-----Annabelle's POV-----
By the time I got to the house, I was shaking and was almost completely numb. I shook the snow out of my hair and took off my peacoat. There was some shuffling in the kitchen before Eric and Sammie appeared in the doorway.
"Oh thank god! Kiddo where the hell have you been?" Eric asked.
I just stood there shaking.
"I'm going to go make her some hot tea." Sammie said quietly.
As soon as she left, I walked of to Eric. He wrapped me up in a bear hug and let me cry. He picked me up and carried me up to my room. He tucked me in my bed and stood by awkwardly.
"If Keegan was here he'd know what to do, what to say." Eric muttered. "What happened? Where did you go?"
"W-whatt d-do-o y-y-you-u m-mea-ann?" My teeth were chattering so bad it was hard to understand.
"Sammie called Trent to have him pick you up because she got pulled into something at work. He told us you weren't at the school when he swung by. Where did you go?" Eric explained.
I stared at him in shock. I didn't know what to say. If Trent had stopped by the school, I would've noticed.
"Just tell us where you were, Annabelle. We won't be mad." I hadn't even noticed Sammie had walked in and set the tea down.
"I was at the school. On the front steps." I mumbled, still in shock.
"Please don't lie to us, Annabelle." Eric said harshly.
I just stared at him before whispering, "I was waiting there until it had gotten dark." I rolled over facing the wall away from them. "I'm not lying."
After a minute, they took the hint and left. I waited to hear the door shut before curling up and letting the tears go. I silently cried myself to sleep. As I lost consciousness, the last thing I felt was the sting of betrayal.
-----••*••-----
The next morning I woke up really early. Looking at the clock, it read 5:30. I decided to just get up and get ready for the day. It only took me half an hour for me to finish my morning routine. I went down to the kitchen to make breakfast for myself. I was reaching for an apple when I caught my reflection in the patio door. I put the apple back deciding that I should skip a few meals; loose some weight. Besides, my stomach was still full of the betrayal I felt from Trent.
There was still two and a half hours before school and I wasn't really inclined to stay in the house. I heard shuffling upstairs so I quickly threw on a jacket and grabbed my backpack. Outside, I let my feet carry me to where ever. I eventually stopped at a bridge that was of the beaten path, but still close enough to the school. It was mine and Keegan's bridge. I leaned against the railing and watch the barely open water underneath.
I stayed for about an hour before heading to the Coffee Cave across the street from the school. We're a small town, but this was the best coffee place for miles. I got a vanilla latte and went to sit in the back corner booth. I quickly turned around and sat at the stools by the windows instead. That booth held to many memories of chilling with Trent. I sat at the Cave until twenty minutes before school.
I quickly walked over to the school and directly to my locker. Trent was nowhere to be seen, so I quickly grabbed my stuff and went to homeroom. I sat in the back corner by the windows just waiting for school to start. I heard Trent's laugh before I saw him. I watched him walk in with some girl I had never seen before.he didn't even glance at me. He just continued to joke around.
Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized what had happened. Trent had replaced me. I had just lost my only friend. I got up and grabbed my bag. I ran out of the room holding in the tears.
I didn't stop running until I was at the only place I knew people wouldn't look for me a I wouldn't freeze my ass off. I grabbed my spare key and unlocked the door. I walked into the deserted house. (The only reason there wasn't any dust was thanks to the weekly cleaning crew my dad hired. I left my key on the entry table as I walked in. I quickly made my way to Keegan's room. It still smelled like him even after all this time. It brought more tears for a different reason.
I stayed at the house almost the entire day. I walked back to Sammie and Eric's. My pace quickened when I realized Keegan was supposed to Skype us today. I walked into the house and headed to the kitchen. I walked in in time to see Sammie closing the laptop.
"Keegan sent me an email saying he won't be able to Skype this week. He says he loves you and to remember to behave." She told me.
I nodded before heading upstairs to my room. I chilled since I had no homework or anything since I ditched today. I finally got so bored I grabbed my camera and bundled up.
"I'm going out to take photos!" I yelled to Sammie before taking off.
I somehow ended up at the bridge again. The thin layer of snow was absolutely beautiful. I ended up with so many good photographs. I started to play with some time laps work as the sun set. It was the first time in a while that I really felt at peace with myself.
"You've got a lot of talent." I jumped at least a foot in the air when they spoke. I actually drop my camera when I spun around. They just started laughing.
"Not funny you little prick!" I hissed before completely seeing who it was.
