Sequel: Best Expectation
Status: I wanted to upload something.

Best Woman

thirteen.

Later on that evening, Daniel was doing the night feeds, and Annabelle was in the paddock, stroking Mad Hatter gently, murmuring sweet words. Daniel halted by the fence, noticing the beautiful blonde in the field.

He didn’t hear the footsteps behind him: “Always the animal lover….” Evan commented, and Daniel jumped, half turning and facing the older boy.

Evan and Daniel had this tension between them, either it be testosterone or jealousy of one another, neither of them could be sure, but enough to say they hadn’t got off on friendly terms.

“She belongs here, she loves this place.” Daniel mentioned, and Evan felt his heart skip at the thought, in dread of Annabelle leaving the city.

“She loves the city too much too…” Evan tried to reason, but Daniel chuckled, almost in disbelief and Evan immediately got pissed off.

“What?” he snapped, and Daniel smirked cockily.

“You think she’s going to wait around for you? Wait for you to realise?” Daniel threatened and Evan glared harshly.

“What do you mean?” he muttered bitterly. Daniel scoffed: “Geez, you city folk can be so stupid sometimes…” Daniel grumbled.

Evan squared up immediately, hating to be humiliated: “You got a problem?” he hissed, and Daniel immediately backed down, he’d gone too far, and he knew it would upset Annabelle as he felt her gaze on them.

Annabelle had that effect.

“Nothing man…just open your eyes a little.” Daniel murmured, and brushed his shoulder, walking away. Evan huffed, and looked out to Annabelle, who was staring at him, shading her eyes and looking at him.

He nodded his head towards her, acknowledging her, arms crossed and fury burning at him, hating how Daniel made him feel like an idiot.
--
Into the second week, Evan mentioned the wedding:

“Ellie won’t stop calling me…” he groaned, and as he sat on the stool in Razor’s stable, watching as Annabelle groomed him.

“Well answer the phone then…” Annabelle chirped. Evan sighed: “I don’t want too, it feels like it’s intruding on our time…” he argued.

Annabelle rolled her eyes: “Just answer it Evan, and then she’ll get her knickers out of a knot…” she said, and Evan chuckled, and answered his phone.

“Hey baby.” He greeted, and Annabelle felt a stab in her stomach, jealousy and bitterness rushing to her gut.

Evan murmured knowing noises, obviously not listening and stared at Annabelle, who bent down to attend to Razor’s legs. Evan found his eyes, on male instinct most probably, to Annabelle’s ass, perfectly shaped, almost peach like in her demine shorts.

“Mmhm…” Evan purred, almost trance like. He was fascinated at the bit of skin showing as her t-shirt was riding up.

“Yeah, course honey…whatever you like…” he said in response. Ellie snapped at him, and he shook himself of the trance.

“Evan!” she hissed in his ear.

“What?” he snapped, and Ellie was taken back.

“I said, your cousins haven’t replied to the invites…our wedding is in almost six weeks!” Ellie screeched. Evan rolled his eyes.

“Well just call my aunt…” he told her. Annabelle left the stable, and Evan didn’t move, wanting to get off the phone.

“It’s your freakin’ aunt!” Ellie said agitated.

“I’m on vacation Ellie, we agreed you wouldn’t do this! This is the last time I get to spend time with Annie!” Evan argued, angry at Ellie’s constant nagging. He’d already been texted multiple times about this, and amongst other things.

“You obviously don’t care about the wedding then.” Ellie cried, getting upset and soon started to cry. Evan felt immediately guilty and sighed.

“Ellie, baby…I’m sorry…” he murmured sweetly, not wanting to fight anymore. Annabelle walked back in and smiled sadly, before mouthing she was going for lunch. Evan nodded, and motioned he’d be in a minute.

Ellie hiccupped on the phone: “I’m sorry too…I’m just so stressed out, I want it to be perfect!” she sobbed.

“It will be, because I’m marrying you…” Evan cooed.

It never felt more wrong to say.

Evan frowned to himself, as Ellie was rambling her love for him: “I love you too sweetie…” he said, almost too quickly in response.

“I’ll call your Aunt…” Ellie sighed, and Evan smiled slightly.

“Thanks baby, I’ll see you when I get home.” He told her, and Ellie breathed gently on the phone.

“I miss you, I didn’t think I would, but I really do.” Ellie said firmly. Evan wasn’t sure how to feel about that, so he just told her what she needed to hear:

“I miss you too baby, be home soon.” And eventually, they hung up.

Evan buried his face in his hands, running them slowly over his eyes and lips, dragging them out of place, groaning.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck.” He hissed, his brain in scrambles, and this overly sick feeling in his stomach. It must be nerves, he thought.
--
By Wednesday, Annabelle wasn’t missing home, and Evan had to admit, he too loved the whole trip. Spending time with Annabelle’s family, and her alone, and the countryside, it was perfect.

