The buzzing of Annie's phone roused her from her sleep; she groaned and sluggishly sat up. Her head throbbed with a hangover and she was half asleep as she fumbled for her phone.
Once she had her phone she let out a yawn and unlocked it. She read the headline, not really taking it in, and shrugged.
She let the phone fall to the pillow and she followed suit; closing her eyes and letting sleep wash over her.
But only for a moment.
Annie sprang up in bed, alert and awake. She picked up her phone and went back to the news alert. Her eyes began to fill with tears just as they scanned the headline again.
JOHN DOE IDENTIFIED IN HIT AND RUN: VICTIM IS JOE HERMAN
Joe Herman.
Joe Herman.
Joe Herman.
The name spun around her head till she felt her stomach heave. She scrambled out of bed, tossing her phone on the ground, and sprinted toward the bathroom.
On her knees in front of the toilet she let herself get sick; nausea making her break out in a sweat. A chill ran up her spine as she vomited.
Annie pushed herself away from the toilet and leaned against the wall. She was breathing hard and her mouth tasted like puke. She closed her eyes, tears falling down her cheeks.
I killed him. I killed Joe Herman. Fuck.
A sob tore through her mouth and she buried her face in her hands. The guilt that she'd felt before was ten times stronger now.
She didn't know how long she let herself fall apart; but it felt like hours had passed when she finally calmed down.
She stood on shaky legs and rinsed out her mouth before going back to her room. She picked up her phone and got in bed.
She went back to the article and read it, her eyes taking in every word.
The body of Joe Herman was found on a dirt road outside Beverly Hills, CA on May 30th, 2010. Mr. Herman was hit by an unknown vehicle and taken to the hospital. He died days later. There are no leads as to who killed Mr. Herman, put police are making a thorough investigation. Police say that the criminal could face up to four years in prison. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mr. Herman's family.
Criminal. I'm a criminal.
Annie felt her blood go cold, goosebumps broke out across her skin. Her stomach turned and she felt lightheaded. Almost like she was dreaming, like if she just pinched herself she'd wake up.
But she knew that was pointless; she was awake and this was really happening. She really killed Joe Herman, he was dead because of her.
I have to tell someone.
"No!" Annie gasped, the word a mangled sob on her lips.
She couldn't do that, she'd be sent to prison! She wouldn't survive there.
But I need to come clean. It's the only way I'll feel better. It's the only way Joe Herman's family will feel better.
"No, no, no, no!" She shook her head and raked her fingers through her hair, "No." Her shoulders heaved with sobs and her heart pounded in her chest.
She couldn't do it, she couldn't. She'd ruin herself if she did.
She'd just keep quiet.
Even if it killed her.
"Where you going?" Debbie asked as Annie walked toward the front door.
"A jog." She answered as she tightened her ponytail.
"Want some breakfast first?" Debbie pointed a thumb toward the kitchen, "Can't run on an empty stomach."
"No, I'm good. I'll get something after." Annie forced an easy smile, "See ya'." She opened the door and walked out.
Hopefully jogging will clear her head, make her stop thinking for a while.
After finding out about Joe Herman, Annie hadn't been able to get back to sleep. Whenever she'd close her eyes she'd either see the headline or his body just before she hit it. She'd spent the rest of the night staring at the ceiling; her mind racing and stomach turning.
With a sigh Annie put her headphones in her ears and turned up her music; she wanted to silence everything around her.
She took off at an easy pace, letting herself get a feel for the movement. She kept her eyes ahead, taking in the sights.
The neighborhood they lived in was small, nice and friendly, not many kids her age around. Bright houses lined the streets, each with a nice kept lawn and white fence. Some people were out, either washing their cars or enjoying the warm weather.
Annie waved to a few people she'd met in passing; one of them being Mrs. Burvaldì, she used to teach music at West Bev. She was out tending her gardens.
Annie picked up her pace after leaving her neighborhood, letting her feet carry her in no particular direction.
With her legs moving, arms pumping, and music blasting in her ears, she could almost allow herself to relax. To let herself be free of the weight that was always on her shoulders.
With that in mind, Annie jogged faster till she was in a full-on run. She let her legs fly underneath her and imagined she was leaving her problems in the dust. Thinking that if she ran fast enough they wouldn't get her.
