“You are the talk of the school, Miss Anastasia,” Alex told her when they walked into the cafeteria together. “All of the girls hate you and all of the boys want to date you.” Anastasia looked around, feeling all of the stares on her while they walked through the cafeteria to their usual table with a few of Alex’s friends.

“Hi pretty,” Cassie, one of the few girls that actually talked to Anastasia, smiled once she sat down. “FYI, Todd Hamilton is going to ask you to homecoming.” Anastasia’s eyes widened, Todd Hamilton took the role of quarterback and only dated the prettiest girls in school, but Anastasia didn’t find him attractive.

“Well, I’m going to say ‘no’,” Anastasia shrugged, pulling her lunch out of her bag. “I don’t know why all the girls fawn over him. His eyes are too far apart. His chin is far too long. He isn’t that attractive and he’s dumb, honestly.”

“Are you going to go to homecoming?” Rian asked Anastasia curiously. Anastasia shrugged. Anastasia did not know if she even wanted to go to homecoming; she had only been to school dances with one person and she didn’t know how she felt about going with someone other than that person. Anastasia never really liked big change; she did, however, like spontaneity. She hated big change, like moving across the country, for example. Anastasia loved the people she met, but if she had her choice, she would still live in California with the people she used to call friends.

“Of course, I’m taking her,” Alex grinned.

“Oh you are?” Anastasia asked, looking at him with her eyebrows raised, “since when? You never asked me.” Anastasia looked down at her lunch. She and Alex talked about homecoming but they never made any decisions.

Alex just glanced at Anastasia, he didn’t know if she was serious or joking but he definitely didn’t want to take a chance on finding out. “Anyways, we have a show this weekend, you ladies coming?” Anastasia took a breath. She hated crowds. Anastasia did not like people in general and being surrounded by a bunch of stupid girls and drunk men trying to sleep with said girls did not sound fun.

“I’ll definitely be there,” Cassie smiled, hugging her boyfriend’s arm and leaning her head on his shoulder. Anastasia couldn’t help but smile at the happy couple across from her, not too long ago she sat cuddled up with a boy surrounded by all of her friends. When Anastasia thought about him, her mind paralyzed and she could only focused on him, focusing on the note he left her in her book. “Anastasia, you should go. It will be fun.”

Anastasia looked at Cassie, “um, I’m not sure. I mean I would love to watch you guys play but I just don’t mix well with big crowds.” Anastasia didn’t lie, last time she had been in a big crowd she got into a fight with some girl who shoved her very intentionally for no reason.

Anastasia zoned out for the rest of the school day, thinking about him. Anastasia couldn’t help her thoughts that always seemed to wander back to him; he had always been honest with her. Maybe, she did love him, no she was certain she did but by not saying his name she forget him a whole lot easier.

Anastasia smiled as Jake pushed her on the swing at the park down the street from her house; Jake and Anastasia always loved acting like children. Jake grabbed Anastasia’s hands, that were wrapped around the chains, and stopped her from swinging. Anastasia set her feet firmly on the ground and turned around to face Jake, “what are you doing?” Anastasia asked with a small smile, Jake just smiled at her and kissed her forehead softly.

“It’s getting late, we should get you home,” Jake suggested, letting go of her hands so she could stand up. Anastasia tangled her fingers with his and the two walked slowly back to her house. Jake and Anastasia had known each other since the age of three, their parents met at work and then the two children were introduced. They’d been best friends ever since. Anastasia and Jake’s relationship went beyond just friendship, but they never called themselves boyfriend and girlfriend. It was plainly obvious to the people around that the two had a connection.

“Love, can we go to the beach tomorrow?” Anastasia asked, “I watched the weather this morning, the tide is supposed to be perfect for surfing.” Anastasia always loved trying new things and she loved adventure and she loved to learn. Anastasia’s mind was an open door, willing to learn and consider all of the possibilities of life, but she still stuck to her beliefs. Anastasia just loved to try and learn new things, which is how she took up surfing; Anastasia absolutely loved surfing because she love unpredictability and the ocean was never predictable.

“Of course, honey,” Jake smiled. Of course, they never went to the beach the next day and Jake knew he wouldn’t be joining to watch her surf, or kiss her soft lips in the sun light, or watch the sun bounce off her tan skin. However, Anastasia had no idea of the events that would take place later on that night.

Anastasia laid in her bed, staring at her ceiling thinking about the last day she ever spent with him. He must have had it planned for a while because he had notes written in all of her books, trying to inspire her. Anastasia heard a knock on her balcony window but she didn’t get up, she just rolled over and faced the opposite direction. Anastasia did not want to deal with anyone, especially after having that flash back. Anastasia grabbed her book from her homework from her back pack and got started the giant stack of papers from each of her classes.

Notes

:] Meet Jake! Well sort of now you know who I'm talking about
Enjoy lovelies

also that other story will probably not be started until this is done and I need to figure out my actual plot of that story. I've got it down roughly written out but it still needs to be finalized