Anna Et Romy

That night, I learned something.

Life has a funny way of upping the ante. Standing in the freezing rain, I realized that no matter how horrible things felt for me, they really weren't that bad. I could still remember standing in the living room of the house I had grown up in back in New Jersey. My sister was in the doorway talking to two policemen and a social worker. The living room smelled of dried roses and cedar wood.

They motioned to me and nodded their heads. My sister fell to her knees, grasping the doorknob and screaming. I could almost hear it as I searched down the street for Romy.

It was like a wounded animal. The one time I wish I had been deaf, so I couldn't hear my sister scream fuck over and over again. To this day, I wasn't a big fan of that word. The day they died was gloomy. Just like this one.

That week, I worked on something, almost a plan in the form of pictures, for when I saw Romy again. My head throbbed every time I thought about his broken face. I was probably like everyone else. Another person who didn't understand.

Mia finally came over the next morning to my surprise. Toothbrush in mouth, I flung the door open, seeing her ecstatically bustle in.

"Um, hi." I said wrapping my hair into a messy bun on my head. I had to start walking to school in about five minutes and I haven't even picked out an outfit yet.

"Hello." she said peeking behind doors and peering into the kitchen. "Nice place you got." she commented. My mouth was full of foam as I ground my teeth. What was she doing here? Am I in the twilight zone?

"Wanna walk to school together?" she asked. Surpised, I smiled on the inside, it was kinda like having a...friend.

"Maybe." I said gruffly walking to my room. She followed.

"I saw you the yesterday." she commented fingering the curtain I had hung over my bed. I stopped short, figuring that of I looked guilty, I'd be guilty. Rummaging through my closet, I shrugged.

"So?" I said pulling out a Dj Tiesto shirt and my most comfortable grey jeans. She sighed closing my closet door as I walked to my personal bathroom.

"With Romy Mitchell." I could feel sweat on my brow, my heart pounding as I closed the bathroom door.

"He was just returning my photograph." I said over the sound of me spitting and rinsing my mouth. I heard her tapping a beat on my door.

"Returning a photo doesn't take that long." She sang. My mouth fell to her audacity.

"Were you stalking me?" I said quickly switching out my pajamas for my outfit. I flung the door open, seeing her hanging on my door frame like a monkey. I rolled my eyes grabbing my backpack. She flew off.

"No. I was having a cup of Joe across the street with my boyfriend." my face burned as I grabbed my keys from the fruit bowl in the kitchen and we headed out.

Suddenly, Mia and I were friends. And it was going to take a while to get used to.

Everywhere I went, I carried the secret project I had as an apology for Romy. Mia tried to take a look at it all day, but I wouldn't let her. It was between me, and him. If there was ever a me and him. After school, I sat in detention, daydreaming about Romy's nimble fingers dancing across the frets of the bass. Looking out the window and ignoring everyone else, I could pretend that Romy was somewhere out there in the city. He was hearing nothing but seeing everything. Just like my parents.

After detention, I left the school chilled to the bone. It was getting dark out and the streets were still alive with life. Wrapping my coat around me tightly, I walked in the direction of the Y shivering. There was a man playing on Tupperware for dimes, a dog pleading for scraps, a middleschooler blocking out the world with her oversized headphones. And small insignificant me, hoping my sister was already at work so I could go for a quick swim.

Approaching the YMCA, my nerves tingled with excitement. I hadn't been swimming in over a week and my arms were itching to carve water. I jogged up the stairs flinging the door open and walking into the warmth of the building. I glided through the building, passing the teaching studios. There were full painting classes, empty jewelry making classes and finally I saw a band packing up and froze. He had his back to me but I could definitely tell that Romy and his band here here. Wooden Animals practiced here! Unsure of what to do, I fumbled with the zipper of my bag to pull my phone out in case Romy might want to say something if I apologized. Should I do sign language? I learned a bit back in middle school but I was rusty. He looked out of the window right past me, and waved at someone. Was he ignoring me? I looked behind me seeing a Redhead wave back at him and walk towards the door to wait. My heart sagged and my chest felt tight.

His girlfriend. Of course. I retreated into the shadows hoping no one saw my sad attempt at redemption. He held the case of his bass as he strode to her. The other band members waved goodbye to him as he watched the redhead talk. He signed back. So thats how he did it, he could read lips.

Embarrassed, I crept away trying to avoid him and make it to the pool without crying.

"Hey!" I heard a girl yell behind me. Please don't be the redhead. Please god PLEASSSE. But it was. She bent over picking up a piece of paper and handed it to me. It was the project I made for Romy. Oh shit I mustve dropped it.

"You forgot this." she said kindly looking down at it. I tried to snatch it, but she got a good look at it before I took it. She smiled brightly, her green eyes excited.

