ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ʙɪʀᴛʜᴅᴀʏ!
ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 23

"Tag! You're it!" Annabelle giggled as she tapped on Beatrices shoulder and began running, her small feet pressing quickly against the grass with her long brown hair flowing behind her. She wore a simple white dress that her father had picked out for her.

Beatrice gaped in surprise before laughing and running quickly behind Annabelle. Going twice as fast than her younger sister since her legs are longer. The two let out giggles as Stacey and Aurelia, along with their dad watched them from afar while making lemonade.

Beatrice finally caught up to Annabelle and the two rolled on the ground, laughing until the laughter died down and they stared up at the shining light blue sky. Annabelle always preferred the sun at the time.

"You see the sun?" Beatrice asked, pointing to it and Annabelle nodded. "I don't like it. I like the moon." She mused with a smile.

"Why? The sun brings us light therefore it brings us happiness." Annabelle stated "I think the sun is beautiful. Always glowing." She sighed dreamily.

Beatrice shook her head "So is the moon." She pointed out "The sun eventually leaves but the moon always stays there for us, even when we can't see it." She explained, her lips in a thin smile "It also brings us light." She added.

Annabelle nodded "Yeah." She agreed "Now I like the moon."

"It's okay to have different opinions." Beatrice reminded "You don't have to share the same opinions with everyone. Having different opinions only makes the friendship strong." She pursed her lips. "Did you hear about the animal attacks in Denver?"

Annabelle frowned but nodded. "Maybe one day the animals will come for me." The brunette told her older sister who snapped her head towards her.

"Don't say that!" Beatrice lightly hit her arm "I can't lose you. And I'll beat the animals before they can get to you." She sat up and flexed her muscles "They don't stand a chance."

"Yes they do."

"Then I'll just charm them away." Beatrice flashed a charming smile then looked at Annabelle with a sigh, allowing her smile to drop. "But, there's no point in being afraid of the animals. We'll all die eventually." She laid back down

"But if I die first, which I most likely will since I'm older, I don't want you to cry. I want you to do everything I haven't done. Look up at the moon and tell me that you miss me then go on with you're day."

Annabelle felt her eyes get teary as she forced a small smile "I don't think that'll ever happen."

|present|

Since Kol couldn't leave Annabelle to go to Denver alone, he decided to take her there but chose to leave respect her and did not to attend the funeral. He didn't tell her what he did to Elena because he wasn't in a mood for a lesson.

The family had decided to keep the funeral small and simply, leaving it to only be Stacey, Aurelia, Annabelle and three of Beatrice's friends to attend the funeral in the same family crypt that had their father in.

Unlike Stacey and Aurelia, Annabelle wore a white dress that belonged to Beatrice. It was the only dress that seemed appropriate. It wasn't new for Annabelle to wear white instead of black to a funeral. It was practically tradition for her to wear white.

Annabelle sat in the church. It was nighttime by now and she finally stood up, her head hanging low as she walked out of the church. The brunette slowly. kneeled down and pulled out a pink rose. Then breathed shakily, swallowing the lump in her throat.

She would be lying if she never imagined this. Annabelle had imagined everyone she loved dying, including Kol. She started having dreams of people dying when she was nine, told her parents when she was twelve and her dad passed away when she was sixteen but she already saw it coming.

It all scared Annabelle, being able to see death before it happened. She imagined Beatrice's funeral but she didn't expect it to be so hard.

The rose was beautiful and she smiled slightly then began walking towards her sisters grave, careful not to cry. Stacey and Aurelia were home by now. Luckily, Stacey had gotten a witch girlfriend to confront her. She had already came out the closet and of course, her family supported her.

Aurelia had started seeing someone but he lived in Mystic Falls. When he found out about what happened to Aurelia, he visited her in Denver.

𝐵𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑟𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝐷𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝐹𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑜 
𝑠𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑒𝑟 ~ 𝑑𝑎𝑢𝑔ℎ𝑡𝑒𝑟 ~𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑑
ꕥ𝟭𝟵𝟵𝟭~𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟰ꕥ

Annabelle kneeled down and set the rose on her grave. She stood up and looked up at the moon, feeling a tear slip down her cheek "I miss you." She whispered and wiped the tear

"Oh, Beatrice, I could have saved you." Annabelle sighed, sitting down. "When we began growing up, our sisterhood had gotten more messed up, more chaotic. Heh, sisters before misters." She laughed bitterly, not seeing Beatrice's ghost, watching her with a soft smile and teary eyes.

"God, if you were the one organizing your funeral, you would've made sure they put on red lipstick." Annabelle smiled "Rest in peace, sister." She said softly then stood up and walked out of the graveyard.

The brunette walked home, deep in thought as she felt a yawn escape her lips as she finally made it to her porch. She sighed and entered the house to see Stacey and Aurelia holding a cake with powder on their faces and clothes.

"Happy birthday!" They cheered in unison. She turned eighteen. "You're finally eighteen! You're growing up so fast." Stacey laughed, pulling her younger sister in a hug and Annabelle quickly returned it.

When she pulled away, Annabelle looked to her mother with a soft smile "Mom." She laughed with teary eyes and hugged her mom tightly, "You didn't have to." She whispered.

"And miss my daughter turning into a grown woman?" Aurelia questioned with sarcasm as they pulled away and she cupped Annabelles cheek.

"I am so proud of you, Annabelle Dean Francisco. You've done so much that half the witches twice your age wouldn't be able to go through. I love you, happy birthday."

"Not exactly happy but I'm thankful for the cake." Annabelle laughed and they joined in. "Thank you." She truthfully stated, her lips curled up to a soft and thankful smile.

Aurelia nodded "Now, tell me how you got Kol Mikaelson to fall head over heels for you." Her mother teased.

Annabelles eyebrows furrow "Huh? What— no!"

"You don't see it, huh?" Stacey laughed along with her mother while Annabelle only shrugged and munched on her cake.

If only they all knew...

They ate the cake together, talking about memories with Beatrice. Stacey eventually left, dropping the subject about Kol. it got late and they all decided to go to bed.

Annabelle was surprised to see Kol on her bed, she had forgotten he was even there from the lack of his presence but she only sighed and pulled clothes out from her drawer.

When she turned around, she saw Kol standing in front of her making her jump in surprise, her heart skipping a beat. "I would say 'happy birthday' but that's a bit cliché." He smirked and she only swallows hard.

"I got you something. I picked it up from the 1600. Thousands of men and women were fighting for this." He pulled out a velvet red box.

Annabelle raised a brow as Kol put his other hand on her cheek "They say it belongs to the most beautiful hearts and it would be selfish of me to keep it since we both know any good in my heart has long passed." He mused and she still didn't speak.

"I don't get it. It's just a rose." Annabelles eyebrows furrow, not understanding why people would fight for such simple jewelry.

Kol chuckled, nodding "It's far more important than that. This rose belonged to a woman who fought for what she believed in. She protected those she loved.. now it's a bit of a depressing ending considering she died protecting those she loved but she wanted this necklace to be sent down to someone who deserved it."

"But that's not depressing." Annabelle frowned "Dying for those you love rather dying because of someone you despise if much more depressing if you ask me."

"Which is exactly why you deserve this." Kol put a hand on her shoulder and softly made her turn around to face the mirror. She moved her hair to the side and he wrapped it around her neck, closing it and she smiled slightly.

Annabelle turned to face him "Thank you, Kol." She whispered "It's beautiful."

"Just as you are." Kol sped away and she sighed.