Chapter 2 : Breaking The Habit

All of a sudden a bright, breathtakingly beautiful light shone on him, making him look positively beautiful. “Wow Eddie. You--You look like an angel!” she whispered. “Thanks. I think you look better than an angel,” he smiled. Music could be heard, lovely, peaceful music. Slowly, he began to fade away. “Bye Anna,” he grinned and gave her a final wave. And he was gone. It was as if he was never there.

 

“Everything just, just disappeared Eddie! Everything! It was as if you didn’t exist, you never existed. Everything there was about you vanished. I couldn’t find a single trace of evidence that you were there. That you’d promised me you’d come back. Everybody thought I’d gone mad you know. Really.” He didn’t say anything. “What happened to you anyway? You’ve changed,” she told him. 

 

After awhile, he sighed. “Come on, we’d better go. I’ll walk you home.” She shrugged and followed him.

 

“So, what happened after I left?” Edmund asked her. “Nothing much. Mom and dad thought you were my imaginary friend. They sent me to a shrink. Eventually I kinda ... forgot.” She hadn’t told a lie, she reminded herself. She just left out some parts. She hadn’t told him of all those nights spent tossing and turning on her bed, having nightmares. The fact that everybody back at her old school picked on her and he was never there to protect her, be her knight in shining armor. How everyday she would wait at the same spot he’d vanished, waiting for him to come back until finally she decided she couldn’t wait any longer. 

 

“Oh.” Was it just her or did he seem a little dismayed? Well he couldn’t possibly expect her to open up again, especially after he miraculously came back, quite literally, from the dead. She came to an abrupt stop in front of her house. “Where do you live now?” she asked him. He smirked. “Curiosity killed the cat.” “But satisfaction brought it back,” she spat back. “You never know though Anna. You never know when I might leave again.” With those words, he left her standing there, bewildered.

 

Leanna watched his retreating figure and quietly shut the screen door behind her. Why did he suddenly decide to come back? Now of all times? She was getting along fine without him and now he had to return. He was just going to leave her again and let her pick up the broken pieces which were her heart. Sure, she’d wanted him back before, but now she was beginning to have her doubts. 

 

Snow fell from the sky and enveloped their garden in a beautiful blanket of white. He lay there quietly, unmoving. If it weren’t for the slow rise and fall of his chest, she would have thought he was dead. She placed a tentative hand on his arm. Suddenly, he sat upright and flung snow at her. Laughing and tripping over her feet she picked up snow and threw it at him.

 

Leanna rushed to class, hoping her teacher wouldn’t mind the fact that she was fifteen minutes late. Her alarm clock failed to wake her that morning. Why, she thought, am I so tired? 

 

“Miss Leanna. What is your excuse for being tardy?” “Uh, well, I couldn’t wake up?” she blushed involuntarily. She could hear her friends snickering away and glared at them to shut up. To her surprise, Edmund was sitting next to Robyn chatting away amiably. Since when had he been part of their group? 

 

“This is not acceptable young lady,” Miss Rogers said and continued babbling. But she was right! Miss Rogers was right! This really wasn’t acceptable. Why was Edmund sitting with her friends?

 

“I’m afraid I have to give you detention. See me after class to collect your slip.” the prim lady smirked. Leanna sighed and flopped down in the front row. She had seen Lynda and Alex gesturing for her to sit with them but she decided otherwise. The sight of Robyn and Edmund flirting was making her sick in the stomach. 

 

Later, when she was stopping at her locker to switch books, she felt someone watching her. True enough, Edmund was behind her locker door. Suddenly angry, she wondered what would happen if she slammed the door on his all too perfect face and exclaimed, oops, accident! Deep inside though, she knew she would never do that, not to Edmund. To Robyn maybe. God, when had she become so mean, not to mention, bitchy? 

 

“My next class is Chemistry.” he drawled as she shut her locker. She raised her eyebrows and glared at him. “I care why?” “You’re my student guide. You have to care. I need to know where the lab is?” he grinned smugly. “Why don’t you ask Robyn then, since you’re both so chummy,” Leanna snapped back. For a moment, she thought she saw his eyes flash. “I would, but she’s not my student guide,” he smiled, a genuine smile. 

 

She could see a lights, beautiful lights everywhere. Then the lights morphed into fire. Hot, scorching fire. It burned her, making her see stars everywhere. A laugh, a wicked, wicked laugh rang in her ears, making them hurt. “Eddie!” she cried out. She wanted Eddie. Why wasn’t he coming to her rescue? 

 

Leanna lined up to buy her lunch when she felt a tap on her shoulder. Whirling around, she found Alex grinning at her like an idiot. “What?” she asked him. “What’s up with Robyn and lover boy over there?” “Huh?” she replied. “Look,” he said and pointed towards the direction of Edmund and Robyn. Robyn was sitting so close to Edmund she was literally on his lap. 

 

She felt something in her snap and growled. “Whoa, overprotective much. I didn’t know you had a thing for Edmund,” he teased. She glared at Alex. “I do not have a thing for Edmund. If you would kindly never mention that again, I will refrain from tearing you apart with my own bare hands and then setting fire upon your remains.” “Ouch, ain’t that a bit harsh?” he smirked. Sighing, Leanna paid for her food and casually made her way to the table all her friends were sitting at whilst Alex tagged along beside her. “No, it isn’t.” she replied.