My Immortal Lover

2

I woke up only when the sunlight came into the tree house and shone right on my face. Blinking, I sat up and rubbed my lower back, which was sore from the uncomfortable position I had been in all night. After packing up, I checked my cell and saw that there were seven missed calls and one voicemail all from Sam. Sighing, I unlocked my iPhone and listened to the voicemail he left.

"Hey, Ana, babe. Please talk to me; I understand that you were tired and upset about your parents, so I forgive you for dumping me. It was an overreaction and I totally understand it. So how about we meet up tonight and go together to Nathan's party? It'll be fun, babe. Got it? Don't be late or blow me off. See you then! Bye!"

His voice had been slurred and I looked at the time of the message to realize that it'd been earlier this morning. Disgusted, I deleted the message and turned off my phone, shoving it into my back pocket. My mind was suddenly thinking of Daniel, of how great he'd be as a boyfriend, or better yet, what if he married me. I shook my head, embarrassed at my own thoughts and rubbed at my face. Then I scrambled down the rungs of a ladder protruding out of the tree trunk, and left the backpack up there.

Getting into my car, I grabbed a hair-tie and pulled back my hair into a ponytail. I glanced at the digital clock and groaned. I was going to be late to work. I turned the key in the ignition and moaned when the engine stalled and didn't catch, lapsing back into silence. Kicking the underside of the dashboard, I turned the key again and it refused to catch.

"Great! Just great!" I shouted at the windshield. 

After glaring at nothing for a few minutes, I got out, slammed the door shut, and pried open the back door. I could walk and I decided to do just that, but first I had to change into the assigned shirt for my job at the movie theater.

Pulling the plastic bag with my work shirt in it off the floor, I set it on the seat and tore my shirt off, leaving just my white tank top. I grabbed my work shirt and pulled on my sneakers, then started running towards midtown, all while pulling the greasy, stained cinema shirt on and buttoning it up. I reached the cinema and ran straight into the bathroom. Leaning over the sink, I turned on the water and pooled some in my hands, then splashed it against my face, instantly cooling me off. After wiping my face dry and fixing my hair, I went back out and situated myself behind the snack bar. The cinema was packed and I was rushing to get orders filled when a familiar voice stopped me.

"Hey Ana," Daniel said.

"Daniel! What are you doing here?" I exclaimed.

"Well, to see a movie, why else?"

"Oh yeah," I laughed and glanced at the clock. It was almost break time, and I was starving. To accentuate the thought, my stomach grumbled and I clasped my hands over it.

"Actually, I just finished the movie and I saw you here, so I decided to say hi."

"Oh, well hi."

"And um, are you okay?" He leaned over the counter and whispered softly.

"Yeah," I smiled sadly. "Well I'm over last night. If you knew my life, then you'd have known that I always am over stuff like that by the next day."

"Huh?"

"Well," I paused and stared at the counter. "My parents have fought on and off since I was a kid. They keep me up at night, so usually I sleep in my tree house, away from all the yelling. Then there are my six older siblings who pick on me since I'm the youngest. So I've always gotten over things quickly, so as not to hurt myself too much."

"Oh Ana, I'm so sorry."

"It's fine. Anyways, how long have you lived here? Sorry, I know it's random but I've never seen you around before."

"Actually, I just moved here, about a month ago."

"Oh. So how do you like it here in Ohio?"

"It's an interesting place, filled with interesting people."

"Gee, thanks."

"No problem," he joked and we laughed. Then the door to the movie theater opened and I groaned. In walked Sam, with two of his friends flanking him on both sides.

"Ana!" Sam shouted sauntering over to us, his eyes narrowing when he finally recognized Daniel's presence, still leaning on the counter across from me.

"Excuse me, who are you?" Daniel straightened and took a bold step towards Sam.

"Daniel, no!" I ran out from behind the counter, stepping between the two boys. They both ignored me and continued to glare at each other over my head. I hated the fact that they both were just about six feet, leaving me- at my whopping five-two- barely noticeable.

"Sam McAllister, captain of the football team. And who are you, kid?" Sam answered Daniel smugly.

"Daniel Simmons, new kid in town."

"Well, Daniel," Sam sneered at him. "I would appreciate it if you would stay away from my girl."

"Your girl?" Daniel asked, incredulous. "When I found her last night, she seemed quite upset. And she told me she had dumped you."

"Oh it was just a misunderstanding. Tell him Ana," Sam instructed me, finally acknowledging my presence. I just gaped up at him and stepped away from him- closer to Daniel- shaking my head slowly. A crowd had formed around us. His taunting smile disappeared as I moved closer to Daniel. "So now you're stealing my girlfriend?"

"No! She and I are just friends! Although..." Daniel's voice faded and laid a hand on my arm. The boys across from us grew tense and stared at his hand. Sam's teeth ground together and I felt Daniel's silent laughter in the shaking of his hand.

"Sam," I murmured and his eyes snapped back to my face. "I wasn't overreacting last night, we really are over."

"Ana," He growled, narrowing his eyes. "Don't do this."

"Too late," I whispered and stared at the floor between our feet.

"It's never too late," He declared and I raised myeyes in time to see his eyes flash with lust. 

Daniel grew stiff at my side and Iglanced at him, but he was staring at Sam. In that instant that I wasdistracted, Sam lurched forward and trapped my face in his hands and kissed me.Sam's friends started to laugh as his hands groped my body and I froze inshock, but thankfully, Daniel didn't. Almost two seconds after Sam started thekiss, he was gone and there was a thud.