By Your Side

Anna's POV

After talking to Tom and being completely hurt that he didn’t remember me (even after all the hints I dropped), I decided it was best for me to go home. I wouldn’t be able to stay there playing music while he sat there, practically in front of me, sipping his drinks and flirting. It hurt too much.

I walked out to the parking lot. The night air felt enticing. Never had I thought a nice breeze would feel so good.

Then I realized how dark it was. Forget the nice breeze. Being alone in the dark scared the shit out of me. Ever since I could remember, the dark streets in America frightened me. I hated knowing that there were creeps out there that liked to take away young women and do what they pleased with them.

The thought scared me more than it should have. I was at work, after all. People I knew and cared for me were in the building. The door isn’t even that far away. I tried calming myself down. If anything happens, I can just run back in.

Just as I was thinking that, someone yelled and I froze.

“Hey!” I heard a guy—well, it looked like a shadow—yell and start running toward me.

I turned around and freaked out. Didn’t this jerk know that it wasn’t polite to run up on someone and yell like that? Panicked, I yelled “Stay away from me asshole! I’ve got mace and I know how to use it.” I was hoping my threat would keep him away. God knows I never actually carried mace. Which was stupid, but I didn’t remember to buy any. So, lying had to work. I started rummaging through my purse. Still freaking out, I took a few steps back.

“No, no. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” He tried apologizing with his hands up in a defensive position. As if holding his hands up was going to stop me from kicking his ass. Okay, trying to. I did know some fighting moves –thanks to my dad—but this guy was big. Not fat. No, he was just so damn tall.

“Scare me? You’re fucking running towards me yelling and you didn’t mean to scare me? Are you on drugs? Of course it would scare me!” I yelled. Intimidation was the only thing I really had against this guy.

“Listen, I’m sorry. I just. . . I saw someone talking to you earlier.” He continued walking towards me.

I stared at the guy wide-eyed for a moment. The street light barely made his features visible so it was hard to tell what this guy was planning. But. . . how in the hell did he know I was talking to someone earlier? Shit. Was he stalking me or something? Great, Anna, just great.

“And?” I said impatiently. Acting bitchy was all I had and I sure as hell was going to use it.

He stopped walking towards me and continued talking. “Well, the guy was my brother.” He paused for a brief second and then asked “Did he tell you his name?”

“Not really, no,” I started. How did he know all of this? I was seriously starting to feel freaked out now. “He said that most people call him ‘Sex Gott’ or ‘Tom’ not—“

“Kaulitz?” He interrupted me. That one word. All the fear I once had left. Now I was confused and wanted answers.

“Who are you?” I asked, trying to see him through the dim light. Just as I squinted at him, he stepped further under the street light. Both of us were more visible now. I gasped and dropped my bag.

“Anna, it’s me. Bill.”

“Bill?!” My eyes flooded with tears. I recognized him before he even said his name. “I knew you guys were here. I could feel it.”

He took two quick steps toward me and embraced me in a hug I desperately needed.

“I’ve missed you guys. So, so much.” I hugged him tightly and sniffled as I tried to keep myself from crying. It was great to see him. I honestly never thought I would. Until tonight, that is. But being kept from my best friend for so long? It was almost as torturous as being away from the guy I gave my heart to so long ago.

“I’ve missed you too, Anna. We all have.” He meant it. I could see it in his face how much he missed me. Thank God one of the twins did.

We let go and stood there smiling at each other. It wasn’t really an awkward silence. We were both glad to finally see each other after so long.

“Dude, Bill? Did you get lost? Really, it’s not that hard to find my—“ Tom stopped as he saw the both of us standing together. My breath caught in my throat. He was here…again. Would he actually remember now that Bill did? “Hey! You’re the girl from inside. Bill, do you know her?” My heart fell. Of course not. Why would he? It’s not like I gave him everything before. . .

We both shook our head at him. Was he really this dumb? How could he not remember me? I knew right away that Bill could see how upset I was. Hell, even I knew it was painfully obvious.

I shook my head again. I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t stand here in front of the guy I once loved and have him not remember. It was too heartbreaking and my body couldn’t take it. I knew I would start crying and there was no way I was going to let that happen. Not in front of him. I started to walk away and said “I should go.”

“Wait a minute,” Bill said, taking my hand and pulling me back. “You both need to talk.”

I sighed and Tom stepped closer to us. He was right. We did need to talk. But did I really need to tell him who I was? It should’ve been clear the second I called him ‘Kaulitz’. No one else did but me. I wished so badly that I could shake him and yell “think, Tom! Think! It’s me. Why can’t you remember?”

To get it over with, I filled the little space between us by taking a step of my own.

“Hey Tom,” I hesitated, but gave him my best ‘it’s me, Anna!’ smile.

He studied me for a long time. It was obvious that he knew me from somewhere in his past. I could tell from the dumb look on his face. I stood there impatiently, glancing back at Bill for any sort of help.

“Okay, wow. Tom, you can’t seriously be taking this long.” I said. All hope gone from my voice now.

“Just give me a minute. I know you. I know I do. I just can’t think of a name to match the face.”

“Here’s a hint. It starts with ‘A’. Like asshole because that’s exactly what you’re being right now.”

“Hey now, wait a minute! Anna, come back here!” he called as I stormed off. We were both surprised he actually got it right. Even Bill, who was now standing off in the distance to give us our space, looked surprised.

“Finally!” Bill and I both called and I went back to Tom. He scooped me up in the biggest hug I had had in a long time. His arms felt so. . . right around me. It was as if the piece of me that had been missing for so long had finally been put back. “Shit. Do you know how long it’s been?” his breath on my neck made my whole body heat up.

Too damn long I thought. Even if I hadn’t said it out loud, I had a feeling Tom was thinking the same thing. “I’ve missed you.” Was all I managed to choke out. With that, he tightened his grip on me, and my arms gripped his neck. I never wanted to let go. At least not any time soon, anyway. I waited too long to be in his arms again. I was not going to let him slip away as quickly as he got here.

“Look, I know you were on your way home and all, but do you want to go hang out or something?” He asked when we let go. It seemed like forever had passed as we were standing there, not saying anything in each others’ arms. It was actually quite nice. Different, seeing as he was so tall now, but nice nonetheless. To be honest, lots of things had changed about him. I couldn’t count them all now, but a ton of stuff was noticeable.

“I would. . .” I stopped. Hell yeah I would. I’d been waiting for him to come ever since I moved. “But I can’t,” I said and I felt like shooting myself in the face.

He stood there dumbfounded. “Why not?”

Without giving him an answer, I said, “Meet me somewhere tomorrow and we’ll hang out. I’m sorry, I really have to go.”

Before he could object or get me to change my mind (which would’ve been easy. A simple ‘wait, stay here with me’ would’ve had me change my mind).

“Oh, here.” I handed him a card that had my number on it so we could meet up again tomorrow. Without it, we’d lose contact again. And I sure as hell didn’t want that to happen.

Not saying another word, I walked away from him and Bill. Leaving both of them standing there as if I’d smacked them both across the face.

Sure, I probably shouldn’t have walked away like that. But knowing how long I’d waited for this sent me in a bit of a panic. I had no idea the effect they both would have on me.

So, once I left them, I went to my apartment. Brianna would still be working so I didn’t have to worry about her asking me what was wrong. After putting all of my stuff down, and walking like a zombie to my room, I went into the bathroom, took a shower, and cried for hours.