And that’s why I smile, it’s been a while..... “Avril? Urghh...” Anna woke up with a groggy head, sleeping made the pain even worse.
She strained her neck and sat up, clutching the bed sheets to steady herself.
Her visions finally focused and she made out the dark line of the clouds outside her window, it was dark outside.
It took a while for Anna to realise that the song was coming from outside.
“Oh damn! How long have I been asleep!?'” Anna glanced at her at her alarm clock, the time showed 9.50 pm. She started to panic, the party had already started and her boyfriend, Sid was going to meet her up in 1o minutes!
‘Okay, don't panic. I can do this, just change quickly and sneak the hell outta her. Sounds like a good last minute plan to me’ talking inside her head Anna fumbled with her already waiting outfit hanging inside her wardrobe, she arranged everything two days before so her plan of sneaking out would work out fine.
She got dressed quickly and started for the door, on the way downstairs she had to tip-toe. Her parents were asleep like a log, but that doesn't guarantee anything.
Turning the doorknob of the front door open, Anna listened carefully; she didn't want to get caught because if she did, she would spend her whole life being monitored at home. Which, if that happens she would hang herself.
Nervously Anna checked her watch, it was now 10.00 pm. Shit! “I'm freaking late”. Cursing under her breath she walked out of the door and locked it behind her, then she ran as fast as she could to the bus stop at the end of the road where she would meet up with Sid.
Her cellphone vibrated, she looked at the caller ID.
It's Sid.
“Hello, look Sid I'm sorry I'm runnin' a lil late but I'm almost there”
“Nah, it's okay. I thought you weren't coming and something happened to you, I'm worried babe”
“Well don't worry okay? I'm a few blocks away”
“Okay babes, love ya”
“Love you too”, with that she clicked off her phone and jogged to bus station.
The bus station loomed in sight and Anna could make out a figure, almost a silhouette. Her breath was giving away and she panted, she had to bend on her knees to catch her breath.
A hand fell on her shoulder, Anna shot a smile on her face when she saw Sid. He pulled her up to her feet and kissed her, his hands were trying to move under her shirt but Anna knocked it off.
Sid looked at the time on his cellphone. 10.15 pm it said. “ Okay babes, were running late. C'mon lets go, I mean we don't wanna miss out the crazy don't we?” Sid gave Anna a mocking smile.
She punched his arm, “no we don't”.
On the bus, they sat next to each other with their arms intertwining. Neither of them had said anything since they boarded the bus.
Anna rested her head on Sid's shoulder, her eyes were going through the view outside. It was pitch dark, but she could make out the shapes of the houses and trees.
“Hey Sid, why exactly are we boarding a bus, I mean where's your car?”
“Car? Ouh yeah about that, it's in a workshop. Apparently Dave the idiot wrecked it when he was borrowing it yesterday, don't worry he's paying all the expenses I've even made him pay for a few extra bucks for reinventing the car” A grin crossed his baby face.
Hearing him say a few extra bucks caught Anna's attention. She sat up straight and looked at his face with full of curiosity. “Wait a sec, how much is your few bucks”. Anna arched an eyebrow.
Sid's grin grew wider, people were starring now. Anna punched his arm signalling for him to stop grinning, after all it was pulling everyone's attention. He finally stopped, leaving a sly smile sticking on his face.
“ Oh look babes! Were on our stop, c’mon” He pulled her up, She followed him making a what-the-heck-are-?-you-trying-to-devert-from-my-question look.
The party was running wild from what Anna could tell just from the sight of it. Jocks were screaming and laughing outside holding plastic cups and throwing toilet paper roles trying to cover up the whole house.
“ Wow, it’s a real wild party”. Anna scanned the scene, music blasted in the air. Where’re all my keys I lost my phone oh oh oh oh… Anna was too facsinated by the whole show she just stood there not moving.
“Urm babes, are you coming?” Sid was already half way across the lawn, Anna snapped back to reality and followed his pace pulling on a full-confident-party-time face.
Inside it was even louder and wilder, at a corner there were a few girls laughing raising their plastic cups and toasted. Anna noticed that she didn’t even know anyone, she got all nervous and pretended to have a good time.
Sid walked over to a group of guys drinking beer and smoking ciggerettes, Anna taged along like a lost puppy. One of the guys got up and went over to Sid “Sid! Wazzup bro! You made it”
“Yeah, of course I did. I always do”. His voice sounded like steel.
The guy talking to Sid looked drunk, he took a glance at Anna who was standing a little bit behind Sid clutching his arm.
“Who’s this beauty?” He gestured his head towards Anna.
Anna stepped forward and gave a lazy smile. “I’m Anna.” She held out her hand to shake. Instead the guy took her hand and kissed it, with a charming smile he said “nice to meet a beauty like you…” He shot a look at Sid and continued “.. I’m Drake”, his eyes not moving away from Sid.
Anna felt the tension growing even tenser every second. She pulled Sid toward her and gave him a kiss, pulling him away from Drake and the others muttering a we have to go.
“What was that all about?” Anna shot her question like a bullet. “ Aren’t you gonna tell me?”
Sid closed his eyes for a few second and drew a deep breath. “ I used to date his sister before I met you, okay? But that was a long time ago.” He looked as if spacing out when he spoke those words, it’s like he was picturing what had happened.
That question totally ruined his mood to go party, all the way through he just sat on one of the seats drinking beer.
Anna felt guilty about it, the only thing she wanted now was to go home. She didn’t dare telling Sid that she wanted to leave, it might stir him. Instead she sat there with him drinking punch out of a plastic cup.
It was two in the morning and Anna was wrestling with her eyes to stay awake. The party was less noisy now for most of the party animals had left. ‘Darn it I’m gonna fall asleep in school tomorrow, then again school’s today!’
She couldn’t believe how people would party on the long nights till sunrise and still be energized the next morning. More unbelievable, how Sid just sat there drinking beer and doing nothing all night long.
Sid was a lot better now, after two hours just siting there he
Her mouth was really hanging now, her blood pressure rose. Anna started to twitch her right eye, she bit her lower lip trying to prevent herself from screaming.
