broken ones|ON HOLD|

one: somebody i thought i knew

"Sometimes, it's just great to bring new people into the mix." - John Oates

but not always.

+++

"so what's this guy like anyway?" Brennan asked.

"he's attractive, funny, can get any girl he wants, you know, that kind of guy." I replied sighing, thinking of him. hayden always had girls chasing him throughout high school and college. i always wondered myself why he picked me when he could have any other girl in the school. growing up i was average. nothing really special. i mean yeah, i was a famous youtuber all my life but nonetheless i was average. your average gymnast, your average student, average looks. i just didn't get why he picked me.

"then why'd he date you?" brennan teased, playing with my hair. fortunately, it was just thrown into a half up-half down ponytail.

"shut up! you know you love me," i laughed, "and anyway, clearly it didn't work out." i frowned slightly, but i feel happy without hayden. like i'm not pressured to be the perfect girlfriend for social media anymore. i don't have to worry about paparazzi or fans because now i'm just me. not one half of hannie, just annie.

brennan pulled me into a hug and rubbed my back, carefully, like holding a glass figurine. he was always gentle with me, sometimes a little too gentle to the point where i just want him to get real. stop treating me like a precious antique he's afraid of hurting. i guess because of my history he's always been overprotective of me, i am his best friend and he is mine. i know he's just trying to be there for me, but i would like it if he treated me the way he treated his girlfriend, erica. she's sweet and i can see that they love each other. it's not often that i feel like a third wheel when we go out, but he treats her like a normal person. he acts like i'm a child who would shatter at the slightest thing. and i'm not. i know i'm not.

+++

"wake up julianna it's our last day of senior year in college. life starts today as soon as we get these boxes in my van!" brennan's voice echoed through my dorm as he opened my door up.

i must've left it unlocked, usually i don't let him in in the mornings for this reason. he starts shaking me and tickling me, i groan in my tired state.

"10 more." i mumbled, pulling my blanket over the top of my head again. soon enough, i was lifted out of bed by brennan, him being the strongest guy i know, it wasn't hard for him.

"i'm going to put you in the hallway and lock you out if you don't wake up right now." he threatened.

i jumped to my feet from his arms and raised my hands in surrender.

"there we go, now get dressed, we're packing up your boxes in my van today, i already packed mine." brennan informed.

i changed into a loose white top with shoulder cut-outs and jean shorts. i didn't want to brush it out, so i threw my hair up into a truly messy bun. i placed my aviator sunglasses on top of my head and lifted up my first packed box to bring down to Brennan's car.

life starts today. i'm no longer little annie leblanc, gymnast, and bratayley member. i'm annie leblanc, soon to be top makeup artist in the world and daily vlogger  by myself on my own channel.

one by one, brennan and i brought the boxes down to the van and packed them in. it was a tight squeeze and we had absolutely no room to spare, but home was only 5 hours driving, i could last.

NYU was fun, but now it's time to make it in the real world. where i'm treated the right way.

we drove south and stopped in a small town to get gas. brennan got out and filled us up.

"i'm gonna use the bathroom and get some snacks for the drive. be back in like, 10." he said and he walked into the little convenience store.

my phone dinged in a familiar way that upset me. i didn't even have to look down to know who it was.

hayden.

he must've seen my instagram post announcing my last day of college. i shook my head, i haven't heard that ding in years after he and i decided it was best we broke up after freshman year. i was disappointed, i didn't want to break up, but he really thought it was for the best so i went along with it.

i read the text: hey annie! congrats on your last day, mine too i guess lol. it's been awhile and i was wondering if you could help me out this summer with something?

i replied with a simple, 'sure ok, what is it? and for how long?'

he ended up calling me, texting was too much work at 8 am while on the road home from college.

"ummmm, well i'm shooting a new music video for my newest song and i need a girl to star in it with me, and i thought who better than you to star in my video after not seeing each other in three years..." he rambled.

"that sounds like fun but i was really planning on spending time with my parents and hayley before she's off to college. sorry hayden, but i'm sure you'll find another girl to play this role." i let him down kindly. in a way, i did mean what i said about spending the summer with hayley, but at the same time, i really wanted to go see hayden. hearing his voice made me want to be wrapped in his arms, exchanging small kisses like how we were before. i just knew that i would break seeing i'm again. how hard it was for me to let go. i'm not going back to that hell hole of being broken. now that i've let go, there's no way i could turn back.

"please annie, this is really important, and yes i know that you'll want to see hayley before college but she's going to school only an hour away from where you guys live. she'll visit tons during the year. i just need to borrow you for the summer." he pleaded. i couldn't resist hayden, though i tried my hardest.

"fine, but i need to purchase a ticket to LA and book a hotel room for the entire summer." i said, still somewhat trying to resist.

"covered, i've booked you a ticket for LA in two days and you can stay at my place, i have an apartment here in LA to myself now." he insisted.

i sighed loudly into the phone again. i didn't know what i wanted from hayden, but i'm keeping my distance, he could've changed.

"got it, i'll see you in two days." i replied and hung up right in time for brennan to jump back in the car.

"are you excited? a whole summer of us, swimming in the lake, having barbecues, eating s'mores, and chilling at the beach with family!" he exclaimed. oh gosh, i totally forgot that this was going to be "brennan and annie's awesome summer of adventures 2k17."

i giggled awkwardly and tucked my baby hairs behind my ears. "yeah about that, hayden asked me to go shoot a music video with him over the summer and i need to be in LA, the whole summer..."

i let out the news, i knew he was devastated but he knows how much i've been missing hayden and all.

"oh yeah cool, have fun. i'm happy for you," he said and looked at me, "really i am annie, go and enjoy LA with him. i'll miss you tons but it's going to be awesome."

i leaned over the center console and hugged him tight, oh how i'm going to miss him when i'm stuck in LA all summer with someone i don't even know anymore. brennan started the car and we headed home.

|end of chapter|

did you enjoy this because i sure as hell didn't. my entire life i've been told i should think of being an author but i have other plans in life so what better to do than write crappy fanfiction on wattpad? closest thing to being an author in high school. i hate this chapter. i don't know. maybe it's just me. also if the inaccuracy of my writing is really bad, just know, how the hell would i know about any of this? i'm in high school so i make lots of this up. leave feedback or whatever you want to say in the comments lol feel free to be negative, i like to be challenged.