34
Let me start out by saying, please don't hate me hahah.
I know it's been a long time (too long) and for that, I'm so so so beyond sorry.
I don't want any one of you to think that I've abandoned this book or forgotten about it at all.
Besides just generally being super busy in my life, I have really struggled to find how I wanted to continue.
I had plans of turning the rest of this book into an entire second book but a lot of you didn't like that idea and that's totally understandable.
For that reason I had to figure out how I wanted to ease into this next part and it took a lot longer for me than I would have liked.
I've written and rewritten this part specifically more times than I can count until I finally got it to where I'm actually happy and proud of the result.
I'm not entirely sure about how consistent my updates will be since I do have a lot I'm juggling right now. All I'm asking is that you guys please be patient and understanding with me. Just know that I am doing my best and will be updating as soon as it is possible for me.
All of this to say, I'm so grateful for each and every one of you and I'm incredibly sorry for the long wait. Without further ado, lets get back into it:
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Winter came quickly, bringing the biting cold air along with it.
Normally I would look forward to this time of the year but I also wasn't used to it actually getting cold.
Since moving here, I hadn't prepared myself for the seasons very well.
My usual, and favorite, fashion of wearing skirts or dresses wasn't going to last much longer.
In fact, I had already pushed off wearing pants as long as I could.
Even Knox, with as much as he loves my skirts, had started to express concern for my attire.
The problem now was that I didn't actually own any jeans.
Luckily, Clarissa was happy to use the excuse as a girls day out shopping. It was rare that she and I got to hang out one on one so when I brought it up to her, I was glad she wanted to come along - not that I expected any different.
It was still strange me though. I wasn't use to having friends or just a friend in general. I guess Knox didn't really count anymore since we were more than friends now.
Regardless, I was glad that one friend was Clarissa.
After picking me up in her car, Clarissa drove us to the mall after school got out on Friday.
"I'm so glad you brought up needing new jeans, I busted a hole in my favorite pair the other week and I've been devastated," Clarissa frowned, pulling into the parking lot.
"Yeah now that its gonna snow soon, I can't wear my skirts anymore," I sighed, pulling my purse over my shoulder.
"Honestly weird to think about you wearing anything other than a skirt. Its just so you," Clarissa furrowed her brows.
"I know, I'm so upset," I exclaimed, throwing my hands up in exasperation.
"It's okay, we'll still find something cute. Plus, we can get you some wool tights that look like normal ones so you can still wear a skirt but secretly be warm."
My eyes lit up at the idea as I shot a beaming smile towards Clarissa's already grinning face.
Just like she said, the hunt for cute jeans was not as difficult as I thought it might be. There were plenty of different styles that felt like I could actually pull off. Thankfully, there were some wool tights too just in case.
Clarissa found somethings she liked as well which left the two of us with a bundle of clothes precariously wrapped in our arms. We didn't bother with a cart because we wanted to try being more selective about what we were going to get but we certainly underestimated our determination and ability to hold as many things as we possibly could.
"My dad's gonna give me an ear full tonight," Clarissa laughed, sending me a wink as we headed towards the check out.
I giggled, grateful that I had already mentally prepared Serena for the amount of money I would be spending today.
Now with a few full shopping bags in our hands and our day's mission accomplished, we headed towards the food court. My stomach was starting to grumble at the thought of the array of greasy food. I hadn't eaten much all day and I was definitely starting to feel it.
"I'm thinking Panda," Clarissa said, her eyes staring off towards the Panda Express line.
I hummed approvingly, my head already nodding unconsciously.
"If you grab us a table, text me your order and I'll get it for us," Clarissa said, handing me her couple of bags.
I nodded, scoping out the tables before settling for one near the center.
I set my bags on the chair next to me and Clarissa's on the one next to where she'd sit before pulling out my phone to text Knox.
I was halfway through typing up an update of they day when I heard the chair across from me scrape out. Looking up, I barely contained my gasp when my eyes met Tyler.
"Long time, no see, Annie," He grinned, eyes twinkling as he leaned across the the table on his elbows.
Completely forgetting about my plans to text Knox, my mouth opened and closed in utter confusion.
"Surprised to see me? I don't blame you, I don't normally come here but I was meeting a friend," Tyler sighed, his attention shifting off as he looked around the other tables.
"W-why are you talking to me," I finally sputtered out, my mind working overtime to try to understand what Tyler possibly had to gain from this interaction.
With his attention drawn back to me, Tyler frowned mockingly, "do I need a reason to talk to a friend like you, Annie?"
"We're not friends," I protested, my brows furrowing further. He knew we weren't friends, why he was sitting here trying to pretend any different was beyond me. This felt like a cruel joke and it was one that was going completely over my head.
Leaning back in the chair, Tyler rolled his eyes at my words. "Maybe not, but I'm pretty sure you guys are."
I was about to ask who he meant when I turned my head towards the boy making his way towards our table. My entire body froze, turning cold at the sight. My mouth turned ashy as I tried to swallow, my throat suddenly gone bone dry.
I couldn't breathe. My skin was on fire and I was starting to feel itchy all over, yet I couldn't get my body to move to scratch it. I hadn't even realized I had begun crying until I felt the first tear slide down my cheek.
"Oh, Annie, I thought you'd be more happy to see me," Calvin frowned, stopping next to the table in between where Tyler and I sat.
A dry sob left my lips, turning a few of the heads of those sitting close by.
"We can't do this here," Calvin ground out at Tyler before reaching out to grip my upper arm.
A whimper escaped me at his touch, flashes of the day he assaulted me flying through my mind.
I had come here to get away from that, to get away from him. He wasn't supposed to be able to find me. They promised me he wouldn't be able to.
Yanking me to his cold chest, Calvin began to drag me away from the food court and out of the mall - away from my forgotten shopping bags and away from a clueless Clarissa.