Broken

Chagrin

I recognised the voice immediately,  and although I didn't need to look into the car to know who it belonged to, I ducked down and peaked a look inside. Convincing myself the rain symphony and traffic noise had played a trick on my ears.

"Anna you're getting soaked, get in." Mr Norman urged as he leaned over to open the passenger door. After a couple of seconds of confused hesitation I finally nodded  and took up his offer of a lift.

"Thanks sir" I said wiping the waterfall of rain running down my face from my soaked hair with the back of my hand.

The water from my face now ran cooly down my arm, and more out of awkwardness rather than a practical solution I ran my hands up and down the thighs of my saturated jeans trying to dry them. I felt my face flush as I realised he was subtly watching me, the hint of a smile twitching at his lips.

"You're welcome Anna" he said unleashing a truly breathtaking smile at me. I froze momentarily dazed, I had an awful feeling my mouth was hanging open so blushing yet again I forced a shy awkward smile.

He'd turned the heaters up to full power but I was still shivering a little as I sat in my freezing, rain drenched clothes. Frowning at me he reached into the back seat and picked up his suit jacket then wrapped it round me, tucking it in at the sides.

"Better?" He asked, again exposing me to a brilliant, toothy smile, still dumbfounded and slightly in awe the best I could do was nod and repeat my awkward smile. 

"What were you thinking?" He asked exasperated, running his fingers through his golden hair.

"I...I missed my bus, so I thought it'd be quicker to walk home." I stuttered nervously, his eyebrows raised in disapproval and again feeling heat in my cheeks I shrugged my shoulders acknowledging the flaws in my plan. He shook his head disbelievingly at me, before finally breaking out into a laugh so carefree it made me smile.

As he continued to laugh I knew my smile had spread to my whole face and I could feel a happy warmth behind my eyes pulling at the disused tendons. The suddenly sobering thought crept into my subconscious that this was the first time since my father's death I'd been happy. All humour instantly drained from my eyes and my smile vanished, replaced by a guilty ache building deep within my chest.

"Why didn't you get a lift with your boyfriend?" He asked his brow furrowing.

"My boyfriend?" My voice unintentionally raising an octave or two as I looked confused at him.

"Mr Johnson?" he answered equally as confused, "I'm sorry I just thought..." But he didn't continue, his eyes, the colour of faded denim, searched my face waiting for a reply.

"He's not my boyfriend" I said, a little shocked he'd come to that conclusions.

"In fact until today we'd never spoken." I added.

"Well take it from someone who knows about these things, he wants to be your boyfriends." He said with a knowing nod and a sage look in his eyes. I again felt my face blaze with embarrassment, unsure if it was the thought of Rhys liking me or the unexpected close proximity to Mr Norman. 

"Even if he's not your boyfriend, he should have still driven you home in this weather." His toned clipped and laced with irritation.

"We had a row" I said a little dejectedly, looking down at my hands sticking out from the bottom of Mr Norman's jacket, which is still wrapped snuggly around me.

"Oh, well I'm sure you'll work things out" He said reassuringly, the warmth in his eyes returning.

"Yeah, I'm not so sure, I was quite mean to him." I admitted, a little ashamed of myself, I had been mean. All day Rhys had, for some unknown reason, looked after me and I had been so ungrateful, throwing his kindness back in his face.