.:A N N A B E L L E :.

[GREYtheFLAILER]

• O N E •

.xXx. Finally, Spring Break. After another round of long, boring, drawn-out few months of school, I can easily say it’s about-fricken-time! Goodbye heavy books and evil teachers, hello effin’ amazing parties and sleeping in! I mean, what more could someone ask for? Exactly. Nothing. “Hey, Jess!” I looked over my shoulder casually, right in the middle of attempting to shove one-too-many books into my stuffed bag. A small smile curved my lips as Vanessa, my whacky and overly-flirty best friend, skipped over to me, her own bag looking a million times lighter than it should. I laughed, shaking my head at her, before resuming stuffing my book into my bag.
“No homework?” I asked casually, now attempting to force the seemingly stubborn zipper on my backpack up.
“What? Homework? We don’t have any homework, tard.” She said with innocence, shrugging nonchalantly. Another thing about Vanessa? School was so not her scene. I flung my half-open bag over my should, after slamming my locker shut, and straightening up. The hell with it, if my bag didn’t want to close, I wasn’t going to make it angry by forcing it.
“Right, no homework.” I said with a little laugh, hooking my thumb into the arm-strap of my backpack.
“You coming tonight?” She asked suddenly, ignoring my earlier protests. Vanessa and parties went together like peanut butter and jam, I swear. Not that I don’t like them... Because trust me, I love them too. It’s my parents that aren’t so fond of me going.
“ You helping me sneak out?” I asked with another little grin.
“Well, obviously. It’s not like you could sneak out without me.” I sent a playful shove in her direction then, partnered with yet another little laugh. I pushed the front door open easily and held it open for her, before waving as she jogged towards the bus with her light, un-stubborn-looking backpack. Maybe mine just hated me? I wouldn’t know. I giggled as she sat beside some cute guy a year older then the both of us and gave me a thumbs-up through the window, before heading towards my usual path to get home. I would see her later tonight, for a “slumber party,” at her place. My parents are so gullible, it’s amazing. They’ll think I’m watching chick flicks or painting my nails, when really? I’ll be getting piss drunk, and partying like there’s no tomorrow. The best part? Vanessa’s parents are out of town, so her place is completely empty, aside from the two of us. Permission to sleep off a hangover without getting into trouble has been officially granted. Score.

And, this is why I love Holidays.

• • •

So, the plan had been executed perfectly. Vanessa had shown up at my place at exactly 7:03, and sounded like the angelic-child she pretended to be, when around my parents. They’d agreed to me going to her place to sleepover, which technically wasn’t a lie because I planned on returning to her house after the party, and we headed up to my room to pack. I’d grabbed my usual pyjamas and thrown on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, nothing to make my parents wary, before discreetly stuffing in some acceptable party-wear into the bottom of my bag. As long as my mother didn’t have an inventory of my clothing, though I wasn’t even sure she knew I owned half of what I did, I’d be fine. I probably sound like such a bad kid, right? Trust me, I’m not. I have good grades, all A’s and B’s, but sometimes I just need to get away a little. A little fun won’t hurt anybody, right? Right. So don’t judge. Anyways, so now it’s almost 10:00, and we’re waiting for a few older guys to pick us up from Vanessa’s place. They’re pretty good friends of hers, and being the flirty little thing she is, she’s wrapped them both around her fingers pretty easily. Amazing what a girl can do, huh?


“They better be here soon, or I’m going to call and give them shit.” Vanessa mutters, causing me to immediately smirk. She’s so impatient.
“Chill out, I’m sure they’ll be here soon enough.” I said with a laugh, before getting pelted with an unsuspected pillow. I grabbed it off the ground and whipped it right back at Vanessa, successfully nailing her atop the head.
“Hey! Watch it! You’ll totally kill my hair, Jessica.” I rolled my eyes, before adjusting my one-shouldered top, so it fit to my likings.
“Your hair’s fine. Trust me, I’d tell you if it looked like crap.” I nodded, receiving a little amused glare from my bestie. We picked at each other, it was just how we showed... Affection? I don’t know. Frick, I’m not some smart old person that analyzes human behaviour. You should know this by now. Give me a break. Just then, the doorbell rang throughout the house, causing Vanessa to, quite literally, hop up and bound downstairs with a giggle. Can you tell she’s excited?


