**Annalise in the media, played by Loren Grey**

ANNALISE POV

"Beats of eight ladies!" My cheer captain, Jessica, yelled out to us.

Practice was just about to end, but she always wanted to run over.

"C'mon Jess! We were supposed to leave ten minutes ago. Can't we just work on this shit tomorrow?" My best, and only friend Carmen, yelled out in complaint.

She was the polar opposite of me, with Raven black hair that was dyed an electric blue at the tips. Her personality was just as spunky as her hair, it reflected her well.

"Alright, alright. Meet back here at the same time next week." Jessica finally dismisses us.

I flash a grateful smile to Carmen as I packed up my pompom's and water bottle.

"Wanna get something to eat with me before heading home? Pretty sure my moms cooking, so I don't want to be there for that." Carmen fake gags while grabbing her bag and helping me stand as well.

I laugh lightly at her insult to her mother's cooking.

"I can't, mom and dad have some news for us apparently. I was told to come straight home. Rain check?" I explained to her.

"Duh." She said with a smile and an eye roll before continuing,"See you tomorrow!"

I mumble a bye and make my way out to the parking lot where my mom waits in the car. I hurry to put the bag in the back of the seat and then make my way back to the front.

"How was practice?" She asks me while backing out of the school gates.

"It was fine." I vaguely answer as I scroll through my notifications I had received while at practice.

"Listen Anna, your father and I need to talk to you about something once we're home. Straight into the shower and then downstairs to the dinner table please." Her tone was serious as she instructed me on what to do.

I nodded at her and then continued to stare out the window as we pulled up to the gated community in which we lived in.

We pull into our driveway and I hop out of the car, eager to get a shower and hear what my parents had to say.

"Hey pumpkin." My dad greets me as I walk through the door.

"Hey." I smile at him in return.

"I thought I said to shower." My mom ends the conversation early as she lets out a sigh and shuts the door behind her.

"It can wait, she's not that sweaty anyways. I want to talk to her first, we need to break the news fairly quick." My dad catches my attention with his words.

Break what news? Is it bad?

"What news?" I voiced my thoughts as I look up at them confused.

"Take a seat Annalise." My Mom sighs out once more and leads me to the couch.

"Your mother and I have decided to spend the summer away." My dad starts out.

Okay? They travel lots, I'm used to staying home alone. What's different now?

"And we've decided you'll spend the summer with us this time." My mom finishes for him.

"Wait what? Why?" I scrunch up my nose in confusion.

"We think it'll be good for us to spend some family time together. I know you and Carmen had plans to go on that cruise, but you'll have to cancel." My dad explains.

"Are you serious?!" I stand up, the words settling in.

"Dead serious. Besides, this is new. It'll be plenty of fun." My Mom tries to assures me.

"What's better than a cruise?" I roll my eyes.

"Florenia." She replies shortly.

"Florenia? I've never even heard of that place." I roll my eyes and cross my arms over my chest.

I know it may seem like I'm being ungrateful, but Carmen and I have been looking forward to this cruise for months.

"Well now you have." My dad mutters out and stands.

I cut my eyes at him as I get up and go upstairs, ready to clean up with a hot shower. I already know Carmen is going to give me hell about it too, and I really don't want to think of it. I just wanted to go on vacation with my friend. Not family.

I strip down and relax under the steam of the shower, letting the hot water trickle down my pale skin. Surely leaving behind a red splotchy mess, but in the moment it feels amazing.

I firmly believe that showers and baths are the best places to do my thinking. This time in particular, I use my time to think of ways that I could possibly get out of going. I come to the conclusion that if I got out of it, then I wouldn't be able to go on the cruise anyways.

I finish rinsing off my hair that I had been subconsciously lathering. I let my fingers rake some conditioner on the ends before I rinse once more and turn off the water completely.

Goosebumps now litter my skin as I step out in the chilled air of my bathroom, my feet sinking into the memory foam bath mat.

Guess I better call Carmen and break the news now. Better to get it over with I guess.

I let out a sigh as I walk back into my bedroom, my towel clinging to me. I pick up the phone and tell Siri to call 'Firecracker'.

From the first day we met I never went back and changed her contact name. She reminded me of a firecracker, so it sorta stuck.

"Hey bitch." I hear Carmen speak from the other end.

"Hey." I mumble out, really not wanting to get to the point of why I'm calling.

"Ah hell. That's the voice you use when you're upset. Who am I murdering?" Carmen acknowledges my attitude quickly, and becomes protective of me.

"It's nothing really." I can't bring myself to make her upset.

"Annalise." She draws my name out, almost as if she was warning me.

I let out a small huff before answering her,"My parents are making me go on vacation with them. So that means no cruise."

I instantly cringe as the words leave my mouth, and hold the phone away from my ear preparing for her blowup.

"Where to?" Her calm tone takes me by surprise.

"O-oh. Uh, someplace called Florenia." I answer back.

"Holy shit no way! Take me!" She yells out and makes me jump, holding the phone far away from my ear.

"Gees! Thanks for blowing out my eardrum." I roll my eyes and switch the phone to speaker.

"Sorry. But seriously, you're incredibly lucky. I'm way jealous." Carmen answers.

"What's there to be jealous of?" I ask confused.

"Florenia is a whole different country! Didn't you hear about all the scandals our news would broadcast?" She asks.

"Scandals? Like what?" I ask in confusion.

How had she heard of this place and I hadn't?

"Well for one, the kings are insanely hot. Second of all, they shut off the docks and all air flights. They wouldn't let anyone come in, or anyone leave. It's like they fell off the grid." She tells me.

Kings? As in plural?

"Well at least until last year. That's when it started becoming such a popular tourist attraction. Once they opened it to the public at least." She furthers her explanation.

"Lucky me I guess." I answered, not knowing how to reply.

I can hear her scoff from the other side.

"Look we'll talk more about this later. I gotta go sign for the pizza before my mom gets too but hurt about me not eating her cooking." She tells me.

I let out a laugh before saying bye and hanging up.

Maybe going to Florenia could be a good thing. Only time will tell.