Eternal Secrets Prologue

Prologue: Eternal Wounds

It was the day and it was dreadful day. Anna opened her eyes and felt the warm sun on her face. It seemed like the sun was smiling down at her. But something troubled her so she couldn’t smile back. She sat up, yawned, and sighed while thinking about the day ahead. The day would be terrible.

Her mom knocked on the door and opened it carefully to see if she was up. “Anna, are you up? Did you pray last night?”

She glared at her mom. Did her mom think she was joking when she said that she was an atheist, in fact a true atheist that knew she was not going to be religious? She realized her mom must have heard her talking to herself the night before she went to bed. Talking to herself wasn’t a crime; it actually made her feel better.

Her mother just shook her head and ignored the silence coming from her non-religious daughter, who she made go to church every Sunday and Wednesday whether she liked it or not. “Well, you need to get up. Your girlfriend called.”

Anna gave her a little smile when she heard the hesitant “girlfriend” come from her mother’s lips. She knew her mother didn’t like Roslyn because she was lesbian and going out with her daughter. She knew her mother was making a compromise with the “Lord” because her mother didn’t believe in gays. In fact, she hated them and knew they were going to this so-called magical world called Hell, where only the bad people went. But she didn’t care. She was glad to be with the girl she loved finally.

She frowned at the thought, but forced a smile suddenly at her mom, just to get under her skin. “Okay, Mom. I’ll be right down after changing.”

Her mom just nodded and shut the door on the way out. Anna got out of bed immediately and put on some clean clothes: a black shirt with the words “BYOB” on them and some ripped jeans that had some kind of strange-looking stain on them. She shrugged as she went downstairs to get some breakfast.

When she got into the kitchen, Tripp was already in his seat. He was already thirteen and listening to KoRn and Marilyn Manson. Anna didn’t like those groups, but it was start to be rebellious just to get on the mother unit’s nerves.

“Hey, Scarface,” Anna said to her brother, grabbing the spoon from his hand and scooping into his Frosted Flakes cereal. He karate-chopped her hand, dropped the spoon in the bowl from the result, and glared up at her.

“Back off, Hammer Toe,” he muttered.

She ignored that and sat down in front of non-buttered toast and two waffles with strawberries, whipped cream, and chocolate chips on top of it. She licked her lips and dug in. She could have ate this for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if her mom didn’t breathe down her back about how sugary and bad it was for the body.

“Did Roslyn say she was coming?” Anna looked up at her mother while mouth full of waffle.

Her mother looked at her with disgust. She hated people talked with their mouth full of food, especially if they already chewed it up. “Close your mouth when you’re talking, please. God doesn’t like that.” She washed some cups. “But Roslyn should be on her way right now. She was excited about your guys’ one year anniversary.”

Anna stopped of the sudden and looked up at her mother. “Is she serious? I completely forgot about that! It’s the day after tomorrow!”

“You forget?” Her mother almost smiled, glad for her to forget something demonic to celebrate between two girls.

She got up and ran quickly up the stairs. This couldn’t be happening whatsoever. It was their anniversary and she completely forgot about it! She almost hyperventilated and she couldn’t eat anymore of her sugary breakfast.

“I can’t tell her,” she whispered to herself before the doorbell was ringing downstairs.

???

“You’ve got to be kidding me! Lily Anderson is not going out with him! He’s such a loser!” Roslyn Gale held her girlfriend Anna’s hand. “Boys are losers anyway. They’re loud and disgusting and weird and perverted…”

“Girls can be the same as guys,” Anna smiled, squeezing her hand.

“Yeah, but still they are just the same.” Roslyn just looked ahead, feeling the breeze in her black hair. “Maybe Lily needs to be gay like both of us. We’ll show her what it’s like.”

“Really?” she giggled. “How will we do that?”

Roslyn stopped her and whispered, “Show her how to kiss other girls. It’s way different than kissing other guys.” She moved herself closer to Anna’s body, grabbing of her hands and standing on her tiptoes to kiss the person that she truly loved.

Suddenly, Anna felt really uncomfortable with Roslyn close to her like that. She sighed and gave her girlfriend a peck on the lips really quickly. When she pulled back, she felt sick to her stomach, like she was going vomit any minute. Roslyn looked at her suspiciously, but it left when the smile came back.

