Changing Tides 《COMPLETE》

Chapter 29

Chapter 29

The waitress looks between Annie and me while waiting to take our order. She's sizing up the situation, debating the mood of this meeting and the relationship between the two of us. Annie's eyes are red-rimmed and puffy from crying in the car no doubt. The scowl still pressed against my brow isn't helping.

"I'll just have a mocha please," Annie sniffs. "Nothing else."

The waitress nods and turns to me. I don't have to look at the menu. We're at the same breakfast place I was at with Roland just weeks ago. We're sitting in a booth in the far corner this time, though, and I'm glad for the change of seating. If I was near the table I was at last time, I'd have a hard time focusing on Annie's words without thoughts of Roland or Bennett distracting my mind.

"I'll take a black coffee."

"Any cream or sugar?" the waitress asks sweetly.

"No."

She nods and gives me another small smile before spinning on her heels and walking away. Annie watches her leave and grunts under her breath.

"I forgot how much the ladies love you."

I sit back in the booth and cross my arms over my chest. This isn't the time for idle chit-chat. I narrow my eyes on my ex. Annie unrolls her napkin, pushing the utensils further onto the table and draping the cloth napkin over her slender legs.

She swallows hard and tucks her hair behind her ear. "Thank you, Trey. For sitting and talking with me."

"I'm not doing it for you."

Her eyes flit over to me and she nods in understanding. The waitress strolls by our table and deposits our drinks. This time she walks away without another word. Annie pulls her mocha closer to her, picking up her spoon to swirl the frothy liquid around and around.

Her eyebrows pinch together and she chews on her bottom lip. She's nervous. I sigh and run my hands through my hair, pulling at the ends slightly in frustration.

"Annie, just spit it out."

She pulls her spoon away from the small cup and sets it to the side. Her eyes close briefly and she takes a deep breath.

"I need to tell you, for the record, that I loved you. From what Jessica said and with all that's happened with Roland, I'm sure that your view of me is very...tainted. But know that I did."

I nod once. Stiffly.

"When I was in high school, I was never the popular girl," Annie explains. "I was the smart, goodie-two-shoes girl who didn't have a lot of friends, always got good grades, and was never really noticed by the guys. But honestly, I never really paid attention to guys...until Roland transferred to our school."

My stomach tenses and my hands clench beneath the table, the skin tightening over white knuckles. Annie takes a sip of her mocha and blushes, oblivious to my reaction. I keep my face as impassive and expressionless as possible.

"I mean, Trey, you were popular. You were the popular guy – the ones the girls all wanted to be with and the guys wanted to be like. And immediately Roland was welcomed into your ranks. But...he wasn't like the rest of you. He was different."

I pick up the affectionate lilt in her voice as she reminisces. It's nauseating.

"We got paired up in English class," she continues, keeping her eyes anywhere but on me. "And he was the first guy I let myself be attracted to. He was wonderful. Smart, funny, intelligent, and he was nice to me even though I wasn't in your crowd."