“You should come out with me one night… It’s so much fun” She says and I raise an eyebrow at her. I shake my head. “I doubt it” I say and shakes my head. I get off the bed and start helping her up. She was a sweet girl gullible and naïve but sweet. She; I think is the only one who has accepted me just the way I am and I have grown to like her. I carry her to her room and shake my head. Maybe I should go out partying with her sometime and tell some of these fucking perverts to fuck off. I hated men; the way they treat women is really beneath me. Okay okay… Not all men. Garett was also another friend I had made in the last four years. He was like a breath of fresh air. A mean outspoken gay breath of fresh air. And Nicole will defiantly be getting a piece of his mind in the morning I think as I tuck her into bed. I walk back to my room and sigh. The last four years had been quite an eye opener I don’t know but at most parts fun. I didn’t drink or partied but I went out. I attended most of the social events of the Res had which was mandatory and with Nicole and Garett around I learned to laugh. We would watch movies and go to the sports derbies and I found it very relaxing. But there was always the one thing that always came up like every third day.
“So when are you going to find yourself a man” I hated it. Doesn’t matter who it came from; I just hated it. Why do I need a man? Sex? Oh God that I don’t even want to think about. “Come on Belle… You haven’t even kissed a guy… I mean how lame is that?” Garett said and felt myself growing hot. “I don’t need a guy or a man or a boyfriend or to kiss or to fuck…” I say and get up from my seat. I wasn’t going to sit and listen to this another day. Garett gets up too and Nicole looks at me and smiles nervously. “Okay Okay… Geez… You have your way of doing things Belle and I just don’t know how you do it. I know you’re not gay… It’s just strange you know… in this day and age… But if you ever feel that you just want to get it over and done with…I can bail you out you know…I have a dick and it works” He says and I look at him disgusted and then Nicole starts laughing. “Uhm what?” I say and he looks at me serious. “I will for one day be straight for you my love if ever you wanted me to be… That is what friends are for right?” He says and I feel the horror creep up my face. Oh my God just the thought. Then I hear Garett burst out laughing and Nicole keeps laughing too. I shake my head and look at them un-amused. “Lighten up Belle… I wouldn’t fuck you if you were the last person on earth.” Garett says and suddenly the air was tense and no one was laughing. I feel the hurt creep into my heart again and then I see our waiter coming towards our table. “Oh look… Here’s our food” He says nervously and motions to me to sit down again as the waiter puts our food down on the table. I’m still standing and then he looks up at me. Those blue eyes. I feel strange. He holds my plate in his hand and I’m lost. Those eyes… I had seen them before. “Are you staying?” He says and I can’t speak. “Uhm…” I can’t find the words I’m too lost in those blue seas of beautiful. “Yes she is staying” I hear someone say and a hand pulls me down. “Okay then” and he put the food down in front of me. “Enjoy your meal” He says and smiles at me at us. “Are you okay… I didn’t mean the shit I just said. You know I can be such a tool sometimes… I would so do you if I was straight…” I see Garett waving his hand out in front of me but I barely hear him. “Annabelle? Annabelle” And then he smacks me; softly of course. It brings me back to life. What…” I say completely dazed. “Are you okay” He says and Nicole starts laughing. “Yes… Yes…” I say and look down at my plate. He wasn’t our waiter before I would have noticed. “How is that even possible” I say as I take my first bite of pasta. Garett looks up at me. “What…” He says and eats too. “His eyes… I mean that blue…” I say and sit wondering again. “Must be in his genes… I think his mom’s white or something” Garett says and I frown. “Wow…” I say Garett smiles at me. “You like him” He says