Traces of You // lt.

chapter one

When Annie woke, everything swam in her vision, and she blinked, trying to rid her eyes of the things that were spinning around her like a blurred  memory. A low moan dragged out of her throat and she rubbed the tears from the previous night out of her eyes. Her pillow was damp, her eyes were red and puffy, and her limbs clung to the blankets, not wanting to give up her warmth. 

She could feel the brisk air of her room chill her cheeks and she shivered, trying to snuggle deeper into the covers, wishing she could just fall back asleep. 

But Annie knows she has to get up sooner or later. Reason one, she really had to pee, her legs were crossing over each other in denial, and reason two, her stomach growling was annoying the shit out of her. 

So it was with a low curse muttered under her breath did she reluctantly kick off the covers and push herself off of her bed. The bathroom was but a mere five step journey but somehow it felt like forever to Annie as she sleepily shuffles to it, shivering on the way there. Goosebumps prickled up her arms and she forced herself not to let her teeth chatter, for it was a terribly annoying thing to be doing. 

Where is the goddamn heat when you need it?  

Annie trudged from the bathroom once she'd finished her business, and had half a mind to just collapse back into her bed and allow herself to sleep away into oblivion. She stared at her bed a moment, contemplating how much her ass would get chewed by her boss if she took the day off. 

Despite the day being a Saturday, Annie had overtime to do today, and it made her whole being just slump at the thought of it. She'd already gone home late enough last night, having gotten home at near two in the morning. She sighed. 

With a certain grudge in her walk, she shuffled into the kitchen, fixed herself a bowl of cereal, and ate it at the table with her eyes lowered tiredly and form slumped in her chair. 

It was nearing nine in the morning, she'd only just finished her breakfast, when she'd gotten the call. Her cellphone buzzed and vibrated in the pocket of her sweatpants, and she yelped at it's sudden loud alert. Her fingers fumbled to fish it out of her pocket, and it was on it's sixth ring when she'd finally gotten 'round to answering it. 

"Yes, hello?" Annie said into the phone, trying to hide the scowl laced in her voice.  She swiped a stray strand of black hair away from her face as it fell in front of her eyes. 

"Annie, where are you? Why the hell aren't you at work?" 

Annie's eyes closed tightly, lips pursing in an annoyed hatred as her grip tightened around her cellphone.  Her boss, Mr. Weaver, was an asshole. All she ever did was staple document after document, report after report, while he sat back in his office with his legs kicked back, sipping at his cold cup of coffee and looking at god knows what on his computer. 

Annie cursed under her breath and she lowered her head. Her leg started to shake up and down. 

"Annie? Are you listening to me? You'd better get your sorry ass over here before I fire you. Bring me a double chocolate frappe while you're at it. Make it quick, I don't have all day and-" 

 "You know what Mr. Weaver? I quit." Annie bit her lip. She regretted her words the moment she'd said them. But it felt so good hearing her boss's angered silence. With a triumphant smirk, Annie ended the call and set her cellphone onto the edge of the table. 

She raised her hand to her lips as slumped in her chair, eyes focusing on nothing particular. It was then that it was brought to her mind that what she had just done may have not been the smartest thing to do. A pang of regret kicked her in the stomach and suddenly she felt slightly sick.