Moving In With The Enemy

Chapter 29 ~ "I'm A Big Girl"

This is the most conflicting moment of my whole life. Dane really couldn't have had better timing if he tried.

"D-Dane's here? What do you mean he's here?"

"I mean, he just walked through the front door. Stuck out like a sore thumb, he looks like someone's older brother." She shrugs and I sigh. "You want me to bring him in here?"

"I'll be out in a second." I tell her and she nods, leaving and closing the door behind her. "Tell me the thing you wanted to tell me." I whisper, looking at Walker who looks just as conflicted as I do now.

"You don't want to go see him?" He asks and I sigh.

"You want me to leave?" I ask, feeling disappointed. "Tell me, I'm listening."

"I.....I don't want to mess things up for you with him." He says quietly. "I want you to be happy."

"Walker, tell me the truth. Don't push me away and towards him because it's easier." I insist, putting my hand on his knee. 

"I-I can't-"

"No, that's not good enough. Explain." I instruct and he sighs.

"It wasn't anything serious, I just.......I wanted to know when you wanted to watch our movie." He says quietly and I narrow my eyes.

"You're lying to me." I accuse and he chews the inside of his cheek. "Look at me, I'll only go out there and talk to him if you promise me nothing's changed and you still feel the same way you did three weeks ago. If you still just want us as friends, I'll walk right out that door. If you have something else to share......then say it."

He sits silent and I nod quietly, feeling upset. Dane had actually driven a wedge between us, how insane is that?

"Well alright." I whisper, standing up and dusting off my skirt. "Look, I'm going to tell you something for a change." I warn and he blinks. "There is nothing stopping me or holding me back from you, if you would just be fucking honest with me, things would be so much easier. If you let me walk, then I'll take that as you being okay with us staying friends." I remind him, turning towards the door. He doesn't say anything and I nod, feeling let-down. "Close this when you leave." I instruct and he nods quietly.

I sigh and shake my head, going back down the hall. I'd had about three hours of good drama-free fun. Of course now was the time to fork it all back up again.

"Annie!" Dane says almost desperately as I approach the party and I sigh. "I'm sorry I.....is there somewhere quieter to talk?"

"No, we're not talking tonight. You're either here to have fun or you need to get out. I'll talk with you tomorrow about everything that happened." I say angrily and he clears his throat. "You're not ruining this."

"O-okay?" He says, sounding confused and I nod. I could see the whispers, the heads turning everyone wanted to know who the old guy was. 

"I can't believe you'd just sandbag me with this." I whisper, feeling my face turn bright red and I go get another Jell-o shot from the fridge.

"I thought you wanted me to come." He counters and I sigh.

"That was before I found out I wasn't mature enough." I say sarcastically and he rolls his eyes.

"Annie, I feel bad for saying that. None of that came out right and I got so frustrated the other night. I came here to make it right, to....try and fix things."

"You know how easy a phone call would have been?" I retort.

"I've been calling you all night, you wouldn't pick up. I got desperate to try and change things." He insists and I suddenly remember that my phone was on my dresser all night. I hadn't been checking it.