I got a little bit stronger, ridin' in the car to work and I'm tryin' to ignore the hurt.
– Sara Evans
•••
“You’re late.” Gerard crossed his arms over his chest. His eyes moved, following where his best friend was walking ever since she entered the room.
Annaliese stopped behind the kitchen counter and took out a glass from the cupboard. “I know, I know. I’m sorry. But like I told you before, I didn’t feel like watching The Good Doctor tonight. I didn’t promise I could join you guys, did I?” she defended herself.
“Well, that’s fine with me. But Bea was a little upset, so she went straight to bed right after watching only two episodes,” informed Gerard. He had to tell Annaliese about it so she could explain it to Beatrice first thing in the morning. If not, the so-called Princess Bea would not talk to her for the next whole day.
Even though they had only begun being friends three years ago, they had a strong bond. They hit it off ever since the first meeting and they slowly built trust in each other. They agreed that openness was a solid foundation for their friendship. When one made a mistake, they had to be humble to admit it and apologize. The others should also forgive.
“Anyways, who is he? I saw you coming home with a guy.”
“A guy? Annaliese?”
Annaliese was already startled when Gerard gave her the question. But then Beatrice appeared from the bedroom and chimed in. It only meant she would be bombarded with questions. Oh, how she wished she could’ve said no to William who insisted on taking her back. Now she had to give them a good explanation.
The only way out was to pretend to yawn. Neither Gerard nor Beatrice would force her to talk when Annaliese gave this code. She didn’t want to talk about it yet. To her, William was just another stranger that happened to talk with her. Both of them might never meet anymore.
“She will tell us eventually. But I hope it will be a good thing this time,” Beatrice pursed her lips and scratched her right eyebrow while seeing her best friend entering the other bedroom.
••
As a polyglot, Annaliese always sought opportunities to mingle with other polyglots. Fortunately, there was a monthly meeting held at a cafe around downtown. She didn’t need to think to finally decide to go there. She would usually go by herself but this time Gerard and Beatrice came along. They had no idea about what to do.
People of various cultural and language backgrounds were there. Annaliese talked with almost everybody. She really enjoyed it there. Surprisingly, so did Gerard and Beatrice. Even though they were not into languages, they were sociable and it was easy for them to just blend in.
“Ahora estoy aprendiendo chino porque es interesante.” She explained the reason why she was learning Chinese to her new friends. She always found all languages interesting to learn. Perhaps she would learn all languages if she could. “Desafortunadamente, creo que aquí no hay nadie que hable chino. Qué pena.” It had almost been an hour since she arrived there but she didn’t see anyone speak Chinese at all in the room.
“Actually, there is one person. My husband’s best friend. He said he would come, but I wonder, where is he?” Saoirse, the brunette-haired woman was looking at her left and right. "Um, I'll be back in a minute." She patted the shoulder of one of the people in the group and left.
Annaliese then started talking with the others who didn't speak the language she mastered. Thus English was the only way to understand each other. She found their cultural background quite fascinating and felt like visiting their countries one day.
In the middle of the fun topic they were discussing, a tap on Annaliese’s shoulder interrupted their conversation. She then turned around.
"Anna, this is the guy I told you about." It was Saoirse. She then moved a bit to the left, showing the person she had mentioned.
"You?" The voices of Annaliese and the guy synced perfectly.
Saoirse looked surprised. "You guys have met?" she wondered.
William nodded. "Yeah, not long ago. We've met twice at two different restaurants. The first one was—"
"Good." Annaliese cut off his words so as not to expose that embarrassing moment. She sent a secret code to him through her eyes which she thought he got.
"I was going to say 'amazing'. But it was just good for you?" William teased her instead. He chuckled gleefully looking at how she reacted.
Annaliese raised her eyebrows, drew half a smile to her right cheek, and crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh, I didn't know you were that happy to get to know me," she replied, not letting him beat her in the automatically-started teasing contest.
William pursed his lips and smiled, making his dimples appear. "Yes. And I'm even happier to see you here. Guess I made the right decision to accept Saoirse's invitation to this meeting," he remarked with a slight move of his eyebrows.
“Be careful, dude. I have a charm nobody could resist.”
