Home Again

Changes

~ALICE~

As soon as I got home, Mom wrapped her arms around my neck and we sat on the floor and cried and cried. Everything poured out like a river: Poptropica, Dad, Louisa, everything. I couldn't stop crying. I was like a waterworks. Mom was crying too: she was very sensitive.

"It's not over," I breathed through heaving sobs. "There's still more."

"Still more?" Mom asked, surprised. She squeezed my shoulders. "We'll be ready for whatever comes at us, won't we, Alice?"

I nodded. "I think we will." I paused, eyeing my grey scarf. "I really should wear some other colours."

"I like the grey," Mom told me, wiping tears from her eyes. "It suits you, Alice."

"I want to change some things," I replied. "Like the backyard, I want to move on. But I can't really argue if the grey makes a good fashion statement." Mom laughed. I did too. I love moments like this. Simple humor that's not mixed in with the complications of life. Or just simplicity in general. Such a valuable thing yet sometimes so hard to get.

Mom gave me another hug. "It's nearly the end of the year, too. We'll need to get ready for Christmas! What should I get you for a present? Another Poptropica membership?"

"No," I replied. Mom looked surprised. I tapped my chin. "I could use some school stuff. I'm going into a higher level next year - I'll need a ton of stuff for then. Pencils, notebooks, clothes, extra sleep, a lot more time, a new computer..."

Mom laughed and ruffled my blonde curls. "You really are changing."

"I was kidding, of course I want a Poptropica membership!" I laughed in response. "Though, I actually do need school stuff. And a new computer would be nice..." Mom and I laughed again. Simplicity really is something beautiful.

Marcus gave me a smirk as I walked over to Chrissi's table, my heart heavy. I still couldn't believe my journey was over (for now, anyway). I had no idea when this second prophecy would take place, but hopefully it wouldn't be too soon. I love Poptropica but I really needed a break to focus on my school work. Exams and tests were coming up and I wanted to be prepared. I wasn't the top student and I felt my grades could use a little tweaking. But Poptropica had taken up a lot of my night study time and my general energy, so it'd been harder to study. Getting a break would definitely help knock me back into school shape (and I had more confidence now, so I was more motivated to study).

I wasn't thinking about that as I approached Chrissi's table. Part of me couldn't believe I was doing this, either. I was going to speak to my tormenter, the girl I'd feared - who was really only serving the true villain. Louisa. I gulped every time I thought of her. Regret pounded through my heart. It still felt like my fault she was gone. I'd watched her die. I could have done something, anything. My mom had told me there was nothing