Ani stared up at the bell tower, watching the second hand tick away at a snail's pace. He loved to watch time pass like the constant change of the human mind.
He pushed the bag on his shoulder up higher before he started back towards the school. He didn't rush. The bell had already rung and he would be late either way. His pants dragged the ground, making an irritating noise and he had to keep adjusting his giant shirt so that it didn't look sideways. Brushing his red hair out of his dirt colored eyes he stopped at the classroom door, sighing as he opened it.
'Mr. Thompson. Thank you for gracing this lowly class with your presence.'� The snide teacher pointed for him to sit down. 'Keep this up and you'll end up failing my class.'�
Ani plopped down in the chair appointed to him and leaned back, propping his leg on the desk. The teacher ignored him, thinking of writing him up but decided he would wait for a more unpleasant incident to do so.
A girl sitting next to Ani crossed her legs watching the teacher write on the board. She wore a plaid skirt and knee-high sock with Gir plastered in strange positions with even stranger quotes. Her all black converse matched her long, tight shirt that sported a sewn on heart near her left breast. Her long, curly hair rested like a dirty blonde coronet on the back of her head in a tight bun.
Ani couldn't stop staring at her then looked into the brown eyes she had turned to his. She smiled and pointed at his leg and then the floor. She wanted him to put his leg down. He dropped his foot with a loud thud then turned to her.
'Who do you think you are?'� He asked in a hushed, demanding voice.
She smiled sweetly. 'Annabelle Clark. Senior. Born July'�'� she paused and regained her smile. 'My name's Annabelle.'�
Ani shook his head. 'That's not what I meant.'�
She put her fingers to her lips and started writing on a blank sheet of paper. 'I knew what you meant. But you weren't specific so I replied with the exact answer for your question.' She handed the note to him and focused her attention back on the board.
Ani glared and decided to write back. 'Are you being a smartass?' Handing her the note he felt a little bad when he realized he couldn't take it back. He was surprised when she smiled ear-to-ear. Confusion crossed his normally stoic features.
She scribbled quickly, making sure the teacher didn't notice before she folded it up and slid it onto his desk.
'I'm brilliant. But an ass I am not.' She smiled and pushed her bangs away from her eyes. He could tell she was a generally happy person.
'We should hang out sometime. You seem pretty cool.' He wrote.
Annabelle didn't write back this time.

The class ended and Annabelle walked out before the last tone of the bell. Ani bolted out of the room after her, catching her hand in his. She turned, confused. Pulling her hand from his she began to walk away, laughing at his sigh of frustration.
'I wouldn't mind hanging out with you.'� She replied. 'But you have to promise to be my true friend and not leave me when something bad happens.'� He nodded.

A few weeks passed and they became more than friends. Going on dates to the beach and to small restaurants.
Annabelle found it a bit strange considering Ani had gone from horrible grades to an A student in so little time. 'Ani, why don't you try any of the work on your own?'� She sighed, holding his hand. 'You always copy off my work and I don't know if you're actually learning anything.'�
'Of course I am.'� He looked hurt, but a spark in his eyes scared her slightly. 'You just make me want to be better at life.'�
Annabelle shook her head with a small grin. 'Okay. I believe you.'�

It didn't take long for their relationship to go down hill as the school year neared its end. Ani became distant and quiet. Annabelle was worried.
'What's wrong Ani?'� Her voice was trembling slightly, afraid of his answer.
'Look. This has got to end Belle.'� She smiled at her nickname. 'I can't stand lying to you.'�
She looked up into his eyes, hurt. She already knew what he was getting at.
'I only dated you so I could cheat off of you in class and pass so I could graduate. I never really did like you.'� He didn't seem fazed by his words as he turned to walk away. When he turned back she thought everything would be okay. 'But now that I've passed I could care less what happens to you.'� He smirked slyly. 'See ya.'�
That was the last time Annabelle saw him. She went on to college and gained her doctorate degree in social sciences so she could become a therapist. She enjoyed her work.

Sitting in her office she jotted down notes about a patient when her next appointment walked in, a tall, gangly man with red hair and sad brown eyes.
'Ani?'� She asked. The man looked so much like him it was frightening.
'Yeah. Who are you?'� He didn't remember her. But why would he? He looked like he had been on drugs for the past few years, skin and bones with rotting out teeth. She was surprised to see him like this. She stood and walked over to him, holding out her hand for him to shake.
'I am Dr. Clark.'� She pointed to a chair. 'I will be your therapist. What are you here to talk about?'� She asked as she sat back down in her chair.
'I guess I wanted to say something to a girl I knew during high school. I couldn't find her. But I miss her. She was the only one who helped me get through the whole thing.'� He really didn't remember. 'I guess I was wrong. I hurt her and now look at me.'� He pointed to his raggedy clothes. She was surprised he could even pay for the session. 'She was so beautiful and she trusted me with all her heart. But I guess she's better off alone than to be with what I turned out to be.'�
Annabelle was quiet until she smiled brightly. 'I'm sure she forgives you."

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