And Roses Wither [Oliver Sykes fanfiction]

Chapter Two

"I won't give up on you, these scars won't tear us apart; so don't give up on me."

: Seven Years Later; 2011 :

          Honking cloaks my ears, along with the ongoing sirens as background music. I suddenly have the lust to step much outside the white lined crossing road and in front of the waiting traffic. This lust is concealed with scars and battle wounds. The injuries from wars full of hatred and confusion and everything in between. 

        "Aye! Some got a schedule to gets to! Move along, bitch!" Taxi drivers yell and scream and blare incoherent words I don't really even care about. I stare at the sky, alone, in the middle of the road, and wonder if this could be my final end. My end that begins nothing but fire and hate and rage. Like the fire in my eyes and the hate in my heart and the rage in my mind. 

        "Anna, Anna come on." Jasper pulls me along like I'm some kind of luggage or rag doll. He has this glint in his eyes, like there's hope in his beating bloodied heart and all I want to do is crush this said hope. I want to taint it and burn it and demolish it. He's too merry and carefree and I want to ruin it with my emotions and with my barbaric and illwilled actions and just smother him under his happiness as I drown in my own pool of melancholy. 

        "I still can't believe you and Oliver haven't made up. With everything you've told me, God dammit Anna. Anna come on!" He lugs harder, almost as if he's trying to snatch my arm and rag it out like a wet towel- as if he's giving me one of the most childish things, an Indian burn. I feel like I've disappointed him, made him think things he wishes he hadn't. I feel like he's burdened to carry me around, to hear my cries and tears and hate that steam off my pale skin. 

        "Maybe because I don't wanna see him." I spat, as we pass through the nameless faces in the stream of people flowing from the street. His face twists into a sort of hurt you see when you kick a puppy, before morphing into a smile. Jasper had said that he had been talking to Oli for a few months, sort of helping him, talking him through things I have no knowledge of. 

        Jasper's smile was caused by Oliver waving a tattooed hand around at the meeting place of Cathy's Cafe, whilst Oliver hollering, 'Jasper!' -not seeing me. 

        He probably doesn't recognize me. Which is good, in my case. I still love Oliver, even though I was the one that ended it. But it's just the whole concept of it. I haven't seen the man in over eleven years, let alone just chatting with him yesterday, unlike my friend Jasper. He probably pity's me. Probably resents me. Certainly both.

        "Oli, hey man. I wanna re-introduce you to my friend, Anna." We locked eyes for a few moments, taking in each others' presence. 

        "What you mean 're-introduce?" Oliver laughed, his eyes flash worry. 

        "It's Anna. Anna Marriete." I say, quietly. Oliver gives me a 'are-you-joking?' face before recognizing me.

        "Anna?"