Found Along The Way

Chapter nine

The past 5 months had been full of artistic inspiration for Anya, she'd created so many new pieces to be proud of.

But before any of this, back before there was even a baby for Lina and Joey to think about, Anya had saved a particular art piece for almost 2 years, one she and Amanda knew was going to be special ever since it was first only hypothetical. She'd been saving it for a big occasion, and that occasion happened to be now. She'd been given a huge opportunity, her art was going to be featured in the town's gallery again, and an agent from an incredibly elite art school was going to choose one of the three featured artists for their school.

"Anya I have big news." Amanda approached her with a giant grin.

"What is it?" She was eager to know what had her art teacher so jolly on a Monday morning.

"The towns museum wants to feature your art again."

Anya's face lit up at the news.

"Oh my god!"

"That's not all... There's a head agent from Castleford Arts who wants to choose one of the three artists featured, to attend their school! And they'll pay half the tuition!"

If Anya's face wasn't lit up before, it was close to the sun right now. As Anya knew from 2 years ago being featured in the museum also meant giving a speech, something she'd done once before.

Daniel had been there, and calmed her nerves incredibly. But as it happened, Tricia (the mythic blonde bitch Daniel left her for) was also an artist. She was rich, funded and had everything at her feet. And of course, she was one of the three artists featured in the museum.

Tricia used to attend art group, before her parents offered Amanda money to grade her artwork higher. Of course Amanda wasn't having any of that, and Tricia had to leave.

Which just gave her opportunity to cheat somewhere else, probably why she was being featured in the museum Anya thought.

And Anya knew what that meant, Daniel was going to be there, but with Tricia.

The thought made her heart drop into her stomach. She'd always suspected something was going on between he and Tricia, ever since they'd joined the same band where she lazily played the violin.

"You'll never guess who got kicked from our art group today Dan."

"Who?"

"That Tricia in your band, her parents had the audacity to try bribing Amanda to grade her work higher. I always knew she was a cheat, there's something just not right about that girl."

"Um, Anya you don't know if that's true, maybe it was different than you think."

"Well Amanda told me herself-"

"It's stupid how easily you believe all the rumours you're told." He interrupted defensively, dismissing her information.

"Why are you defending this girl?" Anya asked, hurt.

"Why are you criticising her?"

He'd shut her down whenever it came to talking about Tricia, which gave Anya a subtle fear she'd rarely ask about.

"Lina! Guess what!?" Anya yelled running through the front door, to see her best friend sat typing away on the couch.

"Oh my god, what?" She closed her laptop and engaged her eyes with Anya's.

"I'm being featured in the museum again!"

"Anya!" Lina gasped.

"There's more girl, a head agent from Castleford arts is coming to the ceremony and choosing one of the three featured artists for their school! Half the tuition paid!!"

"Anya that's incredible! I'm so happy for you oh my god!"

But Lina could see there was a hint of something bad in her eyes.

"What's the catch?"

She looked at Anya in anticipation, while she sat down on the carpet, her expression twisting into a frown.

"Tricia will be there, probably with Daniel. She's being featured too."

"Oh Anya honey, I'm so sorry. That's so unfair."

A tear fell down her cheek and Lina wiped it away.

"I want to go to the art reveal and give my speech so badly, and it would be a dream to get into that school, but I can't bear to see them together."

It had been a complete gut punch. Finding out Daniel was with another girl. Anya had given 2 years of her life to loving and being with him, only for him to break her heart behind her back and then go public with this girl once he and Anya were over. She and Tricia had been civil, maybe even friends for a very short time before Anya started dating Dan, and before Tricia turned sour. And it just wasn't fair. That bitch, who would never treat Daniel with the love and respect Anya did, got him. When Anya wanted nothing more than to be with him, she wasn't, and had to just sit there while Tricia and Daniel had what she couldn't. And looking back on things, maybe it was for the best, two cheaters together and Anya didn't need to put up with his crap anymore. But still it hurt, and there was no pain she could compare it to. All she wanted was given to someone else, who didn't deserve it in the least.

"Woah what's going on?" Joey said, walking in on Anya being comforted.

"Oh hey Joe, nothing much." She said wiping her tears away and standing up. Anya didn't openly cry in front of anyone aside from Lina or Amanda anymore, and even though Joey had been living with them for the past 5 months, she still didn't feel comfortable being open in front of him.

"I'm gonna go take a shower." She went upstairs, leaving Lina and Joey in the living room.

"So what's going on with Ann?"
"She's being featured in the museum again, but so is Tricia. Daniel is likely gonna be there with Tricia and she's just having a conflicted time with what she's gonna do."

"Oh wow, that really sucks."

"I know..."

He paused, hesitating, there was something he needed to see, but he had to say it tentatively.

"Lina I know she's going through a lot but we do need to talk to her about our living situations. I mean come on, it's cramped enough as it is with three of us, but when the baby gets here, I just don't think she'll still want to live with us."

"I know, you're right. I just don't think I could put that sort of pressure on her now."

"Sweetheart we have three months left until the baby arrives, and I know some really good places that she could move into temporarily in like two months or less. And if she gets into the school then she can live in student accommodations! And then she can get a permanent place after a while, there's so much we can do, we just have to talk to her. And I'm not having you deal with the stress of moving anytime soon. It's not good for you or the little one." Joey, being a doctor, was always protective of Lina, but since she got pregnant he was even more so. But Lina found herself enjoying being taken care of by him so it was completely fine by her.

"Tomorrow. We'll sit her down and discuss it. But just leave her for now, while she comes to terms with the whole Tricia and Daniel thing."

"Yeah I know, she's had enough for today."