Suddenly Princess

Chapter 4 - 20 Questions

*Picture is of Ashlyn (right) and Avery (left)*

"Anna, you don't have to go to school today," my mom says with a guilty look on her face. I guess that means I must look worse since my cry-fest last night. But, I have to go to school because I have a hockey game to cheer at tonight with the dance team.

“I understand if you don't feel up to it. But you can still go to the game later.”

I swear my eyes almost pop out of my head. "What?"

She starts to repeat herself but I stop her halfway through. "No, mom I’m fine,” I say in a bitter tone of voice. I instantly regret it. After all, they aren’t the ones that got me into this mess. They’ve tried to protect me. My real parents are the ones to blame for my misery now. Not that I don’t like Benjamin, but... I don't know him.

I just want to make my normalcy last for just a little bit longer. I want to see the girls and give them all hugs; tell them how much I love them and their craziness. I’m going to miss our adventures the most. Our girl’s night adventures are the best.

Meanwhile, I try desperately to believe that what happened last night is just a dream. But I know it’s not.

"Wow you look like shit," Ash says as I pile into her car. Avery chimes in from the front seat, "Yeah what happened to you? It’s not like you have a boyfriend to cry over."

I throw Avery a glare and she laughs. Then I realize I practically am upset over a guy—just not in the way that she thinks. It’s a sick kind of irony.

She says, "Just kidding! No but seriously you look like you were crying all night. What's wrong?"

I shrug. "Nothing just found some old stuff of my parents..." I'm usually a terrible liar but they understand whatever it was, it’s something I am simply not in the mood to discuss. After all, it’s seven in the morning.

As we turn onto the school’s road I can't help but take in everything I’ve overlooked about East Creek High. I notice the way the fog hangs around it in the morning, with the sun rising from the mountain across from ours. It really doesn't look that bad. Truth be told, it’s really not a bad school. The students aren't that bad either, aside from the non-stop gossiping. However, that’s to be expected from a town like this.

I guess people just like to not feel satisfied with what they have. Now, it seems as if my peers don't realize the freedom they have. They don't realize the greatness of normalcy. Being normal means that you can walk outside your house without fear of getting photographed in a bad outfit or harassed by the media. I know what awaits me once the press and media outlets find out I'm alive. Once Victor starts to tell people it'll become a firestorm; a media frenzy. They’ll be the pack of wolves and I’ll be the poor unsuspecting deer.

So, as we walk through the parking lot I take in the way that people smile and wave as they pass by. I wonder if they'll treat me differently after they find out. Will all the girls hate me? What about the friendships that I've spent years building? So many questions that I want answers to now. Not later on this month. I want to know who will stick with me right now; who will treat me the same as when I was just Anna and not Crown Princess AnnaMaria.

Thinking about all this just makes me want to cry even more. I really need to stop thinking, at least for the school day. Too many questions, not enough answers. Too many worries, and no relief in sight.

@Anna_Noff: If @ItsAshhh @ItsAveryyy @MusicalMelody and @SamiiiSays weren’t my best friends they’d be dead by now #ImFine #Really