Our Year Together - Book One

Chapter 2

We work our way around the small neighborhood we live in going from house to house collecting as much candy as our small baskets can possibly hold. I go up to every door Drew goes up to and shamelessly shout 'Trick or Treat' at the top of my lungs. This gets me mixed reactions from the adults who answer.

A few of them look amused while others look downright annoyed. It's the latter that doesn't give me any candy which, in turn just annoys me.

I dressed up too, you know, and in this adorably ridiculous costume no less.

"I deserve candy, too," I muttered, unable to hide my pout. A loud snort has me stopping in my tracks and looking from my basket and towards my childhood friend.

"You deserve something alright, though I'm not sure about candy." At Chris's amused tone and smile my pout vanishes into thin air and a smile that mimics his own plants itself onto my features. I push some brown hair out of my eyes as I ask,

"Chris, what're you doing out now? The parties don't start for another few hours."

Chris shrugs at this and shoves his hands into his pockets.

"I figured you'd be out with Drew and, since I have nothing better to do, I decided to come tag along." My smile turns to pity for my friend.

"That's pretty sad."

Chris rolls his eyes at this.

"What's sad is that you actually let your brother and mom convince you to wear that Dalmatian costume."

At the mention of my mom, my mood plummets. Chris can sense the change and his smile falters as his baby blues take on a pitiful look. He reaches out a hand and I avoid it, not wanting or needing his comfort. I'm sick of always getting help from him. He sighs and runs his hand through blonde strands of hair.

"What did she do?" He asked and I snort as I look away and towards a tree that houses fake cobwebs and ghosts on strings. The ghosts move as a small breeze blows past us making it seem like they aren't just childish decorations.

"It's what she didn't do."

"Hey," Drew starts as he tugs on my sleeve drawing my attention from my friend and the quickly deteriorating atmosphere. "We need to keep moving or we'll miss all the good candy."

I smile and nod, grateful for the change of topic. It's Halloween and I'm dressed up as a huge Dalmatian. The last thing I want to do right now is worry about my mom.

"We wouldn't want that. It'd be the start of the apocalypse." I said and Drew just nods, his face serious which I find even more hilarious.

"Hey, isn't that Annie?"

My ears perk up at the name and Chris and I both look in the direction it came from. Two girls, a blonde and a brunette, are standing together, their backs to us, and looking towards a girl with long, brown hair pulled up into a high ponytail. A younger, replica version of the girl stands beside her.

The brunette seems to take a step back at having been caught speaking while the blonde only seems spurred on by it as she says,

"It is, but what's she doing out here?"

I look towards the girl they'd called Annie. I recognize her from school, though I've never actually spoken to her. She's always been one to keep to herself, so there was never an opportunity to approach.

Anger flickers in her dark brown eyes before it's replaced by shame and then disappointment. It's clear she has no intention to fight back from their obvious bullying.

"What's Annie doing out here?" Chris asked me and I look towards him and away from the girls.

"You know her?"

He nods before sighing as he shakes his head like he can't make up his mind about the answer to my question.

"Yes and no. Annie isn't her real name, it's more of a nickname. A cruel nickname."

My eyebrow quirks up in curiosity at that as I look back at the girls. They're still talking and I can see Annie curling in on herself, just taking it like it's nothing. It's clear that it's anything but, a depression and anger swirling deep within her eyes.

I guess you'd get used to it over time.

My stomach turns over at that as an image of my mother and I talking, her never once meeting my eyes, appears in my mind.

It's not something you should have to get used to.

"What does it stand for?" I asked as my hand grips onto the material over my stomach. A ball forms in my throat and anger sparks to life within me. Neither of us should have to get used to it, yet we did. We got used to a way of life we shouldn't have to live.

"Hm? You don't know?"

"If I knew I wouldn't need to ask." Sarcasm leaks into my voice and I roll my eyes. Just as Chris opens his mouth to speak the blonde says,

"Bloody shame it'll all go to waste. So long, Annie."

"She's anorexic."