I'm back | ✓

I'm back - 12 | a girl's day

𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚎'𝚜 𝚙𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠
𝚜𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚍𝚊𝚢, 𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑 𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚎𝚝𝚑, 𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚢 𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚢-𝚘𝚗𝚎

I was sitting on my bed staring at my guitar. It sat perfectly atop its stand, practically calling me to play it. But when I'd touch it, that calling would dissipate and I would be horrified at myself.

Playing and singing was once a part of me, now I was only half of what I once was.

"Annalise!" I heard Daphne scream. I cocked an eyebrow, what's Daphne doing here? I didn't have much time to contemplate as she yelled again, "Annalise, come on!"

I left my room, walking downstairs. There, Daphne stood in a swimsuit in my living room. I stifled a laugh, "Hey, Daph?.." In March it's warm enough to swim but at night it can still get to the low forties and fifties. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Coming to get you," she said bluntly. "Don't think I didn't notice your down-in-the-dumps attitude all week, it's time for some serious cheering up."

I rolled my eyes, "I don't know what you think is going to cheer me up, I haven't been able to think straight since before my dad left on his trip." He would be home later this week, just in time for his faux family dinner with Meredith and Carrie, whoever that is.

She nodded, "I know, Annalise. You're my best friend, I can tell when something's up with you; a little girl time is exactly what I think you need." There was nothing I could say that would make her leave me alone. She would be here for me for the rest of my life and there was nothing I could do about it.

"Alright, what are you thinking?" I asked, giving in.

She smirked, "Pool party for two?"

•

I felt the sun beat down on me as I walked. Daphne insisted we walk back to her house instead of taking Astrid, it's a good exercise she had said. "I've never wanted to murder you so much in my life than I do right now, Daph."

She laughed, "I kind of want to murder me, too. But it's March, summer is in two months and we need to have those summer bods!" She yelled exasperatedly, throwing her hands up.

I looked down at my bikini-clad body, "Are you crazy? We have summer bodies year-round, we're athletes!" I pointed out.

"Yeah, but it's off-season." She argued, which could be a fair point if she didn't work out so much on her own and in our athletics class at school.

I rolled my eyes as I saw her house come into view, "Thank goodness!" I yelled, taking off in a sprint. I heard Daphne calling after me, but with my track speed, there was no way she was going to catch up or beat me.

I ran into her house, passing Mrs. Milner. "Hey, Annalise!" She called, waving.

"Hi, Mrs. Milner!" I called as I raced into the backyard, launching myself into the pool. The cool water enveloped me and I suddenly felt so much better. When I came up for air Daphne was standing at the edge of the pool, arms crossed, tapping her foot. "There you are, slowpoke."

She bit her lip to keep from laughing, "Bitch!" She couldn't hold it in any longer as she burst out laughing. "You left me in the dust, literally!" I laughed along with her as she jumped into the pool next to me.

We swam for a while before Daphne got us lemonades and we decided to float, tan, and relax.

I laid in the pink chair float, more relaxed than I had been in months. "What happened, Annalise?" Daphne's question caught me off guard, I sat up, humming in response. She lifted her sunglasses to look at me, "What happened that day with you dad?"