FRIENDS BECOME STRANGERS

"Why is she here?"

Crude, I know but that was the first thought that came to me when I saw her.

Dressed casually in jeans and a sweater yet her beauty still shone under the bright sky, her honey blonde hair tied in a ponytail, her heart shaped face rosy under the cold weather, dark blue eyes that were so secretive and pink pouty lips.

Under the warm sun on the field, She had people doing a double check her way as she approached me with cautioned steps.

Unconsciously my eyes narrowed in annoyance.

'Doesn't she ever give up?'

I asked myself in disdain watching her with hawk eyes.

Slowly I recall the last words I said to her during our confrontation weeks ago concluding that it should have been enough to send her off.

"Yet you came back and remain his LITTLE BITCH"

"I was your best friend, Ann. Please forgive me for everything"

"You sure aren't the girl I used to know back then"

Those words weren't pretty word, they were from deep within me, my Pandora box and now here she was, standing in front of me under the warm sun in front of the charity event like a proclaim doll.

If it was any other time I would have called her shameless for not know when to stop or sadist for always coming to me when she knew all I would give her was pain.

It's great when two strangers become friends but its sad when two friends become strangers just as how friendship is certainly the finest balm for the pangs of disappointed love.

"Hi Anna."

She greeted gently as her eyes became glossy fighting back tears.

That smile she gave me it was the false shame of fools to try to conceal wounds that have not healed.

So fake

So pathetic......

So petty of me.

All that was meant to be said had been said, there was no longer any burning rage in me for her only a cool iron oozing cold steams.

The Pandora box had been open, the destruction had left it, all that remained was an empty box, a blank page.

But I didn't know how to approach her, how to reconcile with her if it was okay getting her back when my time was slowly ticking.

Those blue eyes stared back at me in anticipation, I could smell the nervousness oozing out of her pores.

I gave her a calm facade, a blank front to hide my clenching heart. I wanted nothing more than our old friendship.

"What are you doing here?"

Her expression didn't change but her eyes lit up. It seems just me talking back to her was approval enough.

"Alpha Garmon couldn't make it due to an emergency so he sent me here instead"

Double slash cut to my quivering heart.

I wonder why my heart wasn't ripped out of my chest yet with all its tugging.

They do say every day is a new day, and you'll never be able to find happiness if you don't move on.

"Annabelle!!"

I felt my shoulder relax as a breath of relief left my lips once I turned to find the owner of the voice that had interrupted our stare down. Never had I ever felt glad.

My sight locked on dark brown hair and lean muscular body heading towards me with a huge smile on his poster dream boy face.

"Hey Jason"

I greeted, fixing my eyes on him longer than necessary before shifting it to the young man beside him. He had the band boy look, dark hair, dark eyes that stated accusingly at me.

I stared back with confusion which Jason obviously noticed taking into consideration that I didn't do well with strangers.

"Oh! This here is my friend, Blake."

He gesture in a calm voice, I only gave back a nod in acknowledgment we both weren't in the mood for an hand shake.

"Hi."

I greeted instead and received a nod back in reply that had me frowning. I wasn't that social but I knew this Blake didn't like me for unknown reasons.

Jason noticed cause he glared at the man and his pupil flared.

You could particularly feel the heated chemistry between them.

After an intense seconds of stare down his glance slowly moved to Ann Marie beside me taking in her features with self appreciation.

"Who's she?"

I sucked in a deep breath

"Ann Marie Johnson from California."

I ended it there not willing to say that word friend. Sometimes the memories are worth the pain because obviously relationship never dies a natural death, they are murdered by ego, Attitude and ignorance..

So Marie took over being the social butterfly she was.

"Hi! I'm Marie, I grew up in the same pack as Anna here"

His eyes blazed with intrigued at the name of my former pack.

"Oh! so you are from the Immaculate pack?"

"Well not anymore once I move to Apex pack with Anna."

Jason evidently knows something cause the intensity in his eyes only got more heated.

"Awesome, Apex pack instead stands proudly for its name."

Friends will come and friends will go, but true friends stick on forever such is life, so what gives her the reason that I will stick with her forever.

He gave he a once-over along with a casual smile that had us blushing like school girls.

"Should I be worried by your preferences?"

The guy Blake finally spoke up glaring at the hand that still held Marie

Jaden let out a huff,

"There is nothing to worry your sorry ass for my preferences are my choices."

Blake's eyes only flare up

"I'm so going to give that smart ass of yours something else to choke on"

"Ignore him, he took his wrong meds this morning"

I shrugged not caring. I was never one to discriminate a person choice I believe each person his responsible enough for his personal attraction.

"Hi Jason!"

Just then a group of ladies walked by us giggling and throwing flirty smile.

"Hi ladies!"

Jason greeted back gentlemanly pointly ignoring one in particular that stared longer than the others. Blake saw and he was highly peeved.

"That's Neva, the bitch you just waved at"

"So?"

"You slept with that bitch!"

"Your point exactly?"

His eyes burned with anger, growling lowly before storming off.

"How cute! Whoa! You could definitely feel the sexual tension"

Jason cheeks turned a shade darker.

"Nonsense! Blake is just sour because he thought I was a full gay, he refuse to accept the fact that I run both ways"

So in other word, he was bi-po and my mouth almost fell open at the revelation which only darker his blush.

"So Ann what are you doing? I'm about to tell the kids here a funny tale"

He hurriedly asked to change the topic, not only was Jason a playboy but he was also a responsible guy. He wasn't the next beta since aunt Nessa and uncle Pedro didn't have an heir but his significance in their lives still made him a great leader.

