Unbound (9 page)

No, because I was busy finding out that my boyfriend, who was using me for sex –which he never got, ha-ha— had been cheating on me with some blonde bitch who I currently considered my arch nemesis and being chased by something that probably wasn‘t even human. “Sorry Mom. You know how I am with the horses. And you shouldn’t have worried; I have Hunter with me.”

“Bad things can still happen even when you have a dog with you Anora. He’s just an animal.”

“I think he’s more than that.”

“Stop being ridiculous and come home, please.”

“Ok, we’re leaving now.”

***

My parents didn’t seem too mad when I got home about half an hour later. Mom looked just too tired to care, and after all, I was a good kid who didn’t do anything bad. Well, at least not to their knowledge.

Hunter followed close behind me as I quickly ascended the stairs. Harrison’s door was open a bit, and I could see he was on his computer. Hunter pushed his way through and went over to Harrison, his tail wagging so hard his whole body shook.

“Hey buddy!” Harrison took his hands off the keyboard and pet Hunter on both sides of the head. Hunter responded by licking Harrison’s face. After he wiped off the dog slobber with his sleeve, he turned to me.
 
“Sorry. Mom made me call you. I think she thought you were ignoring her on purpose or something. When you didn’t answer my call, she sort of flipped.”

“It’s ok. I wonder why she freaked out so much.”

He shrugged and turned back to his computer. I sat down on his bed and looked over his shoulder. He was messaging back and forth with some girl named Jenny.

“Who’s Jenny?” I inquired.

“The girl I went out with last night.”

“Oh, yea. How did that go?” I had been so wrapped up in my own problems that I forgot to ask Harrison about the game and his date. He shrugged again.

“Ok, I guess. She’s cool, but predictable.”
                                            

“Predictable?” I questioned.

“Yea.”

“Care to explain?”

“I can’t really,” he said without taking his eyes off the computer. “But she is. She’s very typical.”

“Alright,” I said since it was obvious Harrison couldn’t explain his thought process.

“She likes horses.”

I was a bit more interested now. “Really?”

“Yea. I’d like to take her to see them sometime. Could you help us ride?”

“Sure. I’m sure any day after school this week will be fine. Especially since I have no boyfriend to waste time with anymore.”

Harrison looked over his shoulder and shot me a half sympathetic half don’t-do-that-to-yourself look. I smiled to show him I was ok. “I’m really tired. See you in the morning.”

“Oh, Annie, I almost forgot. We have an early practice tomorrow, I’m not gonna go home right after school.”

“Ok. I’ll drive myself then. Night Har.”

“Night.”

It felt like hours had passed when I had finally gotten done showering, brushing my teeth, drying my hair and picking out an outfit for tomorrow. I was really tired, but I knew that as soon as I turned off the light and closed my eyes, all the thoughts that I had been trying to push away would come rushing back in my consciousness.

I checked my phone just in case I missed a call while I was showering, but I didn’t. I was mad at myself for wanting Mike to call. Even though I would never forgive him, it would have been nice to hear an apology. I was hurt, embarrassed, and felt really bad about myself. Was that all I was good for? Was I only pretty but not a good person? Am I that awful to be around? I told myself no, that wasn’t true at all. I was a good person, and people were lucky to have me in their life, right? I really wasn’t so sure anymore.

                                                                                                                                               
I woke up feeling like something big was going to happen. I couldn’t explain it; there was just a feeling of anxiety that I couldn’t place. I guess I could equate it to the feeling I get before a vacation: The nerves and excitement that comes with something new and unknown. But nothing fun was planned. I even checked my calendar; nothing. It must be from all the drama from the weekend I told myself and begrudgingly got out of bed.

                                                                                                                                               
I got to school five minutes before the bell rang. Laney and Marie were sitting on the floor by our lockers. Marie saw me first, waved hello, and then elbowed Laney to alert her to my presence.

                                                                                                                                               
 
“How are you doing?” Marie asked in a gentle voice. I knew she meant ‘how are you doing since the whole Mike incident?’

