Chapter 61
***Kyle's POV***
"Annie please eat something." I said as I rubbed her back.
"Don't feel good." she mumbled.
"I know you don't feel good, but that's only because of your um...lady time. I can make you something."
"I ate this morning." she buried her face in her pillow.
"You have to eat more than once a day." I sighed. "You've only had four meals in the past three days."
"Stop counting."
"I'm worried about you."
Annie curled into the fetal position and whined. "I talk so much and I can't even help it."
"You don't-"
"Yes I do," she said in a strangled tone, "I'm so dumb. Why can't I keep my fucking mouth shut?"
"Did Ashton tell you that you talk too much?"
"Kind of." she mumbled.
"Look at me."
She rolled over and stared at me with sad eyes.
"Annie, you don't talk too much. I promise. Sometimes you ramble, but even then it's not enough. You're so smart and funny. It would be a waste if you didn't say what was on your mind. Just know that I'll always listen to you, even when you're talking about Peppa Pig."
She sat up and hugged me.
"Thanks for being here for me."
"Just being a good friend." I said halfheartedly. "Do you want something to eat now?"
"Yeah, but you probably shouldn't cook."
"I got some more bread when I got your...stuff. I can make you a grilled cheese."
"Please don't burn it."
"I won't."
"I better come watch."
"You can't! I don't want you to see the secret ingredient."
"You're such a weirdo." she giggled.
I smiled at the first sign of happiness that Annie had shown in days. However, her happiness was short lived. A frown took over her features when she looked at her nightstand. I followed her gaze to see that she was looking at her phone, and Ashton was calling.
"Come on." I said.
I got off of her bed and pulled her up with me.
"I'm not hungry anymore."
"Ann, if you don't eat, then I'm not eating."
"Kyle-"
"No. You're not going to do this to yourself. I won't let you. We're doing this together, okay? If you eat regularly, then so will I and everyone will be healthy. If you don't eat, then both of us are going hungry."
"But-"
"I mean it. What you're doing isn't healthy, so we're going to reverse golden rule this shit. Treat yourself as you want others to be treated."
She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times before nodding. "Okay."
"So you wanna go eat?"
She nodded again.
I massaged her shoulders as we walked to the kitchen.
"Trevor is coming over." I told her.
"Great. I'll be in my room."
"Are you sure?"
"Are you going to play video games?"
"Yeah."
"I'm very sure."
"Okay."
"He's coming home in three days." she said.
"What are you going to do?"
"I don't know." Annie turned the kitchen light on and started looking through the fridge. "I thought about getting an earlier flight and just going home alone. Maybe bring Cricket or Fizz camping or something."
"I could go."
"Trust me when I say that you don't want to spend a week with my family."
"And Ashton does?"
"That's different. He's my boyfriend, he should get along with my family. You're just my roommate." she set the butter on the counter.
"Demoted to roommate. Not cool Annie."
"Sorry. Roommate and best friend."
"That's better." I smiled. "You know I don't like the guy, but you two need to talk. Like face to face."
I pulled out six pieces of bread and set them on the counter. Annie pulled out a butter knife and started buttering the bread.
"He doesn't want to talk to me."
"Maybe it was just a misunderstanding. If he didn't want to talk to you, he wouldn't have called."
"He just wants to apologize so he won't feel guilty."
"You don't know that."
"You don't even like him. Why are you defending him?"
"Because he fucked up, but you guys are good together. This is just the first argument, so it seems worse. Just let him explain."
"It's not our first argument. The other ones just weren't as real as this one I guess. They were about other things or people. This one is about me."
"It's not always easy."
"I know!" she groaned. "I'll talk to him when he gets back. I just need some time to breathe."
"You forgot the cheese." I said.
"I'm not even the one cooking."
"Oh yeah. I guess I just got used to you catering to my every whim."
"I only wake you up in the morning and cook your dinner, which is really just left overs from my own dinner."
"You do my laundry."
"Just so I can have a full load instead of just a few items."
"Well I do know how you love a full load."
"Shut up." she giggled.
"You walked right into that one."
"I'm gonna be walking right out of this kitchen if you can't keep your mind out of the gutter."
"So this is how it ends? You get to roam free while I have to raise our kids alone?!"
"What are you-"
"The twins Annie! Our beautiful twins!" I said dramatically.
"Stop it! You know that I put the twins up for adoption years ago." She turned away from me and paused. "Or did I?"
I gasped loudly and held my chest with both hands.
"What did you do?!"
"I think you and I both know what happened."
"You killed our children?!"
"What? No. I sent them to live with their real parents."
"Way to kill the dramatic mood. Our telenovela would definitely get cancelled." I said and went to the fridge to get the cheese. However, I didn't see it. "Okay, am I just not seeing it or..?"
Annie pushed me out of the way and rummaged through the fridge.
"Kyle I don't know how to tell you this."
"No. Don't you do this to me Annie!"
"There's no cheese." she closed the refrigerator door and looked at me. "I'm so sorry."
"No!" I said dramatically and pretended to cry on her shoulder. "Why? What a world! What a world!"
"Calm down. I can go to the store and get some."
"Alone?"
"That was the plan."
"I'll tell Trevor to bring some."
She laughed. "That reminds me of that one thing where the guy goes to his friend's house and he puts milk in his cereal."
"You think about weird stuff." I said.
"So do you."
"I guess that's why we work so well together."
"Yeah." she mumbled.
"I'm gonna go text Trevor."
"I'm gonna take a shower. I want a grilled cheese whenever I'm out."
"Oh good. I didn't want to say anything, but it's been a while. Your room was starting to smell."
"I showered last night, you ass." she laughed. "My room probably smelled bad because you've been in it so much."
"You were the one that kept calling me in there. 'Kyle my head hurts.' 'I need some water.' 'Kyle can you buy me some...' you know."
"No actually, I don't know. What did you have to buy me?"
"Go take a shower."
"You can't say tampons." she laughed.
"I can say it. I just feel a little weird about that stuff."
"Why?"
"I don't know. Probably because I'm secretly a thirteen year old boy."
"Trust me, it's not a secret." Annie patted my shoulder and left the room.
As I pondered on what that could mean, I went back to the living room. I picked my phone up and opened my messages with Trevor.
As soon as I typed 'Can you bring some cheese?' there was a knock at the door.
"Please don't be Trevor." I mumbled, but my prayers weren't answered. It was Trevor that I saw through the peephole.
"Hey man." he said when I opened the door.
"I need a favor."
"What kind of favor?"
"We need cheese."
"Go ask your neighbor." he shrugged as he pushed me aside.
I sighed. "I'll be right back."
I didn't really know anyone in the building. I vaguely remembered Annie telling me about our neighbors, but I couldn't remember who lived where. I took a chance and went to the right. I knocked on the door and waited.
A girl that looked to be about fifteen opened the door.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
"Yes. I'm Kyle Hughes, I live next door. This is probably really weird, but can I borrow three slices of cheese?"
"You can't really borrow food if you have the intention of eating it."
"I guess you're right." I laughed. "Can I have three slices of cheese?"
"Yeah sure. Just wait here."
She closed the door and came back with three cheese slices in her hand.
"Thank you so much."
"You're welcome." she smiled. "Enjoy your cheese."
I laughed again. "I definitely will."
I went back to my apartment and put the cheese in the refrigerator.
I joined Trevor on the couch and turned on my Xbox.
"So why did you need cheese?" he asked.
"Annie's making grilled cheeses."
"Oh. Nice. Where is she?"
"Shower."
We had been playing Halo for about five minutes when Trevor spoke again.
"Are you guys like hooking up or something?"
"Nope."
"I'm only asking because when you guys were together, there was almost never a moment when you weren't sucking face."
"She has a boyfriend."
"Yeah, but it's not our friend this time."
"Come on, dude. Do you seriously think I would do anything with Annie when she's in a relationship? Friend or not, I'm going to respect the both of them."
"Okay. Sorry." he apologized. "So I um...I saw Alex."
"You what?" I paused the game and looked at him.
"He doesn't have anyone, Ky. His own family won't even visit him."
"He doesn't fucking deserve anyone!" I said angrily. "He almost killed Annie!"
"He's been calling me and writing letters nonstop. What else was I supposed to do?"
"Ignore him just like I have!"
"I just wanted to know why he did it. That's all."
"So?"
"He just kept saying that he didn't mean to, and he couldn't stop himself."
"I fucking hate him."
"It's weird, you know? He was like our brother, but we didn't even know him."
"Are you done yet?"
"I just- He walked into that building and he's not getting out until he's in his thirties."
"Fifties if we're lucky." I said.
"Don't act like you never cared for the guy."
"Okay, I'm sorry if I don't like talking about someone that almost killed one of the kindest, most polite, and generous people that I know. Annie means more to me than that piece of shit ever has."
"Kyle, he wanted me to-"
"Stop talking about it! Jesus Christ! Is it really that fucking hard to just drop it?"
"Okay."
"Don't think about even mentioning his name when Annie gets out of the shower. She's been having a hard time lately. Don't make it worse."
"What's wrong with her?"
"Don't worry about it." I mumbled and started playing the game again.
"Hello boys." Annie said whenever she came into the living room.
"What up?" Trevor spoke.
"Not much because I'm a loser with no friends." she sighed. "Kyle, where's my grilled cheese?"
"In the kitchen."
Annie walked into the kitchen and I waited for her to say something. Silence.
"Annie?" I called.
She walked out with a slice of cheese in her hand. She looked at me for a second before I felt the food slap my cheek.
"You had one fucking job."
@@@@
Trevor left hours ago. Annie and I were sitting on the couch when she asked if she could paint my fingernails. I reluctantly agreed.
"It's not bad." I said as I admired my nails. "I feel like a rockstar or something."
"Can I do your makeup?"
"Yeah sure."
"I'll be right back."
She stood up and skipped to her room. When she returned, she had two fairly large boxes in her hands.
"Wow. That's a lot of makeup."
"Not done yet."
She skipped to her room and came back with two more smaller boxes.
"Four boxes of makeup? Do you really need this much?" I asked.
"They're makeup organizing cases, Kyle." She rolled her eyes.
"How much fucking makeup do you need?"
"Well this one is for all of my face things. This is for my eye things, and this is for my lip things." She pointed to three of the four cases.
"What's that one?"
"Applicators."
"What the fuck does that mean?"
"The things that let me put the makeup on you." she rolled her eyes again.
"Look, missy. I don't like this attitude that you're giving me. I think I'm gonna take my business elsewhere."
"What business? I'm not getting paid."
"I was going to pay with the ice cream in the freezer."
"You mean my ice cream?"
"Yes." I nodded.
"Whatever just come here."
Annie scooted forward and sat between my legs.
"Your face is so smooth." she commented as she started putting stuff on my face.
"I shaved this morning."
"Ashton thinks he can grow a beard. His face is always prickly."
"I bet he would never let you do this."
"You're probably right. I've never asked him."
"Why?"
"I don't know." she said. "Sometimes there are things I feel like he's too mature to want to do with me."
"Like what?"
"This, color, watch cartoons, play board games, and just stuff like that." she sighed. "I know that I'm mature, but there are times when I wanna act like a kid, ya know?"
"Yeah, but what kind of loser doesn't like watching cartoons?"
"It's not that he doesn't like it, he just says he can't watch that often."
"Well have you showed him Peppa Pig? That's one that never gets old."
"That's what I thought, but he doesn't like it."
"What?! Has he seen the whistling one?"
"Yeah."
"Ann, there's something wrong with that guy." I said seriously.
"No there's not." she giggled. "He's already gone through this phase of his life. There's stuff that he does just to make me happy, but I feel bad."
"It's not like you don't do anything for him."
"I don't."
"You got up at the ass crack of dawn and made that guy soup. I think he owes you a few episodes of Peppa Pig."
"He doesn't owe me anything." she said quietly. "Do you wanna go somewhere with me tomorrow?"
"Where?"
"To see my therapist."
"I thought those were supposed to be one on one things."
"She wants to talk to someone close to me."
"Why?"
"I'm not entirely sure... Close your eyes."
"Don't stab me in the fucking eye."
"Don't tempt me." Annie giggled as she started putting something on my eye.
It wasn't until she started doing the other eye that she sighed heavily.
"I asked Alex if I could do this once." she said in a small voice. "He called me stupid and accused me of trying to make him look like a girl because I wasn't attracted to men anymore."
I felt around for a second and gently patted her knee. "You don't have to worry about that anymore."
"I can't stop thinking about him. I can't even sleep because my dreams are about him."
"You haven't screamed in a while though."
"That's because they aren't scary. It's just us going on like a date or something. He doesn't hurt me. We just go out and have a good time. We talk like we used to. Everything is...nice."
"Do you miss him?"
"I miss the Alex that I met in my finance class, and the guy that stopped at nothing to win me over. Not the awful monster that he turned into."
"The Alex you miss is the monster that almost killed you."
"Kyle, you and I both know that Alex was a good person when he wanted to be. He wasn't always violent."
"That doesn't mean anything."
"I want to write him a letter."
"No you don't."
"I do."
"No."
"But-"
"I said no. You're finally starting to get better. You're not going to talk to that asshole and make everything bad again. It's not happening. I'm putting my foot down."
"You aren't in charge of me."
"I know, but it's my job to protect you."
"It's not."
"I didn't save you the first time. Looking back on it, I see that the signs were all there. I just dismissed them. I figured you were just weird around us because you didn't want Alex to know that we dated."
"It's not your fault." she sighed. "Let's stop talking about it. We can ask Farah tomorrow."
"Who's Farah?"
"My therapist."
"That's a cool name. Reminds me of that one famous lady. Uh...what's her name? Oh right. Farah Reid."
"Honey, that's Tara Reid." she giggled.
"Same thing."
"I just went simple on the eyes. I didn't really feel like using my expensive stuff on you."
