CHAPTER TWO (unedited)

--- Kindly put your playlist here ---

"One morning she woke up different.
She was done trying to figure out who was with her, against her, or walking down the middle because they didn't have the guts to pick a side.
She was done with anything that didn't bring her peace.
She realised that opinions were a dime of a dozen, validation was for parking, and loyalty wasn't a word but a lifestyle.
It's this day that her life changed.
And not because of a man or a job but because she realised life is way too short to leave the key to your happiness in someone else's pocket."

-UNKNOWN

Song:
I hate you, I love you by Zayn Malik &
Taylor Swift

                           * * * *

ANNIE

Stripping down, I twist the faucet and allow water to rain on me. Letting the soft patter of water calm my strained muscles, drowning my thoughts to a state of peace —tranquillity. This past months has made me realize how badly I need to retrace my steps, find my peace from within.

Invest in myself and stop looking for what is not lost.

I hurry, wash up my hair and rest of my body. Lazily running razor over my legs to get rid of the small stable that has appeared over the week. I wrap a towel around my wet body and another over my hair.

Stepping back into my room, I waltz over to my closet. Briskly putting on a bra and panties, I follow it with a pink washout top and a new pair of blue jeans. My old clothes wouldn't fit my new weight, most especially my bum area. I couldn't be more glad to have bought a few new ones when my suitcase was stolen at some point in Scotland. Who could be so mean to steal a teenager's suitcase?

I hated everything relating to that country ever since. As childish as this may sound, anything SCOTLAND-related is on my black list.

Damn country...

Damn Nicollette!

Damn Hunter!

Glancing at my window, I realize It look like it is noon already. So I grab my phone to check out the time, It is 3 pm. I pull out my converse and slip them on.

I could use some fresh air, if not I just might go insane.

Grabbing a sticky note from my desk, "I need to get to the store." I write. I stick the note on the outside of my door, so mom could see it, and lock. I head down the stairs.

Almost every single settings of the house has changed. Now there is a White 3D wallpaper that covers a side of the wall and a huge crystal chandelier hanging in the middle, the rich wood-brown drapes now makes the color of the living room pop more. I am extremely excited with this new setting, because I was always overwhelmed by the familiarity of the previous one. Every corners of this house holds a memory which I don't always want to be reminded of. Happy memories of what this family portrayed in the past. But now, it's mostly empty and feels barren.

The odd thing is seeing all the family portraits back up, photos from our past family outings. I thought she'd destroyed them.

Mom isn't in, as usual, I find the twenty-dollar bill laying on the table. I can't remember the last time we ate a meal together or watched TV. Permanently, now without Nicollette, mom and myself will only co-exist like we don't live together. Exactly what has been happening anyways. We go weeks without seeing each other but we feel each other's presence. Just like parallel lines that don't coincide.

Just like the two sides of a coin...

I pick up my car keys and head out.

I let my hair loose today to air dry.

*

I love shopping.

Always down for any kind. What is weird is I never get tired, I can spend my entire day shopping and not bat an eyelid. Though my bank account always sheds the tears.

I maneuver my almost filled push cart to the sanitary aisle.

Tampons?

Pads?

I can't decide which, so I pick both. "Um... what else?" I think, knowing I am missing something.... Oh yea, my face wash and toner. "Thank goodness!"

"Annie?"

I whip around and a low gasp falls from my lips, blue. There is something about him —it's like an addiction to me that I hold on so tight, he is near yet seem so far away. Standing there all in his glory, only few feet behind his mother. Dressed in his favourite blue polo shirt and black khaki, his normal attire. His expression hardens just as his eyes meets mine and I can't seem to tell why it hurt me so much.

We just stare at each other, wordlessly.

I can't tear my eyes away from him. His hair seem to be lighter than before. It still has the 'just rolled out of bed' look that makes every girl want to run their fingers through and even pull on it a bit. I remember when —he was virtually mine I used to, and he loved it. Sad but I'd never get to know if he still does, really sad. He is still the tall, quarterback I liked. The word 'liked' being used loosely because frankly, I was in love with him for as long as I can remember.

For my sake, I hope to hate him.

Didn't he ever notice how —slowly, loving him broke me.

I look away and recover quickly as I tuck behind my ear some of my strayed hair. "Hi Carol!"

"Oh Annie, don't be a stranger." Caroline smiles her perfectly lined, bright smile as I walk to her before pulling me into a tight hug. Silently, I regret letting my hair loose.

"Hunter mentioned that you took a trip out of the country for your sister's wedding." Going with the flow, I nod and give her an equally bright smile.

"I really wish we got an invite too, you know." She adds making a sad face. "How was it?" I couldn't tell her that we didn't get one neither because it was another lie of Nicollette's.

"It's only a small gathering. My sister is very reserved, she doesn't like crowd-" Hunter's phone chimes to indicate an incoming call as I begin. I tighten my grip on the cart, wondering if it's Leigh.

I can bet my fat ass.

"Mom, I've got to take this." He walks away without any acknowledgment at all.

Ouch!

I think my heart just crack.

"I'm sorry about him." Caroline gives a sympathetic look, but I smile like it is nothing.

We talk a few more. She encourage me to come by for a dinner when I feel like it. Even though I would always hover around the kitchen when she recreates some dishes from her favorite cooking show —I still can't cook. I guess it's not just my forte.

I always had fun spending time with Carol and Hunter. Carol is a mother figure to me. She approves my friendship with her son, and I know she was secretly planning our wedding. Hell, sometimes even I thought about it and it was all perfect in my head. We exchange our goodbyes.

I race into my car —my haven, and drive back home. I knew the likelihood of seeing Hunter at school but not this soon. I am still hurt by his poor actions. "But I didn't even get to tell him about Nicollette's wedding?" I pace around my room, slipping my hands down my hair. Thinking back to the time when we were still best buddy, we were like the support system for each other, "how did it get so complicated?"

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       --- THANKS FOR READING ---

Author's Note: Pinning over unrequited love can be lethal af 💔

Personally, I think having an opposite sex for Best Friends breeds some kind of affection towards them unknowingly.

This story is fictional and I'd not want anyone to feel offended by Annie's choice of words about Scotland.

*** If you're enjoying this book, hit the star let me know! <3 ***

{23rd of July, 2020}