Always There

TWO:

After I witnessed Ezra and who I have been naming The Blonde kissing, I had some reflecting to do.

The constant knot in my stomach whenever I thought of them was starting to get to me. After everything I had done to try to forget about me and Ezra ever being something, this was a blow to my self-esteem.

A week into all this madness, I decided to book off a weekend and just go somewhere no one will find me and just try to forget about Ezra.

Especially since he and The Blonde started to date and school was a wreck for me.

So, I took the last of my money I had saved up and put it to use.

Without consulting my mom about any of it, I got myself a cabin overlooking one of the lakes near the town I stayed in. I used to go there with my dad and I haven't been there since he left. I thought it would be nice.

Especially, since I found it so calming there.

So I went to school that Friday and tried to ignore the giggles behind me in the English period me and Ezra shared.

It was hard but it was doable.

Focussing on the teacher's words on George Orwell's Nineteen-Eighty-Four, I took notes and thought of the weekend I had lying ahead.

***

After class Ezra approached me. He looked distracted as he spoke to me.

Somehow, I knew his attention wasn't on me, but on The Blonde. His whole demeanour told me he wasn't thinking about The Brunette in front of him.

When he began speaking his voice was hoarse. From what I don't know.

"Hey. Do you have plans this weekend?" He asked me.

"Yeah. I'm going to the lake. Why?" I asked trying to keep my attention off his hands wringing together.

"The lake? Annie you haven't been there since..."

"I know. I need a break. It was the best place I could think of." I fell in halfway into his sentence.

"Well, will you be okay?" He asked, suddenly aware.

"Yeah. I'll be fine." I answered him.

"Annie? Are you okay now? You seem very distracted." He said, his frown evident in his voice.

Hearing those words my blood suddenly began boiling. We haven't spoken in a week, and he wants to tell me I'm the distracted one?

"Distracted? Your calling me, of all people, distracted? You know what, go screw around a little more with your new bottle blonde girlfriend. Maybe she'll throw your brains back into the package." I said in a blind rage.

"Annie...?"

"I don't want to see you, okay? Just go away." I said and turned my back on him.

***

The whole car ride to the lake, I cried. I knew that what I had said to Ezra wasn't fair. But, what was I supposed to do?

Just sit back and watch our friendship crumble? I couldn't do that even if I tried.

So, I did the one thing I always do when someone hurts me: I push them away.

I shouldn't have done that. Not to the one person who loves me like he does. Who's always been there for me? Who always held my hand in times of trouble.

He was just concerned and I completely lost myself.

I knew that I needed to make things right Monday. Otherwise, our friendship might be falling apart without me even trying.

***

The cabin was small. It smelled like a forest and clean air and I loved it. Everything about it screamed "cosy".

Putting down my bags, I looked around. It was a one bedroom place with a neatly made bed and small bathroom with all the necessities like a toilet and a shower as well as a neatly tucked away basin in the corner.

The living room and kitchen were open plan and the black leather couch looked so nice with its white jacquard weave pillows.

The kitchen has a counter, a small stove that you could cook the minimum on and cabinets that lined the wall.

I packed some of my stuff out and decided that I would go swim by the dock that was just outside the cabin.

After that whatever came, came.

***

The water was cool and it was refreshing after the long drive I had there. For a moment it was easy to think again when the water hit my skin and slowly, as my head surfaced I could feel myself relax.

There were no giggles behind me and no Ezra. It was just me and the water. I couldn't love it more.

The water was deliciously cold and I could feel myself lose the tension that had built up in the last week and the last ten years seemed to fade away in seconds.

In that moment I knew it was a good idea to come here. Even if it meant leaving my friendship with my best friend in tatters.

The fact that this existed had me gulping air trying to get the calm into my empty, heartbroken lungs.

***

It was early Saturday night when I heard a knock at the cabin door. It was raining and I was relaxing with a cup of coffee and reading a book.

It was a great day in which I went to some of the sites near the river and had chamomile tea at a cosy local café halfway into the town.

I didn't think of Ezra once and it was so nice to not have to see his face and feel my heart clench or have the need to touch him. It was heaven.

Up until now that is.

Cautiously standing up, I got a sharp knife from the kitchen and quickly headed to the door.

Not knowing what to expect, I opened the oak door.

In front of it was standing Ezra, soaking wet and carrying a backpack.

"Hey Annie." He retorted. "Is it okay if I come in?"

***

A/N:

Hey guys! First of all, the song is George Ezra's Drawing Board.

And secondly, I need to clear something up real quick before I'm told that I'm not a subtle PLL fan.

I know that Aria's surname is Montgomery and Ezra/Mr. Fitz's name is also used in this story. And the fact that Anna kind of rhymes with Aria has been noted.

BUT, I didn't decide on the names because of PLL. I did use Aria's surname though. Simply because I use so many names in my story that I don't know what to use anymore.

Also, I didn't use Ezra's name from PLL.

I actually confronted my Bible and got the name from there. Honestly, it's such a beautiful name and it was the first name I could transform into a character that spoke to me as a writer.

So, I really hope that no one on here decided to read this story because they thought it was going to be some PLL fanfiction. It's not.

This story is independent from PLL and Sara Sheppard.

This is MY story. This is MY #Wattpad10 and #JustWriteIt twist of things.

I like this the way it is. Please, don't mistake Anna and Ezra for Aria and Ezra.

This is not a good idea. Especially if you like the story and stick around.

Thank you!

Much love,

JanaJoubert<3