Miss Molly. Just a heads up, for some there is a trigger warning for the second half of the chapter.
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"'Y𝚘𝚞 𝚖𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚕 𝚝𝚑𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚝𝚑𝚘𝚜𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚘𝚍𝚜 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚐𝚊𝚒𝚗', 𝚜𝚊𝚒𝚍 𝚊 𝚜𝚑𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚠 𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚘𝚠, '𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚖𝚞𝚜𝚝 𝚋𝚎 𝚕𝚞𝚌𝚔𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚒𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚕𝚏 𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚢 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎. 𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚕𝚏, 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚕𝚏 𝚘𝚗𝚕𝚢 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚜 𝚎𝚗𝚘𝚞𝚐𝚑 𝚕𝚞𝚌𝚔 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚎.'"
Anna and Paige followed Claire as she strolled ahead of them over to Molly, who was taking small nibbles of her peanut butter and jelly sandwich with her eyes glued to the table in front of her.
Molly Mayes was an introvert, or as most of her peers liked to say, a freak.
Most days she kept to herself, head down and hugging her books to her chest as she walked to class. It was clear that she didn't want to be noticed, however, she became a target for that exact reason. She wasn't the only introvert in school and certainly wasn't the only one to experience how awful people can be to one another.
But she did take most of the abuse.
For what reason, well Anna wasn't entirely sure.
There was talk that Molly hadn't always been shy, that an event of some sort took place before Anna moved to town that shifted her into a person who would rather melt into a wall, then talk to anyone.
Anna remembered hearing that perhaps a family member close to her had died suddenly or disappeared. But if it were true, she was unclear on the facts and really didn't care to give much thought to it.
Molly wasn't like the rest of the kids that were picked on. She was a cute girl, with a fresh face and stylish clothes. Her blonde hair always fell in fragile wispies over her petite face and her deep green eyes were welcoming. There was little to nothing wrong with her as far as her looks and although she was shy, she was sweet in the rare occasion she had to speak.
Claire ran the school and with that responsibility, felt it was her job to personally torture each and every student she felt didn't belong in her world. Unfortunately, Molly felt her wrath one thousand percent more than any other person in the school.
It was a fact Anna never truly understood, but she knew better than to question Claire and her tactics. It was easier for everyone if Anna agreed and backed Claire in everything she did.
Molly was a lot like Anna, or at least Anna used to be a lot like her. Reserved and shy, never wanting to be the center of anyone's attention. But after moving to town, many things changed. Including the fact that Anna took part in the mistreatment of Molly and other students on occasion.
Claire stopped at the opposite end of the table Molly was seated at, she leaned in putting her hands on the table top, "Molly, what a surprise it is to see you're eating alone," Claire blurted sarcastically, "Maybe if you weren't such a fucking freak, people would be more inclined to sit with you."
Molly chewed the small bits of her food slowly, her gaze focused somewhere else in the room. She hadn't even looked up to meet Claire's.
Anna always noticed she never looked scared however, just uncaring and somewhat cold.
"The least you could do is look at her when she's talking to you," Anna suggested harshly, but Molly didn't seem phased as her eyes stayed glued to whatever she fixated on, just behind Claire.
"Look, we're having a little get together tonight down at The Wood, I think you'd have a lot of fun," Claire's voice was low as she slowly chewed her gum, waiting for Molly to reply, "Besides, Issac will be there and I heard he's been working up the balls to ask you out."
Anna frowned, confused at Claire's offer and slightly worried. But, she quickly shook the ill feeling, knowing Molly knew better than to believe anything Claire had to offer.
Molly's eyes finally lifted to her, a flicker of light danced across the glassy surface. For a moment she looked hopeful, but it was brief as she looked away once again.
Suddenly she began to pack up her lunch, her face frozen in an unamused frown.
Claire narrowed her brows, clearly confused as she watched her struggle to get as far away from her as possible, "I'd take the invite sweetheart, I can promise you this opportunity won't come again."
Anna watched as Molly stopped, once again making eye contact with Claire, who actually took a step back from the look she received.
Just a second past as they stared at one another. Molly eyes dancing around Claire's facial features with a slight scowl, only to sling her long bag over her shoulder and storm out of the cafeteria.
