It's been two months. Two months since resumption, and two months of bugging the hell out of Troy. She just didn't get the memo, he didn't want to hang out with her, or talk to her. But she kept coming back no matter how rude he was being.

Today was just like any other day, she had finished all her morning classes and was free at noon. She had on an oversized black sweater and her signature black faded jeans and her white sneakers. Her hair was pulled into a messy bun, soft hair tendrils framed her soft but sharp looking face. Her friend, Farah, was a short brunette with big round eyes and a small butt which she never failed to complain about. She was a girl who loved cats and sometimes acted like one.

Anna had two other friends, Brinley and Emerson, but they were more of Farah's friends not hers.

Emerson was really skinny and tall. She sported a black bob and cherry red lips with a clear skin. While Brinley was taller than Farah but shorter than Emerson, making her average. She had a straight shoulder length blond hair, with some pimples scattered around her puffy cheeks.

Anna saw Troy sitting alone in a bench, she walked closer with a little bounce in her steps, eager to see the grouchy man.
She sat next to him and grinned, "Hey. What're you doing here all alone like some loner?"

"Don't you have somewhere to be?" He grumbled under his breath

She smiled wider, "as a matter of fact no. So it's just going to be me and you." He cursed at that. "Oh poo, don't be like that. We'll have loads of fun."

He ignored her and picked his earphones and increased his music volume, tuning her out completely. She pouted and thought of what to do next then an idea came to her mind swiftly, then she grabbed his earphones and took off running.

Startled, Troy gasped. He turned to see the annoying girl running with his earphones and he gritted his teeth. He had just bought those.

He stood up and ran after her, "Anna! Quit being a baby and give me those earphones!" He bellowed.

His angry voice sent chills down her spine and she ran faster. She had always been a good runner, right from childhood. Troy would've been impressed with her running skills, if he wasn't fuming and chasing after her at the moment. "Anna!"

She laughed loudly and took a turn, bumping into some people and making apologies right after, but those people didn't slow her down, they slowed Troy down instead. Making another turn she slammed into a big man. The momentum sent her flying backwards in a very unpleasant manner. The man glared at her with his piercing eyes, and God was he gorgeous. His mismatched blue and green orbs never wavered from her lean form on the hard ground. "Watch where you're going next time." He said.

No apology, no help! How rude. She glared at him, "sorry." She muttered, feeling a little embarrassed. He sent her a discreet look of disgust before turning and walking away. "Wait!" What am I doing? "I'm Anna, and you are?" She dusted herself up.

He stopped walking and gave her side glance, smirking a little, amusement flickering through his eyes, "bye freckles." Then he stalked away.

She huffed. So much for trying to make new friends.

And just then, Troy ran in, face red and sweaty. "Anna, I swear to God you better hand me my earphones now or else." He glowered.

Anna sighed dejectedly. "You must be really mad at me now."

Troy scoffed. "Just give me my stuff. I don't want to be there."

"Let's go to my apartment, you could use some refreshments." Troy wanted to turn the offer down, but he saw the way she looked at him and he sighed tiredly. He agreed and they walked side by side silently. Anna admired his braided hair, it was collar-bone length, weaved in two parts. His full eyebrows drew together as they walked and he seemed deep in thought. "We're here." She said, he looked up and analyzed the place. He nodded in approval and they made their way in. A loud bark erupted from the living room, startling the two of them.

Rusty came into view and didn't bother greeting his owner with his usual wagging of his tail and jumping all over her.  He just glared at Troy as if to say, who are you and what do you want?

"Uh, that's Rusty. My German Shepherd. Rusty, go back inside." Anna said pointedly at the dog.

He happily ignored her and bared his canines at his new supposed threat. Troy just stared at the beast, a little confused at  its behavior towards him. Maybe the dog was just protective. "Is he always like this?"

Anna walked closer and held Rusty by the collar, "no. Farah, Brinley and Emerson come here too. He never reacted this way. There was even a time my distant cousin came with her son, Rusty just ignored them. This is strange."

Troy didn't seem thrilled to that statement, was he supposed to expect a bite now? He knew he shouldn't have gone to a crazy lady's house. What was he thinking. " if he's going to go all crazy on me I think I should just leave."

"No!" Anna said firmly. "He'll behave. Right?" She gave her dog a warning glare and he whined. She grinned brightly at Troy saying, "he'll behave."

Troy took a seat and the dog sauntered off to take a nap. "So what would you like? I've got some drinks and I baked some cake last night, I was just having this really strong craving for chocolate and—"

"I don't like chocolate." He stopped her in mid sentence. "A nice drink would do."

