Dark Paradise

19

Anabella

"Earth to Anabella." Johnny waves his hands in front of my face, trying to pull me back to reality. I realize I'm standing in the back room with water running down my hands. Quickly, I turn off the faucet. "Sorry," I mumble, grabbing a towel to dry my hands, a bit embarrassed.

"You okay? You seem—" He trails off, searching for the right words.

"Lost in thought?" I offer, starting to walk back to the front of the café.

"Yes! Exactly," he replies, nodding enthusiastically. He glances over at me, his gaze lingering for a moment as if he's trying to read my thoughts.

I glance at him. "Everything is fine," I say, focusing on the incoming order that just came through.

He steps back, giving me space. "I'm here if you want to talk," he offers before turning to clean up his station, leaving me alone with my swirling thoughts.

I sigh, feeling the weight of everything pressing down. I want to share my dreams with someone, but I know I should start with my mom first. Even though the thought makes my stomach churn. We haven't spoken in over a year, ever since she made such a big deal about me moving to San Diego.

As my shift comes to an end and I'm gathering my things, I hear Johnny call my name. I turn around to face him. "Hey."

"Do you need a ride?" he asks, his eyes gleaming with hope.

"No thanks, I'm going to walk," I reply, trying to sound as polite as possible.

Johnny nods, a bit deflated but understanding. "Okay! I'll see you tomorrow."

After Johnny leaves, I lock the door behind him and slip on my headphones. My fingers hover over the call button for my mom. Should I press it? A wave of nerves washes over me; I don't even know what I'd say to her after all this time.

I swallow my pride and hit call. The phone rings for a few moments before it goes to voicemail. I groan, debating whether or not to leave a message.

Part of me wants to just hang up and avoid the awkwardness, but another part knows that if I don't say something now, I might never get the chance. Taking a deep breath, I brace myself for what to say next.

"Hey Mom, it's Anabella... Uh... Please call me back when you have the chance... It's important... please, Mom," I say, my words tumbling out quickly before I end the voicemail. A wave of relief washes over me; maybe her not picking up was a good thing after all.

Deciding against heading home just yet, I walk to the nearby park and find a quiet spot under a large tree. I pull out a book and start reading, the familiar lyrics of Chase Atlantic playing softly in my headphones. The world around me fades as I lose myself in the story, feeling a sense of peace settle in.

                      ¥¥¥¥

I've been so caught up in my book that I lose track of time. Glancing at my phone, I see it's now 7:38 p.m. How the hell did I stay here for three hours? I can hardly believe it. This book is actually pretty amazing, drawing me in with every page.

As I gather my things, a flicker of movement catches my eye. I turn to see three figures in the alleyway between two buildings. Two guys are standing in front of a boy, who is pinned against the wall, looking anxious.

I want to look away, but I can't; it's like my eyes are glued to the situation. The two men are focused on the one guy, their expressions tense as they talk to him. It definitely doesn't look like a friendly conversation.

I remind myself that I'm not going to play the hero here. I'm small, and I know they could probably knock me out with one punch. I take a cautious step back, weighing my options as I try to stay unnoticed.