เข้าสู่ระบบANAHERA When I was back with a glass, Noel had turned toward me. I could tell there was a lot he wanted to say to me with the way his lips pursed.A part of me knew I wouldn’t like whatever he had to ask. “Those years ago, things used to be alright between us until it went awry. What happened?” My drink halfway to my mouth, I paused. “Are you sure that’s something we want to get into today?”He nodded. “I couldn’t stop thinking about why you suddenly grew hostile towards me.” “I do not want to think about it or else I’d have to kick you out,” I said firmly. He apologized, murmuring something about it being in the past and him always blurting things out at the wrong time. My attention had long left the room. Of all the things he could do, he wanted to pretend like he didn’t know what he did to break my trust in him?He wanted to pretend he didn’t try to sabotage my brother’s career before the scouts? Yet again, what was I even doing letting the man into my house? This man had
ANAHERAI stared at him for what seemed like a full minute before he nudged the door wider and slipped in past me. My protest hung in my throat when I turned around to see he had plopped down on my couch, making himself comfortable. ON MY COUCH!“You’re not joking?”“Did I say something funny?” His eyes roamed for a bit then landed on me. “If you need me to leave, I’ll just…”“Never mind.” I shut the door. “You’re in already.” From my peripheral view, I caught the smirk on his smug face. “This place hasn’t changed since the last time I was here. Except for maybe that bag.” He shrugged. “I was probably too tipsy to even notice. Do you remember?”“Of course, I do.” I rolled my eyes. “You wouldn’t keep your mouth shut and almost woke up the neighborhood with your horrible rendition of Firework.”He let out a dramatic gasp. “Now you take that back. That is my top five of the songs I lined up to perform for an event back in freshman year.”I opened my fridge. “Speaking of drunk, do you
ANAHERA Two days later, and my brother still hadn’t said a word to me. Not like I was expecting his calls or anything, but come on, that little spat didn’t justify the silent treatment. Again, it was Dom we were talking about. He wouldn’t hesitate to hold out on anyone he didn’t want to talk to. Especially after what had gone down at his place. So I kept my distance not because it was the right thing to do, I just couldn’t speak to him yet. I buried my focus into my work, obsessively trying to be sure Noel made recovery in time to begin the pre-tournament games. Speaking of Noel, the only thing we’d ever talked about since we resumed was his health and the games. I dared not venture into uncharted territory by entertaining those memories around him. Another two days passed. I’d barely gotten a message from either my best friend nor my brother, the two people whom I held very dear to my heart. “Hey,” Noel’s voice cut through the train of my thoughts as I packed my duffle bag
ANAHERA On the train ride home, it was pure torture between fighting hard to swallow the guilt and rage in my throat and blinking back the tears in my eyes.Throughout my friendship with Bella, the only argument was about petty things and barely lasted minutes. I hated that Bella was right. Eleanor never said the pregnancy was my brother’s or tried to pin it on him. Reaching up, I wiped away a stray tear angrily, biting my lips to keep myself from bawling out in a place full of strangers. “Is this seat taken?” Someone asked. Quickly, I blinked away tears, shaking my head. “Just me.”They took the space beside me and thankfully, paid me no mind. My phone buzzed in my purse. For a wishful second, my mood lifted at the thought that it could be my best friend trying to apologize.Taking it out, it indeed was a message from Bella. However, she wasn’t saying the words I hoped to hear. Bella — I don’t want you to take this the wrong way but you need to do as your brother says and stay
ANAHERABella was more distant than ever when I got home, mind you, it’d barely been two days since I left on what would have been the cure to my exhaustion. I had a day and half to get myself back in order before resumption with Noel, so I decided to spend it with my best friend.It felt like I was slowly losing her and didn’t know how to get to her or stop her from leaving. I didn’t even know what I’d done to bring about the distance.Right now, I was on her doorstep, waiting for her to notice me. “You’re not gonna invite me in?” My voice was raised a notch higher than I wanted to. Looking up from her phone, she replied, “Oh, yeah, sure.” She opened the door wider, stepping aside for me to pass. Determined not to pay attention to that, I tried to act casual. “So, what have you been up to?”“Just work. Nothing much.” She shrugged, sitting down. “I heard what happened at the hotel…” “It’s fine. I’m safe after—”“You know that wasn’t your business to tell,” she bit out harshly.
ANAHERA Fingers threaded through my hair, tingling my scalp, a voice humming in the distance, my heart beating peacefully as though all was finally right in the world. There was another sound right under where my ear was; a beating heart that matched mine. It felt entirely blissful…Until a loud sound shattered the silence. I jerked awake expecting to meet a disaster, instead I found Noel staring out the window and sunlight streaming into the room. It was as though I imagined his fingers in my hair and the sound of…what was that even?The space next to me, where I thought he was laying on, was cold to the touch. He headed over to me with a frown marring his features. Something was wrong and it wasn’t my imagination.“What was that sound?” I sat up, wrapping the duvet tight around my naked body. “What sound? That was nothing, princess. You should go back to sleep.”I pulled away when he tried to reach for me. “What happened? You don’t look your usual smug, annoying self.” He si
ANAHERA Thanks to Dominik’s obsessive craze for control, I used the locator app hidden on my phone to track Noel’s number to whatever ditch he and his car were. The locator stopped moving, blinking at a place called ‘Honey and Rye’, and raising my head, it was only a few steps ahead. I think
ANAHERAThe call never came back after I took the phone so I chalked it up to Rautio being an immature prick. If he has anything important to discuss with me, he can say it at work tomorrow. For tonight, I’d rather be where I’m needed. A few hours wouldn’t hurt anyone.When I walked back into the
BELLA “ANAHERA JUNE KALLIO!” were the first words I yelled as soon as the cranky engine of Anahera’s abomination died in her driveway. There would be other times to rain on her about her vehicle. For now…“Hello, my gorgeous best friend. How may I help you?” she replied, despite how flaky her grin
ANAHERAMy phone buzzed against the dashboard of my electric snail, the derogatory nickname Bella branded my car yesterday, just as I pulled up to the curb of the Tower Noel lived in. There was a message from Dominik. No two. Dom: Break a leg today!Dom: Wait, not literally. Do not break the pati







