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16 Years Later
Annabelle's P.O.V

"Late night, come home. Work sucks, I know. She left me roses by the stairs. Surprises let me know she ca-"

I slammed the snooze button on my alarm and groaned. Another day of waking up early, just to not miss the bus. I looked at the time. 6:15 a.m. I groaned again and some how managed to get myself up and out of my room, down the hall way, and into the shower. Ah, nice warmth. Hair, make up, clothes, shoes, back pack, cell phone, ipod, home work. Once I had all those things I was out the door and on my way to the bus stop. Er, I mean to school. There's absolutely no bus stop around here. And it absolutely sucks.

About 15 minutes later I was standing right in front of the school. Great, just the way I want my days to start. And, to point out the fact that I'm early, again, I'm pretty sure my friends aren't even here yet. Double great. I decided to just sit under the tall oak tree, my oak tree, and draw. Or sing, whatever I felt like doing. I brought my pack up into my lap and dug in it for my note book and art supplies. I always have them with me. I looked around the court yard for something to draw, and spotted him. Not just him, but him. I've never seen him before. Long black hair, clad in nothing but black. And yet, I have seen him before today. I just don't remember when. But I decided to draw him anyway. I studied him for a few minutes, hoping to God he wouldn't see me and come over. Then I got to work. I outlined his basic shape, then added details. Pretty soon I had his entire self penciled in. I smiled at my work, then dug through my colored pens and pencils, and traced over the pencil. When I was finished, I beamed at my work, mentally patting myself on the back.

Then some one cleared their throat. I literally froze. Please don't be him, please don't be him, PLEASE DON'T BE HIM!

I looked up, and sure enough, it was him. I closed my eyes for a brief moment, then looked straight up at him.

"Can I help you?" I asked kindly. He smiled.

"Yes, actually, you can. I hope. See, I'm new here, and I don't know my way around. Will you help me?"

"Uh, sure?" I put away my drawing and art supplies and stood up. He was a lot taller than I'd expected. "Do you have your schedule?"

"Ha ha yeah. Here." He handed me the paper, and waited patiently while I looked over it.

"Um, you have my History, Math, and Art classes. The others you have with my friends."

"Oh, cool. I'm Bert."

"Annabelle. But most people call me Belle or Anna or whatever comes to mind." I babbled. Stop acting like a lunatic!

"Oh, OK. So um, where are your friends?"

"They're not here yet." Duh, you doofus! Would I be alone if they were here?! God, I sound like Rose! Shut up, stop talking to yourself! He's obviously talking to you! I snapped out of it and caught the last few words of his sentence.

"--just moved here from New York, so I really have no clue. But thanks for inviting me to hang with you." He smiled innocently. Damn, was I talking then? This sucks, I don't even remember saying anything! Oh God, I'm going crazy aren't I?

"Hello? Are you OK?"

"Huh, what? Oh, yeah I'm fine. I just um, dozed off. I didn't mean to be rude."

"Oh, cos for a second there I thought I was boring you to death, ha ha." I felt myself turn red, then shook my head, literally.

"No no, its fine. I do that occasionally. So, Bert, where were you before NY? You don't have an accent."

"OK, I'm originally from the Middle East, but my mom moved me here cos of the divorce."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked."

"Its OK. I trust you."

"But you barely know me."

"I know. But you look like the type I can trust. And its not really that big a deal."

"Oh, well then OK, I guess...I-"

"Anna!!!" my best friends Gerard and Frank screamed from half way across the school yard. I smiled and waved as they came running over. Oh shit! I thought as I knew what they were going to do.

"Whee!" Frank yelled as he jumped on me, sending me to the ground. Gerard laughed and Bert, from what I could tell, looked at us like we were all crazy. I laughed and pushed Frank off me.

"Guys, this is Bert. He's from New York, and he shall be sitting with us today!" I said proudly. I saw Gerard take one look at Bert and look away. Oh great. He's got another crush. Just great!

"Um, hi." Bert said meekly. Frank smiled and hugged him, and Bert, I swear, was going to either die from embarrassment or punch Frank in the gut. Thank God he did neither.

"Frankie, get off him! You're gonna give him cooties!" I teased. Frank blushed and quickly got off, straightening out his pink tie that he chose to wear with the school uniform today. Some times it was red or black or both, but this was the first time that he even dared wear his favorite color.

"Anna, you know I don't have cooties!" Frank complained.

"I know, but he doesn't know that." I said mysteriously.

"Um, are you both OK? You're creeping me out."

