Perseverance

Chapter Forty Five ~ August

December - 2020

I'm walking home from Zara's house, earphones in as I listen to Sav's new favorite Taylor Swift song on repeat, just as she insisted.

I'm humming along to it as I turn onto my road. The sun is setting, the sky a deep red and yellow and I'm glad I left Zara's when I did, not ever wanting to walk home in the dark.

Kicking at a pebble on the sidewalk, I watch as it catapults into the road. Lifting my gaze up, I set eyes on the Winters house and clench my teeth together.

I haven't seen Brett since he went off to college and I finally helped Savannah to forget all about him. She's been at my house a lot, but we never look at this house, never once stop to contemplate the pain it caused her.

I've put them out of my mind as well.

Except that now Brett is stepping out of his little black sports car. He's home from college for the weekend, that much is clear. His mother and father are in front of the car, awaiting their golden boy. I wonder how he's doing at university. No doubt sliding through women like slices of fucking cake that Sav would eat. Dickhead.

My breath catches in my throat as the passenger door opens. I watch, frozen as Ellis gets out, holding his arms out and hollering something at Brett's parents. They all laugh before his mom scoops Brett into a hug and Ellis starts talking to George.

Brett's dad seems so amicable with him, almost friendly as he slaps Ellis on the back. I don't understand why he's so rude to the rest of us. He hates my parents, my brother, me, Sav. Anyone he crosses on our side of the road is destined to be yelled at. And humiliated.

But he likes Ellis.

I should have known that playboy would be able to talk anyone round.

But not me. Never me.

I turn away, heading up my driveway on the opposite side of the road. I smile up at my family home, feeling immensely grateful for the parents I have.

*~*~*

Present Day - August 2028

I'm practically running down the road, late for my appointment with Dora. She needed this dress as an urgent last minute favor and I quickly whipped out my lilac cotton and sewed a cool summer dress for her tea party tomorrow.

The zipper on the back was extremely fiddly, hence why I'm now fifteen minutes later than I should be, hurrying towards the restaurant with determination. The garment bag keeps dragging along the floor and I continue to lift it up, only for it to fall back down every time my arms get tired. Hey, what's a girl to do?

Dodging the numerous pedestrians, I can see the restaurant in the distance and grin. I'm nearly there. So close. Dora won't mind. She knew this was a long shot anyway, what with it being so last minute...

A loud ripping sound tears me out of my daydream before my arm is wrenched back. Turning, I follow the garment bag from my hand, down to the floor. There's a black shoe on the end of it, someone standing on it from where my arms have dropped once again. I gasp at the sight of some torn lilac material peeking out of the edge.

No!

Looking up, I follow the legs to come face to face with a blank faced Eric.

"Oopsie," he mutters before smirking. "I didn't see that bag on the floor."

Liar.

I grit my teeth, looking back at the torn material that's swaying in the breeze, my mind screaming. It's ripped. The dress is ruined. My work is destroyed.