                                                                                                                                               
“Alright. Honestly, I‘m not heartbroken about Mike. I just feel stupid, but it’ll be ok.” Both of my friends smiled brightly.

                                                                                                                                               
“Of course it will be.” Marie’s smile turned devious. “Especially if you hang out with that hottie Ethan again. I still can’t believe it! What are the chances of that? You are so lucky!”

                                                                                                                                               
The bell rang. “See you guys!” Marie said before she left to go down the hall in the opposite direction Laney and I were headed.

                                                                                                                                               
“Do you think it’s weird that we saw Ethan the day before you actually met him?” Laney asked. I had wondered that too.

                                                                                                                                               
“I guess a little. But we see people we know all the time in different parts of town. I think it was just a coincidence.”

                                                                                                                                               
We walked the rest of the way in silence. “See you in photography!” Laney said.

                                                                                                                                               
“See ya!”

                                                                                                                                               
I was starting to dread going to lunch. I didn’t know if Natalie saw me leave the party in tears, and I didn’t want her to ask me about it. Jewelry class went by faster than normal too; isn’t it funny how fast time can pass when all you want it to do is slow down? I only had econ left until I would be forced to go to lunch.

                                                                                                                                               
Marie and I waited at the lockers for Laney so we could all walk to lunch together. Nervously, I sat down at the same table as before. Natalie smiled at us.

                                                                                                                                               
“That was an awesome party, wasn’t it?”

                                                                                                                                               
Thank God. She wasn’t going to kick us out. “Sure was,” I smiled back. “I’ll remember that night for the rest of my life.” Marie kicked me under the table.

                                                                                                                                               
“Oh, me too!” Jill agreed. “Let us know if you go to any more. I had so much fun!”
 
They turned away from us, talking about some drama that went down at cheerleading practice last week.

                                                                                                                                               
“Are you going to the barn right after school today?” I asked Laney.

                                                                                                                                               
“Probably. My grandma is gonna pick up Annabelle so I don’t have anything else to do right after school.”

                                                                                                                                               
“Let’s go as early as we can and take pictures for class. Before the sun goes down, I mean.” A feasible reason, I thought to myself. I still felt like I was lying, since the real reason I wanted to go there before the sun set was because it seemed more likely that creepy things would happen again in the dark. “Marie, did you want to come with us?”

                                                                                                                                               
“I’ll pass tonight. I have a date with Gavin.” I could tell she had been dying to say that.

                                                                                                                                               
“Oh! Where are you going?” Laney asked.

                                                                                                                                               
“
Greta’s
. I told him how we always go there, and he said that he’s never been. So I said that he definitely needs to go, and he said he’d love to take me. Then he asked what I was doing tonight!”

                                                                                                                                               
I smiled to show I was happy for my friend, but I was still in a man-hating state of mind. We spent the remainder of lunch talking about what Marie should wear, what she thought Gavin would wear, and if she should kiss him or not. The rest of the day drug on forever.

                                                                                                                                               
It was a normal day at the barn today. Laney and I rode, the horses behaved themselves, and nothing jumped out of the shadows and screamed “Boo!” We brushed Mystery and Abra extensively, and then took them to the pasture to take pictures. We both finished our barn chores at the same time and left together. The sun was low in the sky but there was still enough light to take Hunter for a quick walk, which I did as soon as I got home. I put a frozen pizza in the oven and started my homework. It didn’t take for me to get caught up in mythology, and I even read ahead five pages. After I did my homework I went up to my room to let Romeo out and clean his cage. I had successfully kept myself busy enough to not have time to think.

                                                                                                                                               
Dad came home around nine o’clock. “Where’s your brother?” he asked as he stepped into my room. Romeo bounced over to see who had opened the door. Dad picked him up.

                                                                                                                                               
“Not sure. I know he had football practice.”

                                                                                                                                               
“He wouldn’t still be there.”

                                                                                                                                               
“Didn’t think so either. He’s probably with Luke.”

                                                                                                                                               
“Probably.” He put Romeo down. “I suppose I could call him. Good night Anora.”

                                                                                                                                               
“Night Dad.”