Tangled In

Chapter 18

The next day, Spencer came to visit Anna. And Emily came to town so she did too. The three of them where in Anna's room. They were talking about stupid thinks like they always did, because sometimes stupid things mattered the most. Specially between them. Anna hadn't talked about Ben for a while. She wasn't ready. And none of them knew what had happened. She didn't want to say anything dissapointing so she avoided the subject. Until Emily broke the silence.

"Where is Ben?"

"Anna knows." Said Spencer giving her a little smirk. Anna blushed.

"Um, in the hospital, he had surgery but he is recovering, maybe in a week or two he will be back, but he seems fine."

"So you have been seeing him, huh?" Emily didn't sound surprised.

"She sees him all the time" Argued Spencer.

"No I don't... He is my bff, or gbf"

"The fuck is that" Spencer said, of course.

"Guy best friend."

"And who is your girl best friend? Choose." Said Emily.

"Myself." Said Anna laughing but no one else found it funny. "Okay, umm... I got to go, I have to go to the supermarket."

"Aha. You shopping. Girl your clothes are trash you never shop!" Said Spencer.

"Whatever." Anna rolled her eyes. Then smiled. Then she left them at her home an she left like no one was visiting her. A little rude, huh?

She got to the "supermarket", meaning Ben's hospital room. They talked for a while. Anna sat for a while and then fell asleep for 15 minutes. Somwhere in between, Ben took her hand and held it. She woke up.

"Hi, how are you?" Said Anna, she looked a little worried. Ben was pale.

"Starving... No don't get up, I can't eat anything yet."

"Okay... I'll sit down."

"How are you?"

"Good, Emily came to town, she hasn't seen Henry yet, and I don't believe she wants to..."

"But how are you, Anna?"

"I'm okay, but I haven't seen my mom in a while now. But I don't care. I really don't."

"You don't? That's a lie. I can tell when you are lying Anna, I see it in your eyes."

"Don't say my name like that, it's weird. You never did it before."

"I have changed, Anna. I'm sorry, I'll stop. It's okay."

"Okay."

"Okay. Keep going... How is your mom though, you don't know?"

"I think I heard my aunt that she tried to escape, and she smoked again."

"I'm sorry..."

"Don't be. She was always mean to me anyways, and I would say something horrible instead of mean, but I am polite." She smiled. He looked down. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm fine. I'm just hungry."

"I can tell when you are lying too, you know? It's easy to tell." Anna knew how he lied since he and she were very young. He always looked down when he did. "You can tell me. I can help. By the way sorry, I didn't sleep in class."

"Don't worry." Anna left after a while. He was sad, it was obvious, but he didn't want her to know. He didn't wanna lose her. But he also missed Ruth and all her sisters, and the mess it was his house. How was Ruth? He wouldn't know, his mom told him fine, but he wasn't sure, she had problems in school and that complicated things. He couldn't protect her. It was frustrating. He wanted to tell Anna to look out for his little sister. But she was all screwed up, with her mom and all. She had to go see her mom, she just had to. He told her that and he hoped she listened.

Spencer and Anna always set down togheter. It was nice. Henry also came, and gave Anna smiles, but she wasn't intrested anymore. She didn't care. When she left school she called her aunt to pick her up. She was going to visit her mom. Maybe because Ben was insisting on it so much, or maybe because she didn't want to regret it.

"Mom?" She was there, but she didn't answer. She was looking out the window again. She was pale. "Mom, answer me please."

"I don't have time for your troubles Anna, did you bring me cigs? That is nice. But you have made me misserable."

"No. Behave. Try to control it and get it together, mother. And don't talk to me like that again. In fact, don't talk to me ever." She wasn't sad. She expected an answer like that, and she had one, and it wasn't surprised at all. She was mad. Really angry. She stormed out. And shut the door really loud. The nurse's face was in blank. She didn't have the time to say anything. She rushed downstairs and she almost tripped.

"Anna..." Said her aunt.

"I don't wanna see her again, I don't wanna discuss it and I don't believe you can change my mind."

"Okay."

"Okay? That's it? Damn aunt you give up easy."

"I understand, it's hard to keep up with your mother, I'm you legal guardian down. If you get in any trouble, because you are always going out, I'll be more strict. Just saying."

"I love you anunt." She hugged her and cried. She didn't know if it was for her mom or if she was relieved that she didn't have to live with her anymore. Her aunt hugged her back. "Do you have any job yet?"

"I'm working on it. But I have some interviews tomorrow."

"Okay."

"Okay? That's it? Damn Anna you give up easy." They both smiled.

Henry liked Anna now. He knew it. It was hard for him because she didn't like him back, and now he knew how she had felt. It sucked. And she was probably in love with Ben. Or she was going to be.