The Other Side of the Story
Can I be mad?
"Looks like your good to go Annabell, just put some ice on it tonight and then the heating pad tomorrow," she said smiling.
"Thanks Jamie," I tried to smile but my side felt completely frozen and it hurt to move.
"No problem, I know you don't want to talk about it but he's a real stupid boy for not choosing you," she said and then turned to leave the room. I wanted to tell her that I agreed but I didn't. I couldn't because my heart still was with him.
Sliding off the table I grabbed my spirit squad dance bag. It felt heavier than I remember but I still put it over my shoulder acting as if there was no effort at all. My feet dragged across the campus until I reached my dorm. "Thank god," I said to myself as I walked up the steps. The door oped just as I reached the top steps and some girls laughing walked out. Normally I would have waved and smiled but I just kept walking toward the air conditioned building in front of me.
I could hear the sounds as my flipflops hit the cool tile floor. I hadn't realized how hot it was outside, and the air conditioning felt good against my skin. People talked as I headed to the elevator ready to find my room. Steping in alone I waited for the doors to close and just as they were about to Chris walked in.
"Phew almost missed it," he smiled at me. I didn't return the smile instead I hit the button for the doors to close. "Rough day Annabell?"
"You have no idea," I said looking straight ahead.
"I heard about Alec," he said.
"Who told you?" I said abruptly turning towards him, I had been holding back my anger till now.
"Calm down," he said looking in my eyes,"I just heard he wasn't coming back."
"Oh," I said breathing out, my face felt flushed red,"I'm sorry I snapped, it just seems like everyone knows."
"That he is a total dick for not coming back," chris said facing me. His eyes were soft and protecting, and I saw what I'd known since the second grade. That chris is totally in love with me. How could I deny it, it's not like he'd ever made it a secret. It was something Alec's and I had talked about alot before he left. We've all known each other since we were kids.
So as Chris looks at me I already know why he just called our best friend a "Total dick". It's because I'm in love with Alec, and he's the only one who doesn't know. You would think he would have figured it out the reason I hoped more than anyone that New York was a temporary thing. He left when summer started and I'm happy for him that he's doing what he loves. Music is everything to him, ever since his dad died music became his life. So after he saved every summer since he was 16 and finally reached enough to buy his own store he left.
Can I blame him for following his dream? For wanting something more than the small town life we all wanted? No, I can't and what's worse is that I would have gone with him. Dropped everything if he'd asked, but he didn't. I guess that hurt more than anything but didn't get me down, so here in the middle of April I'm still waiting for him to call me and ask me to come with him. And after months of no letters, emails, and calls returned he sends me a long message through email saying he's staying in New York for good.
Chris is still talking as I try to process all of this. Were no longer in the elevator but walking to my dorm room.
"Listen maybe it's time to move..." He starts but I cut him off.
"Stop right there, I have not listened to a word you've been saying. Please I know were friends but I need you to just leave me alone," finally the words are out. "I need everyone to just let me be for awhile." I smile at him and stop because we've reached my door.
"I'm sorry annabell," he says,"See you around." He walks off and he's mad but he will get over it.
Unlocking my door I walk in to an empty room, and that is just what I need. Flopping on my bed I pull out my cell phone and dial Alec's number. It rings and rings and rings, I expect what I've gotten since he left his voicemail. But suddenly I'm suprised when he picks up.
"Hello," he says.
"Alec," I say not believing he answered.
"Annabell," he says and I can hear a smile in his voice.
"You answered," I say.
"I've been so busy, I wish you could see it," he says,"The store is everything I dreamed it would be."
"Alec's your avoiding me," I say coldly,"And you've been avoiding me since you left."
"Annabell are you still coming to visit?" he asks avoiding my quesiton.
"Maybe," I say even though we both know I will,"Are you going to answer my question?"
"Maybe," he laughs and I can't help but laugh I missed the sound of his voice. He sounds a little stressed but he won't admit it.
"We miss you here," I say rolling over on my back facing the celling.
"I miss you too," he says,"New york isn't like oklahoma."
"I bet, the streets are probably so chaotic I don't know how you would survive," I joke.
"Hey now I can take care of myself, but I do miss the clear skies at night back home.. I mean okalahoma," he says.
"They are still just as clear here at OCU," I say.
"How's school?" he asks suddenly,"Your dancing must have progressed since I've been gone."
"School's been keeping me busy but I still find time to practice dance more than required," I laugh remembering back in high school all the hours I spent after school in the studio.
"You and dancing have always been simple, it's your life and you love it more than air," he laughs,"I don't think anything could tear you in the stage apart."
You could I say in my head,"It's my passion," I say in the phone,"But I think over the past months I've gotten worse."
"Worse," he jokes,"How?"
"I've been over thinking and I guess its showing through my dance, I fell today in class," I say.
He laughs through the phone,"You've fallen before and I've been amazed everytime you got back up. Did you get hurt?"
I smile,"A bruise the size of Texas on my left hip, but Jamie our trainer says I'll be fine just need to rest and put ice on it."
"Sorry I have to go," his voice has changed,"I promise I will call you tomorrow."
