Her Little Black Book ✔

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN : A WEDDING INVITATION

ANNE POV

I flipped through the magazines pages on the kitchen island, almost bored to death. My brothers just got back to LA last night, leaving me alone with both my parents. Apparently, it's still ten in the morning and my mother have been out to the market while my father out to work.

“Geez, I am going to die myself today.” I whisper talking to myself. Munching on the cheerios, I slide open my phone and open the facebook apps. Browsing through the newsfeed and all the notification.

There is a few messenger from Nick though, but I didn't bother to open. I just got back here after all the nook and crook of hiding from him, does reading a messenger from him give me any good? Yes, it isn't. I sigh slightly making face.

“You know you would look older than me soon if you keep making that face.” my mother said walking through the back door to the kitchen. I looked up at her bringing all the groceries from the fresh market.

“Yeah, right mom.” I said shrugging, too lazy to argue over her this early in the morning. She look up at me, probably weird of my so calm attitude.

“So, what you have been up to today?” she ask, arranging all the groceries that she got into the kitchen aisle. I shake my head, obviously telling her that I had nothing in my mind, my eyes still on the phone.

“Well, how about a little mother daughter bonding time. I bet we ever have our time together, one of these days.” she suggest. That sounds good actually. Although I have nothing to do either.

“ I don't mind,mom. This boredom has slowly killing me already, and it's barely half of the day.” I sigh, putting my phone on the isle.

“Okay then. I think I am gonna bake some cookies, would you want to help.” she ask, but its sound more like demanding. I grin.

“How about baking a cake. I barely had cake at the cafe though.” I replied to her receiving a confused look.

“Maybe I am just so use to it. I went there almost every weekend, duh.” I said giving her some clue.

“Yeah, you are right. I think so too. But then, I am okay either way.” she replied. I nodded and help her with the ingredients.

I have no problem working in the kitchen with my mother. Instead feeling awkwards, we were actually good. The time alone with my mother actually make me realise just how much I actually missed my home, the neighbourhood, all the places I used to be before.

I realised that actually my strength was to be back at home, and pictures all the good thing that ever happened here. Instead I ran away, leaving all those that cares for me, that actually have me in their hearts.

Then I wonder, are the place that I used to be with Nick still there. Are the ice cream parlour still at it same spot. Maybe I should check it out later.

I am done putting the cake batter into the oven, while my mother clean up the kitchen counter.

“Okay mom, I will go up and change.” I said backing off from the kitchen.

“Okay, hon, I called when the lunch is ready.” she replied, I nodded walking up the stairs.

“Oh hon,” my mother called as I almost arrived upstairs. I stop holding onto the stair fence.

“Yep, mom,” I shout,

“There is invitation for you last week. But I forgot where I put it.”

I frowned. ‘Invitation?’
“From who?”

“Oh, it was your school friend. Stephanie.” she said casually.

I stunned there for a moment.

“It was this month, on 30th, at the Cathedral…..” my mother add, trailing a bit, maybe still cleaning the tools.

‘Stephanie getting married?’ My grip on the fences loosen, dropping my hand to my side.

“Hon, are you…” I shut out my mother’s voice out before she even finished talking. I walked silently to my room. At this moment, the soft and warm of my bed sound so much inviting.

‘Invitation, wedding invitation, it was Stephanie, he is marrying his crush, his lover, he got a daughter. Oh how everything was finally putting into their places.’ I don't know what I should even do.

Should I cry?

No, just enough of that waterwork. Maybe I should go out. Getting all the fresh air, getting an ice cream maybe. Yes, I should go out. I should finally move on. He is no longer there for me even if I wait a thousand years.

He is not meant to be with me.

I changed my clothes into something more casual of some worn out blue ripped jeans, a crop top, a sweater, and some boots. Grabbing my car keys, I head downstairs.

“Mom, I’ll be back later, don't wait for me.” I shout while heading to the garage. Clicking the switch of the gate, I drive out of the house to the first place I have in my mind.

*

The sounds of bird chirping above my head woken my senses. I must be fallen asleep under this tree after a pin of ice cream I got from the nearby mart since the ice cream parlour was closed.

I sit up straight stretching my body and looked around. It's already late in the evening. I can hear the kids at the playground in front of me yelling and laughing, some of them playing little soccer, and some of the girls grouping around the corner, probably playing with their dolls.

I smiled. Finally I feel relieved.

After a lot of thinking and walk down my memories lane. I thought it's better for me to move on. To stop waiting for something that never come. To stop wishing for something that never even there at the first place.

I admit. Its true that all of those three years running away from home, I still hope he will wait for me. Although I never thought he would find me there, a million miles away from home, to Santa Monica, where the beach was always be my best friend, I still hope.

I thought I finally got a soft spot in his heart when he find me, but then I stuck in a friendzone. The blind date was the starting point.

Then, I still hope. Until the day I met with those blonde little girl. The same hair that Stephanie has, I thought maybe, just maybe it wasn't him. its must be someone else. But she called him, Papa.

My hope crushed and I decided to run again.

And here, today, it's finalized.

I have to let him go.

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