Come Back to me:Short Story (2 page)

I arrived to school early one morning to find several students standing around my locker, I immediately felt sick to my stomach. Not sure what was going on I shoved my way through wishing I hadn’t.

There, on my locker in big black letters was the words “THE VIRGIN BITCH.”

I just stared. My vision became blurry with tears as some of my classmates started to laugh. Fact being, I was a virgin and even though I was proud I hadn’t slept with half the school, I also didn’t want everyone to know my personal status.

“Maybe that’s how you’ve held onto him for so long.” I turn at hearing Stacy’s voice. She stood with her small designer purse hanging from her wrist, her hair perfect as usual and a big wicked grin on her face. In her other hand she held a super-sized black paint marker.

Not waiting for me to comment she went on.” All this time I’ve wondered how it is a poor, trashy girl like you can attract a guy like Jayse to hang on your every word. Well now we all know." Motioning around the room." AnaLee, the little virgin,won’t give it up.” The laughter echoed down the hallway. “Oh.” She walked closer to me.” I can guarantee you if you ever gave him a little taste, he would drop you like the filth you are. Then you know whose arms he’ll run in to? Mine.” Tears were openly running down my face now. “And there’s nothing you can do about it.”

“Yes the hell there is.” The voice came out a growl. I knew that voice. I heard it years ago, though not quite as deep, after he pummeled two boys for messing with me.

“Jayse!” Stacy said surprised.

Jayse stood by my locker looking none too happy. His face was red and his eyes were in slits.

“So this is what has been wrong with you? This is what she’s been doing?”

I looked down, ashamed of being so weak. He walked closer and took my hand.” You should have told me.” I nodded.

He started pulling me toward the exit. “Jayse wait! Where are you going?” Stacy yelled in a whiney tone.

Jayse dropped my hand for a moment turning to fully face her. “To get the hell away from you, stupid bitch!”

Stacy wasn’t much of a problem after that.

Chapter Five: Jays
e

Seeing AnaLee crying in the middle of the hall while being laughed at was infuriating. I couldn’t have gotten out of the building fast enough. I pulled her rapidly to my car. I was tempted to pick  her up and place her in the seat myself but refrained. I gently shut the door while she buckled herself and went around to my side. I turned the ignition and peel out of the parking lot not looking back. Coming upon an abandoned convenient store I swerved in and cut the car off.

AnaLee still had tears running down her cheeks and was wiping them as they fell. “Why did we stop?”

When I continued to sit there without answering she put her hands in her lap and looked straight ahead. “I’m sorry.” She whispered.

Jarring me into action I leaned over and grabbed her face with both hands, smashing my lips against hers. I needed this like I needed air. Her lips felt smooth against mine making me want more. I ran my thumb across her cheek and slowed my pace, wanting to soak up as much of this moment as I could before she shoved me away. Only she never did. Ana’s lip met mine movement after movement until I felt her hand reach up and sort through my hair. I’d always dreamed of her doing just that. Always wondered what her skin would feel like against mine. She pressed her mouth closer to mine, parting her lips. Taking it as an invitation, I snaked my tongue out slightly touching hers. Surprising me, she shoved hers completely in my mouth.

Breaking away we sat facing each other with nothing but the echo of our breath bouncing around the car. I waited.

“What was that?” AnaLee asked still taking short breaths. Her eyes were wide.

Letting out a sigh I answered the best way I knew how. “I kissed you…I kissed you like I’ve been wanting to do since we were twelve.” I paused. “Well maybe not exactly like I wanted to. This was a lot better than what any twelve year old brain could imagine but I kissed you.”

“You’ve wanted to kiss me since you moved  here ?”

“Yes.” I said my breathing finally under control.
             

“Why didn’t you say anything? Before now? “

“AnaLee." Running a hand through my hair." I didn’t want to ruin our friendship. Especially if you didn’t-don’t feel the same way. I couldn’t do that.” I faced the window. “ You know when I first saw you standing there with your side ponytail and pink flip flops, I knew then that you would forever hold a place in my heart that no other girl could touch. And they haven’t. Nobody has been able to compare to you.” I look over at her but I don’t expect to see the tears.

Ana doesn’t bother to wipe them away. She wants me to see them. “Then why were you with Stacy if you wanted me so bad? “

“I wasn’t really with Stacy. She asked me to go bowling and then assumed we were a couple afterward  and honestly…. “I sighed.”...honestly I wanted to know if you were jealous. I wanted to see if you felt anything more than friendship toward me.”

She started laughing.

“What’s so funny?”

Holding her stomach,she doubled over in laugther.

“Ana?"

“I’m sorry. “ She sobers.” I just can’t believe I’ve actually got to hear you say things like that to me. I’d always hoped  to…. I’m in love with you." She paused,biting her lip." Always have been and I thought you didn’t see me that way so I didn’t bother trying to show it.”

We stare at each other a moment in silence then as if gravity is pulling at us we end up in a tangle of limbs and lips.

Chapter Six: Jayse

I never could catch my breath when I was with her. My heart doesn’t feel as heavy as it did when AnaLee wasn’t mine. As she lies in my arms, I can’t help but think I haven’t seen anything more beautiful. Her chest rises slowly and falls with each passing breath and a stray hair lies across her rosey cheek. I reached across and brushed it gently off her face then lean down kissing her sleeping lips.

When Ana’s mother began working the night shift, I stayed with her a majority of the time. She hated being alone and I hated being without her. The nights I could hold her while she slept were forever burned into my memory. I’d hold those memories for many long years to come.

As eleventh grade winded down and our two month break passed, our senior year approached rapidly. Usually students can’t wait to make it to their senior year. I remember my friends in California always saying things like  “When they made it to senior year “or “When they were a senior” and I use to be right there with them but now I was terrified. What would happen after graduation?

This began to bother me so much throughout the year that before I knew it we only had a remaining three months left until graduation.

Little did I know by then things would forever be changed.

September arrived which was my favorite month. It was December I hated. September was still warm but with a cool breeze that swirled with promises of the cold to come but it was perfect short sleeve weather. It felt like any other day as Ana and I walked into class together and took our seats. Everyone around us chatted away about graduation which was now only two weeks away and what they would be doing.

Ana was doodling on her notebook and I just watched her. She was so beautiful. I loved how she could sit what seemed like for hours drawing circles continuously and looking so peaceful. I knew things were weighing heavily on her mind. She had been accepted into three different colleges and was waiting to see which one I got into before she decided.

My admiring AnaLee was shattered when Mrs.Fench frantically burst through the door pushing the old television set we’d sometimes watched during free time. After fiddling with wires and plug –ins she flicked the switch making the screen come alive. The scene left some gasping and others with absolutely no words.

I knew what I was seeing would forever change lives around the world for many years to come; just didn’t know how badly it would affect mine.

The helicopter circled high above the gray-white rolling smoke explaining that two planes were hijacked and crashed into the matching towers. Killing dozens instantly. Moments later the footage switched to the towers collapsing, once again taking several more lives with them.

Nobody in the classroom seemed to breathe. It was horrific. A war zone.

AnaLee slid her hand in mine and squeezed tightly. So many lost in the towers and on the planes. People who were just going about their everyday lives thinking they would reach wherever they were traveling, no one knowing soon they’d be taking their last breath.

“Jayse.” I heard AnaLee’s frightened voice and looked over. Her eyes were filling with tears soon spilling over, rolling down her cheeks 

I rubbed her arm trying to show her comfort. “I know, baby.”

“Jayse.” She shook her head and took her hand away to cover her mouth trying to smother a sob. “Was… Was one of those Alicia’s?”

Chapter Seven: AnaLee

Alica was Jayse’s sister. Very kind and sweet sister. I had seen her every once in a while after they moved across the street from  us but since she was several years older she was grown and gone before I really got to know her . Alicia attended some fancy school in Boston and  visited when she could but I'd seen more of her since her classes were over. Plus, she was highly interested in her brother’s new girlfriend. I expected scorn or at least the overprotective big sister but I only got watery smiles and welcoming hugs.

“It’s nice to finally have another girl around  ...well closer to my age than my mother.” She’d said the moment after first arriving. She would spend almost her entire visits with us.

The last thing she told me before leaving for Boston was “Be good to him, AnaLee.” Smiling.

Jayse looked to her as another mother. She did everything for him growing up. Tucked him in at night, kissed his scrapes after patching them up, and even taught him how to drive when she’d come home on break. That part I remember well actually. Jayse took out two mailboxes and I’m almost sure a neighbor’s cat.

Looking at Jayse that morning while his world was shattered, ripped my heart open for him.

“Alicia’s flight?” I asked again. When I still didn’t see any recognition I tried again. “Alicia’s new job. Her flight to California was scheduled to leave this morning.”

His eyes widened and before I could say anything else he was out of his seat running for the door. I left my stuff and quickly followed.

“Jayse!” He slowed down only a moment to grab my hand then was pulling me after him.

Making it to his car we both scrambled in and floored it out of the parking lot. What would have normally taken twenty minutes from the school to make it to his white house with green shutters,took only ten. His mother’s car was sitting in the driveway along with his dad’s pickup truck.

Without waiting for me, Jayse rushed inside. I opened the door only moments after it slamming but was immediately greeted with sounds of distraught.

“I was on the phone with her! “ Jayse’s mother screamed. “I was talking to her!”

Dread settled in my bones.
Please
I thought
Please don’t let this be happening to him.

Walking around the corner, what I saw made my heart drop even more. Jayse’s mother was on the floor and Jayse was holding her. His dad sat on the edge of the recliner with his head in his hands, shoulders quivering.

I closed my eyes knowing this moment would forever be etched in my mind.

“She was telling me how excited she was about her new job and how she would come visit for thanksgiving and Christmas. She was coming home!” Mrs. Broadson shook with her sobs.” Now she’s gone. She’s gone!”

Jayse had tears rolling down his face. “ Mom, she might not have been on either of those planes.”

His mother calmed a moment and looked Jayse in the face. “She’s gone baby. I can feel it. Like there is any empty spot in my heart.”

With those words Jayse completely shut down.