Anna Stern brushed away her long bleach blond hair from her eyes as she read the classified ads. Her eyes fell upon an ad seeking a nanny.
"Married male seeks nanny for 5 year old twins. 183 Bella Court." Anna sipped up the last of her frap and threw down some change on the oak table. She was clad in a long red organza skirt and black halter top. She was cluthing a large pink Cherry Blossom Louis Vuitton bag she had gotten during her short employment at the now defunct boutique on Melrose.
"Bella Court, here I come" Were the words she uttered as she swept out of the shop.
Anna was out of work, out of money,car-less and, unfortuantley, homeless. She hoped this job would pay well, so she could at least get an apartment.
Things had changed since she had last been in OC. That was in High School. She let her hair grow long, to her waist. She no home, no friends, no family. Her aunt and uncle had commited joint suicide 4 days before she arrived. The had drowned thenselves in the ocean.
Anna scanned the numbers on Bella Courts mansions. 179, 181, 183! She walked quickly up and rang the doorbell. A young girl opened the huge doors.
"Hiiii!" She said half shyly, half excitedly.
"Hi! Is your daddy home?" Anna said softly. Despite the grin plastered on the girls face, there was extreme sadness in her eyes.
"Uh-huh. My name is Ava." The girl added, retreating up a long, circular staircase. A couple seconds later, the girl returned, but with a puzzled look on her face.
"What are you doing here?" The girl asked.
"Huh? I just asked you if your father was home. Is he?" A split second later another girl sidled up to the door. That's when it hit Anna-they were twins.
"Ava?" She said to the air.
"Thats me!" The girl with the bow in her hair squealed.
"Oh. whats your name?" Anna asked the other girl.
"Arity. That's Ah-Ree-Tee. But everyone calls me Ari." She said a matter of factly.
"Hi Ari. I just asked Ava if your father was home." Anna glanced around, starting to wonder if the girls had a father. Suddenly a voice was heard echoing from the hall.
"Arity? Ava? The TV is fixed." A young man walked up to the door, smiling down at the girls who rushed to the right of the staircase.
"I'm here about-" Anna stopped as she looked harder at the man. A name softly escaped her lips.
"Ryan.." She looked at him with an incredolous look on his face.
"Oh. Do I know you?" He said with a fake cheery smile on his face.
"Um...Anna Stern?" Anna pulled her hair away from her face and behind her head.
"Anna?! Oh my gosh. It's so great to see you. Hey Seth!! Come here!" The color in Anna's face drained.
"Seth is here? Uh-oh. I must look horrible. This is so0o0o embarrasing.." Anna ranted on.
Seth walked up to Ryan and looked him in the eye not noticing Anna.
"What? Why are smiling that lopsided grin. Stop that, I'm feeling violated." Ryan pointed to Anna.
"Hi nice to meet you. Ryan what's-" Seth looked back at Anna.
"Anna?!" Seth, not thinking, grabbed Anna and kissed her. And not a hello kiss, a real full on lip locker.
"Seth, remember that ring on your finger?" Seth pulled away. At a good time, because Summer walked out.
"Anna?" Summer grinned.
"Yep." The girls screeched and hugged. As they broke the embrace, anna looked at the reunited group happily. Except-
"Where's Marissa?" Anna asked. A long silence fell across the room.
"I'm right here." Marissa leaned on the door frame. She had lost so much weight, and her hair was not its usual shiny mass of golden perfection. It was limp and plain. Her skin was paler and her eyes lost their sparkle. Marissa coughed harshly, ignoring the blood that splattered on her hand.
"Marissa..." Tears welled in Annas eyes.
"I'm faded." Marissa whispered.