“Think it’s the other way round. You be careful not to fall for me.”
The sound of a clearing throat was heard. “Are we invisible?” Saoirse broke their intense conversation, making the others giggle.
Thus two of them also burst into laughter eventually.
William stretched out his hand and said, “It’s good to see you again here.”
“Same here. I might need to learn some Chinese from you.” Annaliese took his hand and they shook hands.
Thinking that it would be better to leave the two of them alone, Saoirse uttered, “Hey, ladies, I need to show you something. William, Annaliese, I’ll be right back, okay?” with a hidden meaningful smile.
“Sure. That's fine,” replied William, as though serving as the spokesperson for Annaliese who just responded with a nod. “So, hey.”
“Yep?”
The room was getting crowded all of a sudden. More people were coming in a group. It wasn’t easy to talk without raising their voice.
William then bent toward Anna who was shorter than him. “We’d better go somewhere with fewer people. I don’t want to hurt my throat by talking this way,” he told her a little more loudly.
Annaliese agreed. She then trailed after William who headed toward the front porch.
It was still warm outside in the first week of September. The sun was still on the west horizon, illuminating the sky with a reddish-golden glow.
William leaned over the wooden railing with his hands gripping the top. He inhaled the fresh evening air. "Oh, this is so much better, isn't it?" he asked for an agreement without looking at the one he was talking to.
Annaliese reclined against the comfortable white rocking chair. "Yeah, especially while rocking on this chair," she replied.
He turned to her and then took a seat right next to her. "Really?"
She nodded. "Back in my apartment, I have one too. Sometimes when I lack ideas, I'll go sit there and rock for a while. Then I'll be inspired," she told him the thing she didn't mean to share and discreetly got surprised.
"My grandma used to sit on a rocking chair for hours in front of her house porch. Yes, a typical old lady. But what was different was she didn't knit or just looked at the people passing by. Instead, she painted," he shared the lovely memory. "Now she's gone and sometimes I miss seeing her again."
Annaliese found his story to be fascinating to listen to. She didn't say a thing but only smiled. Her grandparents from both of her parents' sides had been gone years ago.
"So, are you here all by yourself?" William started a new topic.
She shook her head. "My two friends are here too," she answered.
"Oh? Thought you were traveling solo. You guys must be best buddies."
"We are." Annaliese nodded. "They've always been my support system besides my parents. I'm grateful for them."
A beautiful smile adorned William's face. "I can see."
As if knowing she was being talked about, Beatrice showed up and then stood in front of Annaliese.
"Oh, it's her. My best friend, Beatrice." Annaliese introduced her to William.
"Pleased to meet you, Beatrice," William politely greeted her.
Beatrice then smiled. "Same here," she replied. "So hey, we're about to begin a fun game. What about joining us now?"
Annaliese exchanged glances with William. She then turned to Beatrice again. "Actually, we're here because it's too loud inside," she uttered.
"Oh, come on. Just twenty minutes. Please join us," Beatrice, the most demanding princess ever, insisted. "You won't regret it."
William looked at Annaliese and said, "Well, this doesn't happen every day, so let's do it."
Annaliese shrugged. "Okay."
"Yes!" Beatrice exclaimed in excitement. "Come on."
The three of them then came back inside. There were around seven people in the living room with Gerard in the center. It wouldn't be surprising to find that he was the one who gathered the crowd there.
"Alright. The game is called Ostrich Dance. Each of us has to form a team of two. One of them has a card taped to their back with a word written on it. So the one without the card has to protect the other because the winner is the team who can read the other's team card." Gerard explained it very clearly in just less than one minute. Everyone understood right away. It was indeed his skill.
"There are ten of us, so there'll be five teams. How do we team up?" asked a woman in a pink dress who was standing next to William.
"Easy. Someone next to you is your partner," answered Gerard.
The same woman turned to William and said, "So, you and I." She smiled from ear to ear.
However, William felt something strange about the woman. "I'm sorry. I'm already with her," he countered, pointing at Annaliese who was on his left.
Annaliese, who didn't really care about who she was going to team up with, didn't say anything. But as soon as she saw how the woman fixed her eyes on William, she understood why he did that.
The woman then left and found someone else.
"Why did you reject her? She's beautiful, and she's obviously into you," Annaliese teased him.
William didn't say a thing but scrunched his nose in response.
"Oh, so it's a man and a woman in each team. Cool. We're even then," Gerard realized it. "Then let's tape the card on the women's back. Let us men protect you, ladies."
"And what about letting the man write the word as well? Make it even a surprise for the woman too," Beatrice expressed her sudden idea. She and Gerard were definitely a perfect pair. They loved spontaneity.
Nobody disagreed. They even seemed to like the idea as if expecting something good would happen after the game.
Blank cards and pens were handed to each man. After they wrote the words, they attached the cards to the women's backs.
"Are you guys ready?" Gerard, who was also involved in the game, gave a cue before starting it. When the others nodded, he signaled, "Let's begin!"
Instead of an Ostrich like the name of the game suggested, everyone started to act like a lion hunting prey. Most women shrieked behind the men. Beatrice was the loudest.
"You're good. Keep it up, Mr. Knight." Annaliese patted his back.
While still focused on the game, William replied jokingly, "Fret not. I'll protect you, Princess Annaliese, till my last drop of blood."
She found it hilarious and then laughed, holding her stomach. Hence, she let her guard down and without her knowing, she was out of his protection.
Seeing the open opportunity, one of the teams hunted her down right away. Nevertheless, William quickly slid back to her and then pulled her into his arms.
'What's happening? Why am I in his embrace?' Annaliese didn't feel comfortable somehow. All of a sudden, it reminded her of the bitter past. Thus, instead of cooperating by following William's movement, she freed herself from his arms and turned around. They lost the game when the other team read the word.
She didn't even hear the word. Her mind was completely distracted. All that she wanted to do was leave the place.
William was left speechless. He didn't know what was wrong, then turned to Beatrice and Gerard.
"I'll go after her." Beatrice exited the house and followed where Annaliese was going.
Hope you guys enjoy it! Please vote or leave a comment just to make me a little bit happy. Hehehe 😄
And I know it's long gone and that magic's not here no more and I might be okay, but I'm not fine at all. – Taylor Swift ••• Annaliese hated it. The feeling of warmth and tenderness. The fact that the sweetest thing could turn into the most bitter one destroyed her heart. She couldn’t afford to lose anyone else again and shed tears for months over them. There, under the shade of a big oak tree, she was sitting with her hands covering her face. No tears came out of her eyes, but she knew she felt it again. Love. She wanted to bury it as fast as possible. “Ann, what’s wrong? You okay?” Beatrice asked in a concerned voice. With a deep breath, Annaliese lifted her face and replied, “I have to. And I will. All I need is clear my mind now. Can I have a moment to myself? I’ll be back in a while.” Beatrice touched her wrist. “Sure. Just let me know if you need anything,” she said, understanding what her best friend needed. The little park was a bit deserted. No one came there but only
And when the night is cloudy, there is still a light that shines on me, shinin’ until tomorrow, let it be. – The Beatles ••• “I just finished talking with Dad and was about to cross the street when a truck almost hit me. But William rescued me just a second before it happened.” That was how Annaliese recounted the near-death experience. Less than ten seconds. Gerard and Beatrice exchanged glances. They seemed to not believe how their best friend responded as if undisturbed by the accident. “What?” Annaliese arched her eyebrows. Beatrice exhaled loudly. “Are you for real, Ann?” she commented. “You almost lost your life. If it hadn’t been for William, you wouldn’t have been here. You don’t have to pretend to be okay. It’s okay not to be okay. We’re your best friends, aren’t we?” Annaliese didn’t say a word but let out an audible sigh. “Ann, you made William confused. You’re acting like he’s made a mistake, but it was only because he gave you that feeling, didn’t he?” Gerard gentl
Putting my defenses up 'cause I don't wanna fall in love. If I ever did that, I think I'd have a heart attack. – Demi Lovato ••• “Uh, that would be not easy,” William scratched his temple. “My room is upstairs. And, you see the steps?” He pointed at the narrow staircase. Annaliese turned in the pointed direction. She pursed her lips and nodded, comprehending what trouble they would experience. Taking him upstairs might take forever. “So, what are we supposed to do now?” “I guess I can sleep here on the couch. But what I really need to do now is get changed. It’s too dirty to sleep in.” William referred to his outfit where the right elbow was ripped. “Stephen and Saoirse’s bedroom is here so I’ll just use their bathroom while they’re away. I just need your help to bring me a set of comfortable clothes to sleep in.” “Okay. I’ll just take anything? No preference?” William shook his head. “No, no. Thanks,” he said. Annaliese went upstairs and found the only room on the floor. She o
'Cause I've still got a lot of fight left in me. – Rachel Platten ••• “Eat something, will you?” Beatrice pushed a bowl of cereals she’d made for Annaliese. She almost gave up trying after ten hours. Ever since Annaliese got back to the hotel, she didn’t say a word but stared blankly. Zombie might be the right word to describe her demeanor now. Beatrice turned to Gerard then rolled her eyes and shook her head in disbelief and pity at the same time. She didn’t like to see her best friend in this phase again. Gerard knew exactly what was going on. Annaliese was in denial, trying to fight the feelings that suddenly came back after all these years. He sat next to her on the couch. “The more you deny it, the stronger it gets, Ann. Trust me,” he said. Nonetheless, Annaliese didn't flinch at his words though she heard them clearly. “You’re doing it wrong. The first thing you need to do is accept the fact that you’re feeling it again. Love,” continued Gerard, emphasizing the word ‘love
And that's why he's spinnin' 'round in my head, comes back to me, burning red. – Taylor Swift ••• Change of heart, change of plans. William surprisingly had his own magic to open Annaliese’s heart for a new beginning. Neither Gerard nor Beatrice had thought that this would be possible, knowing how hard their best friend’s heart had become. However, it didn’t necessarily mean that Annaliese opened her heart to a new relationship. She wasn’t ready for that. Instead, she embraced the fact that she got the feelings again and forgave those who had hurt her before. Additionally, she made it clear that she didn’t want to be romantically attached to anyone but to remain friends with William. After going through four days of a nerve-wracking situation and a day of not-speaking terms, they decided to meet up and talk. This time it was Annaliese who started it; she intended to express her gratitude. It was very bold of her to not invite her best friends along. "How are you feeling?" asked W
And I can’t help but stare, ‘cause I see truth somewhere in your eyes. – Justin Timberlake •• Annaliese found herself in someone’s embrace when she woke up. Again. This time her eyes met William’s, who happened to be the one keeping her body warm the whole night. As soon as their brains came to a wakeful state, they jumped off the couch simultaneously. They both sat on the edge of the couch, keeping a distance between each other. None of them could say a thing. Apparently, awkward situations always got in the way of their efforts to build a friendship. As if it wasn’t enough, what they saw on the table made it worse. A picture of them unconsciously kissing. Annaliese quickly grabbed it from the table and held it against her chest. "You didn't see it, did you?" "Uh, unfortunately… I did." William pursed his lips and raised his eyebrows. "Then pretend you didn't. I'll do too. This picture doesn't exist. Okay?" Annaliese instructed. Her heart beat so fast. She then got up from the
Close your eyes, give me your hand, darling. Do you feel my heart beating? Do you understand? Do you feel the same? – The Bangles ••• “Seriously?” Annaliese widened her eyes as soon as she saw the board name of the place. Doolin Glamping. “You know what? I thought that it would be a long journey. Back in Indonesia, the nearest town would take at least thirty minutes for you to get there. And yet, it was only a ten-minute drive? And with this view? Wow.” William nudged her. “What do you expect? It’s Ireland. Besides, they have a baby,” he said, referring to Saoirse and Stephen. “Don’t get me wrong. I like this place. It’s different from Lisdoonvarna. I mean, while it’s only town there, it’s more grassy here. This is actually what I’ve always expected about Ireland,” Annaliese explained in astonishment, her eyes roaming all around her. “Welcome to Ireland,” shouted Stephen who was already a few meters ahead of her. Annaliese scratched her right temple and started strolling behind
And suddenly you're all I need, the reason why I smile. – Avril Lavigne ••• “Oh? I like you too.” William was stunned at Annaliese’s unexpectedly quick response. Anticipating any misconception, he then clarified, “No, no. If you think I like you only as a friend, then you’re wrong. I’m saying, it’s more than that. I like you as a woman.” He stressed the last three words. Annaliese let out a short sigh. “That’s what I meant too,” she said. “Really?” William still couldn’t believe it. All this time he’d received only indifferent responses when it came to such a man-and-woman situation. “Yeah.” Annaliese nodded. Her eyes repeatedly blinked in nervousness and her fingers were intertwined with each other. “I guess it’s time for me to stop denying it. As you said. The more I deny it, the stronger the feelings are. So… Yeah, I like you. You’re unlike the other guys I knew. You value me as a woman. And I can tell you’re not just sweet talking when you compliment me.” William looked Ann
Back then, I didn't know why, why you were misunderstood. So now, I see through your eyes, all that you did was love.– Spice Girls•••"How do I look?" Annaliese asked William as they entered the Chens' house. She was feeling nervous about meeting Meyling again.William grinned and gently squeezed her shoulder to reassure her. "You look stunning, babe. Trust me," he replied. “Come on.”They walked to the living room and took a seat.After informing the Chens of their arrival, Mrs. Po returned and inquired, "What would you like to drink?"“I feel like having some lemonade, Mrs. Po,” William mentioned what he wanted without hesitation.“And you, love?” Mrs. Po turned to Annaliese who didn’t even hear the question.William gently touched her hand to get her attention. "Mrs. Po is asking what you would like to drink, babe," he informed her."Ah. I’m sorry, Mrs. Po. I'll just have water," said Annaliese absentmindedly. She was too preoccupied with figuring out what to tell Meyling later.
Just give me a reason, just a little bit's enough. Just a second, we're not broken, just bent, and we can learn to love again. – Pink ••• "Hey, Son." David gave William a hug as soon as he saw him and then moved to Annaliese. "And, my future daughter-in-law." They took a seat at the table outdoors since the weather was good. Besides, the open space would be suitable for their serious conversation. "Let's order something first, David suggested. He raised his right hand, asking a waiter to come. "This cafe is well-known for its Instagrammable spots. Anna, you said you work in the travel industry, right? Why don't you take some pictures or videos first?" Both Annaliese and William frowned in wonder. "What? Don't be so surprised. I've learned what Anna's job is ever since she came to our house and told us about it. You know, I want to get to know my future daughter-in-law better," David explained, clearing up their confusion. "So, as a travel vlogger, taking pictures and videos, the
I hate you for what you did. And I miss you like a little kid. – Phoebe Bridgers ••• “Please don’t be mad at her. I was the one who asked her to play.” Mrs. Po intervened in the situation. She tried to prevent any trouble from happening. Annaliese lowered her head a little to apologize. However, she had to refrain from saying a thing when she saw Meyling’s pointing finger at her. “Still, she could’ve said no!” Meyling believed the girl was in the wrong no matter what. “This piano is off-limits!” Mrs. Po touched her mistress’ arm. “She didn’t know. Now you may control your emotions,” she warned her. “Remember what the doctor said.” Her voice was low, like a whisper but it was still audible to Annaliese who stood close enough. Meyling took a deep breath and did what Mrs. Po said. “I’m sorry.” Annaliese finally got a chance to apologize. “If you’re sorry, you should leave now,” commented Meyling harshly. “For goodness sake, why haven’t you understood the way I have been treating
The doubt grows, the roads seem closed,. The petal wilts on a garden rose. But the battle's not over, don't let go.– Avant•••“I’m asking you why, just because it sounds familiar to me. Don’t get me wrong,” Sandra clarified the misunderstanding. “And I think you guys could use some advice from me. But that’s if you allow me.”“Sorry, guys. She's—” Neil was about to reprimand his girlfriend but got interrupted by William’s touch on his shoulder.William looked at him and said, “Let her speak.”“You’re sure?” Neil didn't believe it. He turned to Annaliese for confirmation.Annaliese shrugged and gestured toward her boyfriend with her head. She didn’t mind listening to her either, as long as William was okay with it.“What about the bowling game? You paid for it already, right?” asked Neil as if trying to stop them from listening to whatever Sandra was about to say. He definitely knew something they didn't.Chris stepped closer and grabbed Neil by the shoulder. “How about we let them t
