FicWad

Five years after graduation day I found myself sweating like a pig somewhere outside in Indiana. I wasn't sure where exactly, but I knew that this heat just had to stop. I'd had just about enough of it this summer. Joel had talked me into taking the summer off and joining them on their buss for warped tour. I was having a blast but I'm not very nice when I'm hot. Billy can vouch for that. Confused? I would be too. Let me sum it up for you.

After graduation, Billy and I were together for the summer. It was amazing and everything was perfect. What could go wrong? Not much really. Just the stress of the band taking off and me going to college. Joel and I still kept in touch but it split Billy and I up for a good two years, give or take a couple months. Ever since then, we've managed to make it work. Well most of the time. Most days we were the picture perfect couple. The one you see in public that makes you stop and smile and say 'aww'. But other days we acted as if we were the worst of enemies.

Today wasn't one of our good days and I was trying to stay as far away from him or anyone from Good Charlotte as I could. I ended up hiding out near all of the expensive food. Sitting down on some sort of wall around a tree. I was hungry as all get out but I hadn't thought to bring my wallet with me. There was no way in hell you could get me to go back to that buss. Not right now. Maybe after the boys got to the signing tent, but one look at my watch had told me that I still had another hour until that happened. I sighed and looked at my surroundings.

There were people everywhere. People from all walks of life it seemed. Most of these people looked as if nothing was more important to them than the bands they were about to meet or see. Some looked as if they couldn't wait to shred the ramp, or whatever all the cool skaters call it. Others seemed to only be out in this heat just to be seen. Like it was a modeling contest or something. "Who could wear the most makeup/apply it best". I was probably giving some twelve-year-old wanna be whore a dirty look, I don't hide my facial expressions well, when I felt someone tap me on the shoulder. I groaned and turned to see my personal bubble intruder. I thought it could be one of the guys or some roadie sent on a mission to find me. Boy was I wrong.

"Anna?" She said it like she wasn't sure. I recognized her instantly but I suppose I had probably changed over the years. I'd cut my hair to just above my chin and had it chemically straightened so I wouldn't have to hassle with styling it. It was still colored black but it had more of a bluish tint now. I'd traded my glasses for contacts and I'd probably gained a few pounds. She still looked exactly the same.

I didn't want her to know that though.

"Uhm hi. You're in my bubble. Do I know you?" She sat back and glared at me.

"Don't play dumb Anna. I know you recognize me. I saw the light click in your eyes." Well crap. Six years later and she can still read me. But what the hell was she doing in Indiana? I decided to put on my big girl panties and stop pretending to be ignorant. Ignorance is usually not bliss. It's just dangerous and troublesome.

"Okay you got me Joey. It's been six years. What gives? What are you doing here?" I sat back and looked at her a little closer. She had changed, but only slightly. Just the kind of change that growing older brings. She had more knowledge in her eyes and a slight curve at the corners of her mouth that told me she'd been smiling much more than frowning.

"I've been going to school in Chicago. Some friends of mine and I thought it would be fun to travel a little and hit up the scenes. How about you?" I frowned at her and shrugged. For some weird reason I really didn't want her to know that I was with Billy.

"Well I... it's just that... I've been..." I was cut forced to cease my endless babbling as someone came up behind me and picked me up. Only one person did that. Or was aloud to do that I should say. I looked down and recognized Joel, even with his oh so clever disguise of a baseball hat and sunglasses.

"Anna I've been looking everywhere for you! We've got some trouble on the buss," He forced his mouth into a pout. "Bella's driving everyone insane. She's won't shut up. We think she misses her mommy." Joel put me down but kept a hold on my arms.

Did I mention I had a child?

Nope?

Good, because I don't. Bella's my cat. She's my baby. I've had her since my sophomore year in college. She's my everything and she can't seem to function when I'm gone. Sometimes Billy can get her to chill out but mostly it's me.

"Did I just hear that right? Anna Walker is a mommy?" I jumped and turned toward Joey's voice. Somehow I'd forgotten she was there in the short amount of time I was distracted. I began to answer her but Joel beat me to it.

"She is. To a beautiful bouncing baby donkey. And you are?" I stifled a laugh and waited for Joey to say something. Joel was doing his 'I can make you laugh but I'll make sure you won't hurt Anna' act. (Boy I wish I could come up with more clever nicknames for things.)

Joey actually smiled and stood up. She offered a hand to Joel who took it with a startled face.

"I'm Joey. I don't think we ever officially met. Just chats on the phone here and there when you and Anna were in high school. It's nice to finally meet you Joel." Their hands dropped to their respected sides as Joel looked at me.

"Is this the Joey?" I nodded. "The one from back in the day?" I nodded once again. "The one who broke your heart along with four other people?" I nodded again but was really getting tired of it.

"Yes this is the Joey Joel." He gave me a look I couldn't decipher and glanced back at Joey.

"What are you doing here?" he asked her. She gave him the same answer she had given me before being interrupted by her cell phone. She gave us an apologetic look and excused herself before answering it and walking a few feet away.

Joel and I just stood there. Each of us looking a little flabbergasted. Running into someone who still haunted my dreams was not something I had expected to do today. Well any day really, but it happening on a day that Billy and I were fighting made it ten times worse. I was just hoping that she was the only one and no one else who frequented those dreams would come popping out of nowhere.

As if on cue, I spotted a blonde head come running through the crowd. I recognized him instantly and froze. My hand left hand had reached out to Joel's right and was holding on just tight enough to make Joel try to shake it away. I was thinking of turning and just walking away when his eyes caught mine and he slowed down.

I saw him go from a run to a walk, all the while staring right at me. For some reason I was hoping he still hadn't seen me, but his face gave it all away. I saw the recognition flash in his eyes and a moment later his mouth formed a perfect 'oh' shape and he froze. His whole body stopped moving. I wasn't even sure if he was breathing. I watched as his eyes glanced over my body and then came to my hand that was holding tight onto Joel's. He glanced at Joel and back at me. He closed his mouth and seemed to gather himself up, shaking himself out of whatever trance he had gotten himself into.

I seemed to be in a trance as well, because the last thing I remembered was him taking a step toward me and the next thing I knew I was curled in my bunk with Bella sobbing uncontrollably.

I'm pretty sure I ran away. Just like I always do.

My lame nickname should be 'the girl who always runs from her problems'. Yeah I think that would work.