Annalise

Unexpected Allies

I sat in the kitchen, dazed, but calm, as I picked at my breakfast. I'd made it through dinner last night, but his kisses were invading my morning. My fingers ran across my lips, as I thought about Cristian's touch. I hadn't heard a word my mother said, as I sat at the table picking at my breakfast. I was deep into my feelings and hadn't noticed Lucas and Eric at the door. His voice snapped me from my thoughts, as I looked up to see everyone staring at me.

I'm sure my cheeks were red with embarrassment, but I didn't care. "So how about it Anna." My mother repeated.

"What?" I asked.

"You go out today, maybe call Lily, and go shopping or something." She was clearly out of the loop and had not known that Lily and I were no longer friends, or that she had betrayed me, or that because of her betrayal, I was punished at the hands of the one she willingly allows to enter our home.

"I'm not really in the mood." It was the truth. I was perfectly happy at home. Lily had deceived me, and Cristian was gone, so who the hell was I supposed to go to the mall with anyways.

"It's summer break," She pressed, "And you've been cooped up in the house for a week now." I didn't reply, I had no intention of going anywhere. There was no longer a point. 

I dropped my fork with a loud clang onto the plate as Eric and Lucas casually walked into the family room. I hated the way they all continued on as if this was normal. as if nothing had happened. I couldn't deal. "You know what I will go out for a bit."

The mall was in town, and that was open domain. The pack had no territorial claim there, which meant I belonged to no one. Even if it was only temporary, it had to better than this.

"Good, you can take my car." My mother was happy now, silently hoping that she could pull me out of this funk.

"No, I'll have Amarog take her." Eric had returned without Lucas and though he was speaking to my mother, he was looking at me.

"I don't need a babysitter," I said

He ignored me and spoke into his phone. He was calling for a ride anyway. 

"OK," My mother said, "Dress out of your night clothes, and go have some fun."

A rolled my eyes and threw the rest of my breakfast in the trash. I went to my room and dressed in a white sundress, and black sandals. It had been so long since I'd cared enough to take an interest in my look, and the sundress was perfect for my self-esteem. Babysitter or not.

At the car, Eric stood conversing with Amarog and a young sentinel with curly hair. I walked to the car and allowed him to open the door for me. "Keep her close," He instructed.

Amarog sat patiently in the passenger seat, as Eric watched until we pulled from sight. The young sentinel glanced in the rearview, and smiled, "I'm Tristan." 

"Fascinating," I muttered.

"You may not remember me cause I was in my third year when you were in the first, but I used to hang out with-"

"Bobby Baker," I recalled. My ninth year crush. I smiled, thinking of the woods. "Yeah, he was...he was ok." I almost admitted my crush out loud but I figured he may have already known. Maybe he'd caught my eyes on him in school or something, why else would he remember me so vividly.

"Yeah, Bobby, you used to hang out with that big kid, right?

"Um, yeah," I answered, and left it that. Amarog shot him a look that forced him to keep his eyes on the road and his mouth shut. I was grateful. 

At the mall, Amarog, and Tristan followed loosely behind me as I shopped, entering shop after shop, blankly browsing, and running my fingers along the clothes. After about the fifth store, and an empty popcorn bag, I could sense Tristan's impatience. Childlike and antsy, I laughed when he had to be pulled aside by Amarog. I could care less that they were stuck with me, especially since I'd been stuck with them.