It was great to think about things.
But sometimes, he kept losing himself in scary thoughts: like doubting his to-be-marriage.

A storm was coming, and after a comfortable family dinner, Annabelle and Evan retreated to her room, both lounging on her bed, sighing with contentment.

“That roast was one of the best roasts I’ve ever had…” Evan said, burping slightly. Annabelle smiled, and felt a swell of happiness in her stomach.

“Have you enjoyed this trip?” she asked, knowing their time together was nearing an end.

Evan sat up, propping himself up on wall: “I’ve loved it Annie…” he said, smiling at her, his beautiful smile.

“Thanks so much for doing this for me you really are the best friend I could ever had.”
And just like that, the happiness subsided: “Yeah, best friends.” Annabelle grumbled to herself, knowing Evan wouldn’t notice. She’d been doing that for so long, and he never once noticed.
Rain began to pour down outside, thunder was cracking. Evan loved storms, and closed his eyes, peacefully listening to it.

Annabelle however, hated them and tensed, desperately needing to be hugged.
Evan opened one eye and saw her tense jaw and shoulders: “Come ere’…” he mumbled, and without a second of doubt, Annabelle curled up to him, and he wrapped an arm around her.

“I hate storms…” she muttered.

Evan smirked to himself: “They won’t hurt you…” he told her, but Annabelle didn’t say anything.
It was minutes before he spoke again, and Evan would come to haunt his words:

“Am I doing the right thing?” he asked her, he knew what he was asking, and she knew what he was saying, and then Annabelle didn’t know what happened to her.

“You mean Ellie?” she asked quietly, feeling the touching between them feel wrong now.
She moved away slightly, and he squeezed her back.

“Yeah, like…I keep…thinking about it.” he sighed, and Annabelle rolled her eyes.

“I’ve told you this before Evan –” she began, but Evan interrupted her.

“I know, and I love Ellie, I really do.” Punch in the face for Annabelle there.

“But sometimes, it feels weird.” He finished, and Annabelle sighed, this horrible ugly feeling in her stomach.

“Well, maybe you shouldn’t marry her.” She muttered bluntly, and for once, for the wrong time, Evan heard.

“What?” he asked harshly, sitting up roughly, the two friends sat apart. Annabelle couldn’t explain how the fury overcome her, but suddenly, she had enough of the bullshit.

“You heard me. Don’t marry her.” She enunciated.

This wasn’t what Evan had wanted to hear, this wasn’t what he’d been hearing every time he had asked Annabelle if he was doing the right thing.

“But you said I should, you told me –” Evan rambled angrily, getting pissed off with her moods.

“For god sake Evan!” she shouted, and got up, away from him, like he had burned her. Evan stared at her startled, unable to speak yet. Annabelle glared daggers at him, her blood boiling, she was raged, she was heartbroken, she was sick to death of hearing Evan’s worries.

“You ask me shit like this all the time, doubting your engagement, and your love for Ellie! How the fuck am I supposed to know?” she hissed.

Evan gawped: “What is wrong with you?” he snapped, and Annabelle screamed into her hands, almost silently.

“All you’ve done is just doubt, doubt, doubt – if you’re that worried Evan, don’t fucking marry her.” Annabelle had never cursed so much in her life.
Evan’s shock then immediately faded, and like a fuse: he went off too.

“Well sorry for fucking talking to you about my feelings!” he shouted, and Annabelle laughed in disbelief.

“All I’ve ever done is care for you, and talk about your feelings Evan, what about mine?” she screamed, and now realising she was crying.

Evan looked at her in rage: “What about you?” he snapped, and it was like a slap, and although there was no physical pain, it hurt her, deep inside.

Annabelle screamed in frustration: “You don’t understand do you?” she sobbed.

It had flipped all so suddenly, and Evan felt like he’d been punched in the heart.

“Understand what? You’re not making any sense?” he shouted, not caring that her family may hear. She’d started it and he was freaking well going to finish it.

“You never asked me! You never once cared how I felt about this!” Annabelle rambled, crying, her words a mixture of sobbing and jumble.

Evan was now standing, tense and angry towards her: “I just wanted your assurance and you’re biting my ass off!” he snapped.

Annabelle was quick to reply: “I shouldn’t have to reassure you, Evan –” she spat viciously, “You’re getting married, you should know if you’re doing the right thing, I shouldn’t have to reassure you of your own damn heart!” she screamed in frustration.

“I’m scared!” he slammed back.

Annabelle hiccupped, trying to control herself: “Life is scary Evan, you need to grow up!” she sobbed.
Evan groaned in irritation: “Why are you overreacting?” he demanded, and Annabelle shook her head.

“Because you’re so blind, Evan – you’re so blind.” She cried at him, and before he could shout at her again, she walked out, slamming the door behind, the noise mixing with the thunder.
♠ ♠ ♠
double post because I wanted to and you guys deserve it :)