Annette

Annette locked the door and closed the blinds of the window.

The room was suddenly dark because of the blinds.

She sat down on the ground and leaned against the wall.

Annette hugged her knees to her chest and her eyes started getting blurry.

Memories of her childhood came flooding in as more and more tears came falling down.

Her mother.........

Died........

Today.........

She covered her mouth with her hands to suppress her voices.

The tears weren't stopping.

She punched the ground and kept punching it until she heard someone knocking the door.

"Miss Valentin , we're here to help you get dressed."

She didn't answer and they stopped knocking and went back , assuming she was still asleep.

Annette got up and walked towards her bag , she took out a picture of her mother and herself and hugged it tightly.

She kept looking at it sadly.

"I miss you......I miss you so much .."

Her voice cracked.

She bit her lower lip and closed her eyes tightly.

Laying  down on her bed , she  looked at the photo in her hands again.

She wanted to hear her voice , she wanted to hug her and never let her go.

She missed her mother everyday but this day, it was the day she didn't let anyone in.

She didn't eat anything didn't drink anything and just shut herself in her room.

Her brothers and father knew that she didn't like anyone coming in so they complied with her wishes and gave her space.

"I hate this......I hate myself so much......"

Someone was knocking the door but she couldn't hear it , she couldn't hear anything except her mother's voice.

"Annette...... please......open the door .......I ...I beg you...."

                                    Aiden

He woke up a little early and went outside. Blake was talking with a few workers.

"Are you sure she didn't respond?"

"Yes sir , she usually wakes early so we went early today too but she didn't respond so we thought of coming back a bit later when she calls us herself but , she never sleeps till this late.......even her door is locked."

"What happened?"

Aiden asked.

They all greeted him and Blake told him the matter.

"What's the date today?"

"It's.....the 27th sir."

His eyes widened and he ran to her room.

He used his power and tried to hear any voice that came from inside.

Annette.....was sobbing.

She was crying.

"I hate this......I hate myself so much...."

Aiden knocked the door.

Annette didn't respond.

He knocked again.

Still no response.

"Annette..... please open the door......I ....I beg you...... please....."

He was worried about her. He couldn't bear to hear her crying.

He wanted to comfort her.

Annette was in pain , Aiden didn't want her to be like this.

He couldn't bear to see her like this.

Aiden stopped knocking and went to the garden.

She had closed all her windows and he couldn't see anything because of the blinds.

Aiden saw Annette's brother coming in.

"Arlen.......she ....hasn't come out of her room at all.....what do I do......."

"She's like this. Every year on this day , Annette shuts herself inside her room and doesn't come out  the whole day. She wants some space."

Aiden stayed quiet.

"I want to help her....is there something I can do...?"

Arlen sighed.

"I think that you should give her some space and...... please don't...bring this matter infront of her...."

"Has she ever come out.....?"

"Once..., She came out because of father , he called her.....and she came out.....both of them stayed together..alone.......just once."

He stayed quiet.

"Is there...... anyway.....that....I can do something....anything.....to help her.... I'm worried so much."

Arlen looked at the guy infront of him carefully.

He didn't think that Aiden would react like this , and somehow , this moment just gave him the confirmation that he needed , ......that Aiden would be the right guy for his sister.

"I honestly don't know but I think that you can make her come out. Call her , stay and wait for her ,.....comfort her , I believe that you are the one that can do it....., I believe in you ......your highness....."

He said sincerely.

Aiden was frozen for a moment.

Arlen left after that and Aiden kept standing there for a moment longer.

He went back inside and knocked on her door again.

"Annette......it's me......Aiden , I want you to know that , I'm here for you , and that I will always be here for you.......I won't leave you alone....no matter what. I love you. And I will stay here until you're comfortable enough to come out."

Annette

The silence felt heavy and suffocating. It felt like she couldn't breath properly.

Her vision was blurry from the tears that were constantly falling down.

Goosebumps erupted her skin as she got up and took a glass of water.

The water was cold too , maybe she felt cold because of the fever she had.

"My eyes feel hot....."

Annette mumbled as she touched her face.

At that moment , someone knocked at the door ,

"Annette......it's me......Aiden , I want you to know that , I'm here for you , and that I will always be here for you.......I won't leave you alone....no matter what. I love you. And I will stay here until you're comfortable enough to come out."

His voice came.

A small tear escaped from her eye and she ran to the door.

Touching the surface of the door , she wondered if he was standing right there.

Annette sat down on the floor with her back against the door.

On the other hand , Aiden did the same.

"Thank you......for doing this."

Her voice came from inside.

"It's.....what I should be doing...."

"Thank you Aiden.....for comforting me....for doing this.....I will always be thankful......"

The silence felt peaceful now. It felt comforting. The suffocating feeling was gone now.

Annette felt her eyes getting heavy. It hurt a little and she closed her eyes for a moment.

"It's so hot...."

She mumbled.

Aiden

Both of them didn't talk much but he felt at peace now that he knew that she was fine.

He could here her soft breaths.

Then a voice came.

"It's so hot......"

And a soft thud followed.

Annette was........

______

(TBC)