and I look at him gaping. “Are you crazy I don’t even know him…? This is like the first time I’ve seen him… I am just very fascinated by his eyes.” I say and continue eating but I know that I have seen those eyes before. “Bet you can see yourself looking in those dreamy blue eyes all night” He says and I roll my eyes at him. “Well it’s going to take a lot more than blue eyes to get me into his bed” I say and feel weird when the words echo in my ear. “Who said anything about a bed” Garett says and starts laughing and Nicole starts laughing too. “You know what just forget about it… You guys are just fucking stupid” I say and get up grab my bag and ready myself to leave. “Okay okay… we’re sorry” Nicole says and grabs my arm. “Sit let’s just finish our lunch in peace” She says and I glare at Garett who ignores my evil stare. “So what does mommy dearest have planned for the family this weekend” I hear Garett ask before he takes a sip of his wine. I finish chewing. “I don’t know… My dad is out of the county so it will just be me and her… Yay” I say unenthusiastically. “I like your mom” Nicole says and I ignore her. “Everyone likes her… She is every child’s dream mother… Besides Annabelle’s” Garett says and presses his lips together accusingly. “Oh God here we go again” I say and shake my head. “No no… I’m not going to get into this with you… But all I’m going to say is… They love you and they only want what is best for you” I put my fork down and get up. “You know what I need to piss” I say and start walking towards the rest rooms. I feel frustrated. I walk to the bathroom and see him standing in the kitchen. He was laughing with some of the other staff. I see those eyes as they meet mine. I feel my heart skip a beat. Oh God they were so beautiful. He looks at me and smiles. He comes walking towards the kitchen door and I’m lost again. “Are you looking for something?” He asks and I try to gather the correct words. “Uhm… I was… Just on my way to the toilet” I say and point to the door. “Okay…” He says and smiles. “I’m James… James King” He says and puts out his hand to me. I automatically take it and forget my name. “I’m… I’m…” I say and he smiles again “Annabelle Spencer… I know… We have English together” He says and I frown. I haven’t seen him in English. Well I have to be honest I don’t even know half of the people in my class or my Res… Just don’t care really but he knew me. Yo King… You’re up. I hear a voice shouting to him from inside the kitchen and he looks over his shoulder. “I’ve got to go… See you around Annabelle” He says and ducks back into the kitchen. I stand there looking at the door and then realize my need. I walk into the bathroom and rush into one of the stalls. I feel hot and flustered. Oh God… He knew me. I thought people didn’t notice me well people beside my friends and family. I thought that because everyone was invisible to me I must be invisible to them too. I wipe myself and feel something tingle. Strange really and a chill runs down my spine. Suddenly it throbs hard and I stand still. It has done that before but mostly around my period but I wasn’t on my period; not even close. I walk out of the stall and look at myself in the mirror. My dad was white and had blue eyes… Why didn’t I get his blue eyes like James got his? James. James King. Why does his name sound so familiar? Oh no! No no no… He was jock… A rugby buffoon! His friends with Summer’s boyfriend Peter and they were disgusting. I shake my head and shudder. I walk out of the bathroom and see him again busy in the kitchen… Hands full of flour smiling and laughing. He didn’t look disgusting or gross I think as I watch him for a second. But you are what you hang with I tell myself as I get back to the table. I sigh and walk back to our table and see them looking at me impatiently. “What did you take a shit or something” Garett asks and I look at him frowning. “Really Garett… Over the food… that type of language” Nicole says and I laugh. As we were leaving and I glance back to kitchen but I don’t see him again thinking about the name.
James King.