"Bye," is all I get out before he clicks end and I'm left alone in my room.
"Thanks Jamie," I tried to smile but my side felt completely frozen and it hurt to move.
"No problem, I know you don't want to talk about it but he's a real stupid boy for not choosing you," she said and then turned to leave the room. I wanted to tell her that I agreed but I didn't. I couldn't because my heart still was with him.
Sliding off the table I grabbed my spirit squad dance bag. It felt heavier than I remember but I still put it over my shoulder acting as if there was no effort at all. My feet dragged across the campus until I reached my dorm. "Thank god," I said to myself as I walked up the steps. The door oped just as I reached the top steps and some girls laughing walked out. Normally I would have waved and smiled but I just kept walking toward the air conditioned building in front of me.
I could hear the sounds as my flipflops hit the cool tile floor. I hadn't realized how hot it was outside, and the air conditioning felt good against my skin. People talked as I headed to the elevator ready to find my room. Steping in alone I waited for the doors to close and just as they were about to Chris walked in.
"Phew almost missed it," he smiled at me. I didn't return the smile instead I hit the button for the doors to close. "Rough day Annabell?"
"You have no idea," I said looking straight ahead.
"I heard about Alec," he said.
"Who told you?" I said abruptly turning towards him, I had been holding back my anger till now.
"Calm down," he said looking in my eyes,"I just heard he wasn't coming back."
"Oh," I said breathing out, my face felt flushed red,"I'm sorry I snapped, it just seems like everyone knows."
"That he is a total dick for not coming back," chris said facing me. His eyes were soft and protecting, and I saw what I'd known since the second grade. That chris is totally in love with me. How could I deny it, it's not like he'd ever made it a secret. It was something Alec's and I had talked about alot before he left. We've all known each other since we were kids.
So as Chris looks at me I already know why he just called our best friend a "Total dick". It's because I'm in love with Alec, and he's the only one who doesn't know. You would think he would have figured it out the reason I hoped more than anyone that New York was a temporary thing. He left when summer started and I'm happy for him that he's doing what he loves. Music is everything to him, ever since his dad died music became his life. So after he saved every summer since he was 16 and finally reached enough to buy his own store he left.
Can I blame him for following his dream? For wanting something more than the small town life we all wanted? No, I can't and what's worse is that I would have gone with him. Dropped everything if he'd asked, but he didn't. I guess that hurt more than anything but didn't get me down, so here in the middle of April I'm still waiting for him to call me and ask me to come with him. And after months of no letters, emails, and calls returned he sends me a long message through email saying he's staying in New York for good.
Chris is still talking as I try to process all of this. Were no longer in the elevator but walking to my dorm room.
"Listen maybe it's time to move..." He starts but I cut him off.
"Stop right there, I have not listened to a word you've been saying. Please I know were friends but I need you to just leave me alone," finally the words are out. "I need everyone to just let me be for awhile." I smile at him and stop because we've reached my door.
"I'm sorry annabell," he says,"See you around." He walks off and he's mad but he will get over it.
Unlocking my door I walk in to an empty room, and that is just what I need. Flopping on my bed I pull out my cell phone and dial Alec's number. It rings and rings and rings, I expect what I've gotten since he left his voicemail. But suddenly I'm suprised when he picks up.
"Hello," he says.
"Alec," I say not believing he answered.
"Annabell," he says and I can hear a smile in his voice.
"You answered," I say.
"I've been so busy, I wish you could see it," he says,"The store is everything I dreamed it would be."
"Alec's your avoiding me," I say coldly,"And you've been avoiding me since you left."
"Annabell are you still coming to visit?" he asks avoiding my quesiton.
"Maybe," I say even though we both know I will,"Are you going to answer my question?"
"Maybe," he laughs and I can't help but laugh I missed the sound of his voice. He sounds a little stressed but he won't admit it.
"We miss you here," I say rolling over on my back facing the celling.
"I miss you too," he says,"New york isn't like oklahoma."
"I bet, the streets are probably so chaotic I don't know how you would survive," I joke.
"Hey now I can take care of myself, but I do miss the clear skies at night back home.. I mean okalahoma," he says.
"They are still just as clear here at OCU," I say.
"How's school?" he asks suddenly,"Your dancing must have progressed since I've been gone."
"School's been keeping me busy but I still find time to practice dance more than required," I laugh remembering back in high school all the hours I spent after school in the studio.
"You and dancing have always been simple, it's your life and you love it more than air," he laughs,"I don't think anything could tear you in the stage apart."
You could I say in my head,"It's my passion," I say in the phone,"But I think over the past months I've gotten worse."
"Worse," he jokes,"How?"
"I've been over thinking and I guess its showing through my dance, I fell today in class," I say.
He laughs through the phone,"You've fallen before and I've been amazed everytime you got back up. Did you get hurt?"
I smile,"A bruise the size of Texas on my left hip, but Jamie our trainer says I'll be fine just need to rest and put ice on it."
"Sorry I have to go," his voice has changed,"I promise I will call you tomorrow."
"Bye," is all I get out before he clicks end and I'm left alone in my room.