NOT GIVING UP ON FOREVER

Chapter 88

A few minutes later, they were sitting at a beautiful table, very similar to the interior of one of those that Anna met in Milan.

She sighed sadly and rechecked her phone. While Mark did all the ordering, she decided to write a message to Teo and try her luck again.

She had completely lost all thread of understanding of the relationship in which she either was or was not. There was no point in asking, but the girl's heart was not made of stone. She missed Teo, the way he talked, the way he drove, the way he had confidence in himself.

Hesitating for a moment, she texted, "I miss you so much, Teo. Please write back."

Surprisingly, Teo answered immediately:

"And I miss you very much, Anna. But the choice was not mine."

Resentment and disappointment surged through her. Emilia saw the tears in Anna's eyes and suggested:

"Listen, Markie. Your friend looks like she's going to cry. I think you should do something, talk to her, or whatever. Because I have nothing to say to her."

Mark turned from his conversation with the waiter and looked anxiously at Anna, who lowered her eyes in shame and anger, trying to wipe away the treacherous tears with her sleeve.

"Emilia, we'll leave you for a little while, okay? We'll be back shortly."

"Pf," Emilia reacted.

Mark took Anna's arm and led her out onto the restaurant's balcony, closing the door behind them.

"What's the matter with you? What is it?" he asked anxiously.

"I-I don't know what's the matter with me!" Anna shook her head, no longer holding back her tears. "But I'm fine."

"Anna," Mark insisted. "I know you better than you do. What's wrong?"

"I don't know, Mark!" Anna exclaimed. "I don't know what's going on in my life. I got into a love triangle and got out of it in the end, absolutely alone."

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, Mark! Do you hear that?

"What? What do you mean?"

"The song?"

"What?"

"The song, Mark! The song is on! Do you hear it?"

"Yes, of course, I do. So what?"

"This is Iris from Sleeping with Sirens. He played me this song the very first time we saw each other on video."

"Who?"

Anna wept bitterly, and Mark asked irritably:

"Anna, you speak in riddles, and I do not like it. Tell me who you're talking about."

"Teo. I'm talking about Teo. The guy I went to on my second trip to Milan to get back at Randall for cheating on me."

"Ah, yes, your silly revenge. Did you succeed?"

"Managed. Randall suddenly said he loved me."

"He's thirteen years old, just like you. You two deserve each other."

"But I rejected him."

"What?"

"He wanted us to be together, but I turned him down."

"You decided to stay with the other one?"

"With the other one, I believe it is all over, too..."

"Why? He left you?"

"I suppose so... But he doesn't say that. He's mad at me for the way I treated him, and God knows I understand it all."

"So apologize to him. What's stopping you? Does he love you?"

"I don't know, Mark. He said he loved me, and now he doesn't even want to keep in touch..."

"Being angry and not loving are two different things. What do you want, Anna? Who do you love?"

"I want to be with Teo... He's a great guy, and I'm sure I just need more time to love him. I tried, but..."

Mark licked his lips. In the gesture, Anna even read a particular disgust that Mark felt for their conversation.

"So you're in no hurry to bring back the second guy," he concluded.

"Teo is gorgeous, he's unique, he's amazing... but I don't love him."

"You love Randall." He opened the door and called to a passing waiter.

"I love Randall," Anna said, almost in a whisper.

Mark fell silent.