All Too Well ⏤ Tim Shepard | ✓

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"Annie said she was comin', didn't she?"

"Yes, Becca. The answer didn't change when you asked me two minutes ago." Diana walks past her, a full bowl of popcorn in one hand. Her free hand squeezes Becca's shoulder. "She said she is coming and we'll talk to her, I promise."

A week has passed since Becca brought up Annie with Diana. Then, Diana hadn't seemed concerned. But that was before Annie started avoiding them, coming up with excuses to not hang out. Now, Annie is skipping out on her shifts at the diner and nobody has seen her. Billy has suspiciously been quiet, too.

Whatever is happening, Becca and Diana will find out and they will be there to help Annie. That's what best friends do.

There's a knock on the door, signalling Annie's arrival. Both Diana and Becca freeze, eyeing the closed door. Diana, who is already standing, makes her way over to the door. Every fibre in Becca's body twitches to get up and join Diana, to see for herself that Annie is standing on the other side.

Annie trails in after Diana, so silent and so unlike herself. Becca lets her eyes wander over her friend, to soak in the sight like a person quenching their thirst after without water for so long. Becca seeing Annie with her own two eyes, standing in front of her, resembles the relief a thirsty person feels after stumbling upon an oasis.

Annie is dressed in a brown turtleneck, the fit sagging off her body. Becca frowns; she has never seen Annie in a turtleneck before.

Annie sits on the edge of the sofa, folding her legs underneath herself. She is turned in on herself, as though she is trying to hide from the world by making herself small. The television is on, marathoning reruns of Get Smart, but it is left to the background as Becca can't tear her eyes away from her friend.

In these last few weeks she couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right and now sitting in front of Annie, Becca knows ⏤ deep in her bones ⏤ that something is wrong.

Diana forcibly nudges Becca as she walks around the sofa and sits on the rug in front of them, leaning against the coffee table. She is silently telling Becca to stop making things weird and it snaps Becca out of her stupor.

Her mouth is dry as she forces out, "it's good to see you. We've missed you." The words scrape along her throat like sandpaper along wood.

It sets Annie off. A sob rips past her throat as she buries her head in her hands. Her shoulders slump as she cries into her hands. Both Becca and Diana exchange bewildered glances as alarm bounces in Becca's mind. If there was one thing everybody knew about Annie Price it was that she was as tough as nails. Becca doesn't think she's ever seen Annie cry.

Both Becca and Diana shuffle on the sofa, embracing Annie in a hug. She sits in between them, still crying. Becca rubs a hand up and down her back as Diana gently asks, "what's wrong, Annie?"

Annie just cries louder, her shoulders shuddering in time with her sobs. Diana looks over at Becca, her eyes expressing she is just as lost as Becca feels. Both of them have never seen Annie like this ⏤ not even Diana, who has known Annie longer.

Nobody says anything, Annie's sobs filling the room. Tension rolls off the four walls in waves. Whatever has gotten Annie into this state is serious and Becca's stomach flips in dread of what it could be. Has Billy done something? If he has ⏤ Becca's stomach roils at the thought.

"Has ⏤ has Billy done something? Are you okay?" Becca asks frantically, her heart thudding in her chest.

Annie shakes her head. "I ain't that," she manages to get out in between sobs.