Chapter thirteen,

acceptance is the greatest denial

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She simply had on a pink dress with also her two pigtails, it was picture day today for all of their kindergarten class, and she was so freaking excited for today, she had her mom dress her up with her favorite color and do her hair nicer than most days.

Her small cans was moving around the floorboards and finding her seat until she had found it, and patiently waiting for the teacher as she heard the kids around her all speaking to each other, a small frown on her lips since no one here wanted to be her friend.

The sweet voice of Mrs. Martinez who was speaking to the entire classroom was heard, "Good morning everyone, we have a new student today. . ." Her teacher began before quiet muttering began to happen, "Would you like to introduce yourself?" Her teacher fondly said.

The girl had cheerily spoken, "Anika Kayoko. . ." Citlali had her head down as she couldn't even see where the girl was, and knew that this girl wouldn't want to be friends, "And, I like the color purple and Disney movies." She giggled.

   Mrs. Martinez had smiled at the girls excitement, placing her hand on the girls shoulder, "Go on, and just have a seat on the empty table that's right right behind Citlali." She had easily pointed to the girl who had her head down, all while Anika had skipped her way on over there.

The class was quiet until the teacher had spoken, "We should head on down for your yearbook pictures, so for now you can all go on and color, or also head on into the play area. . . just inside voices, kids or I can have you all just patiently wait until we're called down." She had announced.

All, the kids suddenly cheered that they all had free time for now, but all had instantly shushed down when Mrs. Martinez placed her finger on her lips. The sound of the kids getting up from their desks were heard, and were all quietly giggling with their friends.

Citlali had stood up, and grabbing on her cane, so she can also find something to do, as the sound of several of her classmates speaking was heard, "Let's all go and color, guys." Citlali had smiled at what she heard, she also loves to color, so she walked on over to them group.

Shyly speaking to all of them, "Can I color with you too?" She was simply holding onto her cane, so she can easily find them, as her eyes were just roaming around the area in search of their voices.

The girls had immediately snickered and looking at Citlali, all why one of them sassily spoken to her in rudeness, "No, we don't need your cooties." She remarked.

Citlali was confused, "No. . . I don't have cooties." She shook her head at them, all while they taken a step from her.

The girl remarked, "You do, you're yucky. Can you even see!?" The girl had rudely waved her hand over her face, that made Citlali flinch at the shadow.

"Stop that, I don't like that!" Citlali quietly yelled out, she felt her eyes getting glossy at the rude things she was hearing.

All the girls began giggling, waving their hands all over her face that was making Citlali uncomfortable, all while Anika had let go of the dolls she was playing with when she had heard pair of giggles, and a girl just silently crying.

So, Anika has stomped her way on over towards the girls and shoving them, all while punching the girl who was waving the hand in the girls face, "Bully! You're a bully!" She had yelled to the girl.

   All, the yelling captured the teachers attention, her eyes wandered towards Citlali who was just crying and had her cane on the floor, "What is going on over here?" Her arms had crossed, all while the three girls eyes had widened.

   "N-nothing!" They lied.

   Though, Anika wasn't having the lies, she didn't like liars, so she had truthfully spoken to the teacher, "They were being mean to Citlali, and waving their hands on her face." She had told the teacher.

   Mrs, Martinez had instantly narrowed her eyes at the three girls who gotten completely red that they got caught, "All three of you go onto time out, you three won't leave your seats until we get called down. Perhaps, you three can also find a perfectly way to apologize to your classmate, or we can flip your cards to red and no recess for a week." She had sternly told them.

The girls cried out in sadness, all while leaving the area where Citlali was at and all had headed to their seats.

Citlali bended down looking for her cane, hands gliding onto the floor, all while Anika had spoken kindly to her, "Here. I found it for you." She gently grabbed Citlali's hand, and had placed her hand onto her cane.

Citlali was beyond surprised from this very small altercation with the new student. No one was ever nice to her before, and it felt good to have someone be nice with her.

"T-thank you," Citlali had shyly spoken to Anika, she began to move her cane around the floorboards and walking away only for Anika to follow right behind her.

