Dust

Annabel woke up lazily to the sound of her radio alarm clock singing Kickstart by Example. She was still utterly exhausted, but smiled at her favourite song. She turned over and sat up, humming along. Then she looked out the window by her bed. The sky was grey, nearly black and it was absolutely pouring with rain. She closed her curtains, her mood dampened by the weather and got up to make the bed. Flipping up the duvet so it would lie down neat, a piece of paper fluttered off of her pillow and on to the floor by her feet. Annabel picked it up and sat back down on her bed. Written on the paper was;

Annie,
Sorry, I got up early so I could go home and get ready for school. I'll see you there.
Rhys
P.s, Thanks for putting me up last night, it was kinda perfect :)
xxxxxx

Annabel beamed, remember last night perfectly. Rhys had spent the night around hers and they'd fallen asleep in the same bed, his arms wrapped around her, whilst she rested her head on the chest. She had also thought it was prefect. In fact it was a dream come true to her but she had been to scared to say unless he hadn't felt the same way.
She smiled and grabbed her phone; she needed to talk to Jenny. Three new messages. wow! I've never been so popular before! she thought, opening her inbox. She laughed when she saw they were all from Jenny!

Message one, Jenny.
OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! :D :D :D

Typical Jenny!

Message two, Jenny.
OMG!! I had the most amazing time EVER! We have to talk, text me back! :D xxxx

Message three, Jenny.
Ahhhh! I just can't get over it! :D Text me back!!! xxxxxxx

Annabel laughed and began to text back,

Jens, your right we really do need to talk. I kinda have a lot to say too. :/ Guessing last night was a good'en for you then! :L See you later, love you xxxxx

Annabel skipped down the stairs, high on the smell of pancakes. She guessed that her parents weren't at home and so wasn't surprised when she opened the kitchen door and found Caroline standing over the oven about to flip a pancake but was surprised when she saw Jenny sat on top of their freezer cheering Caroline on.
"Morning!" Annabel said, grabbing their attention.
"Morning!" They both replied. Jenny jumped off the freezer, the biggest smile on her face, and hugged Annabel tightly. Annabel chuckled, "Your eager this morning!"
"Yeah well you text me saying you wanted to talk and I wanted to too so I thought I may as well come early. Well, that and the fact that Tessa is ill so I just came straight round yours."
"Awesome, well not about Tessa that kinda sucks."
They had stopped hugging at that point and Annabel had began to lay the table for her pancake breakfast, laying a extra space for Jenny, knowing that she would want some of her god mothers speciality.
"Your parents are not here Annabel." Caroline informed her.
"I'd guessed as much somehow" She'd replied under her breath, slight venom in her words. "They can't seem to last more than a week at home before disappearing on work." Caroline turned from the pancake, which she was now putting cherries inside and smothering with cherry source, to face Annabel.
"You know they can't help it. It's their job."
"Yeah I guess." She said.
"Anyway, they told me to tell you that they're sorry, and they'll try their hardest to be back for your birthday tomorrow. Also that they love you." Caroline smiled and handed Jenny a pancake, "And anyway, you've got me here now!" She then handed Annabel the other pancake. Annabel kissed Caroline on the cheek and took the pancake. "Thank you. Your my very own Fairy Godmother!" They all laughed at that, though Jenny didn't know the meanings meant behind it.
Caroline popped the pan into the sink then began to leave the kitchen.
"You not eating?" Jenny asked, as Caroline reached the door.
"Nahh, I'm sure you guys have loads to catch up on and I don't want to get in your way."
"Oh please, your great with guy advice! It's like that time I wasn't sure if Connor liked me and then he came over and it was like you read his mind or something! You knew he liked me."
Annabel remembered how weird that actually was at the time. I guess now it makes prefect sense. Caroline chuckled and looked directly at Annabel, who smiled back.
"Well, boys are generally much easier to read than girls are." She continued to look Annabel when she said that with the look of a teacher, then cheerily looked at Jenny and said, "Anyway, I have some shopping to do." She tapped her nose with her finger and winked at Jenny.
"Oh gosh, I wonder what that might be for then." Annabel said, her voice filled with sarcasm.
"Never you mind!" Jenny exclaimed and turned to the dining room to munch on her pancake. Annabel followed.

