Her name was Annie.
She was already accustomed to life in Oak Tree Town because she grew up on a farm. Her family raised all sorts of livestock – cows, sheep, chickens, horses, goats – and they also kept one cat and two dogs as pets. From an early age, she learned how to milk and shear and ride.
Her childhood was simple and carefree. She grew up lovingly and was home-schooled for most her life because they lived too far from the city for public school to be convenient. There were only three houses within a ten-mile radius.
As a result, her only real friend was her older brother, Robert.
He taught her how to take proper care of the animals and keep the barns clean, and in exchange she taught him what she knew of cooking and sewing. Their parents were usually too busy working elsewhere on the farm.
When Annie was fourteen years old, her parents started fighting more often. She heard threats of divorce being thrown around, even. One night in particular was their worst fight yet.
She cried helplessly while Robert pulled her into his chest, comforting her. She didn't know how to get them to stop. Their other fights were relatively easy to ignore, but one of this magnitude... It went on for hours.
Robert ruffled her hair and smiled down at her. "I'll fix things," he told her. "It's my fault they're arguing, anyway."
His fault? She didn't understand what he meant by that at the time. But as the days passed, she realized he'd been slowly packing his belongings into a suitcase.
She asked where he was going and he just shook his head.
"Away, so you can live happily without me."
So that she could live happily without him? Again, she didn't understand, but even as she pleaded with him to reconsider, she remembered he was already twenty years old. Maybe he wanted to find a place of his own or go to college, as unlikely as that seemed, or maybe even get married. He probably just thought he was a burden to everyone and needed some air and time away.
Annie didn't know the kind of life he led. He never talked about a girlfriend or anything, but then again... he was always gone, anyway, and when he did come home he was always tired. His job or pastime really drained him, it seemed. She couldn't remember the last time she'd seen him without bags under his eyes.
Then one day, he didn't come back at all.
The house was quieter. Her parents didn't fight anymore – at all, even – but they seemed sadder. It must have felt like losing a son, because Annie felt like she'd lost a brother.
Days turned to weeks and even seasons. Time passed slowly.
She tried to live life normally, still studying and doing chores and farm work. She transferred to the new public school that was recently built a little ways away. She made a wish that for her fifteenth birthday, he would come back.
But the fourth day of fall came, and no Robert.
Every night she had to pass by his room when she went to bed. It was dark and empty, the only thing inside the broken remote-controlled helicopter they both received as a Christmas present long ago. She and her parents wouldn't will themselves to get rid of it.
The telephone was a rare luxury her father had brought home just a few weeks after Robert had gone missing, but it'd never been used before. Her father must have bought it for that one "what if" situation, when Robert decided to call home.
Days passed and finally the phone did ring, and Annie's breath caught in her throat. Her father sprung up to answer it.
The police were on a first-name basis with her and her parents at that point, but they didn't show up at the house that day, before or after the anonymous call.
Robert was found on the side of the road, eyes wide open. An empty prescription bottle lay in his hand.
…
Annie felt Fritz's stare pierce through her as she wiped her eyes. It was no use, though. She couldn't stop crying. How long had it been since she'd told that story? Maybe this was the first time.
Four – no, five years had passed since then. She just turned nineteen. She wasn't sure if Fritz knew that or not.
Though her face and voice begged to differ, she felt better after spilling it to Fritz.
She sniffled. "B-before you say I was obsessed with him or something, keep in mind that I didn't - "
Fritz enveloped her in a warm hum, crushing her a bit. "I wasn't going to say anything," he whispered. He craned his neck and kissed the top of her head.
"He wasn't... just my brother." She sniffed again, burying her head into Fritz's chest. She quieted her voice. "He was my best friend."
His face fell and he held her more tightly. "I know, I know, Annie," he said, though she knew he didn't know.
He had no idea what that felt like. He still had his brothers. No... this wasn't a contest.
Fritz closed his eyes, caressing her back to try and calm her down.
"You act so tough and strong all the time, like there's nothing bothering you, but you're probably shouldering the biggest burden of all."
His voice was so gentle and kind, and he was using words she never thought he would say before. She felt herself relax a little. The impression left would always be there, of course, but the weight had been lifted.
Annie squeezed him back, and now she was sure he was wearing some sort of cologne. He smelled like the perfect mixture of masculinity and grass. Her pain dissipated as she melted into him with a sigh.
Fritz had crawled his way into her heart and became her best friend, too. She had two completely perfect guys looking out for her. She smiled with a new resolve.
She would make sure Fritz never had to deal with the pain of losing someone close to him. She didn't know how, but... as long as they were together, she'd find a way.
"Annie... don't put on a brave face in front of me," he said softly. "If you need to talk, or cry, or just be around someone, I'm here."
She stifled a laugh. All this gushy nonsense was starting to ruin the mood now. She pulled away slowly, giving him a small smile. "Th-thanks. But I'm okay."
She rubbed at her eyes, knowing her makeup had already been running so it wasn't a big deal anymore.
When she opened her eyes, she noticed Fritz was staring at her. She looked away, embarrassed. She didn't exactly have anything to hide anymore.
He knew her past, about her family, even what size underwear she wore... Here she was, practically baring herself before him.
What if he didn't like what he saw? Would he leave, too?
No... she could trust Fritz. She knew she could.
"Wh-what?" she asked, flustered and angry. He kept staring at her.
"Nothing." He smiled, flustering her more. He laughed and started to lean in.
Meanwhile, Annie started to freak out. "F-Fritz, what - "
"You're beautiful, Annie."
Before she had the chance to respond again, he closed the distance between them, kissing her gently.
Her eyes fluttered shut while she savored the moment, already feeling more passion escape from this kiss than from their first. It was unlike anything she'd ever felt before.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and parted her lips slightly, feeling him deepen the kiss. She reached up and tangled a hand into his messy red hair, not really knowing what she was doing but allowing her body to move on its own. Fritz sighed happily – at least she hoped that was a happy sigh.
Just a few seconds later, his hand snaked around her waist and tugged her closer. Butterflies formed in her stomach as their chests collided. Was this – was he... were they...? She never knew something as simple as this could feel so good.
Fritz pulled back abruptly, but Annie kept her lips parted and leaned in closer. It was like she didn't want to stop.
He laughed nervously, bringing her back. She opened her eyes. The shade of red on her face easily rivaled his. So embarrassing... She was thankful that he had more self-control than she apparently did and pulled away before it went any further.
But that was pretty far already, she thought shyly.
Fritz leaned in and planted another kiss on her forehead. He smiled. "Someday, I want to see just how beautiful you really are."
"D-don't say it like that!"
She flushed, biting her lip and looking away. Because then she'd want to show him.
~CGA