I was intently watching his reaction.
She reminded me of a princess from a fairytale. She was, of course, dressed in modern clothes, but her beauty was different from the sexy appeal of Mandy. She was poised, graceful, and petite with delicate features. Golden hair cascaded down her back. Her green eyes were as dazzling as emeralds. I had never felt plainer in my life.
“Duncan,” she purred.
I watched in fascination as the color drained from his face. My hackles rose as I realized that he looked almost afraid. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Is that anyway to greet an old friend?” She smiled sweetly. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your new girlfriend?”
Duncan didn’t even look at me. “She’s not my girlfriend. She’s just some crazy girl who follows me around—practically a stalker. Not that I need to explain myself to you. I repeat, what are you doing here?”
“Fine, I’ll do it myself.” She walked up to me and extended her hand. “I’m Anna.”
I shook her hand numbly.
“Don’t touch her!” Duncan exploded. “Susannah, go away.”
Anna rolled her eyes at me. “He’s always overreacting. Have you noticed that, Susannah? I was just talking to the girl, Duncan.” She leaned in conspiratorially toward me. “Really, I think he expects us to fight over him.”
“Anna!” Duncan thundered. “What are you doing here?”
“I just registered for school here.” Her smile seemed warm and friendly.
“You can’t do that,” he protested.
“It’s a free country,” Anna replied. “I decided that a change of climate would do me good. It seems to have done wonders for you.” There was an undercurrent to her words that I didn’t understand.
The bell rang, and students began to pour out of the cafeteria into the hallway. I was unsure of what to do now. I needed to get to class, but I couldn’t miss what was going on between Duncan and Anna. I still hadn’t managed to say one word during the drama unfolding before me.
She brought the showdown to an end. “See you tomorrow, Duncan. It was nice to meet you, Susannah. I hope we can all be friends.”
I watched her disappear into the crowd of students. “So, that’s her. Your ex girlfriend.”
Duncan looked defeated. “You can’t talk to me anymore, Susannah. Not ever. Especially not in our special way. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” I said. “You want her back, and you don’t want me in the way.” I turned away from him and plunged blindly into the throng as I willed myself not to cry.
Chapter 12
“Let’s report her to the police.” Caitlin took another spoonful of ice cream.
I glumly licked some ice cream off my spoon. “For what?”
We were sitting in Caitlin’s kitchen. I had been unable to tell her about Duncan and Anna until now. Caitlin must have known that something was wrong when I didn’t return any of her text messages. One look at my face after school had made her hold all of her questions. She had driven in silence as I had finally given in to my tears in her car. When we arrived at her house, I went into the bathroom to splash cold water on my puffy eyes. Caitlin was waiting for me in the kitchen with two bowls and a carton of ice cream.
“What’s it called?” Caitlin
She reminded me of a princess from a fairytale. She was, of course, dressed in modern clothes, but her beauty was different from the sexy appeal of Mandy. She was poised, graceful, and petite with delicate features. Golden hair cascaded down her back. Her green eyes were as dazzling as emeralds. I had never felt plainer in my life.
“Duncan,” she purred.
I watched in fascination as the color drained from his face. My hackles rose as I realized that he looked almost afraid. “What the hell are you doing here?”
“Is that anyway to greet an old friend?” She smiled sweetly. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your new girlfriend?”
Duncan didn’t even look at me. “She’s not my girlfriend. She’s just some crazy girl who follows me around—practically a stalker. Not that I need to explain myself to you. I repeat, what are you doing here?”
“Fine, I’ll do it myself.” She walked up to me and extended her hand. “I’m Anna.”
I shook her hand numbly.
“Don’t touch her!” Duncan exploded. “Susannah, go away.”
Anna rolled her eyes at me. “He’s always overreacting. Have you noticed that, Susannah? I was just talking to the girl, Duncan.” She leaned in conspiratorially toward me. “Really, I think he expects us to fight over him.”
“Anna!” Duncan thundered. “What are you doing here?”
“I just registered for school here.” Her smile seemed warm and friendly.
“You can’t do that,” he protested.
“It’s a free country,” Anna replied. “I decided that a change of climate would do me good. It seems to have done wonders for you.” There was an undercurrent to her words that I didn’t understand.
The bell rang, and students began to pour out of the cafeteria into the hallway. I was unsure of what to do now. I needed to get to class, but I couldn’t miss what was going on between Duncan and Anna. I still hadn’t managed to say one word during the drama unfolding before me.
She brought the showdown to an end. “See you tomorrow, Duncan. It was nice to meet you, Susannah. I hope we can all be friends.”
I watched her disappear into the crowd of students. “So, that’s her. Your ex girlfriend.”
Duncan looked defeated. “You can’t talk to me anymore, Susannah. Not ever. Especially not in our special way. Do you understand?”
“Yes,” I said. “You want her back, and you don’t want me in the way.” I turned away from him and plunged blindly into the throng as I willed myself not to cry.
Chapter 12
“Let’s report her to the police.” Caitlin took another spoonful of ice cream.
I glumly licked some ice cream off my spoon. “For what?”
We were sitting in Caitlin’s kitchen. I had been unable to tell her about Duncan and Anna until now. Caitlin must have known that something was wrong when I didn’t return any of her text messages. One look at my face after school had made her hold all of her questions. She had driven in silence as I had finally given in to my tears in her car. When we arrived at her house, I went into the bathroom to splash cold water on my puffy eyes. Caitlin was waiting for me in the kitchen with two bowls and a carton of ice cream.
“What’s it called?” Caitlin
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