"So shoot. I can tell you've been dying to tell me as soon as we sat down. How did the date go with Justin?" That was all Jenny need to hear, she instantly jumped into exactly what had happened on their date;
"Well, after you had left us we went for a walk around the park. It was so sweet, we held hands like the whole time and we talked and talked and talked and well talked! Just about everything, each others families, our favourite Movies and t.v shows, school, animals, pets, oh and about our friends! We talked about them like lots! Don't worry I told him all your embarrassing stories!" She winked at Annabel who rolled her eyes, knowing full well the kind of stories Jenny would of told him. "I also kind of let slip that you'd never had a boyfriend, ummm sorry." She looked at Annabel apologetic , Annabel's mouth fell open.
"Oh. My. Gosh! How could you? You do realise he's probably gonna think I'm a freak and is more than likely gonna tell all his friends who are also gonna think I'm an utter freak!"
"Jeez, Annabel calm down, he thought it was cute, and I made him promise not to tell anyone else. I'm not a douche, god!"
"Yeah but what's a promise among best friends? God knows we tell each other everything! He'll tell Rhys for sure and...
"Oh! We talked about Rhys too by the way." Annabel's ear's pricked up at this point and she calmed down.
"Really? What sort of things?" She asked trying to sound nonchalant and failing completely!
"Well, you know his girlfriend? Well he liked her for ages before they got together and then like when he did he was so happy!" Annabel looked down at her now empty plate, thinking about the letter. It had said "P.s, Thanks for putting me up last night, it was kinda perfect :)" and she had instantly thought of when they had fallen asleep in each others arms, but after what she had just heard it couldn't been right. He probably just meant what had happened before that, the whole 'lesson' they had learnt with Caroline, when they're learn't some of the Fairies history. It had been totally awesome, and sure as hell out of this world, but perfect? Not her choice of words.
"Annabel, Annabel!"
"Oh right sorry, I phased, carry on."
"You sure? You okay? I guess I shouldn't have told you that." Jenny looked worried
"I'm fine, I want to know."
"Well, I does get better."
Annabel smiled at her, trying her hardest to look happy while taking the folded letter out of her trouser pocket.
"Okay well, yeah they got together but then she slept with her ex and Rhys caught them!"
"Oh my! What a slag!"
"I know right! But anyway, he was totally choked up about it but stayed with her because he liked her so much, but apparently she's a total whore and none of is friends like her." If he liked her so much why did he lean in to kiss me in the nurses office? She thought.
"But now he likes someone else! So might be dumping her!"
"What? Who?"
"I dunno, Justin wouldn't tell me, he said 'If it is going to happen then it's going to happen.' "
"What a lame ass!" Annabel joked, but then got a kick under the table, "Ow! Okay, I'm sorry, what a truly handsome and deep young man!" She laughed.
"To right! And anyway you can't take the mickey, you know it is the kind of thing you would say!"
"Too true, too true!"
"Oh god! Is that the time? We best get going to school!"
They got up and dropped the empty plates in the sink. They both grabbed their bags and headed for the door, Annabel gave Lucy a quick stroke before they left.
"So anyway, carry on. What else happened." Annabel asked Jenny,
"Oh right yeah, so after about six maybe we were both hungry and he lead me to this field just outside the park. It was so sweet, right in the middle of it he'd layed out a picnic for us!"
"Awww, bless him! Who'd have thought it, someone like him" Annabel thought aloud.
"Yeah I know right! Oh and we kissed!"
"Yay, Jenny!" They jumped up and down on the spot for a while hugging. Then smiling they both made their way to school!