Chapter Five
James King is soon forgotten when my mother calls to tell me she is going to be early that Friday afternoon because my grandmother had gotten ill and had to be hospitalized. My father was on his way back home so I knew that it was serious. I can’t remember a life without my grandma Alice
and now death was once again staring me in the face. I watched her lying on the bed unresponsive. She didn’t even look like she was alive any more; the only thing that gave us hope was the heart monitor by her bed making that beep beep sound. She had another stroke her second one in six months. The doctor says her body had grown too weak to fight it and now it would be up to her to pull through. The last time we visited she looked tired and distracted. I tried making conversation she loved my stories about Garett and Nicole but she barely heard me. The doctors just said her new medication wasn’t working well with her system. When he got home that night I told my father to talk to the doctors and tell them that she wasn’t comfortable but he convinced me that they knew what was best for her. So here we were ready to say our goodbyes. My father was going to miss it his flight was delayed and there was no way he was going to get here in time. My mother was a mess and I had no idea how to console her. I stand outside the hospital looking into the distance. This was not how I thought it would be. I wanted my grandmother to see me get married or at least see me proving my parents wrong. She used to love the silly things I would say. Her words to me were always that I was special and that nothing and no-one has the right to call me anything else. I loved her so much and this was the worst kind of pain I had ever endured. Suddenly I see my mother standing next to me, I hadn’t even notice her coming out. “Your father’s on his way but I don’t his going to be here anytime soon” I could see that it broke her heart not having him around and I felt like shit for the shitty relationship we had. “Well you have me mom” I say and reach out to hold her hand. She looks at me and smiles softly as she squeezes my hand tight. We walk back inside and I up to my grandmother’s room. I take the seat at the window and look outside over the lawn. There are some other patient walking around outside and some were sitting on their patio’s having their late afternoon tea. I look over to my nana and feel the pain creeping into my heart. She told me the story of how I had come into this world and she would say to me “Annabelle… You came into this world hard, your mother almost died and you almost died. You laid only wrapped in a blanket for two days before your father had finally came to our rescue… You are a brave woman strong willed and full of love… Don’t let anyone ever fuck with you” She would say and I would laugh at her cursing. She made me promise to always be indifferent and to always do what I feel is right for me. She was the mother I wanted my mother to be. I sigh and get up from the chair and walk over to her bed. “I love you nana… Thank you for everything that you have done for me and what you have meant to me… I will always love you” I say and I take her hand. I start crying. I feel my heart breaking and I can hear her voice telling me that it’s okay and that death is inevitable. I look at my mother who is looking at me sadly. We both know she is not going to make it. It was just a matter of time. I walk back to the chair and sit down. I look over at my mother who is looking at my nana and sigh. This was going to be a hard thing to get through.
I had fallen asleep when I wake up it was well after twelve. My uncle Matthew had arrived and he was standing by my mother looking sad and broken too. I barely saw him since he moved to the west coast but I loved when he was here. He had a girl friend now and she was expecting their first child. I get up from the chair and walk around to greet him. He pulls me into his arms and holds me close. I smile up at him and he squeezes my mother’s shoulder. I hear my phone go off and wonder who it could be at this hour. I walk over to my bag and take out my phone. Garett? Why would he be sending me a text this late? Something must have happened? Oh God… I walk outside and dial the number. “Hi Garett… What is up?” I ask and hear him sigh. “It’s Nicole… She was attacked earlier tonight” I hear him say the words and for a moment I’m not sure if I had heard correctly. “What do you mean attacked?” I ask again loudly. I see the nurse at the reception desk in the ward looking at me and I decide to walk outside rather. “Some guy followed her to Res and attacked her… Beat her up and shit” He says and I feel my skin crawl. This was horrible. “What! Who is this guy?” I ask and fold me free arm over my chest thinking. “We have no idea… He wore a mask” Garett says and I let out an anxious sigh. This was sick. “Did he… did he…” I was too afraid to ask the question. Nicole was quite provocative and raunchy and sometimes wore really too little clothes but that wouldn’t excuse the bastard if he had violated her. “No… That was the weirdest thing… There was no sexual assault even though he did strip her naked… He almost killed her had she not find it in her to scream it would have been tickets with her” Garett says and I feel the life draining out of my body. First my grandmother was dying and now my best friend had been attacked. “We are on our way to the hospital now” Garett says and I take another deep breath. “Call me when you get here I will come out to meet you” I say and hang up the phone. This was terrible. Why would anyone want to hurt Nicole? I walked back inside and see my mother looking at me frowning. I don’t think that I should alarm her now with the news of Nicole. She loved Nicole like she was my own sister and this might send her over the edge. I walk to the bed and she looks at me frowning. “Who was that?” She asks and I and need to make up a story and fast. “It was Nicole… You know how she gets when she’s drunk” I say and smile nervously. I mother shakes her head and sighs. “That girl needs to slow down, she might get hurt one day in her drunken state” my mother says and my heart skipped a beat. Though I know she had told me that she wasn’t going to party this weekend since we had exams coming up and she took that very seriously. Why would she go out any way unless Garett had convinced her to go? I feel myself growing angry and hot. I hated the arrogance of the Garett sometime. I see my phone flashing in my hand and I know it must be Garett. With my anger quickly forgotten I make an excuse and walk out of the room and out to the hospital entrance. I see them coming in and my breath catches in my throat. Oh God she looked like she was in a war. Both her eyes were beaten shut and her lips were swollen. I put my hand to my mouth to still the pain as it wants to escape and feel myself shake. I see Garett and walk over to him. He holds me close and I can see that he is completely in a daze. “What happened I thought you said that you guys weren’t going to out tonight?” I say and he shakes his head at me. “We didn’t or at least I didn’t… The girl in the room next to yours called me to tell me…” He says and my entire body freezes. There was no way something like that could have happened in the Res not at this hour. Everything is locked up and there were guards around campus all the time. “They found the back door to the kitchen open. Someone must have come in through there and left through there too” Garett says as we watch the nurses push Nicole away. “Did you call her mother?” I ask and Garett nods. ”Yes… But she is in Johannesburg. Flying back as soon as she can” He says and looks down at his phone. “What is wrong” I ask and look at him questioning. “You remember last year when those girls were attacked in the bathroom at the gym and the other one near the library… The police think that this is might be the same guy” He says and I frown. They never found the guy back then. “Are you telling me this is serial?” I say and look at Garett nervously. I don’t know what to think. “It looks like it… Remember how he took their panties and cut a heart in it” He says and I shudder at the thought as I remember the details the police had shared with us back then. “Yes… Well Nicole’s had hearts too” Garett says and I feel panic stricken. There was no way this was happening. If this guy was bold enough to enter the Res’s than none of us were safe. Oh God my mother was going to freak out. “Listen I’m going to head back to campus and get some rest this is really all just freaking me out and I can’t deal with it right now… I will see you again in the morning” Garett says and we hug again. I walk with him to the door and he gets into his car and drives off. This was horrible. I walk back to my grandmother’s room and see my mom looking up. I will have to tell her, but not now; tomorrow I think and take my seat at the window again. I could not believe it. This wasn’t happening. I can’t get the picture of my fightin
g friend out of my mind. My hands start shaking and the lump in my throat threatens to give up the truth sooner. If I had been at the Res tonight it could have been me, I never locked my door since Nicole always came in at the wee hours of the morning and felt the need to get into my bed before I stagger with her to her room to put her into her bed. It was our thing. We were truly like sisters. I pull my jacket closer as a cool chill ran down my spine.
I had fallen asleep again. The dream I have is a horrible one. He guy was all over me and there was no way I could get away from him. I wake up screaming and I my mother look at me shocked. “Annabelle… Are you okay?” She comes rushing to my side and I feel hot and sweaty. “Yes… I think so” I say and look around the room. It was morning and my granny was still in the same state as the night before. “Did you have a bad dream?” My mother asks as she puts her arms around me and holds me close. “Yes… mom I have to tell you something… But you have to promise me that you will not freak out” I say and for a second I wondered how this news was not going to make her freak out. She looks at me worried. “Let’s go and get some coffee” I say and get up out of the chair and take her hand. We walk out of the room. As we reach the cafeteria I see someone familiar. It was my dad… He had made it. I feel happy and my heart skips a beat. “Daddy!” I shout as he comes in through the big doors. My mother looks up and walks towards him as he puts his arms around her. She looks like she was about to have another melt down and I think I should delay my conversation with her till later. “Adam… I thought that you were never going to get here” She says and my father walks over to me and pulls me into his arms. He holds me for a while and then I see it. It was in the paper this morning. Oh God! My mother can’t see this now. I try to distract them and lead them to one of the outside tables. I know it won’t be long before Nicole’s mom get here and she runs into my mother here. Maybe I should just tell them now. “Hey… Since you guys are both here… There is something I need to tell you” I say and take a deep breath. “Nicole was attacked last night at Res…” I say and I see my mom trying to register what I had just said. “Attacked?” I hear my father repeat slowly. “Yes… She is here in hospital now.” I say and look down at my hands thinking that it could have been me if I had stayed at Res last night. “She was attacked at Res?” My mother asks and I get up to buy the news paper. I knew that it would give them the complete story from an entirely other perspective and all they will read is the horror of the situation and end up thinking completely irrational. “I can’t believe it.” My dad says as he takes the news paper from me. My mother looks horrified. “Oh Annabelle… It could have…” I see her eyes shoot full of tears and I know this was going to be another melt down like no other. “I know mom” I say quietly. “They say that they suspect it’s the same guy who had attacked those girls last year at the gym and library…” My father and my mother sit looking out in silence. It was horrible seeing her like this. “Annabelle… you are moving back home… You’re not going to stay there with this maniac out on the loose hurting girls again” My mother suddenly says out loud and my father looks at her and then at me. I know she was scared and I was too but I don’t know if that was the solution. “Mom… I will be fine at Res…” I say but she looks at me shocked and stops me mid sentence. “No… No there is no way your going to stay there with an attacker out there… I will not have you staying here” My mother is now standing up and I feel like rolling my eyes at her for being so dramatic. My father grabs her hand and gives me an assuring look. “Honey… Please let’s not do this now.” He says to her and at the people start staring at us and our family drama. “Adam… She is not staying there… I mean it” She says to my father who looks at her urgently. I feel annoyed as I know they will be acting like I was not even sitting there. “Well I will stay wherever I want… And I’m not moving back home. The last time I checked I was an adult who can make her own decision…” I say as the waitress comes to take our order. I look up at her and she smiles. My mother looks like she is about to have a nervous break down but I ignore her. “I’ll have a coffee please” I say and she turns to my parents who orders coffee too. I really don’t think they can just decide for me. I wasn’t a little girl anymore and I know what is best for me. I see the doors of the entrance opening and Garett comes walking in. I get up from my chair and walk towards him. He smiles when he sees me, but I’m more grateful for him being here and saving me from my parents and their controlling behaviour. “Hey…” I say and we share a quick hug. He looks at me searching my face and I frown. “Okay… what did mommy dearest do now?” He asks and I roll my eyes at him. Was it that obvious that they woman annoyed me. “I tell you later… Are you coming to see Nicole?” I ask and he shakes his head. “I’m coming with you… I need some space from them” I say and nudge in the direction of my parents. I see Garett lifting his hand up and waves at them. I walk over to the restaurant window and get my coffee to go. Garett come standing next to me. “Is there any news yet on who this guy might be?” I ask as we walk to Nicole’s room. Garett looks at his phone and then at me. “Mrs. K just landed she should be here soon” He says and puts his phone in his pocket. I take a sip of my coffee. “There is nothing yet… they looked at the CCTV footage and nothing… he was wearing all back and a mask” Garett says and I feel a cold chill again. “You think his going to strike again?” Garett asks and looks at me eyes narrow and questioning. I frown and think for a minute. “I don’t know… I mean right now no-one knows what the motive of the attack was… And I guess we will only know if he does strike again” Garett says as we enter Nicole’s room. She looked even worse than she looked the night before. I feel the tears burning in my eyes and threatening to make me feel weak again. Garett stands emotionless just looking at her. The pain of what had happened to our friend has us both speechless. “I can’t be in here” I hear Garett say from behind me and he walks out of the room. I look at Nicole and let the tears roll down my face. It was hard seeing her like this. “And you weren’t even drunk” I say as I touch her cheek. I sit with her for a while and then I look around the room. Everything was white and clean and the sounds of the machines chimed loud in my ears. I hated hospitals it gave me the creeps. I walk to her window and open the curtains to let some sunshine in. It was going to be another beautiful day I think. “I’m sorry miss… But visiting hour is over…” I hear a nurse talking behind me. I look over my shoulder and see her looking at the machines and writing things down on her board. I smile politely and walk back to Nicole. I touch her hand and walk out of the room. I find Garett sitting in the waiting room looking pale as a ghost. “Are you okay?” I say and look at him worried. “I don’t know… seeing her like that… it just makes me sick…” He says and I know he meant the physical kind of sick. “I know… I mean who does these kind of things… what had she done to anyone who would want to hurt her that bad” I say and he shakes his head. “There are so many things running around in people’s minds it hard to tell who is capable of what these days… Anything really can set people off” He says and closes his eyes. I guess he was right. Maybe she was just at the wrong place at the wrong time. My phone rings and it’s my mother. I wonder what could be up that she would call me. “Hello…” I say and I hear my mother’s voice on the other line. She sounded different. “Please come to your grandmother’s room” She says and hangs up. I feel the pit of my stomach becoming hallowed and whatever content there was; was now spinning around like crazy. “I have to go…” I say and get up from the couch and look at Garett with an empty mind. “Is everything okay?” he asks and I look at him dazed. “I don’t know…I’ll call you later” I say and start walking towards my grandmother’s room. I see my father and my uncle standing outside. No no! This wasn’t happening to me. She can’t be… “I’m so sorry honey…” I hear my dad speak as I burst into my grandmother’s room. My mother was standing beside her bed crying… No no! “The doctor says that she is gone… There is nothing they can do for her… We have to say our goodbyes
now” I look at my mother but the words coming out of her mouth wasn’t making any sense. I see the heart monitor beeping away and I know that that means that she is still alive. “Annabelle… She is brain dead” I shake my head and feel my hand starting to shake. The tears are welling up in my eyes and I feel like I was going to be sick. I try to make sense of it all but I know there was no reason to keep her here. I hated hospitals. I walk up to her bed and look at her one more time. I give her a small kiss on the cheek and smile as if I can see her smiling back at me. I walk out of the room and down the hall. I hear my father calling out to me but I keep walking. How was I suppose to go on when the one person who loved me just the way I was had died. I knew that now I would have to find a way to do this on my own. I walk out of the hospital building back towards to campus. It was a good half an hour walk that I needed to clear my head. Everything that was happening around me was just becoming too much for me. I walk the back street of Stellenbosch and look at all the shops long the way. I loved it here; there is nowhere I would rather want to be or not? This place was becoming suffocating. Maybe I needed a change… The idea is new to me and I know a year ago it would never have considered it, but now… It sounded like a great new venture. I had never been out of Cape Town, my father would always invite me along on his trips but I have always been so focused on my schooling that travelling was never a thing on my to do list. My friends would call me boring when they went out of town to all the festivals and concerts and I would stay behind. Crowded places were never my cup of tea and I know what happens at these festivals and concerts and I just wasn’t about that life. Alcohol, drugs, sex and strangers just wasn’t my idea of fun. Then I see his face again. Those blue eyes and my heart start pounding. I know I had seen those eyes before but I just couldn’t remember where. I try not thinking about him, trying not to think about his smile and his spikey hair and those full lips. Oh God I feel my palms becoming sweaty. I think that he is a rugby player so he has to be quiet buff underneath his clothes. Oh God no; stop thinking about him. You don’t date… Date… Oh God I was thinking about dating him. I take a deep breath and shake my head. My tummy was hot and my lady parts were throbbing. This has never happened to me before. I suddenly hear my grandmother’s voice in my ears. It was bound to happen as some point. Was it time? No. I still had a lot to do and to accomplish; a man would just cloud my judgement; like now. Stay focussed Annabelle. I say and take another deep breath. I stop for a minute and stand looking into the distance. My life has been rocked. Nothing from this moment on will be the same again. My nana was gone, Nicole was attacked and I had my first attraction. I needed to get my head straight. I cross the street and make my way back to Res.
Loving Annabelle Page 9