"Is that Romy?" She said nodding. I was screaming on the inside. Now I look like a stalker! NOOOOOO!!!!

"Yes." I said in a small voice. Romy noticed that it was me his girl was talking to and came over. His face was emotionless.

"She has a collage of you." The girl stated. "It's amazing. Are you a fan of Wooden Animals?" she directed this question to me. I looked to Romy who scrutinized me. I might as well tell the truth, I reasoned with myself.

"Yes." I croaked. The girl smiled even wider and took my hand in hers. It was soft and warm.

"Thanks for the support, my brother is really passionate about the band." Her brother was in the band? And she was DATING a member? That's way weird, I thought taking my hand back. And then it hit me like a ton of bricks. They had the same eyes, same lips and nose. They even had similar moles.

"We're fraternal twins." she chuckled nudging her brother. I rubbed the back of my neck, relieved.

"Fraternal twins." I repeated, Romy nodded.

"My name's Lux." She said bashfully.

"I'm Anna." I said, hoping Romy wouldn't give away that we knew each other and possibly disliked me. But he didn't do anything. He just stood there, hand in pocket and staring at the collage I had clasped to my chest.

There was a shrill beeping from Lux's purse. She flushed red.

"Excuse me." She said apologetically and walking a few feet away to take the call. Romy lingered, pointing at the collage. Hands shaking, I gave it to him. His face was emotionless still, as his eyes flicked over the piece. And then they softened, he pointed to a picture and then to himself looking at me.

"Yes, that's all you." In bold lettering, I had managed to glue down the words, 'I'm Sorry'. A shadow of a smile crossed over his face as he ran his fingers over the letters. He nodded, shyly looking up at me from under his eyelashes and tucking the collage in the pocket of his bass case. His sister came back over smiling brightly, she signed to him and he signed back quickly. A cloud came over her face,

"My parents want us to be home." She told me regrettably. "But Romy insists on staying." My heart pounded behind my ribs.

"Really?" I squeaked. What for? He wanted to stay...here? With me? She nodded pulling her purse tighter around her shoulder.

"I'll give you some time Romy, but PLEASE be careful and I'll be back in a little bit. But we have to be home soon." She stressed patting his arm. He nodded as Lux hugged me goodbye.

"Very nice to meet you Anna." She said hesitantly. "He's a big boy, I just...feel like I have to watch out for him y'know?" She said making sure Romy couldn't see her lips as she talked. It almost seemed as if she were convincing herself. As she walked away, repeatedly looking behind her, I realized that Romy and I were alone again. I hit the toe of my sneaker to the linoleum making a swimming motion.

"I'm going swimming." I mouthed clearly. He nodded rapidly following me as I entered the pool area. I put up a finger telling him to wait outside of the changing room as I put my swimming suit on. He sat on a chair outside of it. locking myself in a stall, I peeled my clothes off hopping into my navy blue one-piece. I blushed. Did I have to pick the ugliest bathing suit? mustering up all the courage I had, I locked my clothes up and went outside of the changing room. Romy stood up, smirking at my bathing suit.

"What?" I signed. He shrugged walking in the direction of the bleachers by the pool. Embarassed, I tugged on the loose boob part of my suit and went to the foot of the pool. I pulled my goggles on. I avoided Romy's eyes as i surveyed the place, it was pretty empty except for an aging couple doing laps on the far side. I counted to three and dove in.

Wrapping the water around my fingers like ribbons, I swam the breaststroke making sure I didn't distract myself by looking at Romy. But when I noticed it, he was gone. Touching the opposite wall and pushing back, I noticed that he squatted by the pool waiting for me to reach him. I swam deeper underwater, feeling the velvet of my water wrinkled toes rubbing each other. I came up for air, right in front of him.

"Hi." I said breathing heavily. I took my goggles off and handed them to him.

'You sign?' He signed to me. I nodded.

"Obviously not now," I said plainly. "I'm in water." He splashed water at me. "Do you swim?" I asked. He shook his head, signing quickly.

"Slow down." I commanded. He signed slower.

'Parents don't like.'

"Neither does my sister." I sympathized. "She never wanted to see water again after..." I stopped. What was it about Romy that made me want to pour my heart out to him? I couldn't let my guard down. My parents were big on swim and dive, they used to bring me and my sister all the time to practices. my sister was even going to go to college for it. The day they died, was the day they were supposed to come back and watch her in her meet. Since that day, she hasn't touched water.

'Teach how to swim?' was what I picked up from him next. I was horrible at reading signs. I put a hand out for him to help me out. I nodded.

"Yes, I'd love to." I answered feeling his firm warm hands pull me out.