Chapter 3

Anna

Maya has been trying to cheer me up. We sat next to each other on the couch with a blanket over both of us.  She kept talking, saying that it would sort out. That Alex was angry and stupid and would come back once he cooled down. That he's just stubborn but I wasn't listening.

I had the phone in both hands. I dialed again. Voicemail. Again. Voicemail. 

“Anna. Put it down for five minutes.”

“I just need to know where he is.”

“He’s at Daniel’s. He needs to get his thoughts together.Calling him twenty times won’t change anything” 

My eyes welled up with unshed tears. I refuse to let them fall. I've cried enough for today. I sighed heavily and dropped my phone.

“You're right he'll call me back" I said but I wasn't sure I believed it.

Maya nodded then pulled me in for a hug.

" Can you try and remember what happened yesterday” she asked me

" I have tried but I can't. I don't know how I ended up with Juan. It just doesn't make sense” 

" Do you think this is a set up,is there anyone you suspect?”

I laid my head on my arms and shook my head. No one comes to my mind no matter how hard I think about it.

“Let's just forget about it.”

The phone buzzed on the table.

I grabbed it so fast I almost dropped it. My heart jumped, maybe it was Alex, maybe he has realized that he made a mistake, maybe he wanted to fix things but I was wrong.

I looked at the screen and my heart dropped. It wasn't Alex, it was a message from an unknown number. I opened it and instantly I wished I didn't.

It was a picture of Alex on a bed, Shirt open with girl on top of him, bare, hair over her face, his hand on her hip. It was obvious that they were having sex. Maya saw my face change. She took the phone from my hands before I could stop her. Immediately she saw the picture she gasped.

“Oh my God. That fucking asshole”

She looked at me

“Anna…”

I didn’t answer. The tears came hard and fast. I let them for a minute. Then I wiped my face with both hands until my skin felt raw.

“I’m done,” I said. My voice sounded flat. “I’m not crying for him again.”

Maya reached for me but I stood up before she could. I went to the bedroom pulled a suitcase from the closet and started filling it. Clothes, shoes, everything that belonged to me

Maya followed me into the bedroom and helped me. After zipping the suitcase I looked around at the place I once called home. I fought back the tears that threatened to come out.

Maya stood in the room, hers arms on her hips.

“Come to my place,” she said. “You don’t have to do this alone. Just stay with me tonight. As long as you need.”

I shook my head.

“I don’t want to bother you.”

“You’re not bothering me. That’s what I’m here for.”

“I know. I just… I need to be by myself right now.”

“Where would you go?" She asked

I also did not know where I'll go but I could not tell her that

“I have enough money to find a place. I will sort myself out" 

She looked like she wanted to argue. She didn’t.

“Okay,” she said quietly. “But call me when you get wherever you’re going. And the door’s open if you change your mind.”

I nodded, I couldn't leave without saying anything so I left a note on the table. I took my car keys and the suitcase. Maya walked out with me. 

"Thank you so much, you've been a great friend" I whispered 

“Call me when you have settled” she said. Then she hugged me one last time.

I nodded even though I didn’t mean it.

I went to my car, put the suitcase in the back, and sat behind the wheel. For a second I looked at the phone in my hand. Then I held the power button until the screen went black. I opened the door again, stepped out, and threw the phone into the bushes by the curb.

I didn’t want to hear from him. I didn’t want to hear from anyone. I got back in, started the engine, and drove away.