Promise Me Forever

“Anna, do you really think this is a good idea? I mean, really, we don’t even know who this girl is she could kill us,” I hissed into her hear as she dug through the cabinet for something. “Anna, are you listening to a word I’m saying?”

“Yes, John, I am. I’ve heard every single thing you’ve said since you closed that door. If you’re not happy with it then kick her out. But it’ll be because you felt uncomfortable not because she’s some ex murderer or something like that!” she scalded me with her venom as she spat words at me. I, in truth, was a little taken aback. I hadn’t expected her to get this upset about it all.

“I just don’t see why we have to have a complete stranger in the house alright. God, don’t get so fucking jumpy about it.”

“Well I’m sorry for caring about people. She’s nervous, John, I thought she might want to just talk. Why are you all uptight about this whole deal? What has she ever done to you? Really?”

“Whatever,” I said shaking my head. I helped her with the drinks and followed her back into the living room where Kim had made herself half way comfortable on the couch. Anna moved to sit next to her but I pulled her towards the chair I was sitting in and onto my lap.

“So…” she said looking at me for a second before turning back towards Kim.

“I think I had sex with you.”

It wasn’t subtle. It wasn’t discreet. It was right out in the open and I was shocked. Anna stopped mid sentence and stared while Kim blushed a deeper shade of red that I didn’t know was possible. I sat silent until Anna slowly turned her head around to face me.

“Um…it’s possible,” I answered to Kim’s outburst.

“It’s possible? Possible as in it’s probable?”

“No, not probable, possible as is might have occurred as in don’t push this whole thing on me.”

“That means you did!” she said before jumping up as if because I’d had sex I was poisonous or something like that.

“That means I don’t fucking remember!” I shouted. It didn’t take long for me to get angry when I was defending myself or someone I cared about. As such, yelling at Anna as she kept pestering for her answer wasn’t that hard of a thing to do. I followed her lead and jumped up from my seat so we were both standing and arguing.

“How can you not remember?”

“There’s this little invention called alcohol, alright?”

“So, you’re one of those guys that get’s so drunk you can’t remember if you’ve had sex with a girl and then you go and invite her in for milk and cookies?”

“Excuse me? You invited her in not me. I told you in the kitchen that it’s fucking weird to have invited a complete fucking stranger in here,” I reminded her. “You’re the one that told me to zip it.”

“Do you want me to go, because I can go,” Kim said pulling us out of the argument. In all honesty I’d forgotten she was there until she squeaked to life.

“It’s not like I took her virginity, Anna!” We went on arguing as if she wasn’t there. But, it was probably because we just got wrapped up in figuring out who was ‘right and wrong’ in this battle.

“Why would I want to know that you didn’t take her virginity? I really don’t care about that, John!”

“I don’t see why you’re making this such a big fucking deal?!”

“Guys, I can just leave,” Kim offered again, this time actually getting up.

“Were you drunk?”

We both looked at Anna honestly taken aback by what she’d just asked. I personally hadn’t expected her to get so defensive about anything. But, then again, I also hadn’t expected to feel protective of this girl either.

“Well?”

“Yea, alright, I was drunk. I was drunk when I slept with John and I was drunk when I slept with Stephen. Josh on the other hand I was very sober but he’s a very good sweet talker,” she clarified.

“What are you like a band slut?”

“I protest that Stephen and Josh were before they were famous.” She said it quickly and with power that I scoffed a laugh at it. “I’m sorry for interrupting your evening with my awkwardness. I’ll see myself out,” she said politely. I knew that once she left Anna wouldn’t be so polite in her shouting but, at the same time, I knew if things at least go screamed out then we could go back to being friendly again. With the click of the door I looked back at Anna who didn’t even say a word.

“Anna?”

“I don’t want to talk to you, alright?”

“Why are you being so difficult, it was just sex?! We were teenagers and teenagers experiment. We’re still fucking teenagers we just happen to be in some twisted form of a relationship!”

“I don’t want to hear about your experimentation! Just drop it!” she urged as she started away from me.

“Don’t go acting all innocent and all that shit. I’ll bet you’re not all that ‘pure’ either since you’re pretty good at teasing a guy.”

She froze. Her body was rigid and, although I couldn’t see for certain, I was willing to bet her face was void of any happy expression. Slowly she turned around and I saw that I was right. Her face now contorted into pain and hurt as she stared at me.

“You don’t know anything about it.”

“Then enlighten me, princess.”

“Why should I? What are you going to fix or change about it? You can’t, it’s done and nothing will change it.”

“Will you just tell me?” She stared at me softly not saying a word. “Anna, just say it!”

“You think because I can tease a guy that I’ve had sex. Well let me tell you buddy, the only guy I’ve ‘had sex’ with was some freak that didn’t ask my permission. He didn’t use any fucking sort of protection. And he didn’t stop when I begged and pleaded and cried and screamed for him to get off. It’s why my parents and I don’t get along. He was there best friend who could do no wrong. They didn’t believe me when I told them about it!”

She didn’t give me any time to react. As soon as the last word was out of her mouth she’d turned and high tailed it upstairs. I heard the bedroom door slam and wondered if she would find some way to lock it so I couldn’t get in. I doubted that was on her mind. I felt pretty crappy about what she’d just told me. I sighed and started for the stairs. This was only going to get better if I fixed it now.

“Anna,” I asked knocking gently against the door. When she didn’t answer I started in, hoping she wasn’t going to throw something at me. “Anna,” I said again walking towards the lump on the bed. “Anna,” I started taking a seat on the bed putting my arm gently over her shoulder. “I didn’t mean…I’m sorry.”

“Everyone always is. ‘Oh how could that have happened’ and ‘I wish I would’ve known we could’ve done something’. It’s all the same. No one really cares enough to do something though. Look, I’m sorry for blowing up at you. I’m just…I’m not used to caring if guys I date and whatnot have had sex prior to being with me. I didn’t expect to care this much about you this soon in a relationship. I guess you just have to give me time to adjust to it.” She sat up slowly as she spoke. I moved so I leaned against the headboard as she turned to look at me. “I’m sorry.”

“Hey, we both said things we didn’t mean.” I scooted towards her so I was right behind her. I felt her shiver against my body but she leaned backwards as I wrapped my arms around her. “I won’t let anyone hurt you like that ever again, Anna.”

“Even if we get divorced and you hate me?”

“Even if we get divorced and I hate you. No one should ever do that to a lady.”

“John, you don’t always have drunk sex do you?”

I stifled a laugh and shook my head. “No, she was the only one. I felt too sleezy afterwards. I like to remember the lovely ladies I’m with. Like my beautiful wife.”

I caught a giggle. “You’re a charmer John Gomez.”

“Yea and I happily charmed my wife into marrying me. I think I won the lottery.”

“Brown noser.”