Broken - A pretty face doesn't cover an ugly heart

36

– No way! That's so adorable!
Barbra and Vanessa were laughing while the girl with oriental eyes was telling the new blonde about how she and Evan met. The girls and their boyfriends were going out together to see an exposition of a famous painting at the museum.
The story of Evan and Vanessa: They met by the age of 7, when Vanessa and her family moved to Evan's home town. They became friends at school, after Vanessa had spent the entire year chasing him. She wasn't letting Evan alone any time soon, the boy realized.
She used to bring him cookies and candy that she asked her mom to make, and that's how she got him. By the stomach. Old fashion way.
They were inseparable friends until their teenagers' years, where Vanessa was way too jealous to let any girl steal his attention - so she offered herself to be his girlfriend. At first it wasn't anything serious, they were 12 and only held hands - although Vanessa always wanted to make sure that everyone knew about their commitment.
It was a very small city, with a very small school, so with time all the girls understood that Evan was out of league.
When they were 14, it was their first kiss. Evan was surprised. For one hand, it was Vanessa: the girl he knew ever since forever and he couldn't think of her being more than a friend. On the other hand: he was a teenager boy full of hormones exploding, and as it happens that no other girl was giving him attention – Thanks to Vanessa for that – he accept the fact.
They dated for years, and their feelings were already so blurred that they couldn't tell where the friendship ended and the romance started.
By the time that they were 17, Vanessa's parents moved back to Japan, and the girl was so mad with the situation – she had her marriage planed already – that she thought that if she ignored, she was going to figure some way to stay.
What really happened? Evan was the last to know. She couldn't find the courage to tell him, so he only heard about it when they were getting into a car to the airport.
He was a little disturbed, most of his live had been lived with Vanessa around him, telling him what to do, how to feel, what to think. So when she was finally gone, a strange feeling possessed him: he was lost.
It was weird at first, as he had spent most of his time with the girl, he didn't have much connection with the other people around him. It was his penultimate year as a high school student, and soon enough he discovered how to enjoy it.
He didn't wasted time to making new friends, and he was surprised to see how often the girls were calling him – although he let very clear that he wasn't look for anything serious, he had spent his entire life with one person, it was time to see what experiences he could have alone.
A year after graduation, he moved to a different state searching for independence and looking to found himself somewhere. Five years had passed without any signal of Vanessa. Five years until she abruptly appeared again on his life.
***
Anna was crying over the past hour. Jenna had cramps in her legs for being sitting there for so long. She was caressing her daughter's hair and waiting for her to stop crying.
– Life is so u-u-unfair! I've waited this long for him to come b-b-back and he shows up with that creature!
Her face full of tears and catarrh wasn't that gorgeous now. Jenna didn't have a clue about what to do to make her girl feel better.
The phone starts to ring, and Jenna answered.
"Hello?", "Oh, hey Haley! I'll pass to her".
She gave the phone to Anna, and left the room.
"What do you want?"
"Geez, is that the right way to treat your best friend?"
"If you can't take this I suggest you get a new one as soon as you can"
Haley was beginning to be annoyed by Anna's attitude.
"That's it Anna. I had enough of you making yourself look like dying of some tragic thing. Enough!"
"What do you want me to do?!"
The blonde cried.
"I'll be at your place 15 minutes from now. I just need you to be presentable."
She hung up the phone and went to take a shower. Without any makeup on, and in her sweatpants, Anna went to the living room wait for Haley. But she wasn't expecting what was there at all.
Barbra and Vanessa were sitting on the couch and her sister was showing her projects to Vanessa, they looked like BFFs now.
– Oh, hey Anna! Do you want to watch TV or something?
– Yeah, come join us, we'll be watching a movie as soon as our boyfriends are back with the popcorn.
Vanessa had given Anna a fake smile. She wasn't trying to hide her negative feelings about Anna, although she had been great at covering them in front of Evan.
– No... I have to get ready; Haley will be here anytime now.
– Going out sis?
Barbra smiled at her.
– I need some air.
– Well, if we knew that earlier we could have asked you to going out with us today.
– Where?
Evan and Ryan were at the living room now. They smiled at Anna, who didn't mind to do the same.
– I was just telling Anna about our great day, you said you guys are such good friends babe, why didn't you called her to come along?
Vanessa asked with a sassy smile.
– Oh... I... We haven't spoken a lot yet...
Barbra was delighted by how uncomfortable Anna seemed. She couldn't have done better than Vanessa. Ryan was feeling a tension between the girls, and he was feeling a little worried. Evan was clueless as always.
– Don't worry Evan, we'll have plenty of time to catch up. I promise.
Anna said, blowing him a kiss and going back to her room, letting Vanessa bothered by that moment of intimacy between them.
"Where are you? Need 5 more minutes to get ready"
Anna sent to Haley.
"Already here"
"I won't take long"
"Fine"
Anna stopped texting and started to change. She picked up a basic black dress, and as she didn't have the time to do some killer makeup, she was generous on the mascara and putted on a lot of accessories.
When she appeared at the living room, Haley was already waiting. She had a smile on her face when she saw Anna. Evan and Ryan were trying not to stare at her so much.
– Wow! Smoking hot! Let's go, it's already late and we can't be inside on this beautiful night.
– Bye guys.
She said, waving friendly to Vanessa.
***
– I'm feeling very inappropriate next to you. I was expecting to find some hot mess and you surprised me!
– Well, thanks Vanessa for that.
Anna rolled her eyes. Haley laughed.
– It was totally worth seeing that bitch looking jealous of the way Evan looked at you.
– I know. I hate her; she's like a worst version of Barbra. Only meaner. Argh. That must be the reason why they look like BFFs.
– Tell me about it.
The girls were only walking around without any idea of what to do. Then Anna said:
– Here's what we should do: I'll call Dan, we need someone with a car, and since Jim is no longer wanting to be around us...
– I can't imagine why...
Haley said with sarcasm, while Anna gave her a ugly look.
– Anyway, he will come up with something.
Daniel was too tired to do something; he had worked all day long, so when the girls called him this was what he said:
"You can stop by if you want, and we order some pizza, I can make some drinks... But I'm off to anything else"
So they ended up eating a lot of pizza and talking a bunch of nonsenses.
– So Anna, what are you thinking about?
Daniel asked.
– I'm going to be fat after tonight.
Haley laughs. Daniel continued:
– That's not what I meant. I was talking about Evan, what's the plan for getting him back?
– Why do you think I'll do anything about it?
She replied, and Haley gave her a look that could be translated as: "What do you mean?"
– Oh, cut the bullshit. We all know you're not going down without fight.
– Do you think I should?
She raised an eyebrow. Haley replied instead of Daniel:
– Come one, you'll be doing him a favor. Let's have some fun, please.
She smiled devilish. They raised their glasses, and that was when Anna got back to her mind and decided that they were right. Evan was worth the fight.