"Since when did we start inviting people like that to hang out with us?" Anna asked innocently, wondering what exactly Claire had up her perfectly ironed sleeve.
Taking a deep breath and flipping her long black hair behind her shoulder, Claire turned to her friends, "Oh, you'll see," she promised, slightly smirking as she too, walked out of the cafeteria.
When the school day finally ended, Anna found herself at home picking out the perfect outfit for the night. If Claire was telling her the truth, then Nolan was going to be there and she didn't want to screw up what she looked like.
Jumping up and down in an attempt to hike the tightest jeans she had, Anna had to lay herself down to even get them buttoned. Finally smoothing out the material, she huffed knowing she still needed a top.
She couldn't bare the thought of a tight top, so she settled on her sweatshirts. Her fingers dancing across the new ones, to the older ones, finally reaching her freshman soccer hoodie.
Anna hesitated for a moment, knowing that she had kept her old life a secret for a reason. She was sure none of her friends knew she had been involved in sports since she was a kid. It was really a detail that mattered, that's what she told herself anyway.
But as her fingers clung to the fabric, she found herself pulling it from the hanger and slipping it over her head as she gazed at herself in the mirror. Head falling to the side, she traced her former schools emblem and turned around to see her last name printed on the back of the sweatshirt.
"I'm surprised you still have that," Scott, Anna's father admitted as he stood in the doorway, arms crossed over his board chest. His once dark hair was beginning to fade as the grey crept its way in.
He was rugged and handsome all at the same time. He was still in his uniform and his golden sheriff's badge flashed as fragments of lights hit it.
Anna turned away from her reflection, "I didn't realize I did, I'll probably donate it or something, just needed something warm."
Scott nodded, but she watched as her father looked at her closet full of hoodies, then back to her with a small smile on his lips. He knew that she knew it was still in there, but he chose to leave the topic alone for the moment.
He was a great father, always when to say something and when to not.
"Your mom wanted me to let you know it's time for dinner, she made your favorite."
Biting her lip, Anna began to slip on her shoes, "Actually I have to get going," she admitted, wincing at her own words, they always had dinner as a family. But lately, their time together was getting cut short as her friends always needed her first.
Raising his brows in question, Scott leaned against the door frame, "And where might you be going on a school night?"
"The diner, with Claire and Paige," she lied casually as she turned back to the mirror.
Hiding things was something she wished she didn't have to do, but sometimes and as of lately it was necessary. Her dad would have never let her near the woods at night, it was a rule he had when they moved to town.
Scott was born and raised in Wicker Woods. His father died young and he was raised by his mother, Celeste, until she was labeled by social workers as an unfit mother.
Anna was raised to not ask questions about her grandmother and she hardly inquired about her fathers younger days in the town he now moved his family to. She respected the fact that he might not of had the best childhood, but it always made her wonder why he chose to come back.
Regardless, he would surely have a stroke if he knew Anna spent most of her summer within the heavy brush that he had forbidden her to enter.
Her father's face looked disapproving, "Are you sure there aren't any other girls you can hang out with? I talked to Coach Rivers and conditioning for the soccer team starts next month, I bet you'd have a lot in common with them if you tried out."
Anna played soccer her entire life, sprinkling a basketball league in during the off season. She was one of the best in the State, taking home countless championships. Her room used to house multiple trophies, ribbons, and plaques for her countless triumphs.
But soccer wasn't exactly the most accepted sport amongst her group of friends.
In fact, Claire had a name for the team, Butch Bitches. Paying tribute to a group of girls who were more worried about sports and championships than having casual hookups and shopping.
Anna's father had been pushing her since they moved, to try out. But the last thing she wanted was to join a team that her friends would judge her for. And Nolan didn't exactly look like the type who wanted to date a soccer star.
Anna didn't want to take away from his lacrosse abilities.
"They were the ones who accepted me when we moved here dad. I'm sorry you don't approve, but they're my friends."
Nodding with acceptance, Scott exhaled, "Okay, I get it. I just see so much change in you already. The last thing I want is to wake up and not recognize my little girl."
The statement made Anna position her hand on her hip, "Well, what is that supposed to mean dad?"
She was getting defensive, because she too, recognized the change in herself.
Scott shook his head, "Nothing. Go have fun, but you're going to give your mother the bad news," he turned to leave, but before he could, he peaked his head into her room one last name, "Just think about the tryouts okay?"
