Mistakes.

The next few weeks, all Anna really did was mope around. She went back to her apartment in Denver, where she went to college at the Metropolitan State College of Denver, more commonly known as Metro State. She lived with her one roomate, Kayla.

 

"You're gonna have to do something eventually."  Kayla said when she saw Anna sitting on their couch, eating ice cream out of the carton. "You can't just watch TV and get fat. Forget about that Zach guy."

 

"He's not just some guy, though. I mean, when we kissed, the sparks were still there like when we were in high school. He was sweet and sincere, and nothing like what he was after graduation."

 

"Well, he's probably having sex with some french girl right now, so forget about him, and come out with me and Jason!" Kayla ordered her. Jason was Kayla's boyfriend.

 

"No. I'm... tired."

 

"Tired? Anna, all you've done for the past two weeks is sleep. You're not tired. And you're not sick, either. So get your a*s in the shower and wear something nice. Okay?"

 

Anna groaned and put the cap back on the ice cream.

 

"That's my girl."

--

 

"It's way too loud in here!" Anna screamed over the music at the club her, Kayla, and Jason were at.

 

"You're such a prude. Go get a drink and have some fun, babe!" Kayla screamed back, smiling.

 

Anna rolled her eyes. "Fine." She made her way over to a bar and was about to order when a guy stepped in front of her.

 

"Buy you a drink?" he asked, and winked at her. He was obviously drunk. The guy was cute, so Anna decided to flirt back.

 

"Sure, stud. Just beer. That's it." she flashed a smile and he smirked. He ordered himself a beer as well.

 

"Dance?" he asked, taking her hand, the one that wasn't holding her drink.

 

They danced to the music, and it wasn't all that innocent. He kept getting behind her, and she put her arm around the back of his neck, holding him closer.

--

 

Anna woke up from the blinding light that filled the room she was in. She looked around, not recognizing where she was. She noticed that she wasn't wearing any clothes.

 

"S**t." she hissed under her breath. The whole night came back to her. After their first dance, Anna got one more drink after another until she was totally wasted. She remembered the first kiss, but the rest of the night was a blur. She must have been in his house, apartment, whatever it was.

 

She got out of bed and realized that she didn't even know the guy's name. She got dressed and padded into the kitchen of what seemed to be a house.

 

"Morning." the guy muttered when he saw her. He was at the table, drinking coffee.

 

"What happened last night?" Anna asked wearily.

 

"I think you know already." he said.

 

"Um, what's your name?"

 

"Jim."

 

"Right, Jim. I'm Anna, by the way. Um, I should probably get going. Look, last night was a mistake. I fucked up. I got drunk and did something that I regret. I'm sorry, but I need to go."

 

"I need you to go, too. I'm married." he held up his left hand to reveal a glistening, gold ring on his ring finger.

 

"Crap... I'm sorry. It was nice meeting you, Jim. But I need to go. Now." she waved goodbye to him and exited his house, thinking of his poor wife. She pulled out her phone from her pocket and dialed Kayla's number.

 

"Kay? Could you come pick me up?"

--

 

"What am I gonna do, Kay?" Anna asked when she got home. The two of them were sitting on the couch, drinking wine and eating crackers.

 

"Nothing. Forget about it, hun. Mistakes happen. But I mean, it's not like you did anything wrong. You and Zach weren't officially a couple, anyway. You had sex one day, then he left the next. What does that even mean?"

 

"I don't know, Kay, but I didn't even know how old this guy was! I don't know his last name. He could have kids. Imagine how I could have messed up this guy's life!" Anna exclaimed.

 

"Calm down, Anna. That's his problem, now. You're probably never going to see this guy again. What was his name? Tim?"

 

"Jim."

 

"Whatever. The point is, is that you need to put this in your past."

 

"That and the rest of my life."

--

 

The night of their high school graduation, there was a huge party at Greg's house. Zach was having way too much to drink. Anna knew it, too. She hated Zach when he drank. He wasn't himself. She sat on the couch, a couple that was making out next to her getting way too in her space. She scooted over to the egde of the couch to get away from them.

 

Anna didn't know where Zach was. She didn't care, either. He was probably doing shots with Kurt. She sighed and checked her cell phone. 12:17. There was still a long night ahead of her. She got up from the couch and moved into the kitchen, where she found Kurt making out with some Junior girl. If Kurt was in here, where was Zach? He must be with Greg.

 

She moved along onto the deck, where she saw Greg doing shots, but not with Zach. Where the hell could he be? 'Oh well,' Anna thought. She went upstairs to the bathroom where she washed her face and looked at herself in the mirror. She sighed and left the bathroom, and she heard groans. S**t.

 

She looked around and traced the noise to a door on her left. She peered inside and tears built in her eyes. Zach was on the bed, making out with Lindsay, a Junior who had a reputation as a complete s**t. Unfortunatley, Zach was fully naked, and Lindsay was only in her underwear. In shock, Anna didn't say a word. She just closed the door and ran down the stairs, tears trailing down her cheeks.

 

Zach was cheating on her, the night of their graduation. Anna ran out the front door and out to her car. She drove home and collapsed on her bed, crying. She lay in bed for a long time until falling into a dreamless sleep.

 

The next morning, she got a text message from Greg.

 

Anna, Zach wants to break up. Sorry.

 

What a b*****d. Not only did he cheat on her, but he broke up with her the next morning via text message. No, scratch that. He had his best friend break up with her for him, via text message.

 

She leaned against her wall and pulled her knees up to her chest. She sobbed into her knees for what seemed like a long time. Then, she called Zach. It rang a few times, then went to voicemail. He probably rejected her call.

 

"You f*****g b*****d. I hate you. I know you cheated on me. I saw you last night. I hope it was well worth it. And you're a coward, too. Too scared to call me yourself and break up with me. You had to have your BEST FRIEND text me." she cried into the phone, her voice shakey with sobs. "And what makes it even worse is that a week before that, I gave you my virginity. I can't believe I ever loved you. I hate you. Please, don't call me. Don't email me. Don't text me. I'm done with you."

 

She flipped her phone shut and threw it against the opposite wall. It left a dent. She cried some more into the palms of her hands. And that's how Zach broke Anna's heart.