NOT GIVING UP ON FOREVER

Chapter 56

When she was done, she turned off the phone and tossed it on the bed, ready to return to her guests. As soon as she got out of bed, she stopped and, vainly fighting curiosity and despair, grabbed the phone again and opened Randall's chat.

"Anna, please answer me. It can't go on like this. I need to talk to you."

"You have to stay away from Teo. He's not who you think he is."

"Anna, please write to me. I'm going insane with worry. You're precious. I have such a mess in my head right now."

"Anna, we need to see each other."

"How dare you, Anna!"

"Everything is ruined. I just have a brain drain. I can't do anything. I don't live. I don't eat, I don't go out. Anna, answer!"

"I need to see you and discuss something."

"Anna, please, beautiful, let's meet."

"Anna, I will never stop writing, only when my heart stops. But even then, I will appear to you in a dream until I drive you crazy."

She exhaled heavily and wrote back.

"I'll think of something."

The noise of the party filled the hall. She logged out, erasing all history, calls, and open correspondence, then went to the mirror and looked at her reflection. Her whole soul longed to see Randall. What if he wanted to tell her he loved her and regretted what had happened? She had to find out at all costs.

From the hall came the sound of guitar playing. Teo was singing a song, and there were many admiring female voices. She shared their groanings because the talent of Teo was undoubted. She went out into the hall and discovered him playing "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" {Death Cab for Cutie, author's note}, surrounded by a few chicks clearly in love. The ladies kept their eyes on him and seemed to struggle to sit as close as possible. There were so many people in the hall that Anna could not help staggering when she saw the crowd.

"He is smoking hot, isn't he?" Ri whispered in her ear.

Anna shook her head positively.

"Leticia came??"

Ricardo beamed.

"Where is she? Where? Introduce us!" Anna clapped her hands.

He led her through an almost impenetrable wall of flesh into the kitchen, where a charming, plump girl stood beaming. She was gorgeous. Her immaculate white dress accentuated her figure, her shoulder-length curly hair glistened brightly in the chandelier light, and a necklace of beads complimented her already elegant image.

Anna ran into her with a hug.

"At last! Oh!" she exclaimed. "My salvation has come from the company of these plain men!"

Leticia giggled and assured her that Anna's life was saved from that moment on. Teo finished the song in the hall and earned a standing ovation and applause. The girls groaned and asked for an encore. The crowd got back to loud talking again, ringing glasses with alcohol and discussing the trivial things.