There All Along

Chapter Fifteen

The next lunchtime I waited for Josh but he never showed up. Well, he did but like halfway into it. "Hi Anna."

"Hi Josh."

"I just wanted to say that I'm spending lunchtime with Rosie. Also I won't meet you after school. I have stuff to do with....."

"Rosie?" I guess. Well I don't guess, I can already tell.

"Yep," he smirks. "She's helping me with......homework? Yeah! Homework."

Mmmm. Yeah sureeeeeeeee Josh sureeeeeeee.

Josh says bye to me and rushes away with Rosie. I look back at them and they are holding hands. I fight back the tears and walk into the playground. I look around. Even though the playground is full of people it feels so empty. It feels like I am an outsider looking through a glass at everyone. I sit in a corner where I'm sure no one will find me. I decide to cry my eyes out there.

"Anna?" I hear someone say a few minutes after I start crying. I look up to find Sam looking at me with a worried look on his face. "Whatever's the matter?"

"Oh nothing," I sniff, my nose blocked.

"Well there must be something before you're sitting in the corner, alone, at school, on lunchtime, crying." Sam sits next to me.

"Well....." I begin whilst I wipe my tears away. I knew my makeup would be smudged but I couldn't care less. I mean, why should I? I have no one to impress anymore. "Josh told me that he would jump at the chance of being with Rosie in bed any day. He also kept bragging on about her yesterday then she left with him yesterday after he called me nasty names. It broke my heart. It broke me. I don't think I could ever be fixed again. Then today he never showed up at lunchtime until about ten minutes ago at the spot where we usually hang out and basically told me he wouldn't see me today and he sees me everyday usually!"

"Poor Anna," Sam says sympathetically. "Come here." He pulls me close to him and holds me tight. "There there. Just let all your tears come out. I'm not here to judge."

I felt a sudden trust towards Sam so I started bawling my eyes out to him. He strokes my head and hair gently whilst I do so. Sam has honestly been one of the best friends I have ever had. Well, he's not really a best friend but I guess he will be soon! I sure hope so anyway.

"I'm always here for you," Sam says. "You know that, right?"

I nod.

"Good. I hate seeing you upset, Anna. It makes me upset."

"Thank you, Sam. For being here for me. It means a lot. I'll do the same for you whenever you need it," I tell him. Sam lets out a small laugh nervously and he smiles before looking me in the eye. "Thank you."

"Anytime." I hug him tighter and he kisses my forehead. "I know I don't know you that well but I'm sure before no time we will know a lot about each other."

"Yeah," I smile. "I'd like that."

"Me too."

"When can I next see you again? I like spending time with you."

"Are you free after school?" Sam smirks, seeming to know the answer.

"N......." I pause then remember Josh's words earlier. "Yes," I mutter. I hang my head in shame.

"It's ok, Anna," Sam says. "You don't need people like him in your life."

I was scared to tell him everything about Josh even though I was desperate too. I wanted to tell Sam how Josh raped me twice in one day, how he beats me......

"Oh yeah I forgot to ask, what happened to your eye?"

Oh and that.

"Oh that? I just banged it on the kitchen cupboard," I lied. Ugh I hate lying to people!!

"I hope you're ok," Sam replies. He examines my eye.

"Yeah," I reply. "I'm just a lonely girl with a broken heart."

"Aww don't say that. You're the most amazing girl and person I have ever met. And you have your family, you have me and you have Olivia. So you are not alone."

"True," I reply as another tear rolls down my cheek.

Josh is a jerk!