collarbones

14 ~ surprises

Anna awoke that morning feeling rejuvenated and much more alive than yesterday. After she'd fainted in the hallway she'd awoken on the bed of the medical room at her school, where she was met by a relieved nurse and a worried-looking Katie. What Anna hadn't seen was Trent, leaning against the doorway of the room as a dark expression loomed over his face, until he cleared his throat and raised his eyebrows at her expectantly.

Before Anna could respond Katie had begun to reprimand Anna as she expressed her mollified state through numerous hugs. Anna felt warmth seep into her as she recalled Katie's evident concern, smiling to herself as she lay in her bed, followed by a rush of guilt at making Katie worry in the beginning.

She groaned and turned over as she recalled her conversation with Trent afterwards, adding to the guilt.

They were walking in the hallway to Anna's locker in order to collect Anna's maths books. Trent stopped suddenly, grabbing Anna's arm in the process. Startled, she snapped her head back towards him as they stood in the middle of the empty hallway, the silence surrounding them deafening as she perused him curiously.

Trent sighed, breaking the silence, before lightly tugging Anna towards him.

"Why did you faint Anna?" he asked, his eyes scanning her face repeatedly. For the first time Anna had noticed how tense he was, his eyebrows scrunched in deep thought as his eyes held a dark, troubled look inside them.

It scared Anna. It scared her to see someone she hardly knew so worried about her wellbeing, when she didn't care at all about the consequences of her actions.

"You were there when I told the nurse," she began, looking away as she couldn't lie to his face. "I was just exhaust-"

"That's a lie, Anna," he snapped, letting her arm go in the process. "It's a lie and you know it."

Anna looked back at him pleadingly, begging him not to make her explain. He simply shook his head silently as he crossed his arms, waiting for an explanation.

She stared at the ground as she spoke, wrapping her arms around herself as she began to explain what she never thought she'd tell anyone, let alone in the middle of the hallway at school.

"I have..." she hesitated, finding it harder than she thought to open up. A shadow loomed over her as Trent took a step closer to her, silently comforting her with his presence.

"I have an eating problem," she confessed, aware that she wasn't revealing much.

Trent stood there next to her, waiting for a further explanation.

He received none.

"That's it?" he asked incredulously. "That's all you're going to tell me?"

Anna felt anger boil within her as she snapped her head towards him swiftly, her eyes narrowing in the process. "I'm sorry for not wanting to open up to someone I've only known for a few days," she spat heatedly. "I didn't know my problems were not large enough for you."

Trent immediately began to protest but Anna raised her hand, signalling for him to stop talking. "You don't need to explain yourself," she growled before storming off.

She didn't speak to him for the rest of the day.

Anna began to rub her forehead as the memory washed over her, and guilt gnawed at her stomach as she recalled what she had said. Anna was fully aware that Trent was just trying to help her, but she was vulnerable at the time and he'd said the wrong things.

She couldn't help but get antsy. It was too much for Trent to expect her to open up suddenly.

Her mother walked into her room, distancing Anna from her thoughts.

"Are you feeling any better, honey?" she quizzed, sitting on the end of Anna's bed tentatively. Anna yawned as she nodded, smiling at her mother.

"I'm fine, Mum," she responded tiredly.

Her mother opened her mouth to ask Anna further, but Anna changed the subject quickly.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" she yelled, giggling slightly as she raised her eyebrows suggestively.

Her mother blushed brightly before lightly slapping Anna on the arm. "Oh hush, you little minx," she laughed.

Anna observed her mother as she laughed freely, her eyes crinkling slightly and her blonde hair bouncing on her shoulders elegantly. She'd never seen her mother look so naturally beautiful before, and it warmed her heart to see her usual stressed manner relax.

Her thoughts drifted back to Trent as she wondered what he was doing on such an iconic day.

She'd have to wait and see.

*

He wasn't there that morning.

That was the first thing Anna noticed when she walked into school and looked towards his locker that was a few feet down from her own. The place where Trent would usually lean against as he conversed with his friends – whilst occasionally flashing a smirk towards Anna – was empty that morning, and surprisingly Anna felt a rush of disappointment wash over her.

She didn't know his presence affected her that much.

Anna sullenly opened her locker, looking into her bag as she took out her books and pencil case. As she lifted them out of her bag she finally looked into her locker.

She dropped her books onto the bottom shelf of her locker as she stared incredulously at the heart-shaped box of chocolates in her locker. On it lay a note, which Anna picked up and read.

'Sorry.'

Her heart seemed to melt as the guilt was ignited in her chest once more.

"I was wrong," a voice whispered in her ear.

Her breath caught in her throat as she could feel the heat emanating from Trent's body behind her. In her state of embarrassment she turned slowly, and hit him on the chest.

"Why chocolates?" she blurted stupidly.

Trent stood there, chuckling slightly in surprise. They both knew what he was hinting at, the heart clearly relaying his intentions.

He wanted to be more than just friends, and he'd made it clear from the very start. Anna hugged him suddenly, overwhelmed with gratitude for his continuous efforts. "You have nothing to apologise for," she murmured into his neck before releasing him quickly.

Trent's cheeks were slightly pink as he cleared his throat. "I'm, urm... Yeah," he trailed off awkwardly.

Anna smirked, crossing her arms. 

Trent grinned at her. "If that's how you want to play it then let the game begin," he retorted before kissing her forehead.

"See you soon, Annabelle," he called as he walked away.

Anna felt a shiver run down her spine. 

She felt herself fall sideways into her locker as a body rammed into her. Katie hugged her, squealing as she did so. "What just happened?" she asked excitedly.

Anna was speechless, forming an incoherent response.

She wasn't quite sure herself.