Anna nodded gently and eventually made her way downstairs to tell her mom that she wouldn't be staying for dinner.
Soon, she was driving herself to the edge of town.
The winding road she traveled on became darker and less populated the deeper she drove. Her headlights were the only thing illuminating the trees around her as she pulled onto a dirt road. After driving for just a few more minutes, she parked her car alongside the many others that were partially hidden by the trees.
Walking into the overgrown brush, Anna could hear the forest come to life as if her presence had awoken it. This was the part she hated, walking alone in the thick darkness, only the sharp edges of branches guiding her.
An orange speckle of light in the distance eased her anxiety when it grew as she neared it. Escaping the blockage of trees, she forced herself out into a clearing. A bonfire was roaring at the center of it. The fresh smell of burning wood filled her nose.
Claire and Paige sat on the ground, giggling and already wasted as bottles of liquor laid in front of them. Isaac and Emmett, two of the biggest douches on the planet, sat across from them, passing a blunt between themselves as they made eye contact with her.
Isaac nodded and continued his smoking, he was always too careless to care as he quickly looked away.
Emmett though, just stared.
He and Anna were the only pair in the group who were not friends, not even acquittances. She steered clear of him any chance she could and refused to admit she associated with people who associated with him. He was a true asshole, the type of person that could not be described. Whenever he spoke, moved or breathed, he offended someone.
And he loved it.
Turning her attention away from his empty but uncomfortable gaze, Anna scanned the area for the real reason for why she came.
Nolan was stationed away from the fire, resting his body against a tree. A beer bottle lazily hung from between his fingers as he pressed it against his pink lips. His tanned skin was glowing against the flames of the fire as he stared into them.
"Boo," the word was just a notch above a whisper, but enough the startle her as a pair of arms wrapped around her waist.
Anna grabbed onto them and turned to meet a familiar face. She smiled as she punched at the hard chest hovering over her.
Reese slowly let his eyes travel up her body as he let go of her, slowly rubbing away her strike, "What's got you so on edge? And whos hoodie did you steal, cause I know that's not mine?" he asked with humor in his voice, his dark eyes meeting hers in question.
Taking a deep breath and crossing her arms over her chest, Anna shook her head, slightly self conscious that he noticed the sweatshirt, "It's just a little creepy out here at night. And that whole popping out of the bushes thing doesn't help."
He shrugged, looking around at the shadows that surrounded them, "I kind of like it. The dark can be, fun," his head tilted as his eyes smiled at Anna. Reese was a flirt, it was his signature title. Most of it came naturally and with that came the unfortunate fact that he didn't always realize when he was doing it.
Anna let a small laugh settle at the base of her throat, "You know, that actually doesn't surprise me. Like at all, like not one bit," she said in a quirky voice as he smiled wide, draping his arm over her shoulder, forcing them closer to the fire as they giggled with each other.
Reese Wicker was the golden boy of Wicker Woods, though he didn't earn that title with hard work and dedication. It was gifted to him, handed down over many decades because his family founded the town.
Building it from the ground up in 1852.
Protected by a generational dynasty, Reese was royalty.
He was handsome but arrogant so he knew he wasn't falling short in the looks department. His family knew nothing but wealth and superiority and it shaped him into the perfect stereotype for the male form.
Anna remembered the moment they met, and out of natural instinct she was attracted to him. But that soon faded when she realized he and Claire were a thing. Always on and off again, their relationship, if it could be called that, was volatile.
Claire's claws were deep in him, making him off limits too anyone. Except the ones who were sneaky enough to get with Reese under her radar. Although she's never witnessed it, Anna knew it has happened.
Because of his history with Claire, Reese and Anna became close friends, poking fun at each other whenever they got together. But that was about as far as their friendship went. If Claire wasn't around him, neither was Anna.
This was because she was smart enough to know that Claire could take the way Reese acted towards her and spin it into an issue. An issue Anna did not even want to think about.
"Reese!" Claire exclaimed over the flames, giving Anna her opportunity to ditch him for a better version of the male specimen.
"Anna Banana, is that you?" Paige slurred, her eyes moving over her body just as Reese's had before, "Where did you get that sweatshirt?"
