The One Who Lived

Chapter Two

After the Camille disaster, I decided to stay away for a week. I was not ready to be talked to about Anni, and I was definitely not ready to talk to anyone else about her either.

The thing is that in my week away, I haven't gotten any better with my hate. I actually feel like it has consumed me so entirely that I have become numb. I have simply reached a point were talking about it doesn't make me feel better. Saying her name, hearing their apologies, looking into their broken eyes that mirror mine, and whatever else you can imagine just doesn't work anymore. I just feel so fucking broken without her here, and I don't know how to fix that part of me.

"Are you one hundred percent sure that you are ready for this?" Hawkins questions for the millionth time this morning.

I roll my eyes. "Yes, Dad. I am sure." I groan at him just as my eyes land on the brand-new Tesla parked next to us. The Tesla that belongs to the one and only person that Hawkins can't stand, but I miss.

"He has been asking about you." Hawkins mumbles, making my head snap left to look at him.

"Ander?" I ask, quirking an eyebrow at him.

Vanderbilt Elton Grey — the only person in this town who is richer, scarier and stronger than the Reynolds family. You would screw over a Reynolds family member before screwing over a Grey.

Ander's dad is an NFL player, and his mom is an agent of something that we were not allowed to know as loose lipped kids. The reason that his parents scare everyone more than the Reynolds comes from the fact that they don't only have fame through his dad, but power that comes from his mom.

I remember when we were younger that Ander's mom would just disappear and then she would just show up a few weeks later. While she was gone, Ander's dad was busy with practices, so his nanny Kara was the only one there. It was always Ander, Hawkins and Ada with Kara watching closely.

Hawkins likes to say that we all just "fell out" and "it is no biggie" but I know the truth. Hawkins hates Ander because Ander will always be the smartest kid, best athlete, and everything else that Hawkins works so hard for but just comes to Ander. Ander is stronger, hotter, and crazier than anyone you will ever meet on top of being the biggest mystery.

You don't realize it until later, but you never really know Ander even when you think you do.

Hawkins hates Ander, and he doesn't have to admit it for me to know that it is true.

"Yeah, he asked me about you." Hawkins says as we get out of his car. "He is 'worried' about you." Hawkins says doing quotations marks with his fingers.

I laugh. "You are so lying." I say making Hawkins shake his head and look at me seriously. "Whatever, it is not like it matters." I lie because it actually kind of does.

Hawkins hates Ander for one more reason than all the listed previously — and it is the worst reason of them all — Hawkins hates Ander because Ander was there for me that night when Hawkins couldn't be.

I can see that it eats Hawkins alive that he was not there, but I also feel like he is more pissed than sad and not at just Ander — at me too. Hawkins is pissed that I called Ander. He is pissed that Ander was there for me when he couldn't be. He is pissed that Ander took the place he should have been in.

Hawkins says nothing more as we walk into the school, and he walks me to my first hour.

Hawkins informed me last night that the school made him change back his schedule because it didn't work on the bad day with Camille. I kind of ruined Hawkins's nice gesture by being an asshole to the only person who I think might actually understand how I am feeling right now.