"Wow thanks. You're such a great friend."
"I know. Now pick a lip color."
I opened my eyes and looked at her.
"I need mascara."
"Okay..." she grabbed a small tube from one of the containers on the table. "Blink."
"Oh that's wet." I said when the makeup coated my eyelashes. "Ha. That's what she said."
"We are not thirteen Kyle."
"You watch Peppa Pig, but I'm not allowed to make a that's what she said joke?"
"Fair enough. Now, lip color. Dark red, black, or dark purple."
"Gimme red."
"Open your mouth."
"Shouldn't I be telling you that?"
"Stop." Annie flicked my bottom lip.
"Ow. You piece of ass."
Annie started laughing. "That was a good movie."
"Yeah. We should remake our vacation."
"You mean when we went camping and you decided that you wanted us to have an open relationship?"
"I remember it as the one where I fell out of a tree and broke my arm."
"Well I remember it as the one where my boyfriend basically told me that I wasn't good enough to please him, so he needed to see other people while keeping a romantic relationship with me."
"Annie, I can't have serious conversations while I have makeup on, but we will finish this conversation tomorrow."
"Okay. Now, open your mouth a little."
I did as she asked and let her apply the lipstick.
"Done." she handed me a small mirror.
"I'm fucking hot! Damn. I need to start wearing makeup everyday."
"You wouldn't do it."
"I don't know... My lips look bomb as fuck. Your makeup skills are so on point. I'm fleeked to the max. Nobody looks as swagalicious as I do."
"I understand why you're single."
"It's like you don't care about my feelings at all! I'm so hurt! Now I'm gonna fucking cry, and my mascara is going to run!"
"It's waterproof."
"Does that mean it won't come off?"
I asked quickly.
"No it comes off."
"Let's take some pictures."
"My phone is off so we have to use yours."
I grabbed my phone from the table and took a few selfies. Then Annie and I took a few pictures together.
"I have an idea." I said.
I pressed my hands to Annie's cheeks and pulled her face toward mine.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"Relax and trust me."
I pressed my lips to the center of her forehead. When I pulled away, I smiled at the print that I left.
"Okay, more pictures. These are going on Instagram and Snapchat." I said.
"Don't post them I look gross."
"Annie, you're literally always hot as fuck."
"You've been overstepping a lot of boundaries tonight."
"I'm just saying."
I started taking pictures of us again.
"You are so fucking beautiful."
"Kyle-"
"I was talking about myself!" I exclaimed. "You're so vain."
"Yeah whatever. I'm going to bed. We have to leave at ten tomorrow."
"Great! I love getting six hours of sleep!"
"Come get makeup wipes so you don't wake up looking like a raccoon."
I helped her carry all of her makeup into her room.
"Are you making breakfast tomorrow?" I asked.
"I can. What do you want?"
"Don't care."
She handed me the makeup wipes and got into bed.
"Thanks for tonight. I really needed it."
"No problem." I smiled. "Sleep well Ann. I'm right down the hall if you need me."
"Goodnight." she said quietly. "Kyle."
"Yeah?"
"I'm really glad that you're here."
@@@@@@
"So we've talked about a lot today." Farah spoke. "Your session is almost up. Do you want to talk about anything else before you go?"
"Yes." I said. "Annie and I had a conversation about Alex last night. She wants to write him a letter."
Annie stared at her fingers while Farah thought.
"You know, I think that's a good idea."
"You do?" Annie and I spoke together.
"Yes. I think you both should. Write a letter to Alex. Tell him how you feel, how his actions changed everything, and whatever else you want to throw in. However, don't send it. I want you both to write letters to Alex, read them to each other, and dispose of them. This is a technique that many people use to cope with anger or frustration. I think it could help both of you."
"Okay." Annie said.
"Great. Annie, I'll see you in two weeks."
Farah escorted us out of her office.
"So we're both writing letters... Interesting. I think I'll write mine on the plane. We can share when we get back."
"Yeah that works I guess. How long are you going to be gone?" I asked.
"Five days."
"Okay. Maybe we should give ourselves some more time. I'm not very good with words."
"Alright. Whenever you're ready, we will."
"Thank you."
"You're welcome." she rubbed my back as we walked to my car.
"So do you wanna talk about...everything?"
"You mean between us?"
"Yeah."
"I guess." she shrugged.
"We don't have to right now if you don't want to."
"I don't know what I want, honestly. We had some really heavy conversations in there. I kind of want to keep it light for the rest of the day."
"Okay."
"How about we talk about it whenever we read out letters to Alex?"
"Alright. As long as we do it before. Probably won't be able to think clearly after."
"Sounds like a deal." she shook my hand. "Now, let's get some ice cream."