[✓] 𝐒𝐔𝐍𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑, 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚛𝚘𝚗

forty-two ☆ meet at the cemetery

DECEMBER
of twenty-nineteen

narrator's pov.

christmas eve had come sooner than expected, and elena was scrambling the oakland mall to look for a great present for zach.

"okay, it needs to have thought to it," elena mumbled to herself.

she continued to walk, and noticed the craft store. a lightbulb hit her head, and the perfect gift for zach finally came to her. once she headed home, she saw someone she wasn't expecting.

"dad?" elena asked, dropping all of her shopping bags at the front door.

"hey, pumpkin, i'm home early for christmas!" her dad, david, remarked.

elena cheered, and instantly ran to hug her father. she doesn't get to see him often since he's busy with work, and she always makes the most out of the time she has to spend with him.

"i thought you weren't coming home till later tonight," elena pointed out, "where's karen?"

"she's out with your brother," david answered.

"stepbrother," elena corrected, emphasizing the fact that her and her stepbrother, griffin, were not truly related.

david gave his daughter a look, "elena, i know this has never been easy on you, but you need to accept that karen and griffin are family now."

elena sighed, "you're right. i'm sorry, dad."

"i know it's hard to accept your mother's gone. trust me, it's hard on me too," david pointed out, "speaking of your mother, have you visited her?"

elena's eyes widened, "shoot, i didn't. i'm going to right now."

the dark-haired girl picked up her bag, and headed out of the house. before she made it to the st. barbara cemetery, she stopped by the florist and picked up a medium-sized bouquet of pink and white orchids.

to her fortune, the cemetery and florist were just around the corner from each other, so elena easily made it to the cemetery. she found her mother's grave, and sat right in front of it.

"hi, mommy," elena whispered, "i miss you so much. merry christmas! well, technically it's christmas eve."

elena chooses not to visit her mother often because she doesn't want to feel somber. she only intends on visiting her during the winter holidays, on her birthday, and her death anniversary.

"it's been a few months since i talked to you, mom. i have to fill you in on so much," elena laughed, "since you're watching over me, i'm sure you already know about zach. he's such a great person, mommy, i wish you were able to meet him. i'm sure you two would get along so well. anyways, karen has been making my life miserable the past two months. i wish you were still here, and you and dad could be happy together."

the dark-haired girl felt a teardrop fall, and she continued to stare at the picture frame of her mother that laid against the gravestone. all of a sudden, someone called out, "elena?"

she was startled, and turned around to see zach, "huh?"

"this is strange," zach laughed, "first we meet at the sunflower field, now we meet at the cemetery. why are you here?"

"visiting my mom," elena answered, gesturing at her mother's gravestone, "what about you?"

"visiting alayna," zach replied, gesturing at the tulip bouquet he was holding, "actually, she's just a few feet away."

elena nodded, and continued to look back at her mother's portrait. zach couldn't handle seeing her so sad, so he said, "u-um, do you want to meet her?"

"who... alayna?" elena asked back, earning a nod from zach, "actually, yes, i would love to meet her."

zach escorted elena to the gravestone just a few down from elena's mother. like elena's mom, there was a picture frame of alayna that laid against the gravestone. the two sat on the grass, and stared at the picture of alayna.

"hi, ally, it's zach. i have a friend with me today, her name is elena," zach remarked, introducing the two.

"hi, alayna, i'm elena. i like that we have the same name," the dark-haired girl laughed, "thank you so much for watching over zach. i'm sure you're smiling down from up there because you're so happy to see zach so happy."

zach smiled, but began to feel heavy in his chest, "a-alayna, i'm so sorry. i'm sorry we fought. i'm sorry i didn't know you were hurting. i'm sorry for any times i've made you upset. i'm sorry that i was the t-trigger that made you do it. i'm sorry you had to live with so much agony. i'm sorry you felt like you had nobody to talk to. i'm sorry i wasn't there for you when you needed me. i'm sorry i was so stupid and had no idea what you were going through. i'm so sorry, alayna."

the brunet began to cry, and elena immediately held his hand, "zach, you're such a strong person. it's okay to cry."

zach whimpered, and began to sob. his chest jumped every time he inhaled, and he cried into elena's shoulder. her plump lips met the side of his face, and she left a sweet kiss on the cheek to emphasize how much she cares for zach.

"i love you, ellie, you know that, right?" zach asked, his puffy eyes making contact with hers.

elena smiled, "of course i know. i love you too, zach. you're so important to me."

...

a / n :

okay i didn't know how to end the chapter
but i absolutely love zalena. also, notice how
zach referred to alayna as ally and now he
refersto elena as ellie (: