It was now the year 2008, and Izzy and Anna were still going strong for any couple. They had been together for over a year. They were going to be 18 that year, they were seniors in high school, and were happy together. Sometimes they got taunted, but most of the time, the neighbors respected the teenagers choice in companionship and most figured it would be over soon, saying how they remembered their first loves.
But Izzy and Anna really had something good. Something different than anyone had ever expected. And they were both loving what they had.
They still did their individual activities, they didn't stifle each other. The limiting time they had together made it even more special than it already was to them.
Double dutch was now taking a huge part of Izzy's already busy life. The competition for city was coming up, then hopefully state. Anna had volunteered to be the Hot Chille Steppers fourth until they found someone, hopefully someone that could dedicate a lot of time to the team. Izzy was grateful for Anna's volunteering, it meant that she didn't have as much time to practice ballet, and she was doing it for him.
Then came the day of Mary's return.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow," Annabeth moaned as Izzy helped her up. She had been speed jumping again, and then had tried to learn how to transfer from that to hopping on one leg. She had gotten tangled, and tripped, hurting her ankle more than she expected to.
Izzy gathered her in his arms, and kissed her lips gently. "You gonna be all right?"
"Of course, I only twisted it. I'll be fine in a little while. But maybe I should wait until tomorrow to try that again," she replied. Anna kissed him back and Izzy carried her to a nearby bench, where they sat for about five minutes before they heard a voice.
"Aww, dancer can't jump some rope?"
Izzy and Anna looked up in surprise.
"Mary?" he said incredously.
"Yeah, it's me. Izzy, I missed you so much!" She threw her arms around him and kissed him on the lips briefly.
Anna got up from the bench and started walking to her house.
"Anna! You can't walk on that, you could really injure your ankle!" Izzy excalimed, extremely concerned.
"I don't care. Leave me alone, Isadore Daniels."
"Anna..."Izzy began.
"Don't you 'Anna' me! You cheated on me, Izzy! I don't ever want to speak to you again!"
And she huffed back to her house, limping all the way there.
"What was she talking about, Izzy?" Mary asked.
Izzy took a deep breath. " I was dating Anna, for over a year this past Christmas. You moved close to two years ago, Mary. And after you didn't visit in seven months, I moved on. I had to. I couldn't wait for you forever.
"I'm in love with Anna," Izzy confessed. "And now she hates me."
"Wait," Mary said. "Rewind, and replay. You love her?"
"Yeah," Izzy said.
Mary looked lost and confused.
"What me and Anna had was really special. And I don't want to lose her." Izzy said with longing in his voice. "I've never felt this way about anyone before."
"Not even me?" Mary asked.
"I'm sorry, Mary." Izzy said. "It was the first time I was really with somebody, puppy love."
"And this thing with this Anna girl isn't?" Mary screeched.
"Mary, I'm going to be eighteen next month. You're only going to be seventeen in December. I'm graduating, and you're still a junior. What Anna and I have or had was special."
"Corny much?" Mary asked.
"Maybe, but that's what happens when you're in love." Izzy said.
"You're not in love," Mary argued. "It's just a silly little crush."
"Mary," Izzy told her in that patronizing way he had, "It's not just a crush. Over a year of being together is not a crush. It's at least deep respect, and at the most true love. I'm truly in love with Anna."
"You can say that, but I know it's not true." Mary protested. "When you kissed me, you difinitely felt something."
"No," Izzy said. "I didn't feel anything but curiosity. I didn't know why you were kissing me when we hadn't been anything in close to two years. I moved on, Mary. And you should have, too. Goodbye."
Izzy left Mary standing there, confused and lost. She didn't know what to say or do. Ten minutes later, the tears came, unstopping. She stood there and wondered what Izzy had found in Anna. She stood there, and wondered when her heart would ever mend.
End of Chapter 4