Chasing Happiness (Rewritten Under My Other Story "It's Just Pretend")

Chapter 11

AN: It's been so long! Read and review please!!!!! David above!!!!! XD

Anne swiftly kissed Jarod's lips and walked towards her locker. An arm suddenly slung over her shoulders.

"Hey baby sis!" Anne rolled her eyes as they walked.

"David, you're like two minutes older."

"Nonetheless!" Anne looked over at her twin brother. His hair was dirty blonde and he was, in Anne's opinion, MUCH more attractive than her. However, looking into his eyes were like looking into her own; steel grey with flecks of periwinkle closer toward her jet-black pupils.  Their personalities were basically complete opposites. He was an outgoing, funny, flirtatious jock and she was the quieter one who would rather read and listen to music than socialize. Unless you were a good friend.

"So Anne, how's it going at your boyfriend's house? I mean, you've been there a little over a week right? Anything you wanna share?" He winked suggestively. Anne disregarded his question and replied with one of her own.

"How's it going with Rebecca?" He stumbled over his words and his cheeks tinged pink. A smug smirk graced her face in a split second until.... Well until she reached her locker. As quickly as it came, the smile dissipated. Notes were taped to the cool, metal door. Printed on them were degrading comments such as: "slut", "attention-whore", and "bitch". She cleared her throat, awkwardly, not knowing exactly what to say or do. Fellow pupils walked by pointing not-so-discreetly at her and whispering. Snapping out of her daze, she pulled the papers off, entered her combination, and retrieved her books. She turned to look at her brother. He clenched and unclenched his fists repeatedly, his left eye twitched as if he were rabid.

"Who the fuck did this?" he growled.

"Uh, David? It was probably just a prank. Calm down," she soothed.

"Anne! You cannot keep being a doormat for people to walk over. Do you remember what happened in third grade?!"

"David, I know it isn't right, but what's done is done. Just let it go. Sometimes people do things when they're going through a rough time. I'm just gonna give them- whoever "they" are- the benefit of the doubt. It'll be okay. I'm sure it was a one-time thing." She smiled gently at him and patted his arm. He sighed in a mixture of annoyance and defeat.

"Anne, sometimes, okay, a lot of times, I think your heart's just too big. You're too nice."

"Hey, it's just called being mature. Oh and, please don't tell Jarod."

"But-"

"Davy, please." He sighed once more.

"Alright little sis. I won't. Gotta go now." He gave her one last tired smile and walked away. Anne shut and locked her locker, trying to simply ignore the stares and whispering aimed at her. The first bell rang and she groaned, shoving the papers into her bookbag. And to think, this week has been so good....

*break*

Anne found Jarod, Chandler, Ashton, and Claire seated in a circle at their, apparently usual, table in the cafeteria. Anne greeted them, dropped off her bookbag, and headed toward the vending machine. She slid a quarter into the slot before entering in her order. She collected the small bag of chips the fell down and made the short journey back to the table only to see Claire holding Anne's bag in her lap. Claire's eyebrows were furrowed as she looked at some papers. The papers. The papers that had been taped to her locker just this morning. Anne stayed frozen to her spot; her mind raced to find an excuse to tell her best friend. Claire looked up and caught Anne's eyes. Fudge nuggets, Anne thought to herself, mentally slapping herself for not discarding the notes earlier. Claire placed the crumpled sheets back into the bag and walked over to Anne looking confused and worried. She grabbed Anne's hand and dragged her into an empty hallway.