"An incident happened last night and I want to talk to you about it," her father's voice echoed into her little room.
"What incident?" Annie asked from her bed. She wasn't sure how she got home, or how she changed her clothes. The last thing she remembered was the sweet darkness and the cool wetness of water enveloping her.
"Last night-" her father's voice hitched, his blue eyes looked sad- tired. His shoulders sagged, his posture one that almost looked defeated.
"Father, are you alright? You work too much, you look tired. Maybe you should take a few days off-" Annie started, worried for her father.
"Annie, don't worry about me. Worry about yourself," her father's eyes started to slightly water. "Last night you tried to.. You.." he couldn't find the right words.
"What father?" She asked.
"You tried to-" he sighed as a single tear fell down his cheek, he sat on the edge of Annie's bed, "I didn't know how much you were struggling, I'm sorry I should've paid more attention to you. I knew people were bothering you, but I didn't know it effected you this deeply." Her father took Annie's hand, "you could've came to me, Annie, you didn't- you don't have to end yourself. I am here for you."
"W-what?" Annie looked at her father bewildered.
"I saw the sc@rs Annie, and-" he sighed again, his shoulders sagging lower, "your mother and I talked, and we agreed that maybe, LakeVille isn't the right place for you. So we agreed that you should move in with your mother."
Annie's world stopped spinning. Her breath hitched.
"It's not negotiable Annie, we need to think of your safety. Your mother has contacted a therapist for you, you'll start your sessions once your comfortable at your mothers."
Then her father stood, "you'll leave in a week." A silent sob escaped his lips as he looked at his only biological child, "I'll miss you so much Annie. More then you'll know. As of today you won't be going to school, start packing, your flight is on Friday, 5 am."
With that her father left her alone in her room.
*~*~*~*~*
[3 YEARS LATER]
Annie checked her plane ticket for the fourth time in an hour, she stood inside the almost empty airport, her knee bouncing nervously. She was nervous about flying, more nervous about seeing her family after 3 years of not seeing them face to face.
Sure, they texted and video called, well more like her father texted and called. Usually, with her grandmother beside him as she doesn't know how to work a phone.
Annie's step brother and mother had no contact what-so-ever. Like as soon as Annie left the house she completely left their memory. Annie wondered if her father knew, probably not. She wouldn't be the topic of their everyday conversation.
Though surly she would be these days. Annie's mother- Lilah, passed away in a freak car accident. Since her death, Lilah has been holding it together, barely. She hadn't shed a tear yet, not because she didn't love her mother- God did she love her mother, but because she swears that if she holds it in. Her mother wouldn't truly be gone.
So here she was, in the airport, her belongings already sent to her father's house. Waiting, endlessly waiting. Annie checked the ticket again, a huff escaping her lips before she checked the time.
"Flight 245, LakeVille-" Annie bolted for the door, handing her ticket to the attendant and finding her seat. Annie sighed as she sat down.
Annie pulled out her book as she made herself as comfortable as possible I the widow seat. She pulled her black reading glasses out and curled up. She enjoyed reading now a days- can't have grief if you're living a different life through a book.
As the plane filled and their flight started, Annie found herself going into a dreamless sleep.
"Oh um, miss," poke, poke. Annie's eyes flew open and looked beside her, a woman with a kind smile sat beside her, "were landing."
"Oh- thank you," Annie smiled gratefully.
As Annie made her way off the plane and through the airport she wondered who or if someone was there to pick her up.
By this hour the airport had filled up, people coming and going. It made Annie feel claustrophobic which in turn, made her nervous.
Annie watched the luggage trolly roll, waiting to see her purple suitcase which had her own painting on it. The front pouch of her suitcase had a rainbow lion roaring on it. After she moved away, Annie took up the hobby of painting, in a way it soothed her soul.
But since her mother's death- two weeks ago, she hadn't picked up the brush. All she ever wanted to paint was her mother's face now-a-days, and she knew if she was to paint her mother, the dam holding her tears back would burst.
Annie saw her case rolling towards her, she eagerly picked it up, set it on its wheels and started rolling it behind her as she made her way through the airport.
Annie made it to the last (or first, depending on which way your going) elevator before the front doors. The entire time she was in the airport she kept an eye out of someone she knew, or a sign that said "Annie," but she saw nothing.
Annie wasn't surprised, her father constantly worked due to being a doctor, so he probably instructed someone else to drive her. And maybe that person forgot.
Annie didn't dwell on it as she made her way to the front door, hailing a taxi she started the long drive to her former home.
Towards her former bullies who had ruined her life.
Towards the unknown.
Annie felt nervous for how her last year of school was to go. She hadn't seen these people in three years. Would they recognize her? Would they care?
Would they start bullying her again?