If only that were true.
She was just rounding the corner, not really focusing, when she ran smack into another person. Annie wheeled back, trying to regain her balance, when a hand shot out to catch her wrist.
The person steadied her and Annie took out her headphones. She looked up to thank them, and apologize for running into them, when her mouth froze open.
It was Silver.
She was dressed in workout clothes and her newly short hair was in a small ponytail. Headphones dangled from her neck and she looked just as surprised as Annie.
"Annie." Silver blurted, her eyes wide. She quickly took her hand from Annie's wrist, tucking it into the pocket of her hoodie.
"Silver." Annie huffed, now that she was still she could feel the ache in her lungs. Sweat dampened her hair and shirt collar.
"W—I didn't know . . . hi?" Silver fumbled, looking embarrassed.
"Hi." Annie said back, she tried to control her breathing.
Silence fell between them, awkward and thick. They hadn't spoken in months, not since Silver started hanging out with Naomi and Adrianna.
That pang was back, that longing to tell Silver she was sorry. That she hadn't wanted her to get in trouble; that she hadn't set out to ruin her summer. Tell her that Naomi had made her so angry she'd just done it, without thinking of anyone else.
I never wanted to hurt you. She wanted to say, I never wanted to lose you.
But she didn't. It wouldn't make a difference.
Silver had cut ties with her.
"Um, I didn't know you, uh, jogged." Silver scratched the back of her head, clearly uncomfortable.
"Yeah, just kind of picked it up." Annie fiddled with her headphones.
"Same." Silver nodded.
They were quiet, neither one making an effort to speak again. What could they say? They weren't friends anymore.
"So—so how's your summer?" Silver asked, her voice wavered. Her eyes not meeting Annie's.
"It's . . . ." She bit her lip, her heart pounding, "Okay. You?"
She wanted to smack herself, of course Silver had a terrible summer. She'd spent it in school.
"Alright. Done with summer school."
"Yeah, Dixon mentioned that."
"Oh. Is he—"
"No, but I heard him say it to my mom, so."
"Right, right." Silver squinted in the bright sun.
Annie wrapped her arms around herself, "Well, I'd better finish, but, um, I'll see you . . . ." She took a step around Silver.
"Yeah." Silver took a step back from her, she stood were Annie had been.
"Have—have a good rest of the summer." Annie said, she gave a polite smile. Though it felt more forced and timid than polite.
"You too, Annie." Silver returned her smile, the action slow and weak.
Annie turned away from her ex-friend and put her headphones back in her ears.
She jogged away without looking back.
Annie was just getting out of the shower when her phone beeped, indicating that she had a new text.
Wrapping a towel around herself she patted into her room and picked up her phone.
Maybe it was Silver. Maybe she was ready to let Annie in again, ready to let her apologize. Maybe they'd meet for coffee or something and Annie could make things right with her. And even if it was just Silver, even if Naomi and Adrianna stayed mad, at least she'd have her. She could live with that.
But it wasn't Silver. It was Ty.
She'd forgotten about him, if she was being honest. She'd been wrapped up in her own thoughts and guilt that he'd slipped from her mind.
Annie read over the message:
Hey! R U busy? –Ty.
She pressed her lips together, her fingers hovering over the keyboard. Ty wasn't Silver but he did want to see her. And she really needed someone to take her mind off things.
No. I'm free. –Annie.
Perfect! Pick U up around 2? –Ty.
Where R we going? –Annie.
It's a surprise. Just be ready. –Ty.
Okay. Whatever U say. –Annie.
Annie set her phone down, she wasn't in the mood for a surprise, but she couldn't say no now. She'd just have to suck it up and stick with it.
Maybe it's another dinner in San Francisco.
The thought had her giggling to herself, like he'd do that again.
A/N: A shorter chapter but a lot covered. I wanted Silver to run into, no pun intended, Annie and for them to talk, even if it was awkward. I feel like Silver wasn't that angry with Annie in the show, seeing as she defended her to Naomi about Annie 'sleeping' with Liam. And i missed their friendship. Anyway, i hope you liked it and please tell me your thoughts i love hearing from you xx.