Mr. Anonymous

Chapter 17

The next morning, Audrey woke with a smile on her face as she remembered the dream she had of kissing Jack.

Audrey sat up abruptly as her memories returned. It wasn't a dream. Jack had kissed her. She put a hand to her lips as she remembered the events of the night before.

"I didn't tell Jessie, by the way. I figured it was up to you to tell her." Jade said, watching Audrey from the bed.

Audrey just nodded, still thinking through what this could mean. Did Jack have feelings for her? It sure seemed like it from his little speech before he kissed her.

Audrey smiled at the possibility. But then, the other events from last night flooded into her mind and she groaned.

Mr. Anonymous! How had she forgotten? She just asked him to meet her at the Sadie Hawkins dance!

Everything was different now. Now that there was a real possibility she could be with Jack, she couldn't keep stringing Mr. Anonymous along. She decided that once she got home, she would text him and tell him she was still willing to meet him, but that she had feelings for Jack. She had to be honest with him.

Audrey's phone buzzed with a new text.

Hey Audyssey! Is it cool if I pick you up from Jessie's? I thought we could grab some lunch before I head back to school!

Audrey quickly replied with a resounding yes to Austin's text. She was relieved it wasn't Mr. Anonymous; she wasn't sure what she would say to him.

Audrey quickly got up and got dressed, checking the time. It was 11:30 and Austin said he would pick her up at noon.

After they both finished getting ready for the day, Audrey and Jade went down the stairs to find Jessie, but heard raised voices as they reached the corner.

"I have to go to the dance! Our band is playing!" they heard Jack's voice shout angrily.

"You listen here, boy. You are not going to that dance and that is FINAL!" Bill voice boomed so loud, Audrey was sure the whole house heard it. "Don't think I don't know what this is really about. You stay away from that girl, do you hear me?!"

Just then, Bill stomped around the corner, coming upon Jade and Audrey eavesdropping. He stopped and stared at them and the house was eerily quiet.

"You need to leave now." Bill said in a scary voice.

Jack rounded the corner and saw them standing there.

"Sir..." Jack started, but Bill cut him off.

"This is my house and they are no longer welcome." Bill said, a crazy look in his eye. When no one moved after a moment, he shouted, "GET OUT!"

Audrey hesitated, looking at Jack. She was suddenly scared of what might happen if she left Jack here with him. She looked to him for guidance and he looked at her intensely, nodding at her that it was okay to leave.

She trusted Jack's judgement and pulled Jade out the front door. Luckily for both of them, Austin pulled up in front of the house at that exact moment. They piled in the car silently.

"Hey guys! You need a ride home, Jade?" Austin asked with a smile, unaware of the serious mood the two were now in.

Jade just nodded somberly and Austin picked up on the atmosphere of the car, driving away silently. Once they had dropped off Jade, Austin turned to Audrey.

"What wrong?" he asked as he pulled out onto the road, heading towards their favorite diner.

"Jack and Jessie's step-dad, Bill... he yelled at us to get out of the house right before you showed up." Audrey said in a quiet voice.

"What?! Why?" Austin asked, trying to keep his eyes on the road, but checking to see if Audrey was okay.

"I'm not sure... I think Jack wanted to go to the Sadie Hawkins dance and Bill wouldn't let him?" she said it like a question, unsure of what she heard, now.

"What does that have to do with either of you?" Austin asked, confused.

Audrey had a sickening feeling form in the pit of her stomach.

"Oh no."

"What? What's wrong?" Austin asked as he parked the car.

"It's possible he found out that Jack and I kissed last night." Audrey admitted quietly.

"What?!" Austin exclaimed, thoroughly confused.

"Let's go in and order and I'll explain everything." Audrey conceded, opening her car door.

Once they were inside and the waitress had taken their orders, Audrey explained everything that had happened the night before. Austin thought that Jack's condom joke was pretty funny and Audrey had to wait for him to stop laughing before she could continue. But once she explained the rest of it, including what Bill said about how Jack should, "stay away from that girl," Austin nodded solemnly.

As they picked at their food, Austin spoke up.

"So you know you need to cut things off with this anonymous guy, right?"

Audrey sighed. "Yeah I know. I was thinking I would text him later and explain everything."

"Why don't you do it now? I'll be here for moral support." Austin said with a slight smile.

Audrey nodded. He was right - better to rip the bandaid off, so to speak.

Hey Mr. A... I know I asked you to the dance last night, and I'd still like to meet you there, but I have to be honest... I have feelings for someone else. Someone in real life... I didn't want you to show up and feel that I led you on. I understand if you don't want to meet me, now, but I wanted to be truthful with you. I'm sorry.

Audrey let Austin look over the text before she nervously hit send.

Not even a minute later, her phone buzzed. Audrey assumed it was going to be a text from Mr. Anonymous, but then her phone kept buzzing and she realized it was a phone call.

She picked it up quickly, not looking at the caller I.D.

"Hello?" Audrey answered.

"Oh my gosh, Audrey!" Jade replied through tears. Audrey knew then that something was wrong. Jade rarely called her by her full name.

"Jade?! What's wrong?" Audrey said, panicking.

"It's... it's... Jack!" Jade said hiccuping as she sobbed now.

Audrey's heart started beating erratically.

"What's wrong? What about Jack?"

"He's in the hospital!"