Mosaic (25 page)

It took me a second to realize what she was saying. Then my breath disappeared in a whoosh. “Did I get a—”

“Accepted for JYA? As a matter of fact, you did. My friend Liam is eager to welcome his new intern at the BBC World News.”

My mouth dropped open, and I experienced the strangest twist of emotions. I wanted to jump up and down and scream, and at the same time, I wanted to drop to my knees, crawl under the desk, and cry.

“Well, don’t stand there gaping,” my professor laughed. “Say something!”

My chest was so tight. “I can’t breathe…”

Her black eyes danced. “Are you hyperventilating? Shall I send one of the boys to fetch a bag?”

“Dr. Arati… I-I don’t know what to say!”

“Say you’re headed to London! Say you’re on your way to joining one of the top teams in the news radio circuit.”

Summer ran up behind me then and started talking way too loud. “Anna!!! Oh my god, Anna! You got it! You’re going to London?!”

My knees were weak, and I needed to sit down. More than that, I needed to get out of here and go back to the duplex and sit in my room for a bit. I didn’t like being shocked with enormous, life-changing opportunities in front of everyone. It was like last year when I got the scholarship to come to this school.

I needed a minute. I needed to catch my breath and think about what my professor was saying. I was happy, of course I was happy, but I also felt like as soon as I got comfortable, got my feet under me, something new and huge swept in like a tsunami and changed everything.

I needed to swim to the side, get out of this rip tide of emotions, calm down and think about everything. “Would it be okay if I just go home? I-I just need to think—”

“Of course.” Dr. Arati’s lips pressed into a proud smile. “Take a break and consider this wonderful news. We can talk about it when you’re ready.”

“Thank you.” I nodded, going to the door. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. It’s an exciting thing—and I’m sure a little overwhelming. Take your time.”

I nodded and headed out the door, down the quiet hall, and out into the hot, sticky air. It was uncomfortable, and the sun was too bright. I hurried home and went straight to my bedroom, closing the door and dropping my book bag on the floor. Then I went around the bed to the other side facing the wall and sat all the way at the head, leaning against the wainscoting, knees bent, pressing my face against my hands.

Deep breaths, in and out…

I’d done it.

I’d gotten another huge opportunity that would drag me across the ocean as far as I could possibly get from Julian.

My chest squeezed and my throat ached, but I didn’t cry. I only sat, every muscle tense, trying to think of what a great opportunity this was. An opportunity of a lifetime. I tried to remember what Julian kept saying, the separation was only for a little while. We would do our thing, lay the groundwork on our futures, and then we’d start our life together. Only, why did the groundwork keep taking us farther apart?

Still, our love was solid, and that wasn’t changing. We were growing up, but it didn’t mean growing apart. Right?

I wanted to go to Savannah, but I couldn’t drive like this. I wanted his arms around me, but like always, he was so far away. So I sat in the growing darkness.

I didn’t want to move, speak, or even leave this quiet room.

So I didn’t.

Anna’s Private Blog: Coming Undone

I realized I’d fallen asleep when my buzzing phone woke me. Lifting a heavy arm to grab it off my nightstand, I saw five missed texts from Julian. They all asked where I was, and the final one said,
Can you Skype?

I quickly texted back
Yes!
and pushed myself up.

My laptop was in my bookbag, so I pulled it out and quickly booted it up. It was buzzing as soon as the screen lit up. I clicked on the icon, and there he was, eighteen inches across, blue eyes blinking at me. Tears finally sprang to my eyes.

“Where have you been? I’ve been texting all afternoon.” His expression was concerned, and I swallowed the thickness in my throat.

“Sorry. I fell asleep when I got in. Rachel kept me up pretty late last night.”

His lips twitched, and his eyes seemed to travel around my face. “Is that all?”

“Yeah, I didn’t even hear my phone, that’s all. I’m sorry.”

“What are you doing this weekend?”

I took a quick look at his background. The last time he’d asked me that, he’d shown up at my door, and the longing for a repeat of that scenario hit me so hard, my stomach hurt. But he was in his room in Savannah, and I let out a sigh.

“I don’t know. Missing you, hanging out.” I looked down at my hands and thought about what I’d just learned. I knew what he’d say if I told him—he’d be excited and tell me to go for it. He’d be my best cheerleader, sending me as far away as I could possibly get. I wasn’t sure I could handle that from him right now.

The silence caused me to look up at the screen, I hadn’t realized neither of us was speaking. His serious expression caught me off-guard.

“Is something wrong?” I sat up a little straighter.

“I never expected to feel this distance between us.”

My stomach sank. “Do you feel distance? I-I don’t. I mean, I feel that you’re away from me, and like right now I want to see you so much. But I wouldn’t say that was distance between us. At least not figurative distance. It’s only physical—”

Yes, I was rambling.

“I feel
figurative
distance.”

“Julian…” My voice cracked. I’d just gotten into JYA, and already it was falling apart. “What’s wrong? Please tell me.”

“I don’t know what’s going on with you.” He exhaled, looking down. “You don’t tell me things like you used to. You make promises, and you don’t keep them.”

My phone buzzed in my lap, but my eyes were glued to his on the screen. “I tell you everything. I promise—”

“Now it’s like you’re not even listening to me.”

My phone buzzed in my lap again. I still didn’t look at it. “What do you want to know? I’ll tell you anything!”

My phone buzzed again.

“What do you need to tell me?”

“Julian!” Again my phone buzzed. “Dammit! Somebody keeps texting me.”

I picked it up, and the face was covered in messages from Rachel.

Anna, where are you?

Need ur help!

Anna pls answer.

911! 911!

“Oh my god, hang on!” I held the phone in front of the camera so he could see. “It’s Rachel, something’s wrong.”

