•Annabelle•

chapter 3

There Annabelle sat on her couch, working on some homework that was mildly over-do. I could tell that she was getting really tired. Her hand lay at her chin, and she looked like she was ready to pass out. Then the sound of her pencil hitting the tile floor echoed and without a second thought I immediately went for it, and so did she. Our hands touched, and we just stayed there, wondering what to do.

"Sorry." Annabelle conceded as she lifted her hand.

"You have nothing to be sorry for," I replied as I handed her back the pencil. She smiled and looked back at the paper. "Hey, it looks like you need a break, come on, let's go get some ice cream."

"Jason, you know I can't pay for anything right now..." Her look held a solemn worried gaze.

"I know, that's why I'm buying." Her shy grin was all I needed in reply, and we headed to the ice cream parlor. As usual, she got chocolate mint ice cream.

"Do you not eat any other kind of ice cream?" I said as we walked back along the sidewalk.

"I do... this is just my favourite, and besides I get this one all the time because of that-" it was then though that, from all her crazy hand actions, her ice cream toppled to the ground. She bit her lip, and I knew she didn't look defeated because she just really wanted the ice-cream, but because she was probably worried about wasting my money "I am so sorry, I am such a klutz." She wiped her head, and as I grabbed her hand I uttered, "You are not a klutz Annie, you're just clumsy, which is a really hilariously cute quality to have. And don't worry about it, I'll get you another one."

"But, Jason..."

"No buts, you're getting some more ice cream." And as she smiled at me, a strange adrenaline grew in my heart, one that urged me to do something I now wish I hadn't. I kissed her, and she didn't move away. It was like a fairytale, and sometimes I'm surprised it wasn't a dream. Her soft lips pressed against mine, neither of us taking a breath. And when we parted, her eyes had a new glow in them, a glow mixed between sweetness and curiosity.

As we walked back to the ice cream parlor I, slowly, grabbed her hand. She flinched at first, but didn't let go. We walked back in silence, and as we did, I kept thinking about what just happened, and why.

I now know that it was because I loved her.

Days passed and we became closer than ever, and eventually she became my girlfriend. It was a weird change, shifting from best friends to dating, but rather I liked it. She was mine, she was mine to hold and to care for. She was mine, to love and to protect.

Annie, well, she was the rather shy type. She was like a daisy, a beautiful daisy sprouting in the midst of the concrete that is formed around it. She was the light in the dark. She was my warmth in the cold. She was so innocent, untainted by the evil of the world. Each day I felt I needed to protect her, protect from everyone around her; around us.

I used to think I was the one that kept her going, but it was really the other way around. She made me want to wake up in the morning, and I never realized it;

Did she?

Sometimes, I wake up, and I forget about her death, I think about how I will see her. But then the pain hits me, and I'm reminded of the awful reality. So every day when I wake up I stay in my room for hours on end. Only moving to go to the porch, where I sit and watch her house. Last month, my parents tried to get me to school, but after a while, they've given up. I'm not sure if they just don't care, or if they just don't know what to do anymore. Nobody knows what to do with me anymore; they all just leave me be, leave me be with my oh so precious memories that are hidden in my heart. Annabelle wasn't one much for photos, and even though I've got a couple all it seems I have pretty much left of her is my memories.

But memories don't last, they all will fade someday; but they are all I have left. Maybe this isn't real, maybe this is all just one huge nightmare. One that I'm not to wake from.

My heart is like a glass bowl, already shattered. What's the point of fixing it, when it would hurt more putting the pieces back together?