The day had been good, Annie and her father visited many different stores and as they stopped at the grocery store, Annie ran into a familiar face.
A tall slim woman holding a basket with black hair cut short, her posture that of regal gracefulness. As the woman turned to look at Annie a smile brightened her face.
"Little Annie Combs!" She shrieked as she pulled Annie into a hug, "it is so good to see you! Ethan mentioned you were home!" Smiled Kia, Ethans mother.
"It's nice to see you Miss Hawethorne," smiled Annie.
"Annie's home for good," smiled her father at Kia, a proud smile on his face as he looked down at his daughter.
He was nervous for Annie being home, nervous for her mental health, but he pushed on forward. Hoping that if he paid more attention to her, he would see the signs before she slipped from him again.
"Oh! We will have to have a dinner to celebrate you being home," smiled Kia.
Annie noted that it seemed most of the town didn't know she was home, and that they probably didn't know of her mother's death.
"That is a great idea Kia!" Smiled her father, "school starts in two weeks, perhaps we could do it in two days while the weather is still good."
"Yes! We can do it in my back yard! I'll get Ethan to set up the long table as I'm sure some of Ethan and Kysons friends will join!" Kia smiled enthusiasticly.
"Well we must be getting home, it was good to see you Kia, have a good night, see you soon," smiled her father. They shared goodbyes and smiles as they paid and left the store.
*~*~*~*~*
"I hope you had a good day with dad," Kyson sneered at Annie as they sat in the quaint living room.
"I did, thank you for asking Kyson," Annie smiled.
Annie knew the kinder she was to Kyson, the more it rubbed him the wrong way. If Kyson ever made a fuss, it would always look worse on him in the end anyways, as Annie was always nice towards him.
Kyson sulked in the corner as Annie's father entered the room, holding a glass of whiskey, turning on a movie.
The group watched in silence. Annie's father bloomed with happiness as his daughter was home. Dylan- Annie's father, never let on how much he truly missed his daughter whenever they called, he didn't want her to feel worse for the situation that had landed her halfway across the country. So Annie being home set his heart ablaze, his only biological child was home at last and his happiness was hard to contain.
It was hard living without her, the day she left it felt like a piece of him left with her. But now he was finally whole.
Though it didn't work out between Lilah and him, he cared deeply for her at one time. So when the news broke of her passing, Dylan did take it hard. She was the mother of his child, of course he cared. But he never let those feelings show infront of Margaret, knowing how jealous she became at the mention of another female, let alone his ex-wife.
After the movie was over her father brought up the upcoming dinner at Kia's and Ethans home next door. Then after that the topic of the next day was brought up.
"Perhaps if you're going anywhere tomorrow Kyson, you should bring Annie along, I'm sure Annie would love to see the town again," her father smiled.
Kyson had a slight look of agitation that Annie's father didn't register.
"Oh don't worry about it dad, I still have a lot of unpacking to do, especially after today's shopping," Annie smiled, "maybe another day I'll go out and see the town."
"For sure Pumpkin, whatever you want," he smiled.
Annie made her way up to her room and looked at the massive amounts of shopping bags that littered her floor. Closing the door behind . started going through each item, putting them in there respective bags, one bag of clothes, one bag of bathroom items, another full of things for her bedroom.
Annie grabbed her new bed set and pulled the bag onto her bed unzipping it. Annie sighed and closed her eyes, smelling the smell of new fabric. Annie felt a gaze on her as she looked out her window.
Annie jumped as she was met with the face of Ethan the next house over. His room facing hers. Annie stalked over to her window and pulled it open as Ethan did the same.
"Sorry I didn't mean to startle you," Ethan chuckled.
"Do you like looking through girls windows? Or just mine?" Annie laughed shaking her head, "it's alright."
"If I said 'just yours,' would that make me a creep or..? Asking for a friend," replied Ethan, Annie had a slight blush tinge her cheeks as he spoke, "how was your day?" He asked.
Annie sat down on the seat infront of her window as Ethan pulled up a chair, "it was alright, spent time with my dad and went shopping."
"I see, retiring your princess comforter?" He asked.
"Don't act like you aren't a little sad to see it go. Itwasiconic." Replied Annie, "besides, you act like it had literal Disney princesses on it, it's just a bunch of crowns on a hot pink blanket!" Annie laughed.
Ethan laughed, "Okay I get it, The crowns are retired. You've moved on to bigger and better things."
"I'm glad you're keeping up. I was worried the hot pink was still distracting you," laughed Annie.
"Not as distracting as your presence in that room," retorted Ethan, "I'm so used to seeing the lights off, it's jarring for them to be on."
Annie chuckled, "I'm going to take that as a compliment and not a insult that my lights being on at 3 am bother you."
"Good, but why were you awake at 3am?" Asked Ethan.
"Couldn't sleep," Annie shrugged, "I'll remember to close my blinds at night so the light doesn't bother you."
"Don't worry about it, I like knowing you're in there."
Annie smiled at Ethans words, "thank you Ethan, I should be getting ready for bed now though, have a goodnight."
"Goodnight Babydoll," Ethan smiled a cocky smile.
"Ethan!" Annie hissed. The last thing she wanted was for someone to overhear the nickname and get the wrong impression of them two.
Ethan bellowed a loud laugh, "Goodnight Doll, sweetdreams."
"Goodnight Ethan," Annie said as she closed her window and started getting ready for bed. Aware of the eyes that followed her every movement.