“Way to be late, guys.” I heard her say playfully as I walked down the stairs, before going to stand beside her.
“Jeeze, tough room.” The shorter, and better looking of the two, said with a smirk.
“You want a tough room? I can give you a tough—“ I cut her off, before she could finish.
“Don’t listen to her. She doesn’t bite,” I said with a smirk of my own.
“Hard.” Jessica added to my comment with another playful little grin, before walking out the doorway, past the two. The taller of the guys followed her, while the shorter one waited for me to lock the door behind us. Funny, how I was locking Vanessa’s house for her. I smiled up at him as I walked towards their car, before helping myself into the back seat.
“You girls ready?” The shorter one, who I still didn’t know the name of, asked, as he got into the driver’s seat and buckled his seatbelt.
“We were ready like... Ten minutes ago.” Vanessa said teasingly, in which the guy responded to by turning on the car and speeding down the road.


We arrived not more than twenty minutes later, and the four of us walked into the open house without delay, ignoring the flailing and singing people all around us. It was only about 10:30, and they were already totally hammered. Good times, these parties. The house shook with the bass of the blaring music, which I noticed from the second we entered. This is what I love most, out of everything. The music, the movement... It was all amazing. Hell, it made me hyper. I grinned as Vanessa handed me a drink and linked her arm with my own, before dragging me into the next room. Well, I guess it was time to let loose, hey?
“Jessica!” I whirled around suddenly, pulling my arm from Vanessa--who honestly didn’t seem to notice, to see Vickie, also known as the school-wide bitch, motioning me over. I thought she hated me? I looked over my shoulder, before walking over to her slowly, raising a brow. What the hell did she want?
“Yeah?” I asked, forcing myself to sound way nicer then I really felt.
“Apparently, Mark wants to see you behind the house.” She said, her normally snooty and bitchy tone completely in overdrive. Yeah, she was definitely drunk. I nodded slowly. Was it a trick? Maybe. But if her and her little posy of fluffs tried anything, I’d happily put up a fight. It wouldn’t be too hard to knock one of the retards out.
“Thanks...?” I said slowly, before watching as she walked off. I shrugged my shoulders and headed out the door, and worked my way around the house. Not many people were outside, to my surprise, although I figured it was because it was still cold, seeing as it was April. But... what did Mark want? I mean, we’d kissed once... But that was earlier this year. While he just happened to be going out with Vickie. I hadn’t known, duh, but apparently I wasn’t the only one he cheated on Vickie with. Whatever, that wasn’t my problem. They’d been broken up for a few months now, so he’s totally fair game. I frowned slightly, then. Why would Vickie tell me he wanted to see me?


“Mark?” I called out, narrowing my eyes in a failed attempt to see in the darkness. I’d gone into the very back of the large yard, and was surrounded by trees and bushes. It was like a mini forest, back here. I looked over my shoulder, towards the house, suddenly a little afraid. What if Mark wasn’t out here? Ugh, I’m just retarded. He’ll be here.
“Mark?” I asked again, my voice loud, more desperate. Why isn’t he here? Is he on the other side of the yard? I turned around again, to look towards the house, before sighing and placing my hands on my hips in irritation.
“I’m here, darling.” My brow furrowed. That voice wasn’t Mark’s. It was then, I froze. Warm breath caressed my bare shoulder, and I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up. If this was some practical joke, it wasn’t funny. Not at all. I was frozen, unable to move whatsoever. It wasn’t Mark. Where was Mark? It was then my flight instincts stepped in, and I took a step forwards to run. It was also then I felt something large and heavy collide with the back of my head.

The ground rushed up to meet me quickly, and I was vitally aware of a warm liquid running down my neck. Black invaded my vision after seconds, and my eyes fluttered closed with a small groan.

So much for fun.

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