I quickly texted her back, and her reply was instantaneous.

Please come to Brad’s! He’s hurt. I need help!

“Julian, I’ve got to call you back. I don’t know what this is about.” I started to rise, and while he was partly understanding, he was also still angry. “I’ll call you as soon as I help Rachel. Is that okay?”

He exhaled and nodded. “Sure. Of course. I hope it’s nothing serious.”

“I love you?” My eyes were wide as I studied his on the screen.

“Are you asking me?”

“No. I mean… I don’t know. You still love me, don’t you?”

His eyes rolled and he shook his head. “How can you even say that?”

My heart was thudding in my chest, but I couldn’t make Rachel wait any longer. “Please just hang on. I’ll be right there.” I stood, but then I paused. “And it’s not a question. I love you.”

He only nodded, but I took off, grabbing my bag off the counter before heading out to my car.

* * *

Brad’s apartment was close to ours, but not close enough to walk. By the time I’d found street parking, it was closing in on fifteen minutes since Rachel had called, and she was panicked.

“Anna, oh my good. What took so long?!” She grabbed my hand and dragged me up the steps.

“I was talking to Julian… something’s wrong, and then I couldn’t find a place to park.” She kept going through the house, headed to the bathroom. “What are you doing? What happened?”

“He fell.” She stopped in front of the door. “He was in the shower, and he fell. He lost consciousness for a second, but he’s awake now. I just can’t get him to the car and to the ER by myself. He’s not walking too good.”

“Rachel! Holy—why didn’t you call the real 911?” She opened the door and I followed behind her then stopped short. Brad only had a towel around his waist. “Is he naked?”

“Focus, Anna! I need you to help me!” She bent down to put one of his arms around her neck.

“Glad to help, but it’s going to be crazy-awkward if that towel comes off. We need to belt it or something.”

“We don’t have time!” She was still trying to get him up, coaxing quietly near his ear. “Can you stand now? Anna and I can get you to the car if you can help us.”

“Hang on!” I took off toward his bedroom and threw his closet open, flipping quickly through pants, shirts, until I found a hanger of leather belts. Skipping those, I grabbed a canvass one. “Here! I ran back—we can just tie this around him on top of the towel.”

Brad had managed to stand, but one hand was on the sink. I leaned forward, then stopped. “This feels a little too close for me.”

“Oh, good grief.” She grabbed the belt out of my hands and slipped it around his waist, cinching it quickly. “Good thing you’re not going into medicine. Grab his other arm.”

Lifting Brad’s arm across my shoulder, we all turned sideways to go out the narrow door. “Why didn’t you call one of his football buddies?” I grunted. “Those guys could throw him over one shoulder and carry him out.”

“I don’t know their numbers!” We were going down the front steps, slowly approaching my car. Brad was actually helping quite a bit. “Of course, you have the smallest car available in the U.S.”

“Not true! Minis are smaller.”

Finally Brad spoke, but his speech was slurry. “I’m okay.” He stopped, taking a long pause. “Sorry. What did you say?”

“This isn’t good.” I opened the door, and we struggled to get him in the passenger’s side. Once he was secure, we both jumped in, and I took the wheel headed to the ER. “What happened?”

Rachel was leaning in the middle, gently stroking his forehead. “I don’t know! He was showering before we went out, and I heard a thud. Then I didn’t hear anything, so I went in, and he was down.”

“You should’ve called 911 that second!”

“I tried to get him to wake up, and he did come around. But then he kept fading, and I just… called you.”

“Well, we’re here now.” I pulled into the circular drive and shoved the car into park. We both jumped out and ran around to his side. I left Rachel at the car and ran through the automatic sliding doors. “Help! I need help, there’s been an accident!”

Two black men in scrubs jumped up and followed me out. A white female in scrubs grabbed a wheelchair and was right behind them.

“What happened?” The first man pulled out a pen light and shined it in Brad’s eyes. “Head injury?”

“He slipped in the shower!” Rachel was right there. “He hasn’t vomited or anything, but he was knocked out for a little bit.”

“You’re his girlfriend?” The other man leaned down and took Brad’s arm.

“Yes, and this is a good friend of ours.”

“Any family in town?”

“No, we’re all from Alabama. He’s a student at Tulane. He’s on the football team.”

The female’s lips pressed together, and she seemed to shake her head.

“What?” I jumped in. “Why did you shake your head?”

“Those kids get hit so much,” she said. “He could’ve had a preexisting injury that was aggravated.”

Rachel answered this time. “He had a concussion last year… he was in a car accident.”

“Come on.” The men had him in the chair, and they were all headed inside. “Can you help fill out the paperwork? I’m not sure he’s able. We need to contact his family as soon as possible.”

Rachel’s hands were shaking, and I could tell she wasn’t handling this well.

“I can help!” I stepped forward, catching her hand and holding it. “What can I do?”

Rachel blinked at me then turned to the nurse. “Uhh, yeah. What can we do?”

The nurse only passed us both a glance. “Who knows the most about his medical history?”

“Rachel.” I backed up. “Give me your phone, and I’ll call his dad.”

She passed me her cell and followed the nurse to the small room to the side. I wasn’t thrilled about calling Mr. Brennan to tell him Brad was back in the hospital. I remembered him after the car wreck with Julian last year, but we had to let him know.

After that I had to text Julian. All the excitement had only slightly distracted me from what he was saying before, how he seemed angry. We needed to get back to that conversation.

As anticipated, Mr. Brennan was in his car before we’d even finished speaking. He said something about a friend with a plane and that he could be here in an hour. I gave him all the hospital information and ended the call. Then I dug out my phone and texted Julian as I walked to where I’d left my car in the circular drive. I needed to move it to a parking place.