Page 15 of You Were Invited
Another hour had elapsed before he'd attempted to get her attention again. His next messages made it clear he’d completely lost his chill.
Why the fk havent you been home?? where are u Annie? Call me!!! (sent at 12:15 pm)
I called Molly to make sure you weren’t fking dead youre out of town??!! You couldn't bother to tell me? Where are you?? Call me!!! I’m worried (sent at 12:39 pm)
Took you long enough, she thought, rolling her eyes. She rubbed her forehead. Guilt tightened her chest and, wiping away angry tears, she sat down heavily on the old 90s patterned couch in the family room. The springs twanged.
I really should have told him I was leaving…
Chris did have a special place in her heart… somewhere… They’d met at a college party that Molly had forced her to go to.“You need to get out of your comfort zone,” Molly insisted.
Chris had accidentally spilled red punch all over Annie’s dress, and he'd wanted to make it up to her by taking her out on a date. Not one to get many offers, and thinkin’ he was handsome, she’d happily accepted.
Although his jokes were usually obscure, leaning towards dad-joke humor, she could say she’d never heard him tell the same one more than twice. Finding time together had been difficult, even early on, but she’d always looked forward to his sweet little voicemails, and dinner dates when they’d sat side-by-side– with him eating his favorites, and her adventurously making herway through the menu, never eating the same thing twice. In the spirit of getting to see each other more, they’d moved in together after graduation.
Annie wiped her eyes. Her heart ached for the times when they’d stayed in together, one-on-one. He’d always said that he genuinely wanted to spend time together, wherever he went, rather than disappearing solo with his friends. At least at first. She’d been the one to opt out and be alone.
What have I done? This seemed like such a relief. Did I do the wrong thing?Her thoughts whirled.Oh, God, am I a horrible person...? It was easier to leave when he hadn’t cared she was gone.I need someone to talk to.
Even though Annie was trembling, it was a relief when Molly answered her phone.
“Hey! How’d the drive go?”
Good to hear her voice...Annie sighed. “Good. I already grabbed some extra firewood on the way up for you. Some guy in town was selling it.” The first thing she’d noticed when she’d pulled up had been the very low stack of logs running along the length of the bright red cabin. As Molly thanked her, Annie gathered her breath. “Did... Chris call you?” She pinched between her eyes.
“Yes... He wasn’t very happy.”
Annie felt dizzy. She touched the bumpy fabric of the couch under her, trying to ground herself. “Okay...”
“He was about to call the sheriff. You mad at me?”
“No...” Tears welled up in her eyes again. Perhaps Chris did care. “Molly, I think I screwed up.”
“Let him throw a fit! He’s crying now, but where was this display when you left his stupid party? Too littletoo late.”
She bit her lip. “I feel bad I didn’t wait until morning to tell him I was upset. He probably thought I was just coming to visit you to get some work done. Molly, I–”
“He’s a shit-ass wannabe frat boy. I’m so proud of you for leaving.”
“But my stuff’s still there...”
“When you come home, we’ll go get it. Do you not feel safe with it all there with him or something?”
“It should be okay... I’m more worried about him.” She told Molly about the messages. “I don’t wanna talk to him right now, but I know he’s going crazy.”
“It sounds like you’re pretty upset, too. Sleep on it. Think about what you want to say.”
Leaving things unsettled until morning didn’t sit well, but Annie knew she’d crumble if she talked to Chris now. “I can do that.”
“If you must, send him a text that you’ll be sure to talk soon.”
She nodded. “Thanks... and thanks for not telling him where I am... And you didn’t, right?” They’d taken a couples’ trip to the cabin the previous summer.
“Oh, God, no!”
Annie closed her eyes with relief.
They said their goodbyes. Brow furrowed, Annie drafted a brief text to Chris. Her feelings were a mess. She rewrote it several times before she sent:
