Anastasia

9

"There are those who deserve happiness who have not gotten it." -Will Herondale

"Earrings?"

"Check."

"Ironed dress?"

"Check."

"Shoes?"

"Yep."

"Makeup prepared on the table for tomorrow?"

Ana looked up from her checklist. "What? You said I could choose not put on makeup."

"Just lipstick?"

"No."

"How about a bit of eyeliner? And brow pencil? Look. A girl has got to look like one." Danielle suggested, staring at her with puppy eyes.

Ana looked at Danielle, pondering. "Fine." She dragged out the word in a defeated breath. Danielle squealed in glee. She squeezed Ana's hands, smiling from ear to ear.

"It's going to be great, I promise."

"Uhh...shouldn't he be saying that instead? Remind me why did I agree to this in the first place." Ana grumbled.

"Well, I know I didn't ask you to agree to it. You did it on your own accord." she said. "Besides, you need more friends." She added lightly, earning a jab in her ribs from Ana. Laughing, she patted Ana's back lightly. "Get some rest. It'll be a long day tomorrow."

"I don't know if I can, but I'll do my best." Ana nodded, and just as she said it, a wave of fatigue swept over her. Her eyelids began to feel heavy as she closed the door after Danielle left. She lay down on her bed, staring at the ceiling, at the glowing stars. She turned to face the window and saw the full moon behind the clouds, and thought, how lovely it was for the Sun to sacrifice itself for the Moon to shine.

***

"Why are you so stupid? This problem is so simple and yet you can't solve it!" A booming voice thundered around Ana. She spun around, unable to see anything in the pitch-black darkness. What is going on? she thought. Why am I here?

"Why are you making this same mistake again? Do you ever learn?"

"What's wrong with you? Why are you becoming like this?"

"No. You can't do this. No. Not that either. No. Not this too. Do it my way. If not you will regret it."

"Stop giving yourself to them! Stop being so naïve! Why don't you ever listen?"

"Please have some self-control and don't be a slut like your friends!"

"Never trust anyone. They're like wolves clothes in sheep's clothing. Never. Trust. Them."

Ana covered her ears and squeezed her eyes shut. She bent down low in a squatting position, her head tucked neatly between her knees. Her head was throbbing excruciatingly, as if she were being stabbed in the head umpteen times.

"Stop! Please stop. Stop all this. I don't want to hear it!" She pleaded, but the different voices that were echoing around her kept getting louder and louder.

"STOP!" She screamed, her throat bursting with pain. At last, all the voices ceased their chatter and there was silence.

"I don't want this. Please, I'm begging you. End it for me. End it all." she whimpered, as she lay herself down onto the floor curled up like a fetus.

***

"Ana, Ana. Hey, it's me. Shh...it's all right. I'm here. It's just a nightmare. It's just a nightmare." Ana smelled the familiar lavender scent of Danielle as her arms were wrapped around her, while Ana woke up shaking terribly. She was drenched in both her tears and in sweat, but Danielle didn't care. Ana needed comfort. She needed a long hug.

Danielle soothed her, and patted her head softly as she kept quiet to allow Ana to calm herself down.

"It's just a nightmare." Danielle said gently, but firmly. "Don't worry. I'm always here for you." She glanced at the clock. It's four in the morning. What a timing to be awake at this hour. She thought.

Danielle heard the harsh breathing through the thin hollow wall that separated her from Ana's room, before she heard screams and whimpers coming from her room. Frantic, Danielle rushed in to see Ana on her bed, her hands covering her ears and kicking the bed covers as if she was running from something. Danielle couldn't bear to see her friend in this state. It usually happens when Ana seemed to get very nervous and scared for something she couldn't have control over. Although they were friends for more than five years, she never had the guts to ask Ana about her nightmares as she didn't want her to relive them during the daytime, neither did she want to remind her of her seemingly horrible past.

But she would always be there to comfort her and help her up when she's down. That, would be the least she could do, until Ana decides to open up her past to her.

"Ana? Are you alright now? Would you like some..." she trailed off as Ana was already fast asleep again in Danielle's arms. Danielle untangled herself from Ana as she put her back into bed, then she crawled in after and slept next to her.