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╰┈➤❝[ introduction ] ❞

❝Hey thank you for clicking on my first actual fan fiction book, I hope you enjoy ❞

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Disclaimer:

this book includes the topic of : underage drinking and smoking, mentions of sex (absolutely no smut) and verbal abuse. Please know I am not and would never romantise any of these topics, please be responible if you are going to take part in any of these activities or please seek help if you need it.

This is an AU meaning NOT everything in this book will add up to 'main steam' life please bare that in mind as it is purely fiction. This book also includes swearing. If you don't agree with any of the above, this story isn't for you I'm sorry. Also know that any hate will be deleted as I am only trying to have some fun, I am no writer so I'm giving it my best go aha. I have tried not to copy anyone else's idea but I'm sorry if I have by accident - it was not my intention.

edited 30/12/21 : hello lovely people before any confusion, this book has been edited and the plot has been tweaked and has changed a little bit due to me not being proud of the final piece and because I know I can strive for something better. So if any of the comments on any chapter confuse you, that is why. I hope you enjoy this version of 'INNOCENCE' better as I believe it is so much better than the first draft I created. Thank you I love you all, enjoy <3

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Copyrights:

I have no idea how copyrights works oop- but I do own all of these characters - for example, Anna and her family - and their personas.

@ruelthefool

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ANNA LOCHIE - could be described as innocent or 'away with the fairies . She's Never smoked, never drank, never cussed; never kissed a boy! She's an introvert. People just don't appeal to her, well apart from the boy she met the bakery in 2019. If she's not helping out at Jenny's Bakery, the local twenty four hour bakery down town, then she's probably either trying to find a way to stop climate change or tidying up after her father. She's home schooled and had a very sheltered life due to her father constant need to be 'looked after' but this year , after years of begging, she's finally starting at one of the local highschools - Merrywood Acedemy. Her mother sadly died when she was three years old and her father still blames her to this day. Martin Lochie is an evil man, wastes most of the two's money gambling or alcohol and sleeps around with the majority of the towns' female population. He's an angry fuse that Anna is just trying to get to love her again but that will never happen?

Vincent Van Dijk - is complicated. He smokes and drinks but finds writing and producing music more enjoyable than partying. He's oddly popular but also an outcast at the same time. Majority of students at Merrywood find him odd so they don't talk to him - but his uniqueness is alluring making him somewhat desirable but his heart's set on the one girl he met at the bakery in 2019. He truly believes it was love at first sight. He's had his mental walls up and keeps to himself mostly ninety nine percent of the time because of relentless bullying in past years at school for being weird, so now he just wants to fit in and survive highschool like the rest of his peers. He doesn't find dating appealing, he would much rather have a best friend than a girlfriend but that all changed when he met the perfect girl who served him the best cinnamon bun he'd ever tasted last summer. She's gorgeous: pretty eyes, plump lips and cute freckles splattered all over her nose but she will never know about his true feelings...

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Background:

April 2019...

In a small town, where everyone knows everything about everyone, a small, tucked away bakery leans against its neighbouring record store. It's door slightly ajar and its small 'welcome' sign beckoning you inside. The bright pink and crimson red flags outside flap in the gentle breeze and two tiny pot trees guard the entrance of the so called 'lover's bakery'. The town is sweet and jolly but underneath it's perfect facade, it holds many untold secrets and guilty consciences. And maybe, just maybe, they will all be revealed as time goes on...

Whoah

"I have your cinnamon bun sir", a blonde girl named Anna places the small tanned treat down in front of a young- looking curtain haired boy - who was scribbling down notes into some sort of journal.

"Thank you-", he removes his gaze from the paper to meet her eyes and slowly drops his pencil. It crashes down onto the table. "Fuck me", he exclaims under his breath as she stands back up straight, making the short girl's eyes widen with his particular use of language.

"Oh...thank you sir, the buns here are really lovely. Jenny puts two types of sugar into it so they're super sweet and the icing is just so delicious. It's definitely my favourite desert we do here. -", she starts to ramble - playing with a strand of her shoulder length hair. The poor girl thought he was talking about the cinnamon bun.

"Oh that's...cool I guess. I'm Vincent by the way", the boy grins tapping the cushion of the booth's seat next to him. "You should come sit, there's nobody here so you can take five minuets off can't you", he ask . Even he is surprised with his sudden outburst of confidence, he's never normally this upfront! She nods her head slowly. Although she has known his for all of five seconds, she places herself next to the tall framed boy. His tricep just touching her shoulder.

"So what's your name cinnamon bun girl", he asks the her - breaking the silence as she wipes her now clammy hands on her white apron. They don't face each other, they just continue staring at the table in front of them.

"Hello Vincent, my name is Anna', she responds trying to mask her awkwardness. Clearly not very well!

"So what's your story Anna?", Vincent questions but immediately grimaces his face due to the cringey feeling caught up in his throat. He's seen it in so many teen movies, thought he'd give the phrase a whirl. "Yeah no that was fucking cringe, I mean like how come I've never seen you round town before?"

She lets a small laugh out as she watches him try and blow a single strand of hair ,that had fallen over his eyes, away but was failing miserably. His child-like antics reminds her of a golden retriever in a way, how cute she thinks.

"Oh I'm homeschooled actually so that might be why you haven't seen me", the blonde girl smilies kindly. 'May I?", she asks shyly as she reaches her small hands to help him with removing the strand from his face.

