Never Bend

Chapter 8 : Opposites attract

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Secrets, should they be counted as betrayal?
It's a matter of time.
The truth will come out.
Should Annie fight for the truth or give in?
MJ1
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Annie POV

I lie half-awake on my new bed, trying to make sense of the few words that reach my ears. Magic, danger, warning. I rub my face against my new pillow, trying to make sense of it all.

Until I heard my name. My curiosity was picked. Tiptoeing across the room, I hoped to eavesdrop. This Tom, seemed to know something about me.

"But how can you ask that? You haven't seen her. Does she know what she is? She's out of control... "

I stop breathing, my mind goes numb. He might know the reason why my memory has been tempered with.

"Why can't we explain everything to her? I can't protect her from herself. She's a danger to everyone."

My stress level goes through the roof hoping feverishly for the answer. Something happened last night? He seemed to believe that I was the source. Could it? No magic doesn't exist. Yet, my memories aren't reliable and I hadn't been through traumatic experiences to selectively erase things in my mind. I cross my arms around my torso, trying to hide my pounding heart. Could I be magical?

"Annie?" a voice calls out to me.

I jump away from the door and slowly emerge from my hiding place like a child who has been caught doing something naughty.

"Hi, what time is it?" I ask, trying to save my honor, knowing full well that I shouldn't be eavesdropping on this conversation. It's not usually like me, but I couldn't help it after hearing my name.

He points at the phone next to his ear. I nod with a fake smile on my face, aware that I am blushing.

With an awkward motion, I point my finger in the direction of the kitchen. Drama is obviously not my major and never will be, I am a bad actress. Today I wish I was to play the game like so many others master their way into getting what they want with a bat of an eyelash.

"All right, I said I'll do my best and take care of it." His voice seems annoyed, like he wants to shut down the communication, but the person on the other side is still shoveling his opinion over his. "Huh-hum." The sound alone proved me right. It makes me smile. I often did that with mom whenever she was being unreasonable.

Still, 'I'll take care of it,' I close my fists. Was my grumpy stomach enhancing my emotions. They are boiling on the surface, a lump is forming in my throat for no apparent reason. Why am I so susceptible? I puff, maybe because my mother ditched me and told me that I didn't fit in the family picture anymore. Or perhaps my memory was tempered with and I am still in the dark about the reason why.

"Uh-hum," Tom struggles to keep his cool. Money doesn't guarantee a paradise.  I open the fridge. To my amazement, there is nothing in the refrigerator but some juice, soda and alcohol. The hell!

"I said it's okay! Dad..." His annoyed tone mirrors my feelings about the contents of his fridge. My hands tremble, this isn't like me, but then again I'm not at home and this refrigerator was proof of that. How could my own mother rip me away from my family and her existence without blinking a beat of a lash? Two nights before, I had my whole life planned out, and she turned my life upside down in the blink of an eye. Richard, that man, her boss. He had my mother around her pinkie finger.

In a second, I walk toward him, taking long strides without thinking much.
"Tell him to put my mom on the phone. I want to talk to her."
My firm voice surprised even me. This wasn't like me, but then again, who was to blame? Certainly not me. This luxurious apartment didn't make up for the inconvenience. I could live in a hole as long as I was surrounded by my family, but I wasn't.