I will never say never. I will fight. I will fight 'til forever to make it right. – Justin Bieber ••• “Son, I love you! You’re now just blinded by this temporary love thus you're acting this way.” Meyling refuted the question William had just given her. “I’m blinded? Temporary love? Mom, what are you talking about?” William raised his intonation in exasperation. He ran his fingers through his hair backward and stopped somewhere behind his head to squeeze it. “As we’re now here on this subject, let me tell you what you’ve done these years regarding your best friend, okay?” While Meyling looked frustrated, Annaliese and David couldn't say a thing and just watched where this conversation was going. "Remember how many times you missed my basketball matches? And on top, you missed the last one which was crucial just because your best friend suddenly fell sick, despite her husband could take care of her? You could've just waited until my match finished. You’d promised! Did you know tha
You never thought of anyone else. You just saw your pain. You never saw me. – Kelly Clarkson ••• "I'm nervous, babe." Annaliese blew her bangs as she was standing in front of the door. In her hands was a closed container containing Guo Tiao, stir-fried flat rice noodles they had cooked together earlier. William patted her shoulder. "Hey, relax. We're in this together," he convinced her. After receiving a confirmation nod from her, he knocked on the door. In just a minute, the door was opened. An old lady around her seventies appeared with a bright smile. "William!" greeted the lady in excitement. She opened her arms and pulled William into her embrace. "Oh, I've missed you, you know." As William pulled away, he said, "Me too, Nan. Missed you too." "And who's this pretty young lady?" Her eyes sparkled when she looked at Annaliese. William gave a light push behind Annaliese's back and declared, "This is my girlfriend, Nan." "Really?" Annaliese grinned widely so her eyes formed
Baby, I am right here. I'll hold you when things go wrong. I'll be with you from dusk till dawn.– Zayn ft. Sia•••William was standing right outside the women's restroom. He thought she would run outside and left the building. His girlfriend might need some time to stop her tears and he was patiently waiting.About ten minutes later, Annaliese came out clean with no more traces of tears on her face. She fixed her makeup and appeared with a smile."Are you okay, babe?" asked William, making sure of her feelings.Annaliese nodded. "I am now. Thank you for waiting, babe," she said. "Now let's go back to the table. We can't leave your parents just like that."William frowned. He didn't understand why she would do that after being hurt by his mom. "No, we don't have to. We can just leave now. I don't want her to insult you again," he remarked in resentment. However, a gentle touch of her hand soothed him."I'm okay. Trust me," Annaliese convinced him. "If I left, I would only make things
It's up to you, and it's up to me. No one could say what we get to be. So why don't we rewrite the stars? – Zac Effron & Zendaya ••• What in the world was going on? That was the only thing that kept ringing in Annaliese’s ears for the past three hours. She spontaneously went to the US after a short trip to Colombia, bringing no proper clothing for such an important occasion as this. She had to look presentable in front of her future in-laws. Even though William kept saying ‘it’s fine’, Annaliese was still in a panic mode. She believed she had to give the first good impression to them, especially his mom. After hearing all the stories about this cold woman, she didn’t want to get off on the wrong foot. She spent about two full hours looking for the right dress for dinner that night. After returning to the apartment, she couldn't even rest. Based on the information William told her about what his mother was like and her interests, she anticipated anything she might be questioned abo
When you put your arms around me, you let me know there's nothing in this world I can't do. – Keith Urban ••• Still a little jet-lagged, Annaliese woke up too early in the new timezone. She sat on the edge of the bed and her eyes were fixed on William who was sleeping on the couch. He initially wanted to sleep outside the bedroom but of course, she forbade him. The couch in the living room was smaller and it could give him a backache. After all, William’s room was the biggest among the three others, so the couch could fit there. Seeing the blanket had slid down, leaving his shoulder uncovered, she approached him to fix it. Her hand was stretched out to reach his head, but she restrained herself from the thought of waking him up. Then she left the bedroom, took her mobile, and headed toward the kitchen instead. Annaliese looked for a drink as her throat felt a little dry. She grabbed a cup and filled it up with the tap water, then satisfied herself with one and a half cups of it. A