A Love Lost

Gabriel

The rest of the week was less eventful. Ana adjusted to the routine at school and found a couple of people who weren't complete jerks. We had all of our classes together. This allowed me to keep an eye on her. I could tell she enjoyed our English Literature class the best. Even though, in every class, it was obvious how smart she was. She was the perfect student. She was the perfect girl.

Though she had no complaints or problems, something kept her mood down. The morning of our second day, she woke up in a good mood and was happy for the first two blocks of the day. Her mood shifted in the fourth period, when she received a text message. She didn't talk about it. When I asked her who it was from, she said it was spam.

She spent the entire week at my house, away from our family. On Friday, her mother and Antonio requested our presence at a family dinner. The meal composed of fish and greens. Ana didn't touch her food and it didn't go unnoticed.

"Okay. Enough, Ana." Mary slammed her hands down on the table halfway through the meal. "This is everything you like to eat and you haven't touched your food. You haven't even said a word. What is going on!" she shouted at her daughter.

Ana stayed silent, but pulled out her phone and handed it to her mother. Reading what I assumed was the text message, Mary's eyes went wide and she dropped the phone. She returned her gaze to her daughter. This time, concerned.

"Why didn't you tell me your father contacted you?" she asked gently.

"There's another one." Ana reached her hand out for the phone. Her mother gave it to her and in five seconds Ana returned it.

"Charlotte!" her mother yelled.

"Who's Charlotte?" Francisco asked.

"My sister," Ana replied with her eyes on the ground.

"They are both here?" Mary asked.

Ana nodded.

"Have you talked to either of them?" her mother continued her interrogation.

"No. Why would I? You know what they did. Do you think I'm stupid!" Ana rose from the table, tears welling in her eyes, and left.

All was quiet except for the sound of her footsteps on the stairs and her door banging shut. The rest of the meal was silent.

"What was that all about?" Tomas asked as we cleared the table.

I shrugged.

"Come on. You have to know. Doesn't she tell you everything?" He wasn't wrong. Before tonight, I believed that Ana told me everything. I guess I was wrong.

I shrugged again.

As we set the last plates next to the sink, Mary walked into the kitchen.

"Gabriel. Do you mind talking to Anastasia? She won't let me in." This must be bad if Ana wouldn't let her mother in. Why did she think I could help? I had to try.

"Of course." I headed to her room.

"Anastasia?" I knocked on her door. No response. However, in the silence I could hear her sniffling. She was crying. I tried again. "Ana. Let me in." Again, no reply. "If you want to talk, you know where I will be." I retreated and drove home. It was clear that Ana wanted to be alone and I didn't want to push her, so I would give her as much space as she needed. She knew that I would always be waiting for her.

Ana didn't call me all night. I couldn't sleep. The next morning, I arrived at school and waited outside for Ana to arrive. My father dropped Nicholas and her off at school twenty minutes after I arrived. When she stepped out of the car, I noticed how her eyes had large dark circles, making her look even more pale than normal.