Lilah Reeves met Dylan Combs at the ripe age of 18 in college. Becoming pregnant with a little girl months after their relationship became public.
Once pregnant, lilah and Dylan married. Months later little Annie Combs was born. Lilah had to leave college life to become a full time mother, Dylan also left college to work for his small family.
Though Lilah and Dylans relationship started with love, welcoming a baby into their relationship made resentment grow. By the time little Annie was 5 years old, her mother left.
Lilah left the option open for Annie on who she stayed with overnight.
For years that's how it stayed, 50-50 custody until little Annie grew to be 13. Lilah got the job offer of a lifetime, moving across the country. The offer was open for Annie to come with her, Annie declined as she had friends and a life in the state she lived in.
By the time Annie was 8 years old, Dylan remarried to her step mother- Margaret, bringing her same-aged step brother into the family. Kyson.
Kyson never knew his biological father, he was a product of a one night stand. So when his mother married Dylan, Kyson latched onto him like a stand in father.
Dylan had adopted Kyson as his own son months after he remarried.
But one thing Kyson could never shake was Annie. She knew both her parents, he was envious of the blood relationship she shared with her father.
He didn't hate Annie, he was just jealous of the strong relationship she has with her father. Kyson thought that once Dylan adopted him, that maybe their relationship would become stronger. More like blood related father and son. Not step father- step son.
But Kyson noticed how delicately Dylan treated Annie, how he looked at her like she was his whole world. Jealousy burned brighter. Kyson often encouraged bullies in their school to focus on Annie.
Hoping that maybe if they broke her at school she would recluse herself to her room. To never speak to her father, or anyone, ever again.
And in a way it worked. Annie became more closed off, quiet and to herself. She talked less with her parents and friends. Closed off to the world.
One day when Annie was 14 years old, she was walking the streets of her town alone. Headphones in her ears blasting metal music, aware of her surroundings but not closely paying attention.
Her black hoodie swayed slightly in the summer wind, her black ripped jeans clung closely to her legs. Sure she was hot, but she didn't care. Annie wasn't comfortable in her own body, and if she wasn't comfortable she didn't want others to be uncomfortable looking at her. So she barred through the heat, sweat beading down her forehead as she walked quietly.
As she was halfway across the bridge, someone grabbed ahold of her shoulder. Annie pulled her headphones out and turned around quickly to the sharp hand on her shoulder.
"Hey! I've been speaking to you!" Peggy squealed loudly, pushing Annie back forcefully, "are you trying to ignore me!?"
Peggy's long blonde hair swayed in the wind, her facial expression that of anger. Annie knew speaking would only bring more anguish so she kept quiet.
"Oh, cats got your tongue then huh?" Peggy teased, "perhaps this will make you speak!" Peggy slapped Annie's cheek hard, enough to leave a red handprint. Annie grunted as searing pain rippled through her cheek.
"Nothing? Huh, howabout this," Peggy then shoved Annie to the ground, kicking her in the ribs.
"Peggy! Let me have a go!" Another girls voice rang in Annie's ears, 'God no, not Vanessa,' Annie thought to herself.
Peggy was bad, but Vanessa was worse. Always after the affection of Annie's step brother, Kyson. Vanessa felt threatened by Annie's relationship with Kyson, though Vanessa didn't know that Annie and Kyson were not close. Vanessa thought that at home- they often slept together, made plans for the future. She thought that because it was frowned upon to sleep with a step sibling that, that was why Kyson let bullies do their thing with Annie, to keep their relationship under wraps.
But Vanessa was all wrong.
Vanessa stepped forward, her brown hair wafting around her as she stood above Annie with superiority. Vanessa swung her leg back and kicked Annie straight in the ribs with a crack. Continuing her assault. Then she pulled out a kn1fe, rolling the sleeves of her hoodie up, Vanessa sl1ced Annie's arms deeply. Annie winced and gasped at the pain radiating from her arms.
While Annie was on the ground, gasping for air that hurt her lungs, blood forming in the corner of her mouth, a silent sob escaping her lips. Vanessa grabbed Annie by her pitch black hair, pulling her up to her feet. Then, Vanessa shoved Annie, hard.
Annie's back hit the devider of the bridge, then another shove hit Annie in the chest, and before she knew it. Annie's back arched and she was falling. Headfirst into the water below.
A splash was heard from below, Peggy and Vanessa quickly ran off, giggling about what they had just done to Annie.
As Annie crashed down to the water, she let the cool water envelop her. She didn't fight to swim up, letting the water seep through her lips to her lungs.
And once her lungs started burning, she felt strong arms around her. She quickly lost consciousness as she was pulled to the surface. She felt lips breathing life back into her. As she coughed up water, her eyes stayed closed. Her body subcomming to the injuries and near-death. She slipped into a dreamless sleep.
The same strong arms carried her home, laying her gingerly onto her bed after taking off her soaked clothes and putting a night dress on her. He never looked to closely to her bare body, just doing what he thought was best.
But what he did notice was the sc@rs on her wrists, some new, some old.
He didn't know how much she was suffering, he didn't even know exactly why she was in the water where he found her.
But one thought stood out over all the others, she was depressed.