𝐎𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐔𝐏𝐎𝐍 𝐀𝐍 𝐔𝐒 ~ 𝐊𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐚 𝐟𝐚𝐧 𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

~2~

"EXCUSE ME! WHY ARE YOU HUGGING MY GIRLFRIEND?" Anna spun around rapidly.

"Clarrie?" Anna asked softly. "What are you doing here?" she went to hug her but was roughly pushed away.

"I was going to surprise you," she snapped. "But it turns out you're cheating on me! I can't believe you..." Clarissa cried dramatically.

"But baby, she's just a customer, I have next to no idea who she is- "

"Don't lie," Clarissa rudely interrupted her. "You're following her on Instagram."

"I'm following your ex and you have never once complained..." Anna reminded her.

"OMG babe! I hate you! And I hate being lied straight to my face when I know every bit of the truth!" Clarissa started sobbing noisily. Anna sighed.

"Baby..." she said as Clarissa stormed down the street. Kitty was shaking with shock. Anna guided her back inside and gave her a new drink, as her original one had gone cold.

"Th-th-thank you" Kitty stuttered. Anna picked up her belongings and ran after Clarissa. Kitty finished her coffee and then went home, exhausted and traumatised. She started to write the next scene in her book.

"Dear diary,

I have learned a lot this year. I have learned a lot about pain and suffering, but also about joy and happiness. I have learned that sometimes, even those seemingly contradictory feelings can coexist. And I have felt a lot. Sometimes all at once, sometimes nothing at all and sometimes I have felt all at once and nothing at all, simultaneously. And I have learned about good and bad but also about the void that exists in between. I realised that not everything is black and white, and the world is so much more beautiful and joyous because of that. I have learned a lot about self-love and self-care. And how long a journey it is. And how much I still have left of that journey. How you can try to distract yourself from the real problem by making jokes and avoiding life, how you can try to convince yourself that you are worthy, beautiful and enough but all that will be for nothing unless you take an action that reflects your words. I have also learned a lot about loneliness and how it can cause physical pain to you. Respectively, I have learned how it can be so much worse to not feel lonely; how loneliness can numb you into believing that you will always be alone, both mentally and physically. How people you never thought would leave did. However, being alone is not something to be ashamed of. Sometimes sunsets are your only friends, and that is so much more than okay. But first and foremost, I have learned that you have to stop waiting for the sun to rise and realise that you were the sun all along."

Kitty fell asleep hunched over her laptop. Jasmine may be a fictional character with a fictional diary, but she did resonate with that diary entry. She didn't wake for hours.

When she did, she awoke to a message from Anna.

Text from Anna: Hey Kitty, I'm so sorry about earlier, Clarrie can get jealous very easily and jumps to conclusions xx

Text to Anna: It's ok...Is everything ok between you?

Text from Anna: Yes, everything is fine for now

Text to Anna: For now?

Text from Anna: Yeah, I gtg

Kitty frowned before turning on her television and watching The Circle. She could see the sky becoming darker and broodier, dropping rain from the sky. She flopped onto the sofa. The sofa in the living room had seen many years, many seasons. Though beautifully designed, the leather had worn past the point of distress and there are now small tears and holes. The once bright tan colour had been bleached by the sun that streamed in through the window, it was now a friendly soft beige, the kind you could wrap yourself in by a campfire and be cosy for the night. She watched as the players got an alert and her phone pinged with an Instagram message

Message from: its_Clari55aK

its_Clari55aK: Back off of my girlfriend

Kitty stared at her phone, shocked.

www.kitty.com: I don't understand, I am in no sort of relationship with her, we aren't even friends

She put her phone down and continued to watch 4 episodes before ordering a Greek takeaway. She decided to tell Anna about Clarissa.

Text to Anna: Heya

Text from Anna: Hey Kitty

Text to Anna: just thought I should tell you Clarissa messaged me

Text from Anna: let me guess-get away from my girlfriend?

Text to Anna: essentially

Kitty leaned back onto her sofa, lying in the weak rays of sun. She heard her apartment doorbell ring and hauled herself upright before answering the door. She smiled shyly at the delivery guy, whose name tag read Henry King. 

"Ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... Greek salad for a Katherine Howard?" She paid him and took her salad. That guy seemed shady, and she wouldn't be surprised if he decapitated several of his wives. Kitty slammed the door in his face.

"Thank you" She shouted through the letter box, before heading into her kitchen to eat her lovely salad. Her phone buzzed

its_Clari55aK: It's funny when people try to be sneaky but the only ones they are fooling are themselves...

www.kitty.com: People don't ever think from the other person's perspective. If you did you might understand the situation more.

its_Clari55aK: Seriously back off

Kitty growled in frustration. She couldn't face this onslaught of abuse and it had only been 24 hours. She had to call Anna, clear things up. Her trembling finger clicked the call button and she paced anxiously around her kitchen. She could hear the phone ringing, and the click as Anna accepted the call.

"Kitty?" Anna picked up the call. "What a nice surprise." Kitty clenched her muscles and took a deep breath.

"You need to make Clarissa see that we are not dating," she said in a voice that was much calmer than she was. "As you said, I am just some customer and-" 

"Kitty stop. You are so much more than just an ordinary customer. You are drop-dead gorgeous for a start-" Kitty heard Anna's laugh and a scream from the other end of the phone.

"BABE!" Kitty gasped as she heard Clarissa yell at Anna. She jumped as the phone was tossed aside.

"Don't. You. DARE. Talk to that Kitty girl again," she hissed menacingly. "Don't you DARE." Kitty went as white as a sheet as the sound of a slap rung out. Clarissa had just slapped Anna.