I'm back | ✓

I'm back - 08 | red flag no.1

𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚎'𝚜 𝚙𝚘𝚒𝚗𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚟𝚒𝚎𝚠
𝚖𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚊𝚢, 𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑 𝚏𝚒𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚑, 𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚢 𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚢-𝚘𝚗𝚎

𝚃𝚆 || 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎 𝚒𝚜 𝚊 𝚏𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛, 𝚒𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚛𝚎 𝚜𝚎𝚗𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚏𝚕𝚒𝚌𝚝 𝙸 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚊𝚍𝚟𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚔𝚒𝚙 𝚞𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚕 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 "•" 𝙸 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚊𝚕𝚕, 𝚡𝚘𝚡𝚘 𝚜𝚢𝚍

I walked in through the door and heaved my backpack onto the couch, highschool should be categorized as cruel and unusual torture- something that is outlawed in the U.S.

Aiden walked in behind me, we carpooled today so that he could show me the ropes. I hadn't been to Cheshire in two years, not since I was a freshman and I'm a junior now. "How was your first day?" He questioned, placing his backpack right next to mine.

I turned around, glaring at him. "How do you think?"

One of my teachers remembered me from freshman year, it was mortifying. Most of the students hadn't considering I did change a lot, Puberty hit me like a rock. Freshman year I was small and babyfaced, now I was much taller, my features more defined and I had matured a lot.

I was unrecognizable compared to freshman year Annalise.

The only bright side to this whole day was that I had most of my classes with my friends. Other than that, it was an utter nightmare. I forgot how controlling and manipulative that school can be, things were so much easier in Australia.

Aiden started heading towards the door, "Wait? Where are you going?" I stood up and called after him. I didn't really want to be all alone right now, it was my first day back at school, that didn't mean it was easy.

"Ryan's," he didn't leave much room for debate as he twirled his keys around on his fingers, walking out the door.

I flopped down on the couch. With the big 'announcement' and school starting today, I've barely had any time to think. Last night was horrible, but this weekend... this weekend was amazing.

And I couldn't help but hate myself for it.

I didn't think of my mother once. I had fun with my friends and I didn't even give my mother a single thought.

I'm supposed to be mourning her and processing her loss, I don't know why or how but it seems as if Aiden already did. Unless he's hiding it, too.

I feel guilty.

It felt so freeing to just have unproblematic fun with my friends, something I hadn't done in such a long time. In Australia I worked, I worked towards a music career, I worked towards going to a good college, I worked. But here, everything is different.

And I'm not sure if it's in a good way.

I pulled out my phone to text Daphne to ask her if I could come over. I desperately needed someone I could spill my guts to right now. But before I could do anything I heard my name, "Annalise!" It was my dad. I had no idea he was even home, he never usually is.

I furrow my brows, "Yeah?" I call back in confusion.

"Can you please come down here?" He yells across the house. I don't know why he has to yell, I don't like being summoned. If he wants to talk to me he should walk out here. But I didn't want to agitate him so I followed his voice down the hall to his office.