Annabel and Jenny both stood in the courtyard, waiting. Jenny had finished off telling Annabel about her evening when Justin creeped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Hey you." He whispered into her ear, just loud enough so Annabel could hear. Annabel had to wipe a tear from her face at the look of their faces. They both looked so utterly happy, like when something that you want to happen for so long finally does happen and you could scream your so happy. Jenny turned around in his arms and wrapped her own around his neck, hugging him tightly.
"Hey"
"I missed you."
"I missed you too" Justin opened his eyes then and looked at Annabel, he blushed embarrassed that Annabel had witnessed that whole scene.
"Umm, I'm guessing that Annabel knows everything now?" He asked, unwrapping himself from Jenny who reluctantly followed suit.
"I kind of maybe, let slip about how I spent last night...a little bit" he laughed at her.
"Only a little bit!" Annabel exclaimed, laughing too.
It was about then that Annabel caught sight of Rhys, who was walking up towards them. He smiled and waved at her, one hand held behind his back. Wonder what that's about. She waved back though, happily.
When he reached them he went straight to Annabel.
"Hey!"
"Hello" Oh god, I just said hello! Who says hello?
"I was walking into school today and I saw this, it reminded me of you." He took his hand from behind his back and handed her a single bluebell. It instantly reminded her of her dress from from last night, when they'd been in Anima cercando, Soul searching or whatever it was. When they'd all been they're 'true selves'. She smiled.
"Thank you" then unexpectedly she reached up and kissed him on the cheek.
"Wayyyyy!" Logan cried out from behind her. Sounds like Logan and Andy have arrived then. They both blushed, and Rhys went to talk to them whilst Annabel turned to Jenny. Who was looking at her, with a face completely filled with shock!
"I can not believe you just did that! What the hell have you not told me? Why is Rhys giving you flowers?" The words piled out of her mouth in hushed whispers. Annabel looked at Justin and then back at Jenny. Jenny nodded in understanding, "Geography?"
Annabel nodded, "Geography."

Annabel's heart sank just a little when she walked into her Geography lesson only to find Mr Gibson wasn't there. Darn. He was one of her favourite teachers, he was an utter legend, and everyone in the small class (there were about thirteen of them) loved him. Jenny was already sat in their normal place, doodling hearts and dinosaurs in her planner. Annabel sat down beside her and got out her stuff. Then sat quietly as the sub did the register and handed out the work, which was easy enough - in twos or threes create a poster informing people on the pros and cons of tourism, focusing on Australia, using the work from previous lessons. It was really a one lesson task and would no way fill up the triple they had, but neither Jenny nor Annabel were complaining; more time to talk.

"Fuck me sideways!" Jenny whispered, "Your actually serious?"
"Yes I am! I know it's weird and kind of a lot to take in but believe me it's true." Annabel had just finished explaining everything that had happened last night. Starting with when they had departed, her near rape, the rescue, flashing in front of Rhys, finding out Caroline, Rhys and herself were Fairies, the 'lesson', falling asleep in Rhys's arms and the letter he had left her, which Annabel shown had her. She hadn't failed to tell Jenny about the promise Rhys had made to her either, his worded filling her senses as she remembered; “I know it’s a lot to take in, I’m learning to, but I can still help you and I promise you, I will help you. No matter what day, what time, where you are, who you’re with, who I’m with, I don’t care. You’re all that matters and I’m here for you. I promise.”
"So your a Fairy?" Jenny's already hushed voice hushed even more as she whispered the last part.
"Yeah" She half smiled at Jenny who hugged her tightly.
"Oh Annabelly!" She said, using a nick name Annabel hadn't been called in a long time "I always knew you were special, this just proves it! I'm happy for you...I think. How do you feel about it?" They untwisted from their hug and Jenny looked at Annabel with complete seriousness.
"Jenny, you know your the greatest and moat amazing best friend anyone could ever ask for? Any other person would either not believe me, think I'm an utter freak or had completely lost it, you on the other hand continue to stick by me. Thank you."
Jenny wiped a tear from her eye and hugged her again. "Right back at you! So yeah, how do you feel about it?"
"Well, I don't know. It's so much! I think I think it's cool, you know. Like wow! I'm a Fairy, and god know's I'm over the moon about what's happening with Rhys, although it sucks he's got a girlfriend. And then there's the whole near rape thing, which I'm not even sure has hit me yet!"
"Yeah, I see where your coming from. Damn, it must be hard to be you."
"You think?" They both laughed then, earning stern looks from the sub.
"Well at least it's your birthday tomorrow! Party, party, party!"
"Yeah baby!"
After that they got on with their poster, still talking. Jenny asked question's about the 'lesson' they's had last night, and other stuff about Fairies, but other course the conversation soon found its way back to the boys. Like it would with these girls.