They continued walking while Roslyn did most of the talking and Anna was too busy looking ahead, thinking intensely. Roslyn was getting worried with Anna. She never zoned out as much as she was doing lately. Maybe she was thinking about their anniversary. She just shook her head, smiled, and kept the bad things out of her mind.

Roslyn thought they were the perfect couple. She thought that everyone was jealous of their love, though she’d never admit it because she was a very modest person. But not to mention, they were both hot in guys’ eyes. Roslyn was very petite and small just like she thought a girl’s figure should be while Anna had the curves. Roslyn was pale, black-haired with red highlights and blue-eyed. She looked like the perfect doll, but with three ear piercing in both ears and a piercing on her naval.

Anna was the exact opposite. Her hair was a deep red that was wild and hard to tame because of the natural curls. Her eyes were a deep green like a forest full of meaning. She didn’t like piercings so much, so she snuck out and got a tattoo on the small of her back with Roslyn’s name on it in big, red Gothic letters. She used to have it out all the time after she got out of the house, but now she hid the tattoo all the time.

They were opposites of each other, but they were perfect for each other. They were the half of each other’s whole who couldn’t live without one another. They were just…perfect.

Roslyn always thought about it everyday, thinking Anna thought about it too even when she was zoning out while they walked back to their strict and Christians houses.

“Anna, we just passed your house, sweetie.” She giggled when she called her by pet names even if Anna didn’t like them much.

“Oh, of course,” she muttered and let go of Roslyn’s slender and manicured hand. She turned to her and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?”

“You won’t call me later on tonight?” She looked up at Anna, wanting to kiss her and touch her tanned skin. She held back quickly.

“It’s Wednesday so I have church.” Anna rolled her eyes. Her girlfriend was atheist too so she knew how she felt.

“Of course,” she said with a smile. “I had forgotten.” She wanted her to stay home and plan for the anniversary. She knew she had something planned at least since they’d been going out a year.

Anna gave her a small smile and started going up the steps to her house, but Roslyn grabbed her hand gently. “What is it?”

Roslyn pulled herself to the steps, stood on her tiptoes and gave Anna a small kiss on the lips, almost as soft as a butterfly landing on a person’s arm. She blushed when she pulled back and started down the sidewalk.

Anna secretly wiped her lips and went in the house.

???

Roslyn didn’t know what was wrong with Anna the next day. She came to pick her up and Anna wouldn’t even hold her hand or kiss her like she always did each morning before school. Two words hadn’t even been said from her girlfriend. She was getting awfully worried.

Mr. Rodriguez was just a blur in Spanish. Roslyn was about to cry when she saw Anna look at her then turn away. What was wrong with her girlfriend?

“Roslyn!” Anna whispered to her, a small note in her hand.

Roslyn turned around and saw Anna reaching for her with a note in her hand. She looked back at the teacher to see if he was looking, but his back was turned, writing some commands on the board.

She smiled and took the note from Anna’s hand. Anna just gave her a blank face and turned back to the teacher. Roslyn opened the note and smiled.

Roslyn,

I have to tell you something important. Please meet me behind the school after school.

Don’t be late.

Anna

Roslyn almost squealed with glee. They were probably talking about their anniversary tomorrow. She knew Anna cared. Anna ignoring her must have been an act for tomorrow. It was all too cute. She looked back at Anna and nodded, mouthing a quick “I love you.” Anna shook her head and turned.

???

Roslyn had forgotten her mother wanted to pick her up, but she just said she would walk with Anna again. She was too excited about her anniversary that she almost forgot to come behind the school just like her girlfriend said. Nothing in the world could ruin her smile.

Today was surprisingly cold for May. Usually it was hot and blazing as if it was already summer vacation. Roslyn covered herself with her Nightmare Before Christmas jacket and started going behind the school, too excited that she didn’t even eat lunch because she couldn’t wait to talk to Anna, telling her that ignorance was an act for the best day of their lives tomorrow.

“Anna, are you here?” she whispered when she heard voices. There were two and one sounded like Anna. A huge grin broke out on her face as she skipped behind the school, but stopped when she saw the other voice was Aiden Cain. “Why is Aiden here? Is he part of the anniversary surprise or something?”

“Why are you even out here?” Anna said to Aiden. “I told you I needed to speak to Roslyn first.”

“Are you finally going to tell her about us? Are you two going to break up?” he frowned.