"Oh yes-yeah, thank you", he stumbles over his words clumsliy as she sweeps his hair behind his ear. Her warm fingertip delicately caresses the apple of his cheek. Their eyes don't meet ; both their hearts beating like drums. Breaths hitched at the back of their throats. The cafe a silent, only the echos of their hearts faintly chiming in the two teenager's ears.

"Oh that's cool so does your mum teach you or your dad", he asks curiously - breaking the silence. Her body tenses up, the topic of her mother still triggers an aching sensation in her heart till this day.

"Uhm no I actually do it myself , the highschool sends me work to do so I just submit it daily. My mum actually passed away when I was three so I don't really remember her", she gives him a sad smile. "But apparently I look like her so that's nice to know".

"Oh shit I'm so fucking sorry! That was a dumb, so idiotic of me, sorry", he puts his hand over his mouth and spews out buckets of apologies. "I bet she was a lovely lady and is very proud of you", he manages to say as his cheeks glow crimson red with embarrassment. Him and his big mouth!

"It's okay it's not your fault don't worry at all Vincent!", she pushes the topic away quickly. "So what are you writing", she asks looking at the sheet of words in front of the boy.

"Uh they're song lyrics, I love writing songs", he awkwardly strokes the back of his neck. "I'm not that good but I'm passionate about it y'know", she gives him a small nod as he rambles on - her teeth sinking into her teeth to stop a smile inching onto her lips. "What are you passionate about?", he questions as he catches himself talking too much.

"I bet your songs are great Vince, wait can I call you that?", she questions and he quickly gives her a love-sick nod. "I love nature, it's so beautiful yet we destroy it. I don't get it", her eyebrows frown as she speaks. "Like how are we supposed to live a healthy and long life if we keep destroying our planet, it's just not right and I'm rambling", she quickly covers her mouth much like Vincent did earlier. I guess it was her time to ramble on about a topic.

His eyes never leave her. The way she spoke about her passion made her more attractive. An aura of kindness and warmth fountained from every ounce of her being and splashed lightly at the teen boy beside her.

"Give me your number", he blurts out taking the girl and him by surprise. She replies with a small 'what'. "I-I mean please can I have your number? If not that's okay maybe-"

"You can have my number Vince", she smiles warmly as he fiddles with his finger nervously. He has to restrain himself from letting out a small 'yesss' because he just thinks that would scare her off and most definitely cringe him and Anna out. She reaches into her pocket of the apron and pulls out what can only be described as a brick.

"Holy fuck Annie, what century was that made in", Vince jokes as she flips the phone flap to open her phone. He didn't even regard the fact he called her Annie, the nickname comfortably slipped out.

"Hey I love my flip phone it's retro", she fires back. "Don't make fun of her!". In reality it was the cheapest phone in the local secondhand electronic shop and she didn't have enough money for anything high range.

"Im sorry Anna, I promise I won't make fun of your old lady phone", he says sarcastically.

"Well thank you Vincent, how lovely and kind of you", she rolls her eyes before passing the phone to him. As she passes her ancient phone to him, their hands briefly touch one another's making a thick red gloss coat their cheeks and noses. "Oh I'm sorry', she gasps as she realises that they were touching each other, so she pulls her hand away.

"No it's okay I liked it, your hands are warm", he gives her a dopy smile making her sigh from relief.

Maybe this encounter could be the start of something new?

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September 2019...

AND THAT'S HOW things carried on for roughly five months. Anna and Vincent would meet up everyday after he finished school and when she finished her shifts at the bakery. They would usually walk together and sit by the harbour side reading poetry, looking at the marine life but mostly eating her amazing cinnamon buns though.

After work soon became when Anna was on lunch breaks and Vincent would skip school (she didn't know that part though) and sitting next to each other soon became gently holding each other hands or leaning on one another's shoulders. This is how their friendship kept escalating and growing. Gradually building up to what they would like to describe as 'besties'.

Well I say 'they' I mean Anna. Vincent refuses to call them 'besties' because he doesn't want to feel like he's sitting in the friend zone...can you blame the guy though, the friend zone sucks? They both have feelings for each other though. You can see it and if you don't have you considered you may be blind? The only thing stopping them getting together is fear. What if Vincent doesn't actually like me back, thinks Anna. What if Anna doesn't like me back, thinks Vincent.

"I'm going to school", she mutters pulling a plastic straw that somehow managed to wedge itself in between some seaweed and breaking Vincent from his thinking bubble as they sit down under a leaning willow tree.

"You already go to school though", he asks as she stuffs the material into the front pocket of her bunny rucksack. "Well homeschool".

"No I mean like real real school", she lightly shoves his body with her side.

"Really? You, Anna May Lochie, are going to attend a school with over five hundred people in. I smell bullshit", he smirks- teasing a little bit. "You get scared ordering food at a restaurant, you could never be somewhere with five hundred plus people in", he eggs her on.

"Well I am thank you very much Vincent", she glares at him and rolls her eyes. "And ordering food is scary shush", she throws a small, flimsy twig at his head but it unfortunately it misses his head..

"I'm proud of you Annie, I'm being serious now. I'm not fucking around", he smiles down at the girl as he throws his arm lazily over her shoulder. "And your mum would be proud of you too".

"You smell nice", she blurts out in complete nervousness. Her nerves around him have been racing around whenever she has been near him, this has been going on for a little while now.

"Mmm you smell nice too I guess Lochie", he laughs as he rests his head on top of her's.

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✎ᝰ┆ Aha that was the first chapter of INNOCENCE, I hope
you liked it ! Sorry if this doesn't make sence feel free to ask questions,
I'm trying my best. Please vote, if you want to.

Thank you <33