[Highest Rank: #328]
Anna's a normal girl.
Well, at least she wishes she was.
She watched her parents die in front of her when she was eight years old. Ten years later, she's lived her life in ignorance, attempting to regain the childhood inn...
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By the time Valentine and I walk into the house, Anna already there and ready to welcome us back. She had texted me a couple of hours ago, saying that she was getting a ride home. It couldn't have been Rowan, though, because I saw him there when I received the message. He was oddly out of character, refusing drinks and girls left and right. He even tolerated Valentine when she forced him to have another conversation with her.
Something seems ... off.
Anna looks peppier than usual as well, considering that it's two in the morning. She would have fallen asleep by now on any other day.
Grandma immediately motions the three of us into the living room when we enter, not allowing us time to ourselves. Val's eyelids are already drooping with weariness as we plop down on the sofa; thank goodness she didn't have too much to drink, since she was busy chatting in Rowan's face.
"So, did you guys decide?" Grandma rasps.
"Decide what?" Anna asks curiously.
Grandma rolls her eyes. "I gave you the whole week to think about it! I told you I wanted the three of you out of the house for the weekend. Where are you planning on going?"
My jaw nearly hits the floor. "Grandma, were you serious about that?"
She slams her foot on the ground. "Did I look like I was playing around with you young'uns?"
Anna and I exchange confused glances. I just laugh nervously and attempt Plan A: guilt tripping her out of the idea.
"Oh, you just want the house to yourself, don't you?" I say playfully. "Are you going to cause mischief all by yourself?"
Unfortunately, she isn't so easily fooled. "Do you think I don't know how to fend more myself, child?" she snaps. "At my age, I have nothing else to do. However, it'll spare me the trouble of watching you three fighting over one thing or another."
"We're not fighting," I plead, suddenly desperate. Where are the three of us supposed to go on a weekend together?
Grandma shrugs. "Then you should have no problem going together."
Anna taps me briefly on the arm and slightly shakes her head, signaling for me just to agree with Grandma's orders. We'll be here until dawn otherwise.
"Fine," I sigh. "We'll figure something out."
After Anna and I drag Valentine into her room, Anna pauses in front of Val's door and asks, "So, where do you think we're going to head out tomorrow? Maybe we should just spend the day in the library and then camp out in the backyard. She wouldn't notice."
I smirk at the joke. "Honestly, I have no idea what we're going to do. Val's going to be pissed off, too."
Anna thoughtfully stares at the walls for a moment, before lifting a finger excitedly. "Let's go downtown. There's a hotel there and everything, right? We could explore."
"Anna, that sounds horrible," I groan.
"Why? Val could go shopping, you could just sulk in your room all day, and I could –" She abruptly pauses. "Wait. Why does it have to be just us? It's the weekend. We could totally ask some people to join us."
What's with her sudden social invitation? "Anna, who in the world would ever follow us downtown for a weekend? Especially when there was just a huge party today? Everyone's going to be hungover."
"I know some people who may not." She grins to herself. "What do you say? Each of us should invite one person."
It's a spontaneous idea, which has definitely never been Anna's strong suit. The fact that she's even bringing it up means that she's starting to break out of her shell a little. I have no idea how it happened, but I suppose I should take this opportunity to help her continue growing. It's not every day you're going to see her so excited about a possible social event.
"Then I'll ask Benji if he wants to go," I concur at last, giving in.
She smiles. "Great! I'll ask my friend Sawyer – she's the one who's been driving me around for the past few days."
Sawyer? The name isn't familiar. When did Anna meet someone new?
"I think we all know who Val would pick," I grumble. "Thank goodness he'd never listen to her."
Anna tilts her head. "Are you talking about Rowan?"
I place my fingers on the bridge of my nose. "Yup. He's the one. Val would be terribly upset if he didn't come with us. Luckily, she'll have no way of convincing him."
"And if she did?" Anna asks, her lips curled into a slight smile. "Would you let him?"
