Free Young Annabelle Series: Young Annabelle, the Truth About James, What My Heart Wants by Sarah Tork Page B

forehead and stared at my reflection. My pupils looked dilated – honestly, I looked like I’d just gone through the biggest shock of my life.
    You know why you feel like this , I explained to myself, ’cause he brought up having sex with him.
    I clung to the counter for support, trying to control my breathing. The thought of doing anything like that with James was sending me into sweaty tremors.
    The sound of excitement and shouting come from beyond the inner door.
    Jenna! I suddenly remembered why I was here. I threw off the lust-filled tremors and glanced at the mirror one last time. My cheeks had regained some of their original color.
    I pushed open the door to look for Jenna and congratulate her.
     
    *~*~*
     
    It was late afternoon by the time Jenna and her parents left the school for a celebratory dinner. They’d invited me to come but I graciously declined, telling them I had to eat at home tonight. I didn’t mention that Mom would blow a gasket if I had dinner at a restaurant for the second time this month. As far as she was concerned, the ‘pass day’ was a one-time indulgence. And she had made it irritatingly clear how much she regretted it every day for the past three weeks, always complaining that she didn’t understand how she’d let it happen.
    Let it happen? That’s a laugh! Oh, it would have happened, I thought, recalling how the only thing that had kept me from cracking into a hysterical fit of angry tears was the pasta from Luigi’s.
    Don’t think about pasta.
    My stomach grumbled at the delicious reminder of rich tomato sauce over beautifully cooked pasta.
    Damn it!
    I was walking back home after declining Jenna’s dinner invitation. I regretted saying no, especially when I realized what I’d be getting for dinner tonight: salad again, and steamed fish with lemon, ugh!
    I turned to the patch of grass next to the sidewalk and kicked it. I was beyond frustrated and the only thing here to kick the shit out of was someone’s front lawn.
    Damn it, my entire summer had been horrible!
    From working under Shelby and meeting James only to realize he was a cocky asshole, to Jenna quitting work to train and spend all her time with the swim team. And the nasty cherry on top was this freaking diet I was being forced to do.
    During my SUMMER!
    When was I going to have any fun?
    Wasn’t summer supposed to be fun?
    I glanced around the neighborhood. I’d been walking on autopilot. I was only a few blocks away from the best plaza, featuring all kinds of entertainment and shopping.
    The movie theatre!
    I hadn’t been to the movies once this summer. It wasn’t that I didn’t want to go, it was Mom’s paranoia about me possibly eating popcorn and drinking a regular Coke that drove her to plead for me not to go. I didn’t have energy to fight anymore, nor the will, so I gave in to her ridiculous request about skipping the movies for a while.
    Well not now!
    I decided then and there that I was going to watch a freaking movie.
    With popcorn.
    And a regular Coke.
    I was determined, for the first time this was summer , I was going to enjoy it.
    I texted Mom, telling her that the meet was running long and that I’d be home in a couple of hours.
    Not surprisingly, she responded with:
     
    Mom: Don’t eat anything. Dinner will be waiting!
     
    Jesus, it’s always about the food with her.
    Wa s it ever going to be about, like, if I was safe or not?
    As soon as I hit Main Street, I was visually attacked by the traffic – it was insane! I entered the expansive parking lot , the only empty spots were the ones furthest away from the stores. There were cars everywhere, trying to get a closer parking spot. It was looking more like some new sporting event than a parking lot. I was glad to be on the safe sidewalk. But soon crowds of people replaced the aggressive cars.
    I paused for a moment to look around and the crowd bumped its way by, almost taking me along unwillingly.
    I wandered passed a few clothing stores