Chapter 26 [Ana]

“Hey Ana, you up?” Celia asks me, as I wake up.

“Yup.” I say.

“What time did you get home last night?” She asks me.

I’m walked home from Reeves apartment, at about 3:00 in the morning. Man, it was fun. It turns out Reeve is an amazing cook, and wants to be a chef. After we ate, we all sat around, watching fucked up horror movies. It was the most fun I’ve had in a long time. It reminded me of something Kris and I would do. Yeah, I should have known better then to walk home alone, but I mean, at least I had Napoleon to protect me. I just, used my key and snuck back in the house. I explain this all to Celia.

Reeve is so cute! I actually really like him! He’s sweet, funny, smart, and just all around awesome. He reminds me of Kris so much. Oh God, Kris.

I feel so f*****g guilty! I’ve been flirting with some guy I hardly know, and Kris died only 8 months ago. I can just see him, looking down at me, watching over me, disappointed. I bet he would think I was a f*****g w***e. I am a f*****g w***e!

“So… Are you… are you really upset?” Celia asks me.

“About what?” I ask her. She looks confused, and nervous.

“Oh! No! Not at all.” I assume that she’s talking about the whole hooking up thing. It suddenly gets very awkward between us. 

“Really? You know you don’t have to lie to me Ana… It’s totally fine to be upset.”

“No, I’m really fine. It was just a drunken mistake, right?” I tell her. She looks mad, and stands up from my bed.

“Why the f**k would you say that, Ana? That’s horrible!” She yells. What the f**k is she talking about?

“You’re making no sense Celia. I’m sorry if I offended you… or something, but I’m not into girls.” I say. She looks confused. I get up from the bed.

“What are you talking about?” She asks me.

“Um, the whole drunken hook up thing. That’s what you were talking about, right?” I say.

“Oh… Um… No… You don’t know what today is?” She says. I think for a second. What day is it? I have no idea…

“What day is it?” I ask. She looks at me, sadly. Then she walks up to me, and grabs my arm, pulling her to her cat calendar.

“Aw.” I say, looking and the two cats cuddling. It almost looks like they’re buttfucking. But they are adorable! It makes me smile. But then I frown, when I see it. “March 24” is the date I look at, and under it, in scratchy handwrite says “Kris + Ana wedding.”

“Oh…” I say. I can already feel tears streaming down my blushing face. I turn away from Celia, wipe the off my tears, and blink my eyes a couple times. Hopefully Celia can’t see me. I don’t know what to say. I try to lighten the mood.

“Well… Good thing Kris’s dead right? Because I am SO not ready to get married today. I’m looking pretty disgusting right now.” I say, laughing. What the f**k is wrong with me.

“I am so sorry! I have no clue why I said that!” I say, exploding in tears. Celia hugs me.

“I can’t believe I forgot about it.” I say into her shoulder.

“It’s totally understandable Ana. Maybe you should just get your mind off it.” I pull away from her hug.

“How?” I say. Now I’m embarrassed for crying in front of her. I feel pathetic…

“Um… Well I was thinking about it, er, earlier today, and maybe… maybe you should try to get a job.” Celia tells me. A job. Of course! I’m even a mooch, too! I need to get a job right away… So at least I can contribute to our “Household.”

“You’re right…” I say, sniffing. “I’ll look for one today.”

 

 

 

“So, Anna. Do you have any prior experience?”

“Well, I have a disabled cousin. My family used to take care of him sometimes.” I tell my interviewer. Right now I’m getting interviewed for a job at a group home. I’ve always wanted to work in one. This is a great way to get my mind of Kris. “And, uh, my name’s Ana, not Anna.”

“Oh. Ana,” He says, and smiles at me, creepily, as he scratches his receding hairline. It makes a disgusting noise. “I like you. You look friendly. But thing is, sweetheart, nice girls like you don’t get the job done.”

“Um, sir?”

“You see Ana, it’s the old b*****s who ever get any work done here. The young ones like you are too sensitive; they let the retards push them around.” I can see his nose hairs.

“Are you allowed to call them ‘retards,’ sir?” I ask “Mr. Cameron.” That’s what his nametag says. He wheezes.

“I can call them whatever I want. Now, I’m quite sorry, Alison.”

“It’s Ana.”

“That’s what I said. I’m sorry, I wish you look on your job search.”

“Look.” I say, not sure what I was planning to tell him next. I try to convince him. “I’ve had a really hard past couple of months.”

He laughs. “I’m sure you have.”

“I can prove to you�"”

“Okay darling. Time to go.”

“If you just give me a chance I swear-”

“Ana. Stop it.”

“Look, a*****e.” I say, grabbing his collar. I have no idea where this feistiness is coming from! “My fiancé died like 8 months ago, and today was when we were supposed to get married. I was reminded by his ex girlfriend, who happens to be a drug addict. I’m now living in her house with her. I’ve been in a f*****g abusive relationship, and attacked more than a dozen f*****g times. Yeah, I’m nice. But I’m not a little girl, and I can be tough. I need this job, and you’re going to give it to me.”

Mr. Cameron looks amused. “Hm. Alright, you start tomorrow.”

“… Really?” I ask him.

“Get out before I change my mind.”

“Good.” I say, attempting to keep my tough look spread across my face. I release him from my grip, and turn away from him, walking out of the office. I smile to myself. I’m kind of proud!

 

         I call Reeve right away.

         “Reeve speaking.” He answers.

         “Hey! It’s Ana!” I say, sound way too nervous.

         “Ana! I’m so glad you’re calling.” He says, laughing sweetly.

         I smile, as if he can see me through the phone. “Yeah! I just wanted to tell you I got a job!” I tell him, excited.

         “That’s f*****g awesome!” He says. “Where is it?”

         “DriveFrank Group home.” I tell him.

         “That’s totally sweet.” He tells me. It’s so cute that he says “Totally Sweet.”

         “Yeah! Well I should let you go.” I tell him.

         “Okay. Well, call me sometime soon, Ana.” He says. I just love the way he says my name! It’s so, like, innocent.