Obsessive Book Nerd

8. I'm here for you Annabelle

Christopher watches Annabelle leave the table and into another room.

"I'm so sorry for my daughter, she never knows how to use her manners. Gosh, I'm so embarrassed." Christopher stares at Annabelle's mother, only finding disgust of her daughter in her eyes.

He could tell that the conversation about her dad was making her uncomfortable. During the conversation they had about him, she never once looked up from her lap.

"May I please be excused?" Christopher asks.

"Yes Christopher."

Christopher heads down the hallway, intending on trying to find the bathroom, that is until he hears sniffles coming from behind a door.

He knocks on the door,"Annabelle?"

The sniffles stop as she hears his voice. Annabelle looks at her door through a blurry vision. Her heart is beating out of control. She knows that voice from anywhere.

"Annabelle, are you alright?"

She doesn't know what to do, no one ever shows concern for her. Should she answer the door? Should she just ignore him?

"Annabelle, can I come in?"

With shaky legs, Annabelle walks towards her door and puts her hand on the doorknob.

Christopher is staring at the front of her door until he hears a click. Annabelle is standing there with a red nose and puffy eyes.

He doesn't say anything, he just walks right up to her and hugs her.

Annabelle would usually tense at contact with another human but she didn't this time. She doesn't really know why.

"I'm here for you Annabelle."

This brings an odd feeling to Annabelle. Something she can't describe. Maybe a feeling of importance.

Annabelle looks straight up at him, her arms still around his waist. Lifting her self onto her toes, she gives him a kiss on the cheek.

She realizes what she just did and furiously blushes while stepping out of Christopher's hold.

While Annabelle is turned around, Christopher lifts his hand to his cheek, where lips were just moments ago. Tingles shot all through the area.

Annabelle turns around, causing Christopher to abruptly put his hand down.

She looks at him with curious eyes.

"Why do you care so much about me?"

He couldn't believe it, not only did she kiss him, but just spoke more than two words to him.

Christopher spoke the first thing that came to his mind.

"Because we are friends, and friends are supposed to care for one another.