Anna's jaw slacked. "How can you not like chocolate!"

It was there that a beautiful friendship formed. As time passed she found herself drawing closer to Troy than she had ever been with Brinley and Emerson whom she had known for three years in university. Farah never stopped teasing and asking if they were dating. It didn't take a genius to know that Troy wasn't so fond of Farah especially when she spoke, all he wanted was to be with Anna. But it seemed like when he was around her, Farah liked to pop up unannounced.

Troy and Anna played badminton together a lot, they were literally seen everywhere together. They had lunch other, walked each other to classes and stayed alone in silence, together. Anna understood that even though Troy had accepted her as a friend, he still liked some time to himself, so when he was alone, she'd take a sit beside him quietly and work on homework while he thought about different random things.

After two months of this going on, Rusty was more at ease with Troy around. He even laid by his feet sometimes.

              Today, Anna was to go see her distant cousin, due to some family issues. She lived about an hours walk away from her. "I'm not sure you should go alone Anna." Troy spoke, lazily sprawled over the couch.

Anna laughed softly, "oh come on. It's my cousin. Sure we don't talk often but she said she needed to talk to me urgently. I don't have a car but I'm fine with walking."

He sat up. "I'm not." Frowning he said, "what if something bad happens?"

This time she laughed uncontrollably and Troys frown deepened. His worry for her melted her heart. "Look, nothing bad could possibly happen. It's an hours walk, or less if I'm quick enough. Nothing is going to happen."

"Let me drop you off." He suggested.

"Troy... you really don't have to. I'm fine. "

"Take Rusty." The beasts ear picked up on hearing his name. "Have him walk with you to and fro. The town isn't safe."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm going to get ready. I will be back soon." She spoke and went inside her room to get dressed.

After nearly an hours walk across town, Anna arrived at her cousins place. She knocked and the door opened minutes later. Anna was greeted with dull mud brown eyes, over grown fuzzy black hair, and chapped lips. Her cousin, Daniella, welcomed her in. The place looked decent and cozy, just the way Anna would like an apartment to be. She took a sit and waited for the cousin to come talk about what she had invited her here for.

"Hey, I'm glad you could make it here today." Daniella said smiling softly.

Anna returned the kind smile. "Oh it's no problem. I was really looking forward to seeing baby Lola again. She's so adorable."

Daniella chuckled, running her hands through her hair like as if the small gesture could make the untamed thick hair look better. "I asked you to come here because of my parents." Said Daniella.

At this, Anna relaxed further into the couch, waiting for the woman in front of her to continue. Daniella licked her chapped lips, finding it difficult to form words. After visiting Anna some months back she realized what a nice person she was. Anna and Daniella were quite close as children, but later on they separated and lost touch. The visit months ago was all Daniella's plan. After newly giving birth to her baby, she decided to renew the bond she and Anna once shared, especially now when times were rough.

"My parents, they want nothing to do with me."

Silence reigned in the apartment.

Slowly, Anna's eyebrows drew together in confusion. That was absurd. "Why?"

"My dad, he said he can't tolerate the fact that I went and had a child out of wedlock. Especially with a man who is not... presentable." She said the last part in a near whisper.

"Who is the father of Lola?"

"Derek. Derek Hemisrahl. I-I shouldn't have, I know that now." She looked into Anna's eyes, despair written all over her features. "Derek has absolutely no plans for the future. He cheats on me and wastes his money on other women. I don't know how I ended up in this mess, maybe I was blinded by the love I had for him. I kept being stupid and making up excuses for his unacceptable behavior and now... now I'm paying for it." A tear leaked from one eye.

Anna felt pity for her cousin. "Dani, listen to me, we all make mistakes okay? Don't be too hard on yourself. You still have your whole life ahead of you, this time with Lola in it. You have to be strong."

"How could I have made such a foolish mistake?" She mumbled to herself, wrecked with guilt and shame. Anna didn't like seeing her cousin this way.

"This could've happened to anybody, Daniella. It's—"

"I was asked out by rich male models, senators sons, millionaire bachelors," she interrupted. "Yet I stayed with this son of a bitch. Who is a nobody."

Daniella was beautiful no doubt. A lot of women in her modeling industry envied her good looks, her charms and her perfect body. "I messed up. I messed up so bad! I have tarnished my fathers image. The daughter of Mr Benedict Wayver got pregnant out of wedlock! For a man who is unpresentable." Sobs wracked her body.

Anna stared at her sadly, what could she do to cheer her up? A thought whisked through her mind. "Alright Dani, get up. We're going out to get some ice cream and we can talk some more on our way."

