Our Sick Inheritance (editing)

Chapter 13 - What's In The Black Box

Ryan had lied and said he was single, but Anna had seen his wedding posts with Jolene, his wife to be, which is why Anna singled him out. She liked everything Jolene posted, and could tell that her boyfriend was an idiot in the man piggish lack of respect. She didn't expect Jolene to find out before the damage was done so she was extremely surprised to be slapped by her. Jolene was as strong as a man, Anna thought as she absentmindedly touched her cheek.

With a worried look on his face, Ryan's picture mixed in with pictures of other saved marriages that Anna intercepted and ruined before they could reach the altar. She had another picture she took with Ryan that was even funnier because he looked drunk after a few shots of tequila, but Anna didn't print that one out because it was taken just a few minutes before she was assaulted. She wondered how his fiancé had found out early they were meeting for last night was the first time she had met Ryan. Anna smiled as she was happy she had new material for another story to go in her online wedding section Diamond Delicious.

Killing time, Anna shifted clothes around to find something simple in her giant closet that would really have served as a nice size bedroom. Anna needed the space but wasn't finding what she wanted. Anna sighed. Since the soirée was being held at Bryce Jensen's house, which happened to be the last person Anna wanted to see ever again she at least needed to make an effort. Bryce was twenty-two but always the top of his class and the son of a plastic surgeon. They knew of each other as he was a well-loved senior when Harmony and Anna were freshmen at their local private school that the girls had just graduated from last summer.

She hadn't seen Bryce since that night and had avoided talking to him when Harmony brought him back into her path. This party was the most she was going to spend time in his presence since he had used her several months before and the anticipation was killing her. Not going would be preferable but unavoidable. It wasn't as if she should dress up for a guy she wanted to punch in the face. Yet she also wanted to look like a knock out to show Bryce why he made a mistake. Anna groaned breaking the quiet softness of her room. She just didn't want to go at all.

It was easy to battle the pros and cons of showing up. Anna thought of every excuse from falling down the stairs and feigning a sprained ankle to wanting to dot her skin with a red felt tip pen to give the appearance of measles. It wouldn't really matter since Harmony wouldn't believe a word of it and would drag her along to Bryce's anyway. This gathering was personal. Harmony was on a mission. Anna knew Harmony wouldn't make her go if she knew the reason behind why she hated Bryce. Harmony had no idea Anna had been interested in Bryce at all. She especially didn't know that Bryce had taken her virginity. It was one of the few secrets she was able to keep from her best friend. It was also the reason why she had started meeting guys on the internet that weren't the faithful grooms they promised to be.

Bryce had gotten what he wanted beside a little frosting on top. His trickery had only taken two weeks to get into Anna's bed just to get to the real prize he was after, which was Harmony.

Bryce's parents and Anna's father were friends, so they had gotten to know each other well at several of her father's ski functions since Bryce's family were avid skiers. They were often invited to the same parties and other events interested in the same winter sports throughout the country. For a year, Anna had a crush on Bryce and he seemed to think of her only as a friend until she brought Harmony to one of the gatherings Anna's father attended last October. Harmony didn't like the snow as much, so it wasn't unusual for Anna to know different people. Harmony usually hated those stuffy parties but agreed to go with her since she didn't have anything else to do that night.

To be honest, Anna wanted to brag a little about her friendship with Bryce because girls were always hanging on his arm. Bryce had always been polite to her but not personal. The night she showed up with Harmony, Bryce seriously made a point to talk to her while Harmony was next to Colin like she was his bodyguard. Whenever Anna could drag Harmony to one of the events, she never left Colin's side. There was no way she was going to allow a chance for someone to slip into what she felt was her spot. In Harmony's eyes Bryce was nothing compared to Colin. Regardless it made Anna feel special that Bryce showed interest in her and hardly glanced at Harmony. That was also a first for her.