"Yeah, they're fine. They do this every time some one new joins our club." Gerard answered. Bert just nodded.

"So um, yea. Gerard, Frank, Bert has science and English with you guys."

"Um, hello? We have almost all your classes you douche!"

"Ouch, that hurts!" I gasped, pretending to look hurt. They only giggled.

"Well I'm glad you think that's funny. But when I die some day and you don't have me around you're going to wish you were dead too!" I stomped my foot for good measure.

"Does she always talk this way?" Bert tried to whisper, but I heard it of course. What with my perfectly good listening ears. I glared at Gerard, meaning for him to not tell a complete lie.

"Oh yes, she does. In fact, she talks about killing herself all the time, doesn't she Gerard?" Frank answered, tugging on Gerard's shirt sleeve.

"Yea yea. I'm gonna go see Stef. Later guys." Gerard walked off.

"Do we even know a Stef?" questioned Frank.

I shook my head. "No."

"Why did he do that? Was it me?" Bert looked hurt.

"Bert, trust me. It wasn't you. That's actually his key word for, 'I'm going to go be by myself like and emo kid' sort of thing. Don't worry, he uses it for almost everything. Even in class."

"Oh."

Then the bell rang.

"Well, that's the sign for getting our asses in school and 'learning' some thing!" I said sarcastically.

"Aw great. And I think its gonna rain today!" whined Frank..again for the third time this week.

"No its not. Its bright as hell outside Frankie, why can't you see that?" I pushed him in front of me and walked him into the front of the school.

"Why are you pushing me? Let me go!"

"Sh, you'll make people look at us. Just keep walking." He did. And boy was I glad for that.

We got in to Mr. Shaw's math class and sat down in the back of the class. And by back, I mean all-the-way-at-the-back-where-no-one-can-see-us sort of thing. I didn't see Gerard anywhere, and that kind of scared me. In a way. I mean, I'm used to him ditching frequently, but he never ditched first thing in the morning! Maybe I should go look for him. I raised my hand after the bell rang again and asked to be excused.

"And why would I do that? You just got in here."

"Fine, be that way." I retorted, then walked hurriedly back to my seat. I looked at Frank longingly and pleaded with my eyes. Then he raised his hand.

"Yes, Mr. Iero." the teach answered nonchalantly.

"Um, not to embarrass Anna or anything, but there's blood all over her underwear." My eyes widened. "WHAT?!"

"Thank you, I'm sure. Ms. Johnson, please go to the restroom and clean up. You hear?"

"Yes, I hear."

I glared daggers at Frank all the way out the door. He only laughed at Bert's petrified face. Eh, I'd explain later. Right now I needed to desperately find my best friend!

I ran outside and all the way to Gerard's "hiding" spot all the way across the fields in the woods.

"Gerard? Gerard!" I called out.

"What." a gloomy voice answered. I followed it all the way to the stump of a tree, and looked up behind me.

"Gerard, what in the world are you doing in a tree?"

"Just thinking. Want to join?" No emotion was in his voice, whatsoever.

I climbed up and sat down next to him on a branch. "Tell me. What's wrong?"

"Well, it's..Bert." he whispered.

"Ah. You like him, don't you." I stated that more than I asked it.

"Yea, I do. But what do I do? I mean, I can't ask him out, he'll just run away and make fun of me!"

"Oh G Bear, I'm sure he won't. Besides, I think he's gay too." I was hoping this would cheer him up. It didn't.

"How do you know that?" God, still no emotion!

"There's just..something about him. Trust me. Have I ever steered you wrong?"

He sighed. "No."

"Exactly! So just ask him out."

"But I barely know him!"

"Do it or I'll ask him for you."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

"Alright...Will you ask him for me?" He looked at me with pleading eyes. I couldn't deny him now, not when he looks like that!

"Oh, alright. But you owe me, big time."

"Yay!" He hugged me and gave me a kiss on the cheek, then hopped down out of the tree, and proceeded to walk away.

"Um, aren't you forgetting some thing?!" I called after him.

"Huh?" He turned around and looked at me. Then he seemed to remember. "Oh yeah! Sorry."

He came back and helped me down out of the tree. He knows I hate heights, so that's why he usually helps me.

"Thank you."

"I love you. You're the best!"

"Hold on there, son, I haven't even asked him yet!"

"I know, its just that I know you will. So I'm just saying it ahead of time!"

"Oh, OK then. Well in that case I heart you too."

"Why don't you ever say 'love'?"

I looked at him, then looked down.

"Because. It's just too hard."