The Change

Chapter Twenty-Nine

"Anastasia? Ana, you okay?"
I gasped, trying to catch my breath. "N-no!"
"Unlock the door, Ana. Harm, tell her to unlock it."
"C'mon, Ana."
"I c-c-can't. I don't wanna g-g-get u-up!" I sobbed into my pillow.
"Ana, come on. It's my room, too."
Good point. I did want a shoulder to cry on, but if Corey was here.... Good job, brain. Knowing just how to make me feel better. I started to cry harder, but opened the door.
"I usually don't do this, but...." Harmony hugged me. I hugged her back, crying.
"Sit down, man."
I sat down, sobbing and gasping. "H-he... he's...."
"Don't try to talk right now, man. It's okay."
After balling my eyes out for about five minutes, I finally settled down enough to tell Harmony what was happening. "He... left. He left, Harmony."
"What an asshole!"
I chuckled. "He... he must've been scared...." I couldn't believe I was defending him.
"Ana, he's my best friend, and even I know that he's an asshole right now."
"R-really?"
"Yeah! You two are the best things to happen to us, and he just.... Oh shit." Feldman's eyes got wide.
"What's wrong?" Harmony asked.
"Shit! He's making a big mistake. Guys, I gotta go. I promise, I'll be back."
I stood up. "What's wrong?"
"I'm stopping my best friend from making a stupid choice. Not this time, Haimster!" Corey ran out the door.
I laughed, making Harmony laugh. "What was that all about?"
"I don't know, man. Haha! But it reminds me of fifth grade...."
Harmony remembered things all the way from preschool. Since I don't remember a lot of things from my childhood, Harmony likes to tell me everything she remembers.
"When we were playing king of the hill and Tucker was at the top of the hill, and you were angry, 'cause he was always thing king, and you climbed up the hill and were like, 'not this time, Tucker!' And you and him wrestled, haha! Then you threw him down!"
I laughed. "Yeah! I remember that! Hahaha!"
Harmony was laughing. "He was like a boulder, haha! And he just...." She did a rolling motion with her hand. We keep laughing and laughing, Harmony telling me every little thing she remembered about school.
"And in kindergarten, there was this pop up book that everyone wanted, and I remember I had it, and you saw me, and you pointed to me and shouted, 'she has the book! Get her!' And everyone ran over to me... hahahaha! And... you all piled on top of me!"
"Hahahaha! We were animals!"
"Haha! In kindergarten, I'm gonna be honest, I was the smart, civilized one! Then when we got to like, fifth grade, we switched! Haha! No you're the smart one!"
I chuckled. "Oh? Haha. You're smart!"
"Haha!" Just then, there was a knock on my door.
"Honey, I'm home!" Feldman shouted.
"Come in!" I said cheerfully. Harmony had cheered me up.
"I brought someone who was being stupid...." He pulled Corey into room by his ear.
"Ow ow ow ow ow!" Corey slapped his hand away and scrunched up his nose. "Gee, thanks ma! God!"
I crossed my arms. He was the last person I wanted to see right now. I didn't know whether to yell at him or sob my eyes out again. The room was silent until Feldman said something. "Hey Harmony...." He smiled. "Where's the beef?"
She rolled her eyes. "Oh my God! Stop saying that! Come on!" She grabbed his hand and shut the door. It was just me and the manipulative, hot, lair.
"Anastasia-"
Tears. I was not going to let him see me cry. That's a sign of weakness, and I wasn't going to be vulnerable around him anymore. "You lair. You've screwed me over again. I thought you were legitimate. I loved you, Corey. I thought you loved me, too. Ugh, I'm such an idiot! I knew I was naive, but I thought high school taught me some stuff. Apparently not. I let you..." I got up and put a finger in his face. "Screw me over... too much. You got what you wanted and you left. I'm just another notch on your fucking belt, aren't I? This was your goal all along, it always is. With every girl. We aren't shit to you, are we? Well, I hope you got what you wanted, Haim. Congrats. My self esteem and trust officially is broken. I no longer trust anyone, except for Harmony. You broke me, Haim. This first boy I share myself with, fucking runs away after I have sex with him. Because that's who he is. He's an actor, in the series of life. Playing the charming bad boy. The player. The one who gets what he wants then runs away. The world is his stage, and I'm just the guest star, right? I'm the girl who's there for one episode, the girl that gives the series that extra kick it needs to keep going. Well, Corey Ian Haim, let me me ask you something. You like this little scene? Because it ends like this: I'm drawing the curtains on this relationship."
"Anastasia, listen. I didn't mean to-"
"Manipulate me? Run out on me? Make me hooked on you? Make me think, for a second, that boys actually care about me. That I'm actually pretty. Thanks, Haim. I'm glad my emotions were such a fun game for you. It was stupid of me to think you cared about me. But what do ya know? I'm just the stupid girl who's never had a boyfriend. The one who acts confident, but really isn't. Like you would care, anyway."
"Ana, just listen."
"No. I'm done listening to your lies. Get out."
"Anastasia, I'm not lying."
"Get. Out."
He grabbed my arm. "I don't wanna lose you again."
I yanked my arm away. "Get. Out!" I started crying. "Just go. I can't deal with you right now, Haim." I balled my fists.
He sighed combing and hand through his hair. He put his hands on his hips then licked his lips. "Fine. I'll go." He bumped into Harmony and Feldman on his way out.