“Yes, I will. You know it.” She moved closer to him, knowing that this was right. She wasn’t in love with Roslyn anymore. She didn’t even think she even was. No, she was before, but now she loved Aiden who was a wonderful guy that gave her space.

“Good because I hate being apart from you,” he whispered. “I love you, Anna. You’re my world. You were even when you were dating Roslyn.”

Anna smiled and put her arms around his neck, closing her eyes as her lips pressed his ever so gently. “I love you too…Aiden.”

Roslyn covered her mouth in hurt and surprise. Why was Anna even kissing him, a boy? She thought she was in love with her. She thought she wanted to be with her always, that nothing would stand in their way. But obviously a boy came between them and tore them apart. It was like Anna literally took out her heart and destroyed it.

Roslyn staggered back as if the breath in her body knocked her down. She couldn’t even cry. It was too hurtful.

“Anna!” she said almost as if she was dying.

Anna looked at Roslyn and pushed Aiden away. “Roslyn…oh god…she didn’t need to know this way.” She looked at Aiden. “I told you not to come so early, Aiden!”

She ran to Roslyn, wanting to explain what had just happened. “I…”

Roslyn delivered a shock blow to Roslyn’s face with her hand. Her cheek was now angry red. Roslyn meant it and she didn’t regret what she did surprisingly. Her sadness was turning into rage so quickly even Anna couldn’t stop it.

“Why would you do that?” Roslyn said hurtfully. She could hardly talk.

“I deserved that,” Anna whispered. She looked down at Roslyn, the person she used to love, but she didn’t regret making her decision. “Look, Roslyn, I’m sorry, but I can’t help how I feel. I want to become straight.”

“Oh, really? What are you, bi-curious?” She yelled. “Did you decide to switch yesterday or something? I thought we loved each other! I thought we were whole!”

“You thought wrong. I’ve been thinking about this for about a month, but I didn’t want to tell you so soon. You would have been so hurt.”

Roslyn let out a bitter laugh, something she didn’t recognize. “And how do you think I feel now, Anna? Do you think I feel happy or something now since you wanted to protect me? I just don’t understand how you could do this to me, your true love. We’ve been through everything together and you decide to tear it apart right in front of me by kissing a boy!”

“Roslyn, please…”

“No, Anna, I will not let you talk! You are so fake; a fake lesbian is what you are. You probably played me since the beginning...”

“Believe me, I haven’t.”

“Oh, piss off!” She gave her the finger and stormed away down the sidewalk. She didn’t even shed a tear surprisingly. It was like a new feeling had opened up inside of her. She had never really gotten angry, never in her life.

Anna watched her walk away, and then looked at Aiden. He was frowning as he went toward her, his arms out wide.

“She’ll understand one day,” she whispered while hugging him. “She will.”

???

“Anna,” her mother said while sitting down beside her. Anna was sitting down in the living room, watching TV, trying to forget. She turned it off, wishing she could just turn off life with just one button on the remote control.

“Yes, I broke up with her,” she whispered, a tear coming down her cheek. Her mom had already known because she had told her. Everyone knew except Roslyn herself. She felt so horrible for telling everybody something that should have been private.

“That wasn’t what I was going to tell you, sweetie.” Her mother hugged her sadly, but it wasn’t a warm feeling. It made Anna feel even colder inside. “Roslyn won’t be coming back to school.”

Anna just looked at her mother. She knew Roslyn would come to school the next day because she knew her at least. She rubbed her cheek where Roslyn had slapped her harshly. She was so surprised at the hostile movement. Did she really know her?

“Why is that? I understand I broke up with her to be with Aiden, but I know she’ll come back to school tomorrow.”

“Her parents wouldn’t say. They also said don’t bother to come over to check up on her if that’s what you’re going to do. She won’t be there.”

“What happened? Is she okay? What’s wrong?” She started to panic. She did this to Roslyn. She felt lower than scum right now. But no…she couldn’t regret her decision of being Aiden. He was her world now.

“They wouldn’t tell me all of the details,” her mother said soothingly or at least tried to. It was hurting her daughter. She kissed Anna on the head and got up to go into the kitchen. “Tripp, don’t eat that! It’s almost time for dinner!”

Anna was so confused right now. Did Roslyn do something? Where was she going? How come she won’t be back for school? Were they moving? So many questions were swimming in her head so she sighed and continue to watch TV. At least she had Aiden, but she always knew Roslyn would be her best friend no matter what…