"Do you want to be friends?" Anika had sounded shy asking Citlali this, she had really wanted to be the girls friend.

Citlali paused, "With me?" She was flabbergasted that someone was asking her this.

"Yeah, so. . ." Anika was just tilting her feet back and forth, and just waiting for a response from the girl.

Citlali had smiled in excitement, "Yeah, friends. . ." She slowly began to approach the girl using her cane, "Do you want to color with me? I've got coloring books." Her dimples were just showing in excitement.

Anika had squealed, "I love coloring, come on." She had looped their arms together, and just leading them back towards Citlali desk, as they were in fits of laughter coloring together.

A friendship between them had began that day, as they grown up together they had done everything together for the past fourteen years. Both girls wouldn't really know what to do with each other.

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    "We need to find a payphone," Tara muttered out, running her hands over her own hair as the three were roaming outside of the apartment.

   Citlali was shaking in complete fear from what she heard in the apartment, that she was just none stop trembling, all while Chad had felt her body shaking, "It's okay, Citlali. You're okay." He paused in his steps, and wrapping his arms around her body.

   Tara was simply watching the interaction attempting not to be bitter, "Nows not the time for this, Sam and everyone else are all upstairs. We need to find a payphone to call the police." She sternly told them, her eyes were focused on Chad and giving him quite the sad eyes that he just wouldn't fall for.

   Chad had instantly glared at Tara, and clenching his entire jaw as he harshly spoken to her, "Then you go and find one, Tara. I'm busy right now." His attention was now then focused back, again on his girlfriend as he had ignored when Tara left off.

   Citlali had sniffled, "I'm scared, so fucking scared. . ." Her voice was just cracking, "I want Anika, what if she isn't okay!? She's probably so fucking scared, right now. We need to get help, I can't lose her, I can't lose her." She had kept mumbling out.

Chad placed his hands on her hips, and pressing a soft kiss on her forehead before he spoken to her, "She's going to be okay, Citlali. She's with Mindy and Sam, she's going to be fine." He reassured her.

Oh, how wrong he was.

He hadn't known that his girlfriends bestfriend Anika Kayoko was already dead.

The sound of Tara voice that was laced in relief was heard, "Sam, what the hell happened over there!?" It immediately captured Citlali and Chads attention.

He ultimately led them both over there, all while Mindy couldn't look at Citlali, she felt so guilty.

No one had prepared the three who had arrived into view for what Citlali would say to them, "Where's, Ani?" She questioned Mindy and Sam.

Tara noticed that it was just her sister alongside Mindy and Danny. Her eyes widened at what she was thinking, and couldn't help but simply feel for the girl who was right beside Chad, she had instantly pushed aside her very own jealousy.

Silence set in the group.

Citlali felt her eyes getting glossy from no response, "Where is she. . . Mindy?" Her voice was cracking, "This isn't funny, where is Ani?" She had asked once, again.

Sam had suddenly felt a quick rush of guilt kicking inside of her body, especially since she was so close to getting Anika, but she easily slipped, fingers were slightly brushing against each other.

"Tell her. . . Tell her that I'm so sorry we didn't get a chance to complete our bucket list." Anika sobbed out, eyes glancing at Sam and Mindy, "And, that I'll always love her." She sobbed, again.

   Mindy had just been the very first one to speak, her voice cracked, "I'm sorry, Citlali." She couldn't still look at Citlali, she had felt so damn guilty.

   Citlali instantly broken apart that with the statement Mindy made it was confirmation that her friend was dead, but she was still in denial, all while Chad had held onto her, and pulling her into a hug, she felt so confused that her friend was gone.

She continued sobbing against his chest, voice cracking, "We made plans together, she's not dead. She can't be." She whispered against his chest, as she continued to cry.

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𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞, hope you liked
this sad chapter. :(((

The flashback was
fourteen years ago.

I'm not ready for her
argument with her mom,
and finding out that Billy is
her dad as Sam is her sister.

She's going to regret what
she tells her mom.💔