Ignoring her drunken comment, Anna neared the tree Nolan was leaning against, "Hey you."
Dropping his beer from his lips, Nolan wiped the excess liquid from them and smiled. Leaning off the tree, he approached her with a hint of a smile, "Well, well, well. What do we have here."
It made her stomach tingle with delight as he looked her up and down, staggering slightly as he made his way to her. She would have never imagined that a guy like Nolan would be even remotely interested in her. He was the type most girls wanted to be with and did everything possible to get his attention.
He was patient and soft-spoken, it was often a shock to see that his personality was so great, considering he was so pretty. Anna always knew guys of a certain look to be arrogant and uninteresting.
She and Nolan had never admitted they had feelings for one another, but that was because Anna knew that if he wanted to officially be with her, then he would have to work up the courage to say so.
Until then, they would casually flirt and cuddle whenever the moment was right and continue to dodge the questionable glances from their friends. Many of them coming from Claire and Reese as they took breaks from sticking their tongues down each other's throats.
Reese and Nolan had been best friends since the beginning of time, but thankfully they were nothing like each other. Anna often wondered how two different people could end up being so close. But whenever that thought clouded her mind, she'd look to Claire and realize she shouldn't question other's choice in friendships.
The night went smoothly as they sat around the roaring fire, boozing themselves to the point of no return. And although the weather was pleasant, a slight chill road in with the breeze as Anna was nestled in Nolan's lap.
Claire and Reese had disappeared for part of the night, most likely to strip each other of their clothes away from prying eyes. But they soon returned, breaking the peace and quiet. Claire more out of it than ever and Reese had a look of satisfaction, it was obvious he had gotten what he wanted.
Oddly enough, he almost looked too sober after the amount of drinking he had done.
Anna watched his movements with Claire as he fondled her exposed stomach, rubbing his hands up and down her legs and nuzzling his mouth into her neck roughly. It was a grotesque public display of attention, something Claire loved to do.
A few branches snapped behind the group and a shadow moved just beyond the trees. Anna fidgeted between Nolan's legs, knowing that no one in town knew about their spot deep in the woods.
What if her father had followed her?
Suddenly the figure emerged and Anna's mouth opened slightly, almost wishing it had been her father.
Her eye's glanced over to Claire, who squinted at the person standing at the edge of the woods,
"Molly Mayes," she whispered, a hint of humor in her tone. Standing, Claire used Reese's large shoulder to steady herself as she slowly inched towards Molly, "What the fuck are you doing here?"
Molly didn't answer, instead, she tucked her hands into the pockets of her jean jacket as her eyes danced around the group, inspecting everyone until they finally landed on someone. Claire followed her gaze, a faint smile playing on her lips as Isaac sat silently.
"You invited her," Paige blurted, clearly feeling as if she had figured it all out before anyone.
Emmett snatched the bottle from Paige's hand, "Why do you even bother opening your mouth? Like do you seriously try to be a dumbass or is it something that comes naturally for you?" He asked, shaking his head in irritation.
Paige pressed her lips together and remained silent.
Anna always bit back the urge to give Emmett a piece of her mind. She hated that Paige gave herself to him whenever he wanted it. It was sad and sickening to see how he treated her.
Claire let her head fall back as she laughed momentarily, Molly's eyes returning to her, "Yeah, but I didn't think she'd actually show up," the smile on her face grew wider as the fire gleamed in her eyes, "This is seriously rich."
Squirming against Nolan's lap, Anna leaned forward to gain Molly's attention, "You should leave, Molly," Her voice was low and soft, in hopes to try to talk some sense into her.
It was obvious where things were headed and it was where Anna was drawing the line.
Reese reached up, playing with the hem of Claire's shorts, "Babe, hand her a beer or something and come sit back down," he urged, his tongue licking at his lips as his eyes trailed down Claire's leg.
Swatting his hand away, Claire took a few steps towards Molly, "Isaac, why don't you come and make your date feel welcome," she suggested, crossing her arms over chest.
Narrowing his brows, Isaac scratched the back of his head in confusion, "Claire, what the fuck are you talking about?"
Now Anna could see what Claire was doing.
There were rumors that Molly and Isaac once had a slight romance brewing, but that was long before Anna was apart of their group. And none of her friends really talked it, but it was clear there was history as Molly stood before them.
