The Lexicon

Annie stared at herself in the mirror, listening to the water running in the sink. Her marred flesh glared back at her. She stared for a very long time, stared until David knocked on the bathroom door, asking if she was alright.

"I'm fine," she called back to him through the door. She heard his muffled sigh and smiled slightly, splashing water onto her face. She shut the tap off and put on her glasses.

Everything reflected in the mirror was perfectly clear then. Her red-orange hair curled in odd ways; it needed brushing. The freckles that dotted her face- except for where her scar was- could be seen easily. Her skin was rosy around her eyes, cheeks, and nose as she had been crying.

After another long moment of silence, David said, "Are you sure you're okay? You've been in there for three hours. I really need to shower, you know."

"Right, I'm sorry," Annie sighed and stepped back from the sink. She waited a couple minutes for the redness on her face to fade and then pulled the door open. "It's all yours now."

"I was kidding, but thanks. Annie- Annie? Please look at me." David gently tilted her face upward when she refused to meet his gaze. "You can take all the time you need. I'm just really worried about you."

"I'm fine," Annie smiled at him. "I promise."

"Your parents died and you're fine?" David said. He shook his head and frowned deeply. "I'm not buying it."

"I said I'm fine," Annie sighed. She pushed his hands away and brushed past him.

"Annie-" David began.

"Please don't, David," she turned toward him halfway and looked him in the eye as she cut him off. David visibly deflated. "I'm okay. I'm dealing with this in my own way. So please, just don't."

"Okay," David said.

He watched her for a moment as she walked away. When she disappeared into her room, he picked his clothes basket off the floor and entered the bathroom to shower.

Annie looked blankly out her bedroom window. There was nothing she wanted more than to cut out her heart- cut out her emotions. Her depression was affecting her in ways that she just didn't want it to.

But there was nothing she could do about it. It was a disease of her mind, and she would do no good with harming herself. Not that harming oneself would do any good anyway.

She sat down on her bed and folded her hands in her lap. It occurred to her then that she was still wearing the dress she had worn to the funeral. I should change, she thought.

After shutting her bedroom door she took off her dress and pulled on jeans and a clean t-shirt. They fit comfortably though loosely. Hadn't they fit her perfectly before? The reflection in her mirror told her that none of her clothes would fit her properly anymore: she had lost weight.

She almost broke down crying then. In her fragile state of mind the wight loss only added to the loss of her parents, and she had already been skinny to begin with. Annie tugged at her clothes, pulling loose parts behind her and watched in the mirror as they fit around her body. She was becoming skeletal.

David's knock on her bedroom door startled her. How long had she been lost in her thoughts for? She stepped away from her mirror, flushed beet red from the embarrassment of gazing at herself for so long.

"Hey, Annie? I'm sorry; for everything," David said, muffled by the door between them. "We're friends so I wanted to help, but it's your business and not mine. I should have just left it alone."

"So leave it alone," Annie said as she pulled the door open. She stared up at him. "Stop thinking about it; stop worrying about it. No, I'm not okay, but I will be. I have you here to look after me, don't I?"

"Yeah," David nodded.

"And that's more than I can ask for," she gave him a small smile. He smiled back at her and placed his hand gently on her shoulder.

"I'll always be here for you," David told her. Annie laughed.

"You have to be now; we're partners in crime."

"Oh, right," he laughed too. "Going on adventures together... Are you ready? We should get packing."

"I'm ready," Annie nodded. "At least you don't have to force me out of bed to go with you this time."

"Yeah," David laughed again. "Okay, I'm going to go pack my clothes and the food, and you can pack your clothes and anything else you want to bring."

"Keeping it light; we don't want to be weighed down," Annie reminded him.

"Right. Don't bring anything too heavy," he pointed at her before wandering off. Annie smiled and shook her head, turning and entering her room again.

She tossed her backpack on her bed and stuffed her two most favourite books inside. She didn't know if she'd even have the time to read, but if she did and she hadn't brought the books with her she definitely would have regretted it. Next she threw a few pairs of shirts and a couple pairs of jeans into the bag, zipped it up, and slung it over her shoulder.

"Are you ready yet?" Annie called out as she stepped back out into the hall. She found David in the kitchen space.

"Just about; I'm packing nonperishable foods now," he replied. He was putting bread and crackers and canned meats into one of the two bags he had with him. "You don't mind if the bread gets squished, do you? Because it's going to happen no matter what."

"I don't mind," Annie laughed, watching him struggle to stuff another box of crackers into the bag. "But before we go, we should have a real meal. We haven't really eaten any hot food in a while; at least I haven't."

"I agree; I haven't either. I was too busy trying to convince my mother that I'm not a complete waste of space in the short while we've been back," David said. He finally forced the crackers in and zipped the bag shut.

"So, Pizza Ranch?" Annie suggested.

"I thought you wanted real food?" David set his bags next to the sofa.

"Pizza counts as real food," Annie nodded, her facial expression stern.

"No, come on," David laughed and took her bag from her, setting it next to his two. "Let me take you to Olive Garden."

"But I want pizza," she said, following him to the door. He took his wallet out, counting the money he had in it.

"Olive Garden does pizza," he mumbled. He smiled after he finished counting his money and stuffed his wallet back into his pocket, opening the door and looking back at Annie again. "We can share a pizza and some pasta at Olive Garden. And they have fantastic bread sticks."

"Fine," Annie rolled her eyes.

"Then, after you, my dear," David grinned and stuck his arm out to guide her out the door.

"Very funny," she rolled her eyes again and stepped out.

"What? Ladies first," David said as he shut the door behind them. He locked it as well.

"I am not your dear," Annie said, turning to look at him.

"Oh, okay," David nodded. He looked slightly bummed, but there were more pressing matters at hand in the mind of Annie.

"Does this place even have an Olive Garden?" she asked, wringing her hands together. "Because I know it does have a Pizza Ranch."

"Yes," David chuckled, stepping out in front of her and taking the lead. "My mother used to take us there from time to time. Good food."

"Well, it'll be slightly cheaper if we eat at Pizza Ranch?" she gave on last attempt.

"We're eating at Olive Garden, Annie, and I'm going to buy you a rather delicious and somewhat expensive pizza," David wouldn't budge. "Whether you like it or not. But you will like it; it's pizza."

"Oh, fine," Annie crossed her arms over her chest as they walked, drawing attention from passersby. She quickly uncrossed her arms and covered the scar on her face, bumping into David as she quickened her pace.

"Hey! What's up with you?" David asked, turning around to face her. When he saw her current state he softened, gently grasping her shoulders.

"People are staring," she mumbled, still hiding her marred flesh. Nobody was looking at them anymore, and David decided to comfort her anyway. He took her hands away from her face.

"Annie, you are beautiful," he said quietly. He took her glasses off her face gently, leaning closer so she could see him clearly. "If anyone's going to stare, it's because they can't believe that they're seeing an angel."

Annie's face grew very warm, and she moved to cover it again. David held fast onto her hands.

"Look at me," he said. She did so. "I mean it: you are the most beautiful girl I've seen."

He gently placed her glasses back on her face and trailed his fingertips gently over her scar. The distance between them closed slowly, and for a brief moment Annie thought he was going to kiss her. He changed direction at the last second and blew lightly on her ear. Annie squeaked, and David laughed, taking her hand and slipping his fingers between hers as he pulled back.

"Come on, let's go eat," he grinned, loving the blush that was present on her cheeks. He lead her off in the direction of Olive Garden, and Annie was left to wonder what his lips might have felt like on hers.