When Annie awoke laying in her new sheets, a dark blue fluffy set that had silver moons and stars. Annie layed there for a few minutes, basking in the comfort before she sat up and sighed.
She turned on the little moon lamp to a deep red, lighting up her room, but dark enough to keep it dark. Annie stood from her bed and stretched, her tank top riding up slightly, her matching shorts hanging high. Looking at the time she sighed, 1 am. Four hours or sleep, "Awesome," she mumbled lowly as she stalks off to the bathroom.
Annie goes to her bookshelf and pulled out a book she hadn't read yet, she was in a poetry kick. She loved to dissect the meaning behind the coy wording.
Most of all, most poetry she read, she felt deep in her soul. Like the words someone else wrote, came from her own hand, her own thoughts. She felt a connection to it.
As she pulled the book off the shelf and opened it to read the first line, about to step towards her bed when her gaze goes to the window.
There sat Ethan sitting in a lounge chair with a movie playing on his laptop, waving to her. Then she noticed his window open.
Annie furrowed her eyebrows as she shuffled over to the window opening it. The cool night air brushed against her, a shiver rolled down her spine as she felt goosebumps rise on her skin. Annie quickly turned and grabbed her comforter and sat down by the window.
"What are you doing up this late?" Annie asked.
"Watching a movie," replied Ethan, a small smile tugging at his lips.
"What are you watching?" Asked Annie as she moved her gaze to the small laptop screen. Annie grabbed her black glasses and put them on, but they weren't of much use.
"You have glasses?" Ethan smirked, "and I'm watching The Hunger Games. Whatcha reading?"
"Oh, it's just some poetry," Annie smiled as she looked down at her book.
"Read me some?" He asked, his green eyes bore into her soul. His full attention on her as the movie plays in the background.
"Oh, um, sure," Annie hesitated, she opened her book and started reading the first page. "This one is named 'A Sonnet for the Vanished."
"The morning sun still climbs the garden wall,
Ignoring how the world has slipped its gear.
I listen for your footsteps in the hall,
But only find the silence waiting here.
Your laughter was the map by which I steered,
A steady North within a shifting sea;
Now every landmark loved has disappeared,
And left a hollowed stranger out of me.
To love is but to borrow from the years,
To trade a golden hour for tonight,
And pay the heavy interest in tears
When shadows overtake the fading light.
Yet though the bitter frost has claimed the vine, The taste of summer proves you once were mine."
As Annie continued reading, her voice wavered and she slowed down her tears. As Annie read out the last line, she let out a choked sob, a tear escaping her eyes, running down her cheek.
"I'm sorry," Ethan said softly, his movie paused as he looked at her. He should have known most poetry is emotional, and perhaps she may have wanted to do that by herself but was pressured.
Annie swiped the tear away and took three deep breaths, steadying herself, trying not to break the dam. "No, it's alright," Annie breathed as she turned her gaze back to Ethan. A light smile on her lips, but her eyes red from unshed tears. "How was your day?"
Ethan shook his head at Annie, "you are near tears and you're asking me how I am? AnnieCombs, think of yourself every once in a while," Ethan shook his head, "can you sneak out?" Ethan asked her.
Annie gives a curious look to Ethan but nods her head, "meet me outside by my truck in 5 minutes," he smiles before closing his window. Annie followed suit and closed her window.
Being to lazy to actually change her pajama set, she threw sweatpants ontop of her pajama shorts and a hoddie over her tanktop.
Annie took her phone and wallet with her as she left her room, tip toeing out the door. Shoes in hand, she sits on her porch pulling her shoes on until she slips into Ethans truck.
Now that they were in close proximity Annie started having second thoughts.'Should I be doing this? Should I trust that he's not kidnapping me?' Thought Annie.
Ethan smiled at Annie as he turned on his truck and sped off down the road, "don't know how to talk to me now the window that separated us is gone?" He asked playfully.
"You got me. I think I liked the window better- it was doing a lot of the heavy lifting for my confidence," Annie retorted, biting herself for the sassy reply. "Sorry, I'm just embarrassed you saw me, like.. that, after the poetry."
"Don't apologize Annie, I know what you're going through," Ethan smiled.
"Where are we going?" Annie asked, switching the topic of conversation.
"Somewhere," Ethan shrugged, you might like it, or you might hate me."
"I might hate you," Annie hummed, "do you want the punch if I hate it now or later?" Annie asked playfully.
Ethan hummed for a second. A smile aparent on his face as he felt the most relaxed around someone than he ever had in a while. "How about later, you might not hate me, remember?"
Annie rolled her eyes as she smiled. She had very few friends when she lived with her mother, most of her time was taken up by studying, painting, reading or talking to her therapist. Annie always felt like she needed to be busy doing something, anything. Even sitting in a car was rough for her.
So having banter like this was new for her, and it felt good. Weird for her in a way that it was with Ethan, but she couldn't help but feel comfortable in his presence.