of Tyler's voice.
"Hello? Ana?" Tyler asked again.
"H-hey," I finally managed to stammer my quiet greeting.
"Hey cutie, how are you?!" there was a smile in his voice. I couldn't help but smile back. My Tyler still hadn'y changed a bit.
"I'm... Okay. How are you? I missed you!"
"He laughed at my answer, "Oh yeah? I missed you too.I've just been surviving. The usual. What have you been doin Sis?"
I sighed a bit, "LONG story."
"I got time."
I smiled and started explaining the entire last few months. Not once did he interupt me except for a few question here and there. When I finally got to last night and today he seemed to get a bit more flustered than before.
"And so... I'm trying to find a place to stay and was kind of-" He cut me off before I could finish my sentence.
"Why the hell would you go do a damn stupid thing like that Ana?"
"I.... I wanted to be with Corey..." I sighed quietly.
"Ana, where are you going to go?" he asked, his voice dripping with concern.
"Well... You see, that's what I wanted to talk to you about," I answered him a bit timidly.
"Yeah?"
"Mmhmm... I was wondering if mabe I could stay with you until I got back on my feet."
"Of course, sure! Come on down and stay as long as you need!" he answered me.
"You really mean it?!" I exclaimed excitedly.
"Yes, but just be careful."
"I will. It's just going to take me a little bit is all."
"Why?"
"Cause I have to get the money for the food and gas to get up there," I explained leaning against my seat a little more than before.
"Let me wire it to you."
"Huh? No, I got it. No worries."
"Yes, I want to."
"You're still so stubborn!" I laughed a bit, "But no I can do it on my own. I don't want to take any of your money."
"Silly girl. Don't worry about it. Just make sure you get down here as soon as possible; I don't like that you're staying in your truck, especially with those creeps around," He spoke with undoubtable athority and care. There was no way I was going to get away with a simple no as my answer.
"Fine, wire me the money and I'll be on my way alright?" I reluctanly sighed.
"You got it Sis. Be careful and I'll talk to you soon. You got it comein' to you when you get here, just so you know," he laughed lightening the mood and with just that small statement. I couldn't help but laugh with him, add in a few smart remarks of my own, and then after a little bit we hung up.
I wasn't exactly afraind of what Tyler said I had coming to me once I got up there, he would never hurt me; plus I had to concentrate on aking ure I didn't run into Corey or Shawn again. Shawn had switched sides on me, who knew what they were planning together now; this task was bound to be a hard one. Corey knew me a little too well, and now he had Shawn there to help him find me.
I spent the entire day going out of my way, being sure that I didn't run into either of them. I went to a new park that'd I'd never once been to before and sketched listening to my music; my muse. I gazed up at the sky quite often, watching the birds fly by and making a music of their own. Today wasn't really so bad. I'd found Tyler again and I was going to be with him soon. I hated to admit it, but the feelings I had developed for him so long ago were begining to resurface after just that one phone call. I really did fel like a silly girl now.
I layed back in the grass, gazeing up at the sky, and my music turned up in my ears. Soon I drifted off to sleep, right there in the soft grass, my head full of the possibilities of the future and music.
"Tyler!" I laughed. He had just turned my sentence around on me and made it something completely diffrent and perverted.
"Yeah Sis?" He laughed along.
"That's just not right," I attempted to stop laughing as I spoke.
"I know, but you just left it wide open!" it sounded as if he was grinning from ear to ear.
Beep.
"Oh damm it!" I eclaimed wishing I could throw the phone against the wall as it beeped again signaling that the battery was nearly dead.
"What?" he asked curious now.
"Stupid phones dieing..." I grumbled.
"Awww, that sucks Sis," he chuckled at my aparent frustration.
"That's for sure... Hey, I got a question for you Bubu," I said.
"Shoot."
"Um... Nevermind..." I chickened out.
"What Sis? Tell me," He said curious once again.
"... Well... I was wondering..." I paused.
"Hm?"
"I... Wanted to know... If you felt the same for me as I do for you?" I asked timidly. Not long before I had confessed to him that I felt that I was falling for him.
He was quiet for a moment, "... Well I can't exactly like you more than a sister for the moment, but that's a good thing."
"Why's it a good thing?"
"Cause we get to talk more and not argue and all that older stuff," there was a small smile in his voice.
I smiled, "Somehow I doubt that you and I would argue."
He laughed and we joked for a little while longer. The phone finally died not long after with us still smileing and joking around.....
Someone nudged me, waking me up. I rolled over and sighed quietly, reluctant to leave my dream of the past. Another nudge.. Who in then world was messing with me? I didn't want to open my eyes; I was still half in my dream world. I sighed again.
Something or someone shattered the peaceful state I was in by pulling the headphones from my ears and removeing the music that was still playing.
"Come on Ana. Get up."
I froze know that voce.
"Hm, good. You're fianlly awake. Come on now Ana," Shawn spoke again
Slowly I opened my eyes, meeting his gaze. He'd found me. How? I'd been so careful.
He smiled, "Get up Ana. Let's go."
"I'm not going anywhere with you," I snapped at him.
His smile disappeared just the slightest bit, "Why not? I'm your friend aren't I?"
"I don't think so," I sat up and glared at him.
"What? Why not? I thought we werte close!" he said, surprised at my answer and his smile vanishing now.
"Go to hell." I said grabbing my things and walking back to mym truck.
"What's wrong? You were fine this morning. Is it because I kissed you?" he asked running after me.
I whirled around and looked at him outraged just as he caught up with me, "What's going on? What happened!? You are such an idiot!" I yelled at him, "You took Corey's side! And god knows where you plan to take me now! Like I said, I'm not going anywhere with you. Go to hell," I turned back around and jumped in my truck, "Stay away from me okay? And tell Corey it was nice knowing him. I'm gone." I said and then began backing up. Shawn just stood there completely unmoved and shocked.
I only heard him call out to me once as I began driveing away, but I simply just turned up my music and tuned him out.
