Adventuring With Analise ✓

Chapter 8 - Analise

Chapter 8 – Analise

    Performing arts were something I'd never wanted to divulge in. I never had the dying urge to join chorus or theater, but when I needed an easy credit, it seemed like the most plausible option. And usually I paid pretty good attention to what was happening in theater class, as much as I didn't want to, but as I waited for Will to get here I couldn't help but let my thoughts drift to my fight earlier.

Ashlynn had crossed a line that neither of us had ever gotten to before. She'd fucking told me she was glad my parents were dead, that I deserved it. So I told her I hoped her parents died, and she slapped me. Ashlynn was a lot of things – Bratty, annoying, perky as anyone could ever be – but she had never been one to strike first because she was scared shitless of me. She knew she fucked up when she hit me first, everyone did. I was a lot of things but a shitty fighter I was not. I could handle my own, and she knew that.

I didn't mean it when I said I hoped her parents died. Truth be told, as the saying goes, I wouldn't wish that on my worst enemy. And my worst enemy was Ashlynn Collins. Losing one's parents was something that I wish no one had to experience because it was fucking awful and it was one of the worst feelings in this world.

Ashlynn knew my parents were dead because once upon a time she'd tricked Tommy into telling her. She knew Tommy was my best friend, so to get dirt on me, she used him. She got him super drunk one night at a party, promising sex and other things, and while I'm sure that did happen, so did him confessing a handful of my secrets to her. One of those secrets of course was that my parents were dead and my brother took care of me.

It wasn't embarrassing to be taken care of by my big brother. He was my superhero of sorts and I looked up to him so much for everything he went through for us and how strong he was. When our parents died he took on the 'fatherly' role super quick without hesitation. He was only eighteen and I was only twelve. He worked two jobs to support us – three once upon a time, and he was always getting home late and always exhausted. He wouldn't let me get a job to help, telling me to focus on my education and that was how I could help because then maybe we could finally get out of this shit hole. But I couldn't help the guilt that ate away at me every day I saw him busting his ass to keep us afloat.

My thoughts were cut off by the doorbell ringing, and I went and peeked through the peephole. After seeing Will I opened it, motioning for him to come in. He did, and I closed and locked the door behind him.

"I'm surprised you called me, honestly," he admitted after a few seconds of silence.

I raised an eyebrow. "What, the big bad Analise can't want to succeed at something for once in her life?"

"That's not what I meant!"

I shrugged, not being phased in the slightest by his raised voice and embarrassed look. "It's okay if it is. That's what everyone else thinks."

He walked up to me, looking me straight in the eyes and for a second the serious look in his eyes made my breathing falter. "I don't think anything negative of you, Analise. I don't even know anything about you, but I want to. I've been trying but you keep pushing me away."