Fragments of Hearts: A Healing Romance

Chapter Eight

"Would you mind driving me home?" I hear Anne talking as she plays with her hands. She doesn't look at me, as if embarrassed to ask such a thing considering the awful weather and the fact that she's been sneezing for the past thirty minutes.

She tends to get extremely self conscious when she talks with me, which is something I seem to not understand. I haven't given her any reason, quite literally, as to why she would think she can't just talk.

"Sure, you just need to tell me the way there." I get up after a few minutes as she nods, finishing her tea and following me back to the car. Fortunately the rain got better, making it easier for me to drive.

Apparently her house is almost an hour from here, which I didn't anticipate when choosing this place, but I'll keep it in mind.
The time spent in the coffee shop was pleasant, despite how much planning I had to do with the girl next to me in the car. She's most definitely confused about everything, which makes us start from the very basics.

I see this as a good opportunity for me to get to know her better. I can find out about Chris and her relationship with him. I genuinely need to know what's up. Chris has been talking about her, thinking I'm too dumb to know that he's referring indirectly to her without me noticing, but this whole thing is extremely sketchy.

I know he's planning something, but I can't seem to get more information about it, because he's extremely careful regarding what he says, despite making some rookie mistakes here and there.

Sometimes I notice myself taking quick glances on Anne, just wanting to make sure she's alright. Her blond hair seems to be dry by now and her clothes too as she stopped shivering so extremely. I'm not sure why she decided to just wait in the pouring rain, but she'll definitely get a cold.

It was my fault too. I saw her ever since she waited at the gates, but I didn't stop the conversation I had when I noticed the rain. I also didn't think it would get so bad in such a short time.

"Why did you decide to help me?" The question echoes through the silence between us, though the silence in the car has been occupied by the pouring rain, which fights against my windows.

I let the question stay in the air for a while, while still slightly surprised by the fact that she said something impulsively. She had this question in her head ever since I suggested to tutor her, and I was able to read her surprise and shock ever since. She's confused as much as I am.

I didn't intend to use this as an opportunity to find more about her and Chris; she doesn't seem like someone I can force answers out of. Sure, I do see it as a chance to find more information about it, because it has been intriguing me ever since two weeks ago, but I also did to just help her.

"Because you've been one of the few people that's not trying to jump on me and harass me at school." I look at her, seeing as she's staring at me. "I appreciate that."

"Oh yeah," she awkwardly laughs. "The girls have been pretty annoying lately." That's very true. People are trying to be extra and get some kind of interaction with them, which is getting exhausting.

"You know, I wouldn't judge you if you'd want to stop sitting next to me. It must be bothering you too." I've seen how cautious she's been acting around me. While she's been a nice company to sit next to in comparison to others from my classes, I feel like she's been forcing herself to just stay out of fear and I'm not gonna force anyone to stay if they don't want to.

"It's actually fine to some extent." I sense her shrugging, starting to play with her hands as my jacket on her starts moving, getting noisy. "I was sitting alone before you came to school, and I doubt others would want to sit next to me by choice."

The tension gets overwhelming as she talks. I can feel her tensing as she talks. Her breathing became irregular, just like she did on the first day of school.
I don't think she knows I notice those things, but I learnt to be hyper aware of people's physical actions.

Seb forced me to in order to not make the same mistake I did by him. He forced me by leaving.

"Why?" I let the question sink in; I know I'm testing my boundaries by now with how much I can ask, but I doubt I'll find another chance to ask soon enough.

Silence settles between us for a good few minutes which feel like an eternity. She's thinking hard about what to say.

"I think Chris has already told you about it, not sure why you're asking." she sharply answers. I won't take it personally, she's obviously defensive.

"No, he didn't." I look at her while the traffic lights are red. "He hasn't mentioned you since the first day. If you don't want to tell me, it's alright."

She silently nods, looking embarrassed for her act.

"Although," I continued, as she said nothing. "I asked you. Even if he did tell me, I asked for your perspective, not his." I turn back looking towards the road as the lights change.

The rain subsides, revealing the city's streetlights glistening on the wet pavement as I navigate through the now-clearing streets.

"I think I exaggerated, sorry." she takes a deep breath in before continuing. "Stuff happened last year and some chose to not talk to me. But I've been mostly alone in my classes which my friend and I don't share and that's because I think I never stood out enough for people to notice; not that it bothers me." she adds, becoming calmer again.

I can feel myself becoming more curious about last year's events. I sense how dark and deep this topic is in this school and it seems like it might be a bigger thing than I can imagine.

Chris has refused to tell me about last year, another reason why he's been avoiding talking about Anne in front of me. I know there's something not adding up, like someone's missing from the equation, but I have no clue who that can be.

I appreciate the fact that she tried letting me in on the level where I can understand what's up with this school. People have been avoiding everything regarding the past, they have been keeping me outside, despite how much I notice everything being off.

It annoys me when people, that being Chris, think I'm too weak   to handle stuff on my own. I am not a kid anymore.

"Well, I'm sorry to tell you, but you kind of have no choice but to sit next to someone as of now since I came." I laugh the topic off while looking at her, trying to make her feel lighter. She nods, her mood radiation in a happier manner.

I'm glad to end today on a good note with Anne. As we arrive at a small, cozy looking house, I stop letting her get off before driving back to my place. Funnily enough, she texted me not soon after, letting me know she forgot to give me my jacket back. I did tell her to just keep it until our next class and she can give it back.

Oddly enough, today has been one of the very few days, where I felt this good. I feel like I'm making progress with whatever's been happening since I arrived in this city, making me feel less of an outcast like I don't belong here anymore.