She would have never showed otherwise.
It was another level of humiliation, a tactic that was far different from the mildly rude jokes. This was something else, a ploy to crush Molly's spirit, and that was if she had any left.
Turning her dark eyes towards Isaac, Claire's clenched her jaw, "Get your stoner ass off the ground and make Molly here feel at home."
Clenching his jaw at her bitchy tone, Isaac stood and began to walk towards Molly, running a hand through his windswept hair.
He was good looking, like his other fellow lacrosse players and always seemed to have the best hair days. Anna assumed he spent most of his time looking in the mirror perfecting his signature hairstyle and smoothing out his tailored button downs.
Isaac finally stopped about a foot from Molly, her mouth pressed in a straight line, showing little to no emotion as they stared at one another.
"Kiss her," Claire stated firmly.
And everyone shot her a look of confusion, including Molly.
Whipping his head back in her direction, Isaac frowned, "No fucking way," he retorted, slightly backing away.
"I said kiss her!" Practically screaming, Claire took a step forward in her moment of fury.
The woods from behind once again rustled as Layla, another body in their untouchable group emerged from the same path Molly came. She was tall and supermodel-like, her long dirty blonde hair flowing over her naked shoulders.
She had two bottles of tequila in her hands, one almost empty. And by the wobbles of her feet, Anna knew it was her who had drunk most of it.
"Well, well, well," she slurred, approaching Molly and Isaac, "Molly Mayes, what a surprise to see you've crawled out of the hole you dwell in."
If there was anyone who held a candle to Claire, it was Layla. The viciousness of the two could be deadly in combination with each other.
They were pretty little bitches and Molly was about to get a fatal dose.
Layla hung her arm over Isaac's shoulder, pouting her lips, "You want to screw him, don't you?" She asked, biting her lips. Molly looked away from her sadistic stare, "I can give you some tips on what he likes."
Grabbing Isaac's face roughly, Layla forced her tongue into his mouth and smiled as he kissed her back. Anna's eyes glance over to Molly and watched the dainty silver cross that she wore around neck, bounce with the rhythm of her racing heart. She always wore modest jewelry, with flare and confidence.
It was the single most sad moment Anna had ever witnessed as the pendant danced on her blushed skin. Molly was humiliated, unable to express the sadness that dwelled inside her. But Anna, Anna could see it trying to push through.
It was a look that was familiar to her.
Claire walked towards Molly and pushed a hand into her chest, forcing her back away from Isaac and Layla.
"You didn't actually think a guy like that would be even remotely interested in a thing like you, did you?" Claire waited for an answer, but once again, it never came, "Oh my god, you did. That's so sweet," sarcasm dripped from her painted lips like venom. Taking one step closer, this time just inches from Molly's face, Claire's face fell in a snarl, "Why don't you go back to whatever little piece of shit trailer park you came from and let daddy have his way with you. Something tells me, that's the only way you'll get male attention. I mean, I could be wrong, maybe mommy likes to have a little fun with you too."
"Claire!" Anna barked out, "That's enough!"
The comment was too much, even for her. None of them knew anything about Molly's life and there was no reason to speak such horrific things, especially if they were true.
Anna watched as Molly looked to her as she defended her momentarily. She resisted the urge, for the first time ever, to reach out and hug her. Console her from the harshness of tonight's words. Protect her and tell her she was sorry on behave of her heathen friends.
It was wrong. A line had been crossed and Anna finally felt a crack on her mask, the false face she had worn since moving to Wicker Woods.
She had always joined in the harassment, whether it was geared toward Molly or another weak soul, it didn't matter. She was always by Claire's side, aiding her in whatever she asked. Though Anna's role in the bullying was slim, she still played a part, making her just as feared as Claire and Layla.
But Claire's plan was beginning to become too over the top for her liking, and it needed to end before it escalated any further.
Anna's eyes peered down to Molly's small hands, they were trembling as she stood in front of the monsters who crushed her.
Before she could save her from the group and offer her a ride home, Molly suddenly turned and ran back the way that she came, into the darkness of the forest.
Leaving Claire and Layla to laugh in her wake.
What Anna didn't realize was that the darkness of that night, would follow her well into the morning and all the other mornings after.