The Smile Always Fades

9. New York City, Here I Come

The next few weeks, Anna went on lock down. She screened her calls and ignored all texts. She had even been invited to a few more parties, but she didn't go--she wasn't one to accept pity votes. Before Cassy left--before Cassy was paralyzed--Anna was a nobody, she intended to stay that way. She had no intention of becoming popular because of a horrific event that befell her best friend.

After the party--after she heard what happened--Anna tried once again, calling Cassy and her family, nothing worked. No one was picking up.

Anna hadn't been herself ever since she heard the news. She mostly kept herself locked away in her bedroom and when she was at school, she tried to keep her head down; now, more than ever, all Anna wanted was to be alone. She even avoided Bentley. It killed her to do it, but she couldn't face him, she wasn't ready for it. He'd tried setting up a few tutoring sessions with her, but Anna could always come up with an excuse as to why she couldn't make it.

One day at home, Anna trudged out of her room to take a break from the paper she was writing for College Composition class. The paper was about the comparison and contrast of evolution and creation.

Anna made her way to the pantry and swiped a bag of Cheetos. She shoved her hand into the bag, hearing its inviting crackle and pulled out a handful of cheesy, crunchy puffs. She popped a couple into her mouth. They were stale, but they were Cheetos all the same.

Anna started walking back to her room, with the bag in tow, when she barely averted colliding with her mom.

"Hi, honey," Anna's mother greeted her.

"Hi," she mumbled, starting to continue walking away.

"Anna," her mom called. "What's been wrong with you lately?"

Anna sighed. She wasn't in the mood for this right now, but she turned around to face her mother anyway. "Nothing Mom," she replied, placing the bag of Cheetos on the kitchen counter. "I just have a lot of homework to do."

"No, that's not it. I know you, Anna. You don't usually mope around like this. What's wrong, babe?"

"I'm okay. I just...I--," Anna shut her eyes tight and took a deep breath. "I just miss Cassy and I haven't heard from her in a while, that's all."

Her mom looked at her for a few moments, a question creeping into her features. "Honestly, Anna," she said incredulously. "Cassy isn't quite in a condition where she can call you. How selfish of you to be upset with your friend for not calling, when she's been going through intense surgery and physical therapy to stay alive."

"I didn't say I was upset, Mom. I--" Wait, when did I tell Mom about Cassy? Anna asked herself. "How did you find out about Cassy's condition?!" Anna snapped. "I didn't tell you about what happened."

"No, you didn't," her mother snapped back. "I told you, remember?"

"You did not tell me," Anna spat. "I found out from a girl at school who hardly even knew Cassy at all!"

"Oh stop being dramatic, Anna. Of course I told you. Linda called me right after it happened and asked me to tell you and I promised her that I would." Her mother's face turned pale. "Poor Cassy, she was about to go and live her dream..."

"Mother," Anna screamed. "You broke your promise to Cassy's mom! She asked you to tell me, but you never did! I didn't even know you knew. You've known this whole freakin' time and now is the first time I'm hearing about it!!"

"You watch your tone, young lady," her mother warned. "I could have sworn I told you, but if I didn't, then I'm sorry. But you can't blame me; I mean, I've been swamped with the new pitch of my invention. I took it to a patenting office and they believe that it has good potential."

"That's enough!" Anna yelled. "How do I get a hold of Linda? I want to talk to her."

"I'm sure Cassy's mother has enough to deal with at the moment, Anna," her mother said calmly. "It'd probably be best to give them time--"

"Mom! Cassy is my best friend and now, more than ever, she need me. Now give me that phone number," Anna demanded darkly.

"You won't be getting anything with that tone of voice or attitude. Now go to your room Anna, before you really say something you regret."

"I am not moving," Anna said, her voice rising and sounding hoarse, "until--" Anna stopped mid-sentence when she heard Jason's bedroom door open

Jason stepped into the hallway and walked straight for the arguing pair; Shane was lingering, awkwardly farther behind, still in the shadows of the hallway. Anna had forgotten that Shane was even there.

"Okay," Jason said, getting in between Anna and her mother. "Break it up. Shane and I could hear the two of you all the way at the end of the hall, in my room, with the door shut and video game sound effects blasting. We heard every word." He said that last part while looking at Anna, she assumed he meant her. "Anna," Jason continued. "I'm sorry this has happened to Cassy, I really am, but Mom can't change what happened, Anna; no one can."

Anna hated him for say that. She knew it was the truth, but for some twisted reason she kept telling herself Cassy would go back to normal soon; she'd heal and be okay, but Jason said the fact of the matter aloud. He made the truth real and true, out in the open. Hot tears began to lace down and around the features of Anna's delicate face. "I want to see her," Anna cried softly. "I want to go to New York and visit her."

"I don't think that's a good idea," her mom said harshly.

"I don't care what you think," Anna exclaimed. "I'm going, Mom, and Jason will go with me." She didn't wait for a reply, she just pushed past Jason and her mother and slammed her bedroom door, locking it behind her.

Anna picked up her laptop and looked at what she had written so far for her english paper. Many people see evolution as a fact, but even scientists who have been studying this topic for many years--even Darwin himself--claim this subject as only being a theory or myth. Really it's only a story, a...

Anna tried thinking of where to begin from where she left off. A story, a...a.... Frustration was quickly building inside her. Evolution is...it's a...a...LOAD OF CRAP, she screamed in her head. This is all a load of crap!

The tears came back for round two. "Cassy," Anna wimpered aloud. "I'm sorry Cassy, I'm so sorry." Anna wrapped the covers around her body and held them tightly against herself.

There was no way she was going to wait for a call. She was going to find Cassy and be the friend she always promised Cassy she'd be.