Suicide Notes

Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Five

Anna-

"File drawer three," I mumbled to myself as I sorted through the stacks of sheet music I'd been organizing in the office, while letting my mind wander.

A month had gone by and I'd never heard from Caleb again. I'd made no attempt to contact him either. The pieces of his life I knew about came through the grapevine from my mom. Danica was staying with my parents now and was readjusting back into life. Caleb was a regular visitor there, coming to check on her. Danica and Hank were divorcing, and Hank was still in jail awaiting trial. The police had decided not to press charges against Caleb for his part in the fight, due to the extenuating circumstances.

Mom told me that Caleb was fronting the band now, since they'd been unable to find a suitable replacement for me that he would accept. Apparently they were doing very well though, even having a music scout come by to check them out. I was thrilled for him. He deserved some good in his life. I was a little sad I hadn't been there to share that with the band though. I knew how excited they all would be.

Life for me was getting slightly easier. I was part way through my first summer semester and had managed to get a job through the school work-study program, helping the choir instructor, Mrs. Ashley Burns, a few hours each day. She insisted I call her by her first name and we hit it off pretty well. I enjoyed working for her.

"Anna, there's someone here to see you," Ashley said, breaking into my meandering train of thought when she stuck her head into the room.

Puzzled, I went out to find Tyler Reese standing there with a large bouquet of roses.

"Hey," he said, shifting somewhat awkwardly as he thrust the flowers at me.

I laughed and took them from him. "What are these for?" I asked, lifting them to my nose and breathing in their beautiful scent.

"I've been trying, unsuccessfully, for weeks now, to get you to go out with me and you keep shooting me down. I figured I'd give the traditional way a shot. You know, see if flowers would work any better for me? Please say yes."

Sighing, I stared at him over the top of the roses, taking in his hopeful expression. I noticed Ashley quietly slipping into the office and closing the door to give us some privacy.

"Tyler, I keep saying no because I don't want to do anything to lead you on. I'm not very good relationship material right now. I came to LA because someone I loved and trusted very much had broken my heart. I just don't think I'm ready to get back up on that horse again."

Tyler stepped closer to me, brushing a strand of hair back behind my ear. "I'm not asking you to marry me, or to even be exclusive. I simply want to take you on a date. Is that so hard?"

It was the soft touch that did it. I missed having that closeness with someone, that comfortable companionship. Tyler had been around a lot with Shawn, when he was over to visit Holly. I knew everyone secretly hoped we would hook up. We all got along really well together as a group, our personalities meshing perfectly.

"Fine, I'll go on a date with you. But just because I'm committing to this one, doesn't guarantee there will be more."

"There will be more," Tyler said with a self-assured wink. Holy heck he was hot, but he was so different than Caleb. Other than the fact they were both tall and amazingly fit, the similarities ended there. Tyler was all blonde, tan, with surfer boy good looks. Caleb was tattooed, brooding, and more dark and mysterious. I loved seeing his tattooed arms wrapped around me.

Pushing these thoughts from my mind, I responded. "Don't get your hopes up. I don't want to lead you on. I'm going against my better judgment even agreeing to do this." I wasn't going to sugar coat it for him. He deserved better than that from me. "When are you wanting to go?"