Just a Game | ASHANNIE | ✓

nineteen

Annie felt the breath swoosh out of her in one fell swoop. She felt suffocated underneath the pitying looks from the people around her. These people who a few weeks ago, Annie detested. She hated everyone, hated the hypocrisy, the hormones, the hateful actions of them.

Now she was different. She was one of them, and she couldn't breathe. So she stood up and walked out of the room to find a bathroom. Once down the empty hall, she locked herself in room and leaned her head against the door.

She felt the tears rising up in her and her breaths came out harshly. What did that mean? Was it rejection? Did she finally scare him off? Did he leave to go find Peyton?

A soft knock pulled her out of her thoughts and Annie wiped away the tears before opening it. It was Lilia, and Annie shut the door fast behind her. Lilia wrapped her arms around her softly. "Have you ever experienced heartbreak?" Lilia asked her softly and Annie's loosed a broken sob.

"Only once." She whispered and Lilia ran her hands up her back soothingly.

"I'll beat him to a pulp if you want." Lilia offered eventually and it was enough to make Annie laugh slightly.

Annie finally calmed her breathing and tears, she was sitting on the toilet while Lilia sat on the rim of the tub. "Did you see him leave?" Annie finally asked and Lilia nodded.

"He was staring at you the entire time, except right before you whispered the last thing he got up and left. Well, more like stumbled but you get the idea. He looked torn, or like you cracked his heart right open." Lilia confessed and Annie weighed the words.

"I'm broken." Annie managed to say. "He tried to fix me, and when it started working, he left."

"Well," Lilia started off. "That settles it, I'm really gonna fight him now."

Annie let out another laugh.

A frantic knocking began on the door and Annie reluctantly got up. She opened the door slowly and her breath caught.

Speak of the devil and he shall appear.

Except he wasn't the devil, and his namesake only proved it.

Annie turned slightly to Lilia "I'll let you at him." She joked before actually taking in Asher's appearance. He looked wrecked already. He was breathing heavy and his eyes looked panicked. His hat was gone now and his eyes were darting between Lilia and Annie.

Lilia stood up and slid through the door with a small awkward "excuse me."

Asher relaxed slightly as she left. "Take a ride with me." It was a question and a statement. "Wait have you been crying?" Annie didn't answer. "Please, just come with me."

Annie hesitated, but she took in his appearance and finally loosed a "fine." And walked past him into the hallway.