Memories in Jars

Chapter 18

Author's Note: Aaaand we're back! Hope you're excited! I love this chapter (that seems to be a common trend...)

Dedicated to my newest follower, sometimesloveisfate.  Thanks!

Motivation for this week goes to: Snowstorms, Studying Abroad, Florence, polar bears, flamenco, herbed olive oil, ginger molasses cookies, food, salad, Anne of Green Gables, Downton Abbey, mint toothpaste, cheddar cheese, rosay moscato wine, craisins, olive oil crackers, the Shaytards, shoulder massages, stargazing, moon craters, love, journals, and hygge.

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<3 Kay (dreamer44)

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----- Annabelle -----

            Despite Leigh’s speech from the other night, I was still nervous to talk to Maggie.  I had asked Natalie to drive me—she lived a half hour away in Rhode Island, and was returning home after staying at our house for three nights.

            “Good luck, kiddo,” she said as I opened the door of the passenger seat.  I had filled her in on the rest of the situation during the drive, and she had sympathized, agreeing that it was a rather sticky position to be in.

            “Thanks, Natalie,” I said.  I closed the door and walked up the driveway, squaring my shoulders to face my fears.

            Tim answered the door when I rang the bell. “Hey,” he whispered, “Maggie’s in her room.”  He reached up and rubbed his thumb along my wrist.  “Good luck.”

            “Thanks.”  I kissed his cheek as I walked past him, and then ran upstairs to Maggie’s room.

            “Come in!” Maggie called when I knocked.

            “Hey, Mags,” I said, pushing the door open.

            “Hey, Belle!” She jumped up to hug me.  “I can’t believe I lost you at the party.  One minute I was watching you talk to Will, and then Grace said hello to me, and I turned away for a second and you were gone.”

            In all that had happened last night I had completely forgotten about Will.  Whoops.  I supposed I would have to deal with that when the school year started back up again.

            But I was itching to get back to the situation at hand.  “Hey, Mags, do you want to go for a walk and talk about everything? It just feels stuffy in here.”

            She looked at me oddly, but consented.  “Sure.  I’ve been having exercise withdrawal since I got back from camp, anyways.  A walk would be nice.”

            We headed outside and started to walk around her cul-de-sac.  My heart thudded in my chest.  Better get it out, I told myself.  “Maggie, I need to tell you something,” I told her.

            “Okay.”

            “You might not like it.  Actually, scratch that, you’re going to be mad at me,” I babbled, talking with my hands as I often did when I was extremely nervous.

            “Okay.”  Maggie eyed me.  “Spit it out, Belle.”

            “So, I know that you’ve always said that you would hate it if something happened between,” I took a deep breath, “between me and Tim.  Well, a little while after you left for camp, Tim and I sort of hooked up.  And then we kept hooking up, but then before you came home we decided—well, I decided—that we should break up, because I couldn’t keep lying to you, but I was too afraid to tell you.”