Daniella licked her lips and wiped her teary eyes. "I don't want ice cream."

"Nonsense! I insist. Ice cream makes everything better, with a touch of Anna of course." She winked bashfully. Daniella couldn't help the laugh that escaped her lips, she excused herself and went to get ready as quick as she could. Maybe ice cream would make her better.

After checking on her daughter, satisfied to find her asleep, the two women left the apartment in search of some ice cream but they were in no hurry. They simply walked side by side, enjoying the silence and comfort each of their presence emitted. Soon they found a suitable place to get some tubs of ice cream. The place was old looking on the outside but the inside was well furnished with an 80's kind of vibe. They got the ice creams and started their journey back to the apartment, this time they conversed on the way.

"You didn't tell me about you though, any relationship problems?" Daniella inquired, wanting the silence to end.

"Um, no. Well I've only had two boyfriends my whole life." She giggled. "They were sweethearts but it didn't work out. I haven't thought of getting into a relationship ever since."

Daniella nodded in understanding, her story was way different. Daniella has dated all kinds of men but her ending wasn't quite what she imagined. She was the shell of who she'd once been. Why couldn't she have been like Anna? Anna was beautiful yet she never gave herself to too many men, she was lively and had a cheerful spirit. The more she thought about it, the dirtier she felt.

She thought having fun was supposed to be hooking up, dating one too many times, and going out to night clubs. Oh how wrong she had been, she should've forgotten about men and maybe she'd never have encountered Derek. A horny whore, that is what she was.

"How were your past relationships like?"  Anna asked as well. Their conversation was beginning to get awkward and Daniella was rethinking the idea of asking Anna to come over.

"It was wild, I —" Daniella stopped speaking, her eyes were wide and trained ahead.

Anna was confused and tried to see what exactly her cousin was staring at. She saw different people moving about until her eyes found a man groping a blonde haired girl near a motorcycle. Anna knew that those were the people Daniella was gawking at. Immediately recognition washed over her and one name swept through her mind.

Derek.

Before she could understand what was happening, Daniella stormed towards the direction of the man that tore her heart to shreds. Slowly, Anna realised she had to go after Daniella Incase anything bad happened.

"You ungrateful bastard!" Came Daniella's screeching voice, her eyes wide like saucers glared daggers at Derek, complete disregarding the woman Derek had next to him. "I gave you everything I had! I made sacrifices to be with you! And this is what I get? I've lost everything because of you. I'm a laughing stock at work and a scandal to my parents."

Derek tried reasoning with her, "babe, calm down. We'll talk about this at the apartment..." he put his hands on her shoulders, trying to get her to forgive him with his pleading eyes.

She shrugged his hands off like it burned, and maybe it did. Maybe his touch was like lava to her flesh. "There is nothing to talk about Derek. You have ruined my life and I hate you for it. You won't be seeing Lola ever again." She spat out, her body shaking due to anger.

At this, Derek frowned harder, looking appalled. "What do you mean I won't be seeing Lola? She's mine too."

"You didn't think about that when you carried this other woman over here! You completely disregarded me and my daughter, you have no respect for me."

The attention of some of the people around were on them. Anna tried speaking to Daniella but she ignored her completely.

"You know what Daniella? Fuck You. You can go to hell for all I care." The look on Daniella's face was priceless, her face looked ashen. "You threw yourself at me that night in the bar remember? With your overly tight clothes, all the men there were touching you!" He snarled.

"I was drunk!" She screamed

"And so was I, but you don't see me complaining!"

"What did you have to loose Derek? Nothing! I had so many things to loose and–"

"You should've thought about that before you begged to have sex with me." He said angrily.

Tears spilled from Daniella's eyes, he was right and it hurt. She should've never left her house. She should've ignored his advances and most of all she should've had self control. But it was too late now, the deed had been done. Daniella nodded, she turned and walked away in shame. Anna followed behind her silently, now was not the time to speak.

Before they reached the apartment Daniella broke down in tears, "he's right and I know it. It's my fault." She said painfully. "If only I could go back in time."

Anna looked into her eyes, "You're right, you made a mistake. You should've have done what you did but you did it and you have to live with it. The smartest thing to do is to own up to your mistakes no matter how painful they are. Pitying yourself won't get you anywhere, a painful lesson is the best lesson learnt and now that you know this you will work harder for you and your daughter."

Daniella nodded, bobbing her head like a kindergarten child. Anna smiled toothily at the other woman, "I will be with you every step of the way." Then she gave her a hug.

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