back & better | ✓

Annalise Starke knew her mother was going to die.

She had gone through that ambiguous loss, mourning someone who was still warm. Though nothing could've prepared her for when the time actually came, or how to deal with becoming 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮 𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘥.

𓇼

Now, she deals with the pain in silence as she becomes the "new girl" once again as she fulfills her mothers terminal, dying wish for her to return to the states and live with her father and twin brother. Though, she must admit, this title is much better than being 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘨𝘪𝘳𝘭 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘮 𝘸𝘢𝘴 𝘮𝘶𝘳𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥.

Adjusting to life in the states is hard, and things are rocky as Annalise tries desperately, grasping at straws, to wrangle the foundations of her life: her sleep schedule, mental health, and social life. Because as much as she wants it to stop, life moves on, time passes, and her with it.

Throughout all of the emotional turmoil, with and her childhood best friend, Sylvie Sorren, at her side, her sense of normalcy returns; Suddenly, she can think about the latest Victoria Secret Fashion Show, book release, movies, parties, and even..boys.

As she starts up senior year at her old school, she's in for a wild ride as she tries to navigate the halls of a place that's no longer familiar--because, one minute she's fine and healing, and the next...she's taking deep breaths in the janitor's closet and wishing death upon her mother's killer an ocean away.

Because while yes, people are made up of their experiences, of the things they love and hate, our pasts don't define us. This is her story. Annalise's. So buckle up, because you're in for a wild ride; this isn't a story you've heard before.

𓇼

rankings:
#20 in senior year on 6-16-21
#8 in brothersbestfriend on 6-20-21
#13 in heartfelt on 6-26-21
#1 in junior year on 9-24-21

formerly called "I'm back"