NEVER MIND
ʚ chapter fifteen ɞ
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"One more shot, you have already played before your turn twice now." Hayley attempted another shot and made it with the ball bouncing off the backboard. She turned around with a pout on her face. "What happened?"
Hayley sat down on the grass, her legs crossed and her face hiding from her sister. She didn't want her to know she felt embarrassed, but she knew she had already noticed. "I can't make a good shot. You and Jayden can throw any ball and it will make it without hitting the backboard. I will never be good enough."
Annie sat down next to her little sister and pulled her onto her lap. She gently stroked her hair as she spoke, "Practice, practice, practice, Hayley. Do you think I threw my first ever ball like that?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know, you are talented in everything you do so I wouldn't be surprised." Annie pulled Hayley's head from her chest and forced her to look in her eyes by grabbing her chin.
"So are you, Haybug. It just takes a little more practice for you than it does for me, and that's okay. I don't know how long I will still be here, but what would you say if I offered you daily private lessons?"
Hayley drastically nodded her head and stood back up again. "I would love that. Can we start now?" Annie nodded her head and was about to stand up when she felt her phone buzzing in her pocket.
YouTube
Your video has reached 1 million views in the last 24 hours
She smiled at the notification. She knew Asher was struggling a lot without her but it felt good seeing him still continuing his work. "I don't know what you're smiling at, but it can't be more important than teaching me."
Hayley was passing the ball from the one hand to the other impatiently, waiting until Annie would get off her phone. "You're right, I'm coming." She dropped her phone in the grass and grabbed the ball out of Hayley's grip.
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"Remember, hand on the core of the ball, throw the ball with an arc, point to the ball when releasing." Annie stood behind Hayley to get the best sight of her throwing skills.
Annie has been teaching her the most useful tips she could give. Now, for the first time, Hayley threw the ball in attempt to throw her best shot yet. "Hand on the ball, throw the ball with an arc, point to the ball when releasing." She repeated her sister's words and threw the ball.
The ball nearly missed but made it with a few bounces on the basketball hoop. Hayley tried her hardest not to be disappointed in herself, but couldn't help it. Annie noticed the slight bit of disappointment in her.
"Come on Hay, heads up, you can do this. Remember everything I said and try again." She chases after the basketball which was casually bouncing away onto the streets.
She took a deep breath and threw the ball again. The ball made a perfect arc and if she aimed it a little to the left, she would have made it. She turned around and gave her sister a hug.
"Thank you for helping me, I really appreciate it. I think we should head inside though, dinner is almost done. I can smell it." She crinkled her nose, inhaling the fresh air combined with the smell of garlic chicken.
They walked inside and were, like Hayley had predicted, welcomed with a dinner table fully laid. "Thank you for dinner, mom." Annie said, as she walked into the kitchen.
Their mother hadn't noticed them coming in. "There you two are, go take a seat. I was about to call you inside." All three of them sat down at the table and ate in silence until Katie broke it. "Not that I want you to leave, but do you know when you are leaving?"
Annie swallowed her bite and answered, "I promised myself to stay at least a week, but if you think it's too long I will book a hotel. I'm fine with whatever." Hayley softly, but loud enough, slammed her utensils on the table.
"You're not letting her stay in a hotel, mommy. She is your daughter, you need to take care of her. If she leaves, I will leave with her." Her mother smiled at her apprehension.
"Easy, Hayley." She moved her gaze to Annie with a smile. "No, don't be silly, you are staying here until you are ready to go back. You know I love having you here, right?"
"Of course I do. I just don't want to be a burden, but if you say so. Plus, I promise daily basketball practice to this little one." Annie ruffled her hand through Hayley's hair who was eating like her life depended on it, typical Hayley.
They enjoyed the rest of their dinner, part time in silence and part time their ears were filled with Hayley's ongoing gossip of her junior high experience.
Annie enjoyed her innocence in life. She wished her biggest worry was getting a note back from the boy you 'liked'. Meanwhile she is sitting in her mother house, dealing with a heartbreak she got from her best friend. Let's just say, life can get complicated sometimes.
Hayley didn't have much energy left after her private practice and her vocal cords weren't how they started their day either. She went to bed almost instantly after dinner, leaving Annie and her mother alone.
They were watching some show about teenagers becoming parents and then acting as if they didn't know the risk. "I would love to be a grandmother one day."
Annie was shocked by her words. "Excuse me, what?"
"I mean it, I would love to be a grandmother one day. Not right now, no pressure, but someday. I truly believe becoming a grandmother will be even more special than becoming a mother." She didn't look Annie in her eyes while speaking.
Instead, she looked up as if she could see her own future appear in the air. She was already imagining holding someone that looks so much like her daughter. She thought it would be like becoming a parent all over again, but more special.
"Yeah, no, not happening mom. Well, not anytime soon at least." She crossed her arms and smiled thinking about it.
It had something so special about it, holding a mix of you and the person you loved. Her mother gave her thoughts she has never had and didn't want to have just yet.
"You never know, Julianna." She shrugged her shoulders, sighing as she turned her head to face Annie. "Just know I will support if it happens. I saw an article in the newspaper about how thousands of girls are pregnant and unsheltered, just because their parents' own pride is more important than their daughters. Please know I won't ever be such parent."
Katie laid her hand on Annie's leg and rubbed it with her hand. Now, Katie didn't know this, but it gave Annie flashbacks to how Hayley told her she rubbed Asher's leg in comfort and he took it in a different way, sending shivers through her body.
Annie tried her hardest to hide her feelings and seeing the looks on her mother's face, it worked. "I know you won't. Things have been hard, with my father. You have done everything to make us happy and you succeeded. You are everything I wish for in a mother."
Her mother kissed the top of her hair, stroking her back in an attempt of showing affection. What Annie said was true, she has tried everything to make her daughters happy, even after the tragedy when they were both young.
It sometimes still gave Annie the feeling she wasn't good enough, having your father leave at an early stage of your life isn't ideal. It definitely gave Annie a low self esteem.
"I think it is a good time to go to bed now." Annie looked at the clock and nodded. She was planning on apologizing to Elijah tomorrow, so she could use every bit of rest she could get.
They turned off all the lights and went upstairs to their rooms. Her mother's words still echoed through her head, they gave her worry and reassurance at the same time.
Worry because she has never mentioned the words pregnancy or children once since Caleb passed away. It broke her so much. She was afraid to have another child, afraid she would lose them too.
Reassurance because before she came here, she hadn't talked to either of them in a few weeks. Sure she had let them know she was okay every now and then, but she left it at that. Her work kept her busy most of the time.
It felt good knowing she will always have a home to rely on if things didn't go as planned, like now. She definitely did not plan any of this.
☾
i never pictured you as one of the fake ones but I guess that shows how good my ability to read people is