Prologue

The oversized 'Happy Birthday Cindy' banner hung high and proud above the living room. Almost everybody from Annie and Cindy's class filled the house, well everyone Cindy labeled as good enough. Some people just weren't 'worthy' as Cindy claimed. Adding to the chaos was Cindy's other family members. These people included aunts, uncles and cousins. Cindy's mother's brother, Henry, the dark and mysterious man that nobody else even really knew had existed. Henry and his son Alexander were recently left without Alexander's mother. Cindy's mother, Natally, had quickly wanted to step in to comfort her brother and nephew through the difficult time. They would be leaving soon in just over a week, after staying with Cindy for just under a month. Unfortunately for Annie and Cindy that meant a stop to many sleepovers which in turn slowed the planning process down. Cindy still hadn't gotten over that yet, in her young mind this party was life or death. Her popularity meant so much to her, too much. She thrived on the attention. Never realizing how little these friendships actually meant in regards to the bigger picture and wider world. 

"Annie!" Cindy called out towards her best friend. Annie Hill had been best friends with Cindy since the very first day of school. It was 7pm and finally all their guests were here. Annie had just been hovering by the presents, she was still socially awkward. Unlike her best friend, Annie hated attention. Annie's birthday would be much more low-key. Maybe just her, Cindy and Jack. Jack is her older brother, he had just turned 16 and started college. He was gone from the early hours of the morning and when he came home just to lock himself in his room. Although Annie and Jack still spent small amounts of time together, it wasn't the same and Annie could feel the growing distance between them. However, Jack promised that no matter what, he would never miss her birthday. 

"Cindy, this is amazing." Annie complimented, although really she had experienced rather little of it. Cindy's friends were not Annie's friends, this was obvious by their comments about Annie and the occasional shove or push or foot that tripped the unsuspecting Annie. Cindy knew of none of this though. Although Cindy was a rather intelligent girl, she could be rather oblivious at times. Annie would never hold it against her though. She assumed this was normal, it had happened since primary school after all. It was normal for the other kids to be cruel, and playfully push their friends around. In her mind this was all normal. It happened to everyone. Although, she noticed that it was very rare for others to experience what she did. There were a couple of other children who got the same, or worse, treatment. Still her innocent mind assumed it was normal. Yet, she also knew she was not friends with Cindy's friends. 

"Thank you so much! I could never do this without you, you have an amazing eye for design!" Cindy compliments. Although this was Cindy's party, Annie had done the majority of the planning and designing. Just like everything the girls planned together, Cindy told Annie what she wanted and basic themes, while Annie did all of the actual choosing and designing, and Cindy got all the praise. This seemed like an unfair deal to Cindy, she hated it. Whenever someone complimented her work, or asked her to help plan something, she wanted to scream that she was never the one really responsible, it was all Annie. Annie always refused to take credit, she was scared of the attention. Afterall, she had never received much attention. Now it just made her feel uncomfortable and itchy. 

"Shhh!" Annie instructed, she did a quick inspection of those around them. Luckily the music and chatter would've meant nobody really overheard them. Everyone was too engaged in conversation. "Thank you, but you know I don't need the praise. This is your party." Cindy rolled her eyes and Annie's expected answer. Cindy silenced herself, refusing to rehatch this argument which had been had far too many times. Annie was too stubborn to listen to reason. It was impossible to change Annie's mind when she had made it up. 

"Let's dance!" Cindy called, dragging Annie to the living room where there were party games and dances being held. Something that always amazed Annie about Cindy's house is just how big it is. There are 5 rooms downstairs, 4 rooms on the second floor and 3 rooms on the third floor. Outside they had a massive garden with a play area from when Cindy was younger. Although Cindy never knew where her parents got their money from - mostly blood money from Cindy's grandfather, who her mother had never allowed her to meet him and uncle, who she hadn't known existed until recently - she never asked questions. What does a young teen do? Cindy's mother was the youngest of their family, meaning that she simply had to be cared for due to their family traditions. Cindy would have a similar lifestyle when she was eventually introduced to the family ways, something her mother was dreading. 

