Welcome to Serenity

Excited For The Game

Ty's POV:
After church, me and my friends headed to Wharton's.

"Dude! You ready for the game tomorrow?" Gabe asks, as I reach across the table for a fourth slice of pizza.

"Yeah." I say, droning out to the conversation around me.

"Hey, you okay babe?" Cece whispers, holding my hand.

"Yeah just tired." I say, kissing her on the cheek.

Just as we are paying, my phone vibrates in my pocket.

Mum
Just arriving home now. Annie is already at her house, did you guys have a fight or something?

Ty
Okay. No. See you soon.

"Bye Townsend! See you tomorrow!" Luke says walking out of the resturant.

"Hi." Cece smiles, as she hugs me.

"Hi. Bye." I say, after kissing her softly on the lips.

"Bye." She giggles. I laugh as she walks off.

* * *

"Ty!" I hear Katie yell as I arrive home, watching her sprint over to me.

"Hey!" I hug her, and spin her around. While she giggles hysterically, Mum and Kyle come and say their hellos.

A few hours later, after Mum and Kyle have filled me in on their weekends away, I lie in bed, thinking of how to break up with Cece. I can't keep stringing her along.

I wake up bright and early the next morning, getting showered and dressed before anyone else is up.

As I go outside onto the front porch to look for my runners, I see Annie running outside in a jumper.

It's boiling today, but I don't say anything. I don't know what to say. All I know is something isn't right, and I don't know what to do.

"Tyler! Help me get Katie ready for school." Mum yells from inside.

School is boring and tiring, as all my classes are really hard and I'm failing most of them.

I wish Kyle was in my year, then I could ask him for help with the work.

I wish Annie was talking to me, cause then I could ask her for help with the work.

"Tyler!" I hear someone behind me yell.

"Yeah Coach?" I ask, as I stop beside the school gate.

"I don't want you late to come home, but I just wanted to make sure you were coming to the game tonight. You are one of our best players and I wanted to make sure you were alright." He says.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I say, alittle confused.

"Good. Great. See you at the game then." He says, leaving as quickly as he came. I walk home very confused.

* * *

"Hey Mum, is Coach Cal alright?" I ask as I help her unpack the groceries.

"Yeah, why?" She asks..

"I don't know, I talked to him earlier and he was acting alittle weird." I say as she shrugs.

"I don't know. Maybe he's just excited for the game today." Mum suggests.

"Maybe." I say, my attention suddenly focused on Katie trying to do a cartwheel.

The pregame hype had intoxicated the whole town, as we walk through the school carpark, the team hears of a lot of people coming up to us and wishing us good luck.

After practising for half an hour, we start preparing for the game.

Everyone is chatting and walking to their positions. As I step up onto the pitchers mount, I get ready to throw.

I scan the crowd quickly, trying to find Mum, Dad, Kyle and Katie.

As my eyes pass the food stand, I spot Annie holding her camera behind the fence.

I see her look up from her camera, looking me straight in the eye.

Her beautiful brown eyes, her delicate hands holding her most prized possession, her camera.

I'm suddenly remembering walking to school. She turns her head around laughing at something Kyle said.

The sun behind her makes her look like an angel.

Her hair sits perfectly as she spins around, her smile happy and full of hope for the future.

As I look at Annie now, I see a shell of that girl.

Her hopeful smile, no longer there.

Her eyes a darker colour, scared and alone.

Her hair that used to be out and perfect, is tucked away into a pony tail, dull and brittle.

Her cheeks hollow, her face tired and weary.

The Annabel Sullivan I used to know is still there, but hidden by the trauma of the accident.

I take one last look at her before I turn to the batter in front of me and throw the ball as hard as I can.

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Hey guys! I hope you have been enjoying reading the story, and sorry for chapters taking a while to come out.

Thanks for your love and support for 'Welcome To Serenity', and I hope you are having a lovely day where ever you are in the world! 🧡