Delia stepped through the door of her dorm room and took one look into Annabelle's eyes and immediately started sobbing. Annabelle had been on the phone sitting on her bed Indian style and working on a poster for one of her clubs when Delia had stepped through the door.
"I'll have to call you back!"
Annabelle dropped her phone, hopped off the bed and raced to where Delia stood with her suitcase and tears. She embraced her friend of two years and gently guided her to her bed. Sitting down beside her, she helped Delia release her suitcase and held her, rocking her back and forth.
"There there Delia," Annabelle chided. Annabelle already knew what had happened. A suitcase and tears only implied one thing. A fight and a breakup.
Annabelle reached for the Kleenex box. "Hold on Delia," she said, handing Delia the box and temporarily leaving Delia's side.
Annabelle went to her mini-fridge and grabbed a box of ice cream.
"Ok, this calls for comfort food and a hot heating pad. Lie down while I get the plate, spoons, and pad." Delia sniffled and obeyed, taking off her winter attire. Lying on her back, Annabelle came back in no time with two full bowls of Neapolitan ice cream, Delia's favorite. The heating bad was for her lower back.
"How did you know?" Delia asked.
"We're not friends for nothing Delia," Annabelle chided again. She helped Delia pull down her pants so she could apply the warm pressure against her lower back. Annabelle knew Delia just had to be in anguish. She knew everything Delia was going through. Both had kept in close contact since the stabbing.
"Keep it on as long as twenty minutes and do not move. The cord is not that long and I don't know how easily it could come unplugged. I'm gonna get you a few pillows so you can sit up and we can talk and gossip about what happened. I may go straight over to Rylie's and scold him myself."
While Annabelle did that, Delia leaned back and thanked her lucky stars she was finally home.
Delia Hart stepped into her room late around eleven. She had been out all evening walking around giving just about everything some thought. She sat down on her bed.
Annabelle, on the other side of the room in her own bed, had a desk lamp on and was reading a book. She was actually waiting up for Delia. When Delia walked into the room, Annabelle looked in her direction.
"Delia. What on earth took you so long to get home? And you look awful, like you've been crying."
It was true. Delia had been crying for about an hour, silently and more to herself. The tears occasionally dropped down her cheek at the rush of a negative thought. She sighed.
"I don't know Annabelle. I just have a lot on my mind .......... After you and the others left, I was attacked in the park by some girl. See, I was recently reacquainted with a guy friend, only things between us weren't just friendly from our past; actually, we had been something of an item. Well, he's in my art class, and after having had reacquainted ourselves with each other, we started taking these walks over to that rinky-dink café in the corner, you know which one I'm talking about?" she looked at Annabelle.
Annabelle nodded. "The Barion. I've been there twice myself, especially when it's cold out."
"Well, this friend and I have been there twice. Mind you, we haven't had any other communication, except for those two walks after class. Before we go any further, it's important to know he's engaged ........ and even though he's engaged something sorta magical keeps on happening between him and I. I find myself falling in love with him again. I don't mean to. And to be honest, I don't think he does either, but it seems he's developing feelings for me to. We ended up kissing after class during a second walk to the café. Unfortunately, his fiance just happened to be there to, and had seen the kiss. She confronted me after you guys left the park. We physically fought. She called me a harlot ..... anyway, I'm thinking maybe this isn't worth taking on anymore. As much as I love, or loved this guy, and honestly I still do, I can't quite shake what happened out there at the park today." Delia ran her fingers through her hair. "I mean, I felt so sorry for that girl. She was obviously a wreck. I'm sure if I had been in her situation, I would have been in one to, but I wouldn't have attacked the other girl like a rapid wolf plagued with rabies. But I do see where she's coming from. I understand she is hurting. That's why I'm thinking about ending it. The guy told me he didn't know what he wanted to do about us either. He just knew he believed, according to him, that it wasn't over between us. So I've been biding my time."
"Whoa Delia, that's deep." Annabelle said. She closed the book in her lap. Looking at Delia, she smiled. "Delia, just follow your heart. Do the right thing according to that. Don't worry about his fiance or other people's opinion. Audiences change like the wind. They love you one minute and hate you the next ..... but if you really think you should end it, talk to the guy first. Tell him what his fiance did at the park, and the two of you talk about it. Nothing should be worth crying over this much. But nothing is worth throwing away either unless it's truly time to. And maybe you should have people around you when you're out in public. Suffice to say, but if the fiance is attacking you at random places then more than likely she could be following you. You'll be better off with other people around."