If I Could Fly. // h.s. au

Three

ANNA'S POV

~May 14,2015~

cock-ai-gne

(n.) an imaginary land of idleness

Hurrying down the stone steps and away Jasper hall, I shoved the rest of my notebooks into my bag. I pushed my dark hair out of my eyes with a huff. I really was an idiot. And not just an idiot, but an idiot that never learns. I just wanted to get home to at this point, or anywhere away from here for that matter.

"Anna!"

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. The universe must have something against me today.

I turned around to see Sam looking both ways before dashing across the street. His steps echoed softly as he jogged towards me. As he neared, he smiled.

"Hey," he panted. He slowed to a walk at my side.

I forced a smile. Only then did I realize my fist was balled at my side. I unclenched it slowly.

"Hey."

"So," Luckily, he didn't seem to notice the strain behind my voice. He threw me a sly smirk. "Shakespeare."

I threw my head back. "No." I groaned.

He laughed. "It was quite the lecture. Too bad you were too far off in Anna Land to hear it."

Practically a professional daydreamer at this point, it shouldn't be a shocker.

I just shrugged.

"Oh, come on," Sam nudged me playfully. "I thought you loved Hamlet. You got so excited when you found out it would be our end of semester read."

We came to another crosswalk. I took my time looking both ways so I could stall for an excuse I knew I wouldn't come up with.

"I don't know, I guess it's just been a long week." I explained slowly. A soft May breeze sent a tumble of loose leaves dancing across the sidewalk. "Grams is still pressuring me to do that charity event in town next week."

"Ah," he nodded in understanding. "Grams can be... persuasive."

"Yeah, you're telling me." I shook my head. "Her and Papa have been trying all month. I tried explaining the first week why I wouldn't but they just wont hear the end of it. Now I just nod and pretend to listen. It's about all I can do at this point. They think writing is a 'risky route' since I can get discovered so easily at a charity fair."

Sam stayed silent for a minute. I shot him a look. "What?"

He just shook his head. "I don't know,"

"Oh, don't tell me you're going to jump on the bandwagon too."

"Okay, just hear me out-"

I groaned again and walked ahead of him. I could hear him picking his pace to keep up with me.

"Anna, you have an amazing voice! Why shouldn't you use it?" The words came out of his mouth in a rush, worried I'd cut him off again.

I waved him off. "It's not up for discussion."

"Anna, just listen-"

I turned the corner and into the park. It was a shortcut across town and I didn't really want to be around Sam anymore anyways.

I felt his warm hand around my wrist in an instant, he spun me around so fast I had hardly any time to react. I found myself not a foot away from those beautiful sea green eyes. My heart leapt into my throat and I took a shaky step back, startled by the sudden close proximity. I pulled my hand out of his grasp.