T H I R T Y O N E
A blur. That's what the last week has been, i moved around the house but stayed inside like a hermit.
My phone rings, repeatedly for the 10th time in the last 20 minutes. I glare at the caller ID, its just Gen. She hasn't done anything but i'm so drained i don't have the energy to talk to anyone.
I've probably said 3 whole words this week.
And those words were 'leave me alone' the one time i answered her call. But she's been persistent, so persistent i wouldn't be surprised if she showed up at my doorstep. In fact i think that's the only way i see out of this house now, my flight leaves in 3 hours and i should be getting ready to leave.
But instead i'm sitting here eating soggy cereal since i hadn't bought groceries, apart from milk and cereal of course.
It rings again, i pause eating to stare at it till the screen goes off and resume. Some part of me is hoping i'll get annoyed and answer her but i can't bring myself to.
I don't want to talk about it yet, i'm not ready to face this reality.
This time its different, there won't be a few weeks or months later. This is never again, and its about time i face the truth.
Who am i kidding? I resume eating.
That lasts about half a second before i'm choking on it because the fist slamming against the door scares the bejesus out of me.
For a split second i truly believe i summoned Gen, but when i open the door i'm more surprised to find flowers.
"Okay..." i trail off, taking the bouquet from the delivery guy. "Thank you" i smile at him, partially confused as i shut the door with my foot and observe the arrangement.
I pluck the card from it and open it.
Thanks for the gift, i can't return what was mine to begin with but here's some flowers. - D, xo.
I scoff "fucking bitch..." i mutter, discarding the card on the table. On a mission to prove a point i remember the file that i found in my desk, i stare at the box in the corner of the room along with my other boxes.
"Fuck it, i need to know i'm right" i say to myself, pulling the lid off and fishing the file out. I sit in front of my TV with it, undo the twisted string and pull out a bunch of what look like copies of legal documents.
The first few pages are something about Grayson Motors. But i stop short when i see the name Pierce.
What the hell is this?
Under owner is the name 'Pierce Grayson Evans'.
My heart hammers in chest as i read down to the bottom, the next page is proof of location with an address and phone number, i eyeball the number for a minute straight, its London.
It can't be, this has to be some sort of cruel joke.
"Someone's fucking with me" i hiss, grabbing my phone off the table and dialing the number, this is ridiculous.
I refuse to believe this, someone's seriously fucked in the head. I hold the phone to my ear, it begins ringing and i shiver out of nervousness.
My throat goes dry as i wait for someone to answer and just when i'm about to hang up the line clicks.
"Hello, Pierce Evans of Grayson Automobiles speaking" His voice echoes in my head, my jaw slackens and i stare at the space in front of me in shock.
The emotions pile up in the worst way possible, i haven't heard that voice in so long it makes my heart skip a beat.
This can't be real...
"Hello? Is anyone there?" His velvety voice speaks, i try to form words but the only words going through my head right now are 'Nathan Lied'. I tear up, cupping a hand over my mouth so he doesn't hear my ragged breathing.
"Alright, i'm hanging up" he sighs out and the line goes dead. My phone slips out of my grip and falls into my lap, i sit still for several minutes processing this. Its so unbelievable yet it makes sense.
It explains why i never found Pierces grave, why Nathan was so casual about those files...
He disguised it so well thinking i wouldn't figure it out.
Nathan kept this a secret from me and i have no idea how long he's known Pierce is alive.
I still can't believe it myself but someone wouldn't go to this extreme, how would someone sound exactly like him?
Endless thoughts run through my head but i get off the sofa with all those thoughts, put on the outfit i'd laid out in case i did decide to take that flight and brush my teeth. I'd showered earlier this morning but i don't like the disgusting menthol taste that interferes with the taste of milk.
My head pounds as i trudge around the house clearing up the small mess i created, once i'm done i grab my suitcase and handbag, making sure to tuck the file into my carry on.
I glance around the apartment one last time, reminiscing on 3 years of sitting and brooding in here "goodbye Seattle" i smile sadly like an idiot before shutting the door and locking it. On the way out i hand the security my keys "a cargo company will be here in a few hours to pick up the last of my boxes as well as my furniture, give them this." I smile at the lovely man, who grins at me in response "its sad to see you go Ms. Anna, hope you enjoy your new journey" he wishes, i pull out an envelope and put it in his hand "thank you, for everything. You're a lovely man" i say before walking away.
London, here i come.
I'll get to the bottom of this. I need to know if Pierce is actually alive and if so, why has no one had the courtesy to tell me.
...
London, 12 pm.
I unlock the door to my new apartment and step into the foyer, i flick the light switch on and the hallway illuminates in pale yellow runner lights. I fell in love with the layout of this place online, i never even got a chance to look at it in person.
"Home sweet home" i sigh, dropping my bags.
My phone rings for the umpteenth time today, i'm so close to throwing it out the window because everyone on my damn contact list has called me since i woke up yesterday. I wrestle it out of my pocket and answer it with a frustrated huff "what?!" I bark, it was too early in the day for this and i'm emotionally exhausted.
"Anna.. you haven't answered you phone in a week" Monica speaks, talking to me like i'm insane. I probably am..
"Monica, leave me alone. And tell everyone to do the same, i don't want to talk to anyone" i say angrily kicking my shoes off.
"We know what happened okay, Nathan told us. He isn't talking either, he looked worried about you though" she defends. i scoff "yeah well you can tell him to fuck himself" i retort with hatred in my voice.
"Anna what- you kept something important from him, he has the right to be upset" She continues to defend him, i'm assuming she doesn't know about this Pierce situation.
"Oh yeah? What about the big secret he's been keeping from me?" I ask, growing agitated. The line is silent for a moment "what secret? The Danielle thing?" She asks, confused. "No, but you can run this by him. Grayson Automobiles belongs to Pierce, the friend that apparently died in front of me, or so i thought." When i say it out loud i remember something.
Monica and Gen said they sent flowers to Pierce's mother and that they had the funeral.
They knew.
"Anna what the hell are you talking about?" Monica ridicules.
"Wait a fucking minute, you all know don't you? You've all been lying to me?!" I yell, feeling betrayed. "Anna listen to me-"
"No! You've known Pierce was alive all along but instead i've been living in the shadows about this! You.. you're all the worst, fuck all of you, sincerely" i spit and hang up.
Out of pure anger i fling my phone across the room, it hits the textured tile and shatters, cluttering to the floor. I run my hands through my hair, shock and disbelief take over my head as i try to make sense of all this.
Pierce is alive.
But... how? I saw him get shot with my own two eyes.
"The files.." i walk to my bag and rip it open, looking for the paper with his office address on it.
I fold the paper and slip my shoes back on, grabbing my wallet i shut the door behind me and make my way out.
I have to see this for myself.
I get into a taxi and tell him the address, sitting back and looking around impatiently, my leg bounces with nervousness.
All those nightmares i've had were for nothing.
"How long till we're there?" I ask the driver, he looks around "10 minutes" he says, turning a corner.
By the time i reach his office; a 2 story glass building with a car showroom under it, my nerves spill out onto the sidewalk. The taxi drives off after i pay him but i stand there, staring at the building. Staff walk around, both engineers and customer service.
The place looks busy. Maybe i should come back another time...
I turn on my heel and think about heading down the street in the opposite direction but my curiosity gets the best of me. I take in a deep, shaky breath, clench my fists and walk up the steps.
I push open the glass door and scan the room, customers stand with staff chatting away, there's a waiting area and a little help yourself pantry. This place is beautiful, cars and bikes are driven in and out of the large area that leads to what looks like an indoor garage.
"Miss, how many i help you?" I'm startled by a lady with a bright smile. My eyes wander as i speak "i'm looking for.. Pierce Evans?" She grins "Mr. Evans is in his office on the first floor, i'll be happy to take you there" she says enthusiastically.
I nod absentmindedly "yes, please" i manage to say, blinking in her direction a few times before following her up a set of marble stairs with a glass banister to the right, on the left is a opaque white wall with achievements and framed posters of cars and bikes.
This place is so upbeat, its a surprisingly nice work environment.
"His office is just down that hall, he's free to meet" she says with a kind smile, i mirror her expression "thank you" she nods, walking away.
The nerves in my stomach knot again, i shiver as i walk down the hallway with slow counted steps. I could piss myself right now, this feels so strange. If this is some terrible mistake i'm going to cry because i have immense amounts of hope right now.
With a shaky hand my knuckles wrap at the frosted glass door. "Come in" a deep voice speaks, i stop breathing momentarily, i can't. I stare at his door for several seconds before i push down the nerves and push the door open.
And the wind is knocked out of me.
It really is him.
He looks roughly the same, his shoulders look broader and his hair's gotten longer. He's dressed in a black knit sweater, the sleeves pulled up.
His eyes are glued to papers laid out in front of him, his forehead propped up by his closed fist.
My throat goes dry at the sight of him, my eyes tear up involuntarily. I didn't realize how much i'd missed him until this very moment, my lips quiver but i refuse to let out a sound in case i decide to turn around and run away before he sees me.
"Grace is there something you need-" he begins, looking up. He freezes when our eyes meet and so do i.
My lips part and i take in shallow puffs of air, i feel the warmth of my tears sliding down the swells of my cheeks, my heart beating so fast i feel like its going to burst.
"Anastaisa?" He breathes out in disbelief.
When my name rolls off his tongue for the first time in 3 and a half years words can't seem to form in my head, my brain turns to mush.
All i can do is let out choked sob.
Pierce pushes his chair back and gets to his feet, he crosses the room in 4 long strides and pulls me into a hug. I wrap my arms around his torso and mumble gibberish.
"It's you isn't it? I'm not imagining this" he asks, holding onto me. I nod in his chest, trying to bring my breathing at bay. When i calm down i pull away to look up at those beautiful blue eyes i missed so fucking much.
"You asshole, i missed you so much" i say loud and clear. He looks down at me in awe, his large hands hold my face, thumbs caressing my cheeks.
"Holy shit you look even hotter than i remember" he laughs out incredulously. I smile "you see me after so long and that's the first thing you say?" I ask. He sighs "no, the first thing i do have to say is i'm sorry..." he says seriously, sliding his hands from my face to my shoulders.
"For everything, i mean it. I'm so incredibly sorry you wouldn't believe how long i've wanted to tell you this" i frown, pushing his hands off. "What do you mean?" He sighs "Anna its a very lengthy explanation, i can't do this here. Can i take you out to Lunch?" I glare at him, squinting in his direction "fine. You have a lot of explaining to do" he nods "i promise, i'll tell you everything. Give me 5 minutes to pack up and we can go" i nod and walk out.
After everything that he's done, i should be mad at him, in fact i should probably never speak to him again and if his story is that pathetic i might just turn around and never look back. But i've made plenty mistakes of not listening to people's sides of stories and i can't keep repeating those mistakes.
I need the closure, i need to know what happened and why it happened, i need it all.
His side of the story will determine whether or not i cut him out of my life for good, i spent these last 3 and a half years thinking he was dead and that he died saving me because he felt remorse for assisting in the reasons for my past traumas.
This could be the renewal or the end of what was supposed to be a friendship.
.................
OHHHMYGAAAW- how shocked are ya'll?! I hope no one expected this for the most part because i worked really hard to slither around the Pierce topic, i left some minor hints throughout the book but nothing too obvious.
I'll admit Pierce was an unnecessary kill (even though he might've deserved it) but he's honestly a character i'd originally planned to keep in the book.
But woah, 3 updates in a row? You are all being fed.
VOTE VOTE VOTE!!!!
and COMMENT YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS TURN OF EVENTS!
Are you excited to have Pierce back in the series? Or are you waiting for the next chapter to hear his side of the story like Anna?
Share your thoughts as well as this book with your friends!!
Until the next chapter <3