"Sorry but I promised Aunt Nessa I would help her give out the snacks to the kids."

I declined softly while my eyes widen in horror knowing I was late.

"Sure no problem, see you around Marie"

We separated but not Marie and I.

"He's cute"

Of course being mated doesn't mean she suddenly have a change of personality.

"And you still have a loose tongue. Gosh! Marie you have a mate stop being naughty."

"Of course I'm naughty, I've always had to compete for attention, you see"

I almost face palmed at her shameless reply. Seriously this girl....

"Can you stop following me?"

"Sorry but I was given an order. You really don't look so good Ann, far worst looking than him. You know you can't ignore it forever"

Never underestimate the power of denial, the heights of assumption or the depths of pain.

We found aunt Nessa in a mess behind a canopy.

The event was an outdoor on the field one placed in front of the orphan home, there were each canopy for each activity, the charity room, auction, theater play etc. There were over a dozen child running around 3 third of them being humans and 40% people in attendance with wolf gene.

Aunt Nessa was currently under the canopy for refreshment struggling along with the care takers to organize the energy filled children.

It brought a warm smile to my face at the scene.

"Dear niece where have you been, the children have been up my hair"

"Sorry aunt Nessa I got distracted"

I said while unknown passing a side glare towards my side.

"Oh I see you have meet Ann Marie?"

"Hello Luna Lupez"

She smile at her good mannerism.

"Raphael was so considerate he sent someone familiar to you, child what's your relationship with my niece?"

"We grew up in the same pack Luna, and by fate we both found our mates at the same pack"

"Ah!!!! If I recall clearly you are childhood friends with Annabelle here right? Because I recall once Anna used to boast about her friends"

I froze, feeling prickles of cold needles piercing my skin.

"That was then aunt Nessa, I am no longer that child!"

I never intended to snap but it came out so cold it surprised Aunt Vanessa knew something was amiss between us. She concluded it had to do with my tarnished past so she kept quiet and served the energy going kids.

While serving round, at one point  my sight locked on my brothers who had gathered around Jason with the other kids listening to his tale. I tapped in on the link while busy.

'What did you find Harrz?"

"A network of loopholes. There's something fishy going on her Anna, most of her files are missing and some just don't add up'

'Keep searching'

'Aye boss'

I couldn't help but roll my eyes.

'Where's Chris?'

'Where else would he be, with his group of nerds of course teaching dumb heads about safety and what not's'

'You really should watch those words of yours Harz'

'Oh please it's not as if I don't know the drill about safety prescriptions I just don't want to live a boring life where I have to watch where I step before I walk'

'Oh my moon'

'Is that Ann Marie? What's she doing here?'

'Raphael couldn't make it so he sent Marie over'

'Sweet!!'

'Easy on the desserts'

I could feel the eye roll through the bond.

'My dinner stomach is full, but my dessert stomach still has room.'

'Diabetes is real you know'

'My diabetic friend died in his sleep. I forgot to wish him "sweet dreams.'

He cut off the mind link and next thing I know Harries was suddenly doing something productive instead of idling around.

Ugh! Puppy love Ugh! Kids.

Indeed I found Chris with a bunch of doctors teaching the kids about the use of first aid with Chris as the experiment.

'How did it go?'

'Mission accomplish'

Really?

'Ye of little faith don't you trust me Annie'

'Of course I do. Good job Chris'

'How about your side?'

'I got a sample of the drink'

'Cool! Annie? We are gonna help aunt Nessa right? Cause she's so nice and I don't want anything bad to happen to her'

'Don't worry Chris we will get to the bottom of this'

"Anna"

Her disturbance was a ticking bomb, and more pain to my broken heart.

"Not now Marie"

It really hurts.

"Then when?"

I squeezed my eyes shut fighting back the tears that shimmered in my eyes.

"Why are you here Marie?"

Tears shone in her eyes.

"I'm here for you Ann."

My silence spoke a thousand words, but you never heard them, my silence is just another word for pain.

"Scoff!! you really are shameless"

We used to talk for hours on end and now its like we never knew each other.

"Well you haven't exactly forgiven me yet"

"Maybe as long as I feel like this we can't be friends. I know it sounds selfish, but It's the truth"

Her eyes went round.

"You need to stop being so selfish and start caring about everyone else, What happened to you Ann?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Right and you are one to talk. Well I'm sorry but nothing can change the fact that your the definition of a shameless jerk."

Her forehead creased the evidence of hurt so clearly shown with her puckered lips.

"Please believe me when I say I am sorry, because I am. I didn't mean to hurt you in anyway".

My eyes darken at her words my revolve unmoving.

"Sometimes sorry just isn't enough. Even if you mean it with all your heart."

This time tears ran down her cheeks

"I'm trying here Ann but you - you still aren't giving me a chance"

I wasn't.

Why?

Was it because I can't start a new chapter in my life if I'm too busy dwelling on the past.

My tears also rolled down, I avoided her gaze to the ground watching them dampen it.

Sometimes, tears are a sign of unspoken happiness, and smile is a sign of silenced pain.

I wasn't happy. I didn't want to loose her.

"Anna please..... I'm- I'm sorry"

            Tears shed for one self are tears of weakness, but tears shed for others are a sign of strength. I didn't want that, no it was too late for me.

She broke me the more with memories.

"When sisters stand shoulder to shoulder, who stands a chance against us?"

They were words we once said to one another.

It's sad how people become what they had promised they never will. I have learned that sometimes sorry is not enough, you actually have to change yourself.

"Marie.... I"

I am the one that said "Goodbye", It's over" but I'm the one crying.

"I'm dieing"