Jump to new as of November 7, 1999
Posted on Saturday, 23 October 1999
It came over night, without warning, and with out any provocation. Anne Eliot sat reading the letter, her face a mask of shock, her hands shaking. It is over.... Folding the letter, she stood to her feet, and walked quickly out of the silent confines of the library. Her face set in a grim line, Anne strode purposely to her school's cafeteria. Weaving her way through the tables, she finally reached the one that her friends sat at.
"He broke up with me!" Anne proclaimed, slamming the letter in front of her Julia Russell.
Julia's face clouded and she declared, "What!"
"Not only did he break up with me, he said I was self-absorbed and that's why I think that he is. He also thinks I am insecure to think that very girl in the school could throw herself at him. I have no idea how you can be both at the same time."
Julia said nothing, her mouth would not form the words.
Posted on Saturday, 23 October 1999
"I cannot believe he would do this to you." Julia said as soon as her shock wore off.
"He said we were only jealous because he had friends outside of us."
"WE? Why is he dragging me into this?" Julia asked incredulously.
"Because I told him your theory about popularity spoiling his good nature."
"I don't care! He has no right.... I'll show him who is jealous..." Julia stormed, slamming her fist on the table. She then opened the letter that had been placed in front of her. "I can't believe Frederick would do this to you. I'm so angry....after all this time."
Anne was so angry, uncharacteristic for her usual calm demeanor, that she couldn't think. Yes, it had been a long time. Nearly a year and a half since Frederick first asked her out. They had been great friends before that, so naturally their friendship only grew while they had been "going out".
James Harval, one of Frederick's friends, seated himself at the table. He looked at the two girls, and then frowned. "What's up," Jamie asked.
"Frederick broke up with her, the b*stard!" Julia said heatedly. Anne blushed, but she could not deny that she had been calling Frederick similar names in her head.
"He did! Whoa, I didn't see this coming."
"I'm sorry, Jamie. We shouldn't be talking about Freddie in front of you."
James shrugged and said, "Don't worry about it. I stay out of everybody's business."
Anne smiled faintly, but then said again," I can't believe this. After all I went through for him. I can't be self-absorbed, I put my life on hold for him when his parents got divorced."
Jamie looked at her oddly. "Freddie's parents got divorced?"
"Yes, last Spring."
"Goes to show how detached I am." James told her with a smile.
Anne nodded and then reached for her backpack and withdrew a sheet of paper and a pen. Two could play this game.... She hastily began scribbling her thoughts onto the paper and before she knew it, the bell had rang. Anne looked up from her task, confused, and then she realized that she had forgotten to eat lunch. She stood, folded the paper and walked into the school yard. Her mind was buzzing. How could he. She was so consumed with anger that she did not know what to do. Anne made it to her next class. Her teacher and one of her fellow students occupied the room.
"Hello Anne." Mrs. Phillips said with a smile that soon faded. "Whatever is the matter?"
"Frederick broke up with me." Anne said heavily, as tears began to surface.
The student rushed to put her arms around Anne. Soon other students were comforting her as well. Anne was relieved by the reception, so she did not wipe her tears away as quickly as she usually did. The circle soon broke up and class started. Mrs. Phillips took her time conducting the usual daily business, so Anne had time to finish her letter to Frederick. She was very happy with the finished product. It wasn't accusatory or vindictive, but calm and resigned. If only that resignation followed through to her heart. The class went by and Anne's heart jumped when the bell rang. Her next class was with Frederick, so it would be the true test of her strength.
Anne always entered the class as one of the first students. She sat at her desk and picked at the lunch she had forgotten to consume. When Frederick entered, Anne was watching out of the corner of her eye. He looked normal and Anne felt a stab of pain. She flirted outrageously with Will Eliot (no relation), who sat in front of Frederick and with his friend Daniel Wallace. This was completely out-of-character for Anne, but enjoyed the defeated look upon Frederick's face.
He eventually put his head down on the desk. Anne looked at him curiously. "There is no way he can be regretting his decision so soon." Anne was puzzled by his behavior, but waited anxiously for the last bell to ring. When it did, Frederick left quickly and Anne followed at a slower pace. She came upon him at his locker, and stopped. Anne held out the letter and he looked at her.
"It's not accusatory or vindictive.... If anything it is a wish-you-well letter."
"I'm sorry about my letter. I didn't mean for it to be so mean. I was p*ssed off when I wrote it. I didn't even re-read it before I gave it to you."
Anne was heartened by this and replied, "Oh well, sometimes you have to go with the feeling. I hope you do well on Saturday. Have a good weekend." Anne knew she should ask if he would take her back, but she couldn't make herself.
"Thank you. Bye." He replied, and Anne walked away.
Chapter Two Posted on Saturday, 6 November 1999
Anne went to her own locker after speaking to Frederick. For the moment, she was quite happy with the results of their conversation, for he had apologized. Anne turned the dial on her locker and opened it up, confronted by the meticulous stack of books, and the usual pictures of surfing. People thought her very odd for being a surfer girl, especially considering that she was an east coast girl. Anne opened her backpack and thrust in the books she would need for the weekend. When she closed her locker and looked up, her heart stopped.
"I will be fine," she told herself, gazing upon Frederick and Louisa Musgrove. "She does not like him," Anne recalled from an earlier conversation with Louisa's sister, Henrietta. Anne had always had this nagging premonition that Frederick and broken up with her to go out with Louisa. It seemed that it was true as she watched them disappear towards the student parking lot. "It cannot be true." Anne reminded herself and started following them at a slower pace.
She could not help but watch them when they parted ways. But then Frederick turned back and called something in Louisa's direction. She responded with a positive shaking of her head. Anne looked away and went to her car.
Her younger sister Mary bounded up. She was sophomore to Anne's being a senior, and much more popular than Anne would ever care to be. When they got in the car, Anne handed her sister the infamous letter.
"Is it true?" Mary asked.
"Has it all ready gotten around?" Anne replied in a question. How many people knew?
"I don't know, but Davey told me." Anne sighed with relief for Davey, Mary's boyfriend and a junior, was in her third block class. Anne started the car up and sped front he confines of the parking lot.
"You are better off without him. He would never treat you like you want to be." Mary told her after a few minutes of silence.
Yes, that was true, but nobody ever saw the Frederick that she had come to know. He was full of cute, romantic gestures, when he was not preoccupied with some other aspect of his life. Oh well, Anne thought and began resign herself to oneness again.
Anne was alone that night, and feeling really low. She had stopped by the movie store to get a good movie---romantic that was. She always stopped by a drug store to buy a box of haircolor. Anne needed a desperate change. All through the night, she fervently wished that Frederick would call. She replayed the scene by his locker again and again, analyzing it to the last detail. Had he wanted to get back together? Had he been sorry for the whole letter thing. He had said that he did not mean for the letter to be so horrible. Did he mean that he would have done it all over again in a nicer way, or did he mean that he wanted to erase it all? Anne sighed for she did not know the answers. He was probably with Louisa somewhere. The very thought made her seethe with anger. Eventually, Anne shut off the movie, her heart was not into it. She went to her room, shut the door, and cried the bitterest, loneliest tears of her life.