(Well, I'm feeling better so I went back to school. Blah…… I'm not sure how much longer this story is going to go. I'm guessing at least 2 or 3 more chapters. Perhaps more. And then I'll be starting yet another story! Woo-hoo! I'm trying to decide between a couple ideas but I'll give you the summary at the end of this one.)
Oh, and Lady of Masbolle- Yay, a fellow Dashboard/Yellowcard fan! The song from the last chapter was called "The Best Deceptions" from the "Places You Have Come To Fear the Most" album. I'm using another Dashboard song in this chapter. Yay for the wonderful emo-ness of Chris Carrabba!
Anna took a step back and stared at me, her eyes wide. "What was that for?" she asked.
"What do you think?" I said.
"Andrew," she sighed. "Why are you doing this to me?"
"Doing what?" I asked.
"This!" she exclaimed. "Suddenly telling me you like me, kissing me…… why?"
"Why do you think?"
"You're so damn impossible!" she said. "Andrew, I don't want to be your runner-up. The only reason you're doing all of this is because you're rebounding from Jenna! Well, I don't want to be your rebound!"
"I am not rebounding from Jenna!" I insisted. "Honestly Anna, Jenna has nothing to do with this."
"Jenna has everything to do with this!" Anna exclaimed. "Because if I get involved in anyway with you, she's going to come crawling back to you, begging you and pleading with you, pulling off the same act she's been doing!"
"Well, I'm not going to fall for it!" I said. "I mean, sure, I'm a little upset about it, but it doesn't mean anything to me."
"Well, it means everything to me," she said. "Because I'm not letting you hurt me more than you already have."
"I'm not going to hurt you, Anna!" I said. "Believe me!"
"You want me to believe you?" she laughed. "Oh, like you wanted me to believe that Jenna was really sweet and that I just needed to get to know her more?"
She had me there. "No," I mumbled. "I just…… I can't explain it, Anna. I just…… What do I have to do to prove it to you?"
"You don't have to prove anything to me!" she said. "I just don't want to lose what we already have."
"And you're not willing to risk it for more?"
"I don't know-" she started.
"Anna! I'm not asking you to marry me or bear my children or anything!" I said. "I'm just asking for a chance." Silence followed and she started to laugh. "What's so funny?" I demanded. This was NOT how things were supposed to go.
"Nothing," she giggled. "I just…… I never imagined that there would be a day when Andrew Wood would be asking ME to give him a chance."
"Why not?" I asked, hurt.
"Because, it's supposed to be the other way around!" she said. "I've always considered it a hopeless chance of being with you, Andrew."
"Well, I don't!" I said.
"Andrew, you're a teenage guy, you don't know what you want in life."
"And you do?"
"Yes…… I do," she answered.
"No you don't," I insisted. "You know why? Because you've always got your head in the clouds, Anna. I'm sorry that we're not living up to your happy fairy-tale, but we can't get anywhere at all if you keep acting like this."
Her response was a sigh and she looked down. "Well, I'll tell you one thing, I definitely don't want anything to do with you if every discussion leads to a fight."
"It won't!" I insisted. "Not if, not if we're happy."
"And if we're not?"
"Then……then we'll find a solution! Just one chance, please."
I'll be true, I'll be useful.
I'll be cavalier, I'll be yours, my dear.
And, I'll belong to you if you just let me through.
This is easy as lovers go,
So don't complicate it by hesitating.
And, this is wonderful as loving goes.
This is tailor-made, what's the sense in waiting-Dashboard Confessional
Anna studied me, her eyes softening. "Fine, but nothing too……dramatic, OK?"
I nodded quickly. "Of course. That's fine." We fell silent for a moment "So," I said. "Want to play Exploding Snap?"
She shrugged. "Sure, as long as you don't cry when I kick your ass."
I laughed and shook my head. "Not a chance."
I hit a bludger towards a Ravenclaw Chaser and ducked underneath Adam. One of the Chasers was making her way towards our goalposts and I followed her. I hit a bludger away from Anna as she caught the quaffle and threw it to Adam. "Thanks!" she called out.
"Yeah, no pr-" Wham! The bludger hit me on the arm and I cursed.
"Are you OK?" Anna called out.
"Yeah," I answered, trying to ignore the throbbing pain that had developed in my forearm. I moved it around a bit and winced. With my other arm, I hit another bludger away. Suddenly, everyone began cheering and I looked down. Veronica was diving towards the Snitch. "Go, go!" I yelled. I looked around for the Slytherin Seeker and my heart leapt as I spotted him about 20 feet behind Veronica. Veronica pulled up with Snitch and I punched the air and winced in pain.
"There, all set," the nurse said, taking a step back and examining my arm. "How's it feel?"
"Pretty good," I answered. "It still hurts a little, but I think I'll live."
"Good, go ahead and leave when you're ready." She left to tend to the Slytherin Keeper, who had taken a bludger to the face.
"Andrew!" I looked up as Anna hurried towards me, David behind her. "How's your arm?" she asked.
"It's fine," I answered. "Minor fracture, I guess. She fixed it with no problem." David poked my arm and I jumped away from him. "Hey! Just because it's fixed doesn't mean it doesn't hurt!"
David shrugged. "Whoops."
"Can you leave yet?" Anna asked. I nodded.
"Yeah, let's go."
"Listen, I've got to go," David said. "I'm meeting Ellie. By the way, there's a Hogsmeade trip tomorrow. They just posted it. See you later."
I looked at Anna. "So……" I said. "Do you have any plans for tomorrow?"
She slipped her arm in mine. "Not a thing."
(Yay! It's the weekend! And…… 5 days until my birthday……I think. Well, I've got to go prepare for my snowboard competition on Sunday. Review!)
