I Volunteer | Jack Schlossberg | Friends to lovers

Turning the page

"Will you please just tell me what's going on? You're my best friend, Annie. I just want to know what changed, because I want to un-change it. Please. I've grown so used to us talking all the time, and it just hasn't been the sa—"

"Yeah Jack, that's the problem. We shouldn't be talking all the time. You had a fucking girlfriend that you didn't tell me about."

"Why are you so hung up on that? I wasn't lying to you, I just had to keep it low-key for my job."

"Because, it changes things," she blurted out.

"Changes things? What do you mean?"

She hesitated for a second. She knew the next words out of her mouth could be detrimental to their friendship. But with the phone as her forcefield, she decided it was now or never. "Yes, changes things. Because you're supposed to be with me. That was the plan in my head."

"The plan? Annie, what the hell? You turned me down. And that was years ago. You've had years to come to this conclusion and you choose now?"

"Because there was never a time crunch. I thought I had all of this time to work up to telling you. I thought I had time."

"Do you hear how fucked up that sounds? The second I'm unavailable, you just happen to decide now you want me?"

She lowered her voice. "I'm sorry for how it's coming off. I've felt this for a while."

"Well, I've been here. I've been here this whole time, and now you're too late."

"Gotcha. I'll let you go."

"Annie—" he tried, but she hung up, laid her head down, and sobbed.

2 years earlier

"So, why do you want to be a volunteer at the JFK Library and Museum?"

Even though she had rehearsed her answer to this exact question a hundred times in her mind, Annie's brain immediately blanked.

"I'm in love with this city," she began, already off script. Susan, the museum director sitting across the table from her, eased a warm smile across her face that managed to calm the bubbles in Annie's stomach long enough for her to finish her answer.

"Ever since I moved to Boston from Georgia two years ago, I have found myself completely entranced by the beauty and the history. With every step you take in this city, you land on a piece of this country's history, and that has impacted me so much. And this museum is a further extension of that. If I could be part of someone else experiencing that impact... well, that would be pretty cool."

She exhaled. Even though it was nowhere near what she had planned to say, she thought it still sounded alright. Mostly because she meant every word.

"Well Annie, it's been so lovely chatting with you. I'll speak with my staff and we'll get back to you." Susan stood up and stuck out her hand to Annie. "We'd be lucky to have someone like you on board," she said with a wink.

Annie pushed open the door to the museum, breathed in the crispness of the May air, and headed to her car, taking a moment to pause. To reflect. This was the life she wanted. This was the life she chose. Volunteering at a library, spending her weekends with friends, cooking, walking, talking to her family more, reading, going to museums; she did this for herself. And she took the whole drive home to appreciate her hard work.

As she walked into the front door of her tiny one bedroom apartment, her phone started buzzing in her pocket. She saw her sister's name and photo flashing on the screen.

"Elle!"

"Hiii, what're you up to?" her sister asked.

"Just got home from the JFK Library interview," she said, followed by a low ahhhh! sound.

"Feeling good about it?"

"Yeah, pretty good. The questions were straightforward, and to be fair it's just a volunteer position so I doubt they cut many people."

"Either way A, I'm proud of you. This is a step you wouldn't have taken six months ago." Annie reflected on her life six months ago for a brief second; her ex-husband walking into the kitchen as she was cooking dinner, a glass full of light brown liquid in his hand, saying "Oh, this again?"

"You're right. This feels like something the strong, single, independent version of Annie would do."

"I like this version," Elle said, and Annie could hear her smiling through the phone.