After an hour of party games, dancing, laughing, joking and more party fun, Annie finally got thirsty and her need to go to the bathroom became overwhelming. Cindy was currently dancing with her other popular friends, Annie wasn't on the sidelines though, Cindy always made sure she was included. However, now Annie had a decision to make. Two options, she could go to the bathroom and get a drink like she so desperately wants to, however run the risk of not being able to come back to Cindy. It had happened too many times before where Annie was just pushed away from Cindy after she had just gone away for mere seconds. Or Annie could ignore her bodily needs and stay with her friend. She opted for the second option. For now any. It was over an hour before Annie actually excused herself, although little did she know Kate snuck away just a few minutes after her. 

Annie easily found the bathroom, Cindy's house was practically her second home by now, and so the route was easy to guide. After doing her business Annie washed her hands and splashed water over her red, sweaty face. Slowly it started to fade towards it's normal pale colour. While Cindy had amazingly tanned skin, something Annie envied. Cindy's dark hair always fell so perfectly, while Annie's dark hair contrasted her pale skin. Annie never had much time for tanning, too many chores and her parents' expectations were too high for her to ever waste a second in the day. While she wished she could, it was never an option. Even her time with Cindy was limited.  

While Annie was away in the bathroom -Kate, Cindy's wanna-be best friend, who had snuck away from Cindy when Annie had- was in the kitchen, where Cindy's cake was being kept. Cindy's cake was designed by Annie and baked by Annie's mother who was a baker. Although she didn't agree with how much time Annie spent with Cindy, she couldn't refuse the amount of money she was offered and was proud of her daughter's design. Kate had been planning this since Cindy's party was announced. Her and her closest friends. Known as the 'it' girls to most. Each is almost perfect in beauty, and yet misguided on their morals. Kate, being the mastermind, just longed for acceptance. She needed validation from everyone and prayed to be chosen. Since she had found out about her adoption, she had felt alone and rejected. This was of course no excuse for her next actions. Kate had to be smart, no cake could get on her. She could leave no evidence. The kitchen was empty, there was nobody around. All too busy playing party games or socialising in the other room with the presents. Kate waited for her moment...

Annie mindlessly wandered to the kitchen, where she knew she could help herself, although she knew she would only get water. Her mind trying to decide how she would get back to her best friend in one piece. It was a lengthy thought that was consuming the majority of Annie's mind. The sound of laughter and music filled her ears as she wandered past the room she had left Cindy in, Annie paused for a second, wondering if she should enter. The less time she was gone, the easier it would be to return to her best friend. She poked her head through the door, and Cindy was still laughing and dancing, being surrounded by more and more people. Annie knew she should go in, but even if she could return to her friend now, she knew if she didn't hydrate now, she would just have to leave again in another hour. She sighed and reluctantly walked away from the door, walking faster than usual to get to the kitchen. The sound of laughter from another room filled her ears and left, the chatter of adults filled her ears and left as she walked past the room where the adults were entertaining themselves. Then she entered the kitchen. 

Kate's anxiety levels rose as Annie entered the kitchen, Annie smiled innocently, unaware of anything that was about to happen. Kate scowled back. Kate's hatred of Annie started in primary. Although Kate had everything, that was how her parents worked, they never wanted to give her love or attention and so they just shoved gifts and money in her face. Although there were two things Annie had that Kate was never able to have; real friendships and Cindy. For years Kate had watched Cindy from afar, slowly growing an obsession that she calls love. Annie was a threat to their 'relationship' Kate had invented in her mind. 

Annie poured water from the tap into the cup she used most often while at Cindy's house, she walked to the counter where Kate was standing next to the cake. A slight pang of pride swirled through Annie as she admired the cake and thought about the party. After all, she had designed it all. Even Cindy's outfit was carefully picked out by Annie. Any party or event Annie helped organise (she often planned bake sales with Cindy, and helped teachers plan events when they wanted a younger person's view on it) designing just seemed natural to Annie. Even if it was at times stressful. Kate's eyes met Annie's and a smirk grew on her face, masking her inner fear, her eyes reached across. Everything happened in slow motion to Annie. The cake fell forward and Annie reached forward in an attempt to catch it, although she was too late. Within seconds the cake was on the floor, smashed into a mush of crumbs and icing. Kate screamed at the top of her lungs, her best acting on, making herself seem distressed and scared before people arrived. 

The first to arrive were the adults, followed by a crowd of children. The adults looked at Annie, now covered in the cake she tried to save, and the seemingly distressed Kate. No words were said, complete silence surrounded everyone, until Cindy pushed her way to the front of the crowd where she saw the scene. Her mind jumped to the worst conclusions and confusion surrounding her mind. All she saw was Annie, her best friend, covered in her birthday cake, the birthday cake Annie had designed and Kate who looked utterly shocked as she looked at the scene. 

"What happened?!" Cindy demanded. Her eyes searched confused between the two girls. Annie had a guilty expression, she hated that she couldn't have saved the cake. Kate with her shocked and innocent expression. Everyone could only assume that Annie had been the one to destroy the cake. What other conclusion would there be to come to?

"She destroyed the cake!" Kate exclaimed, pointing towards Annie. It was now that her other friends came forward, calling out the reasons why Kate must be right along with harsh and cruel names towards Annie. Harsh names that even their parents were shocked by. They were scolded for their language, yet soon even parents started to turn on her. 

"It wasn't me." Annie weakly defended, she had never wanted to disappear so much in her entire life. She hated all of this. She was being blamed for something she didn't do, she had far too much attention than what she was comfortable with and of course, the look of disappointment and betrayal in her best friend's eyes. 

"How could you?" Cindy asked, her voice full of anger and confusion. Her loyal best friend, now ruining her party. She had never expected Annie to do anything like this to her. Annie opened her mouth to defend herself again, but Cindy stopped her. "We've been friends for years. I always knew you were jealous of me. You are such a selfish bitch. So inconsiderate. You have only ever cared about yourself! How were we ever friends? Clean yourself up, then get out." Cindy instructed, her anger clear and her hands in balls by her side. 

"It wasn't me." Annie repeated, walking past everyone with her head down. She couldn't find the words to defend herself. Her best friend's words had cut through her and silenced her. She had nothing left to say or do. Just accept her fate. She hoped Cindy would see the truth and completely understood her anger. This party had been so important to Cindy and Annie knew that. 

In the bathroom, with the door firmly locked, Annie weaped, cleaning the crumbs and icing off herself. Annie hadn't messaged her mother yet, so she decided she would walk home. She wasn't allowed to yet. Although Cindy lived in a nice neighbourhood Annie did not. But, for once Annie was going to break the rules. She was sad and wanted to walk. The isolation she was currently feeling made her feel more grown up, older then she was. The feeling was strange, yet grew when she started to feel more and more isolated. 

It was 20 minutes before Annie left the bathroom, the party was back up and running. The party that she had organised. She reminded herself that it wasn't Cindy's fault, but another pang shot through her chest. Her best friend had really turned on her so quickly. Too quickly really. This didn't occur to her though. She assumed that within a week all would have been forgotten and forgiven. That had always happened before. 

"Are you okay?" A voice asked from a little around one of the corners of the hallway. The voice wasn't adult-male deep, but it was certainly a males. What Annie hadn't known was that Alexander, Cindy's cousin, had seen everything and heard the conversation between Annie and Cindy earlier in the party. Alexander was a perfect spy, his parents had been training him in the art of stealth for the past three years, he wasn't yet sure why but it came in handy when he wanted to fade into the background. 

"I'm fine." Annie answered, her voice wavering. Saying it out-loud only made it feel less true. "Are you okay?" Annie asked, facing the slightly taller male with tanned skin and light brown hair. She was polite although in complete honesty she had no idea who she was talking to. Alexander was learning microexpressions and even if he couldn't do it that well, he knew she had no idea who he was. 

"You don't know who I am, do you?" Alexander smiled softly, slight dimples appearing on his cheeks. Annie shock her head, guilt and shame filling her. She felt so rude and inconsiderate. However, Cindy had lots of friends, Annie could never remember all of their names. 

"I'm sorry, Cindy has lots of friends." Annie defended. 

"Aren't they your friends too?" Alexander asked, his curiosity spiking. Over the past month he has heard so much about Annie, seen pictures and occasionally overheard phone calls between her and Cindy. Yet they had never met. Annie was a mystery to him. Someone valued by his aunt and her daughter and husband, meaning he would certainly need to make note of her. He had been taught to protect those closest to family, his mother's death had made him feel more protective. So his little side project, of pretty much stalking Annie, was a pleasant distraction.

"No." Annie giggled. She found the idea ridiculous. She would never be able to be as popular as Cindy. To her it was laughable. 

"Why?" Alexander seemed confused, in all fairness he was. Annie had just become more of a mystery and he had a limited amount of time to figure it out. Somehow the time limit only made the distraction more fun. 

"They just don't like me." Annie chuckled, as if it were a joke but in reality the fact hurt. She always blamed herself and assumed one day Cindy's popularity would come between them, she just hoped it wouldn't. There was a few minutes of silence, neither one moving. Annie's words just left lingering in the air. 

"I'm Alexander, please call me Alex." Alexander introduced, Annie breathed in as Alexander held his hand out. 

"As in Cindy's cousin?" Annie asked, quickly shaking his hand and pulling it away quickly. She has never overly liked physical contact, with the opposite gender just made it extra uncomfortable. 

"Yes, and you are Annie, Cindy's best friend?" Alexander asked, although he already knew. Annie nodded, but a frown fell on her face. 

"Hopefully, Cindy's best friend. I really didn't do it. I swear. I just wanted to catch it." Annie's mouth opened and closed. "Cindy put so much time into designing that cake." Annie lied. Cindy had just given Annie a theme as always. All Annie needed was a theme. A baseline. Then she was off, her mind swirling with hundreds of ideas revolving around whatever Cindy had just said. 

"I know." Alexander assures. "I saw everything. I'll talk to Cindy about it later, if you want?" Alexander offered. His eyes scanned hers, he saw her swirling sadness, her anxiety, worry, guilt and forgiveness.

"No, no. It's perfectly fine. Cindy and I will work it out, we always do." Annie spoke, in an attempt to reassure herself. Yet as she said the words out loud it started to feel more unlikely. She felt small. Like a little girl that's been holding onto something for too long. She felt foolish, silly, and ultimately lost. What would she do without Cindy's friendship? She had refused to let herself think that far ahead. She couldn't allow herself to consider it. It was impossible. She needed the friendship, Cindy was the only friend she had, besides her older brother. Even Jack was drifting away from her. 

"I'm sure." Alexander spoke, although he didn't believe it. Cindy could, and would, hold a grudge for as long as possible. No matter how dumb or childish it seemed. Annie knew that. Everybody knew that. It was just something she was taught. You don't get angry, you don't get sad, you get even. Everyone in her family lived their life that way. Cindy was tactical and would plan her revenge step by step.

"I should go." Annie said, her mind realizing that the longer she stood talking to Alexander the darker and more dangerous her journey home became. 

"Are your parents coming to get you?" Alexander asked, his hand reaching out to stop her before she could go. Annie shook her head and made sure to step away from him and put some much needed distance between the two people. "Do you live far?" He asked next. Annie shrugged. She lived about a half an hour walk away, assuming she was fast, but she didn't want to admit that. "I'll take that as a yes." Alexander chuckled. "Let me walk you home." He offered. Annie shakes her head, but no isn't an answer Alexander was willing to accept. He would be walking together whether she wanted to or not. It was as simple as that. 

"It's alright, the walk isn't that bad." Annie assured, but Alexander shook his head. 

"I'm walking you home." He declared. "Maybe you could show me some sights on our way." After being there for almost a month he hadn't seen many sights, it frustrated him. He wanted to get out, forget about the loss of his mother. However, that was starting to become harder and harder to do. All the pain and frustration kept building inside him, he had no idea how to release it.

"Umm... Sure." Annie agreed, it would be nice to have some company on the walk. Alexander smiled and sent a message to his father, explaining he was walking Annie home and they'd talk later. Then the pair left. they snuck through the house, Annie didn't feel like another tongue lashing from her best friend.

Together the two walked in silence after leaving the house. It was cold, and dark. The sun had long since set. The stars shone, but the moon was clouded over. It was cold, which contrasted to the sunny day that had. The weather in England was always temperamental, nights are always the coldest. 

"How long have you known Cindy?" Alexander asked, filling the silence that had settled between them. Alexander wasn't a fan of silence, not at this time, recently his life had been filled with it. His mother kept the house alive, now in her death it seemed that every room was filled with silence. Everywhere he went he was followed by the gloomy cloud of death. In a way, death follows his family around. They lead and encourage death, a dark warning that the Harper's aren't to be messed with. Yet the recent silences had been louder, stronger. The death of a loved one haunts a person, stalks them long after the tragedy passes. His mother's death was never explained to him, not yet, but his father was fully aware of the fate his mother concluded with. It was almost expected, the warning signs were there. 

"Since we started primary school, we've been best friends for as long as I can remember at this point." Annie let out a soft, sad chuckle. The day that the two had met had long faded in both of their minds. Their young memory is not retaining something so small. Yet in this moment Annie felt herself trying to reach for it, find it in the sea of thoughts and moments she had lived. Unfortunately, she found no trace of it. Guilt surrounded her, she felt like she should remember something so important. It was after all meeting the person her life revolved around. Cindy influenced every aspect of Annie's life, yet Annie couldn't remember when they had met exactly. Nor how.

"She didn't mean what she said." Alexander offered comfort, although in reality he wasn't sure. He hadn't known his cousin for long, but he knew that she only said what she meant. She wasn't one to say something in the heat of the moment, but maybe a seeming betrayal from her best friend changed that. Maybe their friendship stayed intact. Alexander hoped so, after all he was putting so much effort into finding out more about Annie, someone he may have to protect in the future. Such was the family way. 

"We'll get through this." Annie said confidently. The confidence she had wasn't real. Just a front she was putting on. A front that Alexander was clearly seeing through. The cold was seeping through Annie's clothes as the night started to become colder, and colder. "How long are you staying?" Annie asked, her attempt to change the conversation that Alexander allowed, for now. 

"Not long now. A little over a week." Alexander spoke, his hand clenching at the sides. He didn't want to go back, to live in the place where he had so many memories with his mother. Not with his father who had become so cold and closed off since. At least his friend would be there, hopefully. Over the course of the month, Alexander and his friends had kept in contact, his close ones anyway. 

"Are you excited to go back?" Annie asked, her head tilting. Alexander chuckled with a shake of his head.

"Not particularly." Alexander spoke honestly, the words filled the air and both went back to mindless thoughts that consumed them while being so small and trivial. 

"Does it hurt?" Annie asked in almost a whisper. Alexander paused in his step. Of course it hurt, the loss of his mother, it pained him every day. He woke up in a room that was not his own, he came down to a family that wasn't truly his own, and was in a home that just wasn't his own. No-where could be called home now that his mother was dead. No-where was truly safe and free. He couldn't say this. He couldn't admit that, not to anyone, it was a weakness. His father had taught him to hide weaknesses, hide emotion, hide everything. It was the only way to be strong. According to his father, and so that's what he fought every day to do. Only late at night to turn off the light, kiss a picture of his fallen mother, and sleep before the tears came to him. Alexander had to be strong, even while alone, in order to be strong for his father. So he built up walls, walls that surrounded his heart, slowly blocking anything from reaching it. 

"No." Alexander lied.

They walked together, side by side. Annie thinking, she knew Alexander couldn't keep his emotions so blocked up. She had done that too when she had found out about her mother's miscarrage. She watched it almost destroy her family and refused to let it happen to anyone else. 

"Can I take you somewhere?" Annie asked, maybe a constant scene would help him open up. That's what she wanted, and deep down he wanted it too. It was important that she did this right, she knew she only had one chance. 

"Sure..." Alexander spoke almost confused. Although he wouldn't refuse the extra time with Annie. He needed to find out more about her. I suppose they both had their own goals that were similar in a way. Alexander wanted to learn more for his cousin's sake and as a distraction. While Annie wanted to learn more for Alexander's sake. Both with their own motive, history and goals. Yet neither really knows what to do or where to go with it. So Annie followed her instincts and they ended up, in a field, sitting in silence.