Breathe Me

See You Again

It's been a long day without you, my friend
And I'll tell you all about it when I see you again
We've come a long way from where we began
Oh, I'll tell you all about it when I see you again
When I see you again

ONE YEAR AND ONE MONTH LATER

Alison's POV

"I'm taking my break, Ru!" I call to her, taking my apron off and slamming it down on the counter.

"See ya, Al!" She calls cheerfully. "You better come back!"

"Maybe I won't!" I tease, sticking my tongue out at her.

After a year I know everyone in town and they're my family now. Even cranky old Mel, who barely ever comes outside.

Here I'm known as, Al. I like it. Even if it's a boy name I think there's some strange charm to it. Besides if it was Ali, I think it'd remind me too much of my old life which I've almost completely forgotten about.

Except at night I remember again and that's when the tears come. I've gotten a lot better, but still not where I need to be. I don't cut, and I love my life and I love all the friends I've made here. Ru has helped me a lot.

But something is still missing in my life, like a hole in my soul and I can't be entirely happy without it. The problem is that I can't figure out what "it" is.

I walk down to the little bookstore to get a new book.

When I came here, I only had my old worn out copy of Great Expectations, but a year later I've started a whole collection of books, most old ones. Classics.

I have a little cottage too, at the edge of town by the ocean.

I didn't have to pay for it because within a few months of living here, the old lady that lived there, Granny Judy, wrote me into her will and left it to me. She said a pretty young girl like me has to have somewhere proper to live.

So now I live in that little cottage by the sea.

"Hey, Emma." I say to the teen working at the register.

"Hey, Al." She smiles.

I walk back to the classic section and skim through titles. Luckily they constantly get in new books or I'd have them all by now. Another favorite is Lolita. It's so creepy and disgusting, but so beautifully written.

My finger catches on a thick, worn-looking red book. The spine says The Princess and The Goblin by George MacDonald. I snicker at his last name but pull it off the shelf. The copy write says 1872 and I raise my eyebrows, cracking it open.

After the first chapter I conclude that it's a good book about a princess Irene that is kept inside and they say it's to protect her.

It reminds me of my old life and I can't put it down. I keep reading, wanting to know more about the goblins and why she can't go outside.

"Breaks over by now, Al." Emma calls from the front.

"Thanks."

I pay for the book and go back to work.

After work I keep reading. It's long.

In the book, Irene's grandma (or really great great great etc. grandma) reminds me a lot of Ru. And Curdie, the boy she ends up liking reminds me of... her.

I don't want to think about her, but I want to finish reading.

And I do in that night. It's 251 pages but I finish.

It's now my second favorite book in the world, I've decided.

It does remind me of her... but in kind of a good way. I still love her.

Emily's POV

Since we conveniently got into schools near each other, Hanna, Spencer, Aria and I are roommates in an apartment off campus.

It's been a year since Alison disappeared for the second time and there's been no report of her death on the news so we haven't stopped looking.

We took a half year hiatus, but we've just started up again.

I'm sitting on my bed reading. School is out and there's nothing much left to do. It's summer.

I still think about her everyday. On our hiatus I tried to date, tried to move on, but I couldn't. She's the only one and I have to get her back. I still love her.

Suddenly Spencer bursts through the door, out of breath. "Guys-I-we-she-"

I furrow my brow. "Spence, what is it?"

We all gather around her and lead her to a chair. Aria gets her water.

She takes a big gulp and breathes deeply. "Okay, I just ran here. I called that motel in Maine-the one in Bar Harbor they said she stayed there for half a year."

I want to get excited, but I don't get my hopes up. "Well if she's not there anymore then we're back in that place, aren't we?"

Spencer shakes her head. "No, see the weird thing is, she checked in as Vivian Darkbloom, but now the motel lady knows her as Alison."

I furrow my brow. "That doesn't make sense."

"But it does." She continues. "When Ali moved out of there she moved into a cottage at the edge of town. She still lives there."

"How does she know for sure?" Aria asks.

I allow myself a little excitement.

"It's one of those small towns. Everyone knows everyone and everything."

"YES!" I scream, jumping. "Well come on, let's go get her!"

We all pack as fast as we can and get in Spencer's van, ready to go on a road trip and drive all day. We aren't stopping anywhere.

When we get to Bar Harbor it's midnight so we decide to stay at the same motel Ali did for the night.

I fall asleep smiling. I'm about to see her again.

In the morning we all get up early and go get breakfast. We decide for a cute little 50s themed diner. It looks like a place that would have quality breakfast.

We sit in a booth when a waitress comes up to us.

"Okay, can I get you anything to drink to start out with?"

Wait a second, I know that voice.

I look up quickly and see that beautiful face. She looks almost exactly the same except her hair is really long, down to her waist and it's got big curls in it. It's shiny as ever and the biggest shock, it has pink streaks in it. She also has a tiny diamond stud in her right nostril and one in her left eyebrow.

"A-Ali?"

She looks up from her notepad and her smile drops. "E-Emily."

AN: DUN DUN DUNNNNNNN! They found her again! Except it's a year and a month later already! But wow, I know right! SHOCKING! Will Ali even want to leave? How will she react to seeing Emily? Song by Wiz Khalifa. Hope you liked.

- G. Schreiber

Tumblr: Gretaschreib
Ask.fm: Gretaschreiber
Vine: Gretaschreib