𝐴𝑛𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑒𝑎ℎ

ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ꜰᴏʀᴛʏ: ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ʙɪʀᴛʜᴅᴀʏ

🪐 Annaleah 🪐

"Dad pleassee! I promise i'll behave!" I plead to my father while he paces around the living room with the phone to his ear.

"Not now Annaleah." She shushes me and I groan but continue to follow him. "Dad please! I've been grounded for two months now! I promise i'll behave!" I argue while he whispers something to the person on the other line on the phone.

He puts his hand over his phone and lifts up his eyebrow. "You've been grounded for a month." He says annoyed and places his phone back in his ear, continuing his conversation.

"Dad please it's my birthday, let me go out with my friends, I have learned my lesson. I won't get into any more fight's!" I whine.

My father groans and places his hand over his phone. "Fine, go. But you better be back by nine o'clock!" He sneers annoyed and I squeal with excitement hugging him in the process. "Thank you, thank you!" I squeal happily and run upstairs to his room to search for my phone.

After the fight with Haley, I got suspended for a week and got grounded for a whole month!

I missed Saoirse's birthday which was in november. I missed a bunch of volleyball games which led me to get kicked off the team, and I missed thanksgiving at Kathryn's house.

But I finally convinced my dad to let me celebrate my birthday out with my friends! Sure i'll go back to being grounded when I come back home today but this is better than nothing! So i'm pretty damn excited and thankful!

I open up his sock drawer and take out my phone turning it on instantly as I run to my room fetching a dress to wear. As soon as it turns on a bunch of messages pop up on my phone. I grab the dress and place it on my bed staring at it in awe.

I have been saving this dress for this birthday ever since I saw it at the mall almost a year ago.

I don't know why, but the thought of me turning 18 seems pretty exciting. I think about all the stuff i've been through over the last year and can't help but get excited that maybe turning 18 will be a better year for me

Maybe this is exactly what I need. A fresh start. I know a birthday isn't that much of a "fresh start", but we all have to start somewhere.

I take off my plain white t-shirt, grey joggers and put on the dress. I turn towards the mirror and a gasp leaves my lips. Tears begin fill my eyes and a bright smile forms on my face when I see myself on the mirror.

I've missed this. I've missed feeling happy. Seeing myself in the mirror dressed up nice for a special occasion has made me remember all the horrible things that have happened to me this past year, and how those horrible things brought me down so badly I lost myself along the way.

But now that I see myself, now that I truly see myself, I am reminded of how strong of a person I am, how beautiful and strong I am. What happened to me this past year doesn't define me, not anymore. I won't let it.

I am a new and improved Annaleah. And i'll be damned if I let my mother, my uncle, Cole, Blake, or Haley ruin me.

I squeal in happiness at myself and head into the bathroom and curl my hair and put on some jewelry. I spray some perfume on me and turn the lights off heading downstairs quickly.