CHAPTER THREE  (unedited)

--- Kindly put your playlist here ---

"Yes I am Single
With no intentions of looking for a guy
This time
I'm gonna let him find me
Periodt."

-UNKNOWN

Song:
Rise up by Andra Day

                            * * * *

ANNIE

MONDAY

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•
•

I give my tall frame a last glance in the mirror and I am happy to see my grayish-blue colored eyes twinkling brightly. I am wearing a new plain grey top with a stripe hoodie and a pair of beige khaki shorts. I pair it with my new black boots and pull my hair in a neat high ponytail. I do not bother putting make-up on, even if it's little. I couldn't care less that it's senior year or my first day as a senior. I have no one in school I want to impress, so they can all screw off. Because in exactly ten months from now we are all going separate ways —forever and ever.

As I turn to fetch my bag, something else capture my interest. A dream catcher. I hung it by my window yesterday while sorting my things. It was gifted to me by a woman on the plane who saw bad luck in my future. A handmade willow hoop strung with a loose web and decorated with beads and feathers. She said "It catches bad dreams, and allows good dreams to pass through to the sleeper."

I will probably trash it later since I don't believe in all those mythic stuffs —but whatever.

Stepping down the stairs, into the kitchen to fix myself something to eat. I notice a small tea pot on the stove, so frantically, I search through the cabinet for coffee. Then realizing there is none, just a bunch of tea bags.

Ugh, I need coffee.

Back then, we used to have a weekly teatime no matter what, EVERY Friday. Mom, Nicollette and myself would meet up by 4 pm to talk about our week over different tea of our choice and cookies. I always looked forward to it as it —sort of, was a tradition. Our special 'girls time' in the family. Just the three of us.

I cherished those moments.

Then Dad and Antoine died. Mom fell apart and we stopped meeting. When Nicollette left, I decidedly switched from tea to coffee. Now I am an ADDICT, can't go a day without a good cup of coffee.

I lean on the kitchen counter, weighing up my options as mom walks in not dressed for work. So unusual of her to be around. She briefly stares and give a small smile to me but I notice the dark circles around her eye —they look swollen. I turn away and slam the tea cabinet shut. Is she neglecting her own self now too? She clears her throat and start to bring out cereal with the things in the other cabinets in silence. It's so awkward.

"Are you hungry?" She ask.

I gulp. "Yes."

"I can make you a sandwich, if you like?"

"I can make my own sandwich. Thank you." Without looking at her, I grab the bread, ham, cheese, and start to assemble it. She cautiously set a plate in front of me while I sit.

"There's hot water in the tea-"

"I hate TEA."

She widen her eyes and gulp loudly, "Annie, I know you're mad at me and I quite understand if you-"

"I'm not Mom." I cut her off. Fiercely, staring at my now 'not so enticing sandwich'.

"Honey, please will you give me a chance to try do what's right by you?" I look up, staring at her as her eyes gets teary, "Please, Antoinette."

Has she been crying? Is that why her eyes are swollen? I almost laugh, looking away. "Yea right. You're three years late to try now, mom."

She takes a sharp intake of breath and reach out her hand for mine, "Ann-"

I get up brusquely, making a screeching sound with the chair, "I am going to be late for school." I brush past her to grab my bag and walk out of the house at full tilt.

Why now?

Why does she want to cares now!?

Tears start to burn in my eyes. All the sadness I felt all those years were back again as memories runs by my head. I miss my mom so much no doubt. When she was my HERO, when she was the shoulder I turn to, when I used to Adore her. She was my only Virtue then as I was 'mommy's little girl'. We drifted apart and by the time I realised, it was too late. There was already a heavy gap between us that I couldn't strike out. Immersing herself more and more into work, and I learnt to get used to her absence.

Then, I didn't really mind though. Hunter knew about our strained relationship so he'd always make effort to keep me company whenever he knew I was alone or call if neither of us could go over to the other's house. He sometimes calls for no particular reason and it never bothered me.

"No I'm not going to cry, I'm not going to cry, I'm not going to cry!" I try to persuade myself as I start wiping stream of tears with the back of my hands.

*

As usual I get to school super early. Seeing my school in the early morning when it's truly at its peace was something kind of refreshing. Okay, that's a lie.

Not totally.

I turn the engine off and pull out a novel along with my journal from my bag. Most times, daily I sit and enjoy the rush of being with Hunter while pretending to be writing down my big dreams. He would whine about getting up too early for absolute nothing. It's weird but it warms my heart that I always got to see that side of him.

Today, I scribble an escape route through the school to avoid him and his new girlfriend. I really wish heaven listens and forbids me to run into either of them.

Afterwards, I start to read my new novel. AFTER by ANNA TODD, a fan-fiction of Harry Style which I am proud to say is my favourite book ever.

Time seems to pass way too quickly because before I know it, my eyes sweeps over the students walking towards the building. Laughing and hugging one another. Only then, did I feel the heaviness settle in my gut. I look away, setting my novel back inside my bag. If I still want to make it to my first class, I need to get going so I pull on the hood of my jacket.

I can do this.

Inhale... Exhale.

Pushing the car open, I climb out. Subconsciously, my eyes wander to see a new white two seater convertible sitting in Hunter's space. "Wow. Finally, he got his dream car." I smile.

Merging in and out of the crowd in Cressland Academy, my mission being to briskly swap my things from the locker room and go invisible to the eyes of human. Going by my prediction, Ashleigh wouldn't be anywhere around here. Maybe touching up her makeup somewhere in a washroom while other girls fan over her and copy.

I open my locker discretely as few other students —mostly girls were busy chatting away. Certainly about the lastest iPhone or who gets to shag who first.

"Did you hear?" A girl standing few feet away says to her friend. "I heard Hunter was gonna park his car but there's already a car in his spot."

"He thinks the new dude is tryna threaten his authority." She adds.

Her friend scoff, "That football captain sure thinks he's one big deal. Most people I know don't even like him that much. He doesn't even have any authority to be questioned in the first place. Everybody just leaves the space for him because nobody can be bothered to deal with his girlfriend's drama."

"I know right! He's kind of a major jerk. Crystal told me he dumped his bestfriend after taking her virginity and fucking the girl for five years."

Oh my God!

Clumsily, I drop a book. Silently hoping it didn't attract attention, I try to hurry to get my books and get out of here fast enough. Listening in on them is going to do me no good at all.

"Well, well, well," a sly voice says. "Look who's decided to show up."

        --- THANKS FOR READING ---

Author's Note: Honestly, you should be everything except a BULLY. Everyone is going through a thing or the other, so, please always remember to be nice.

Oh poor Annie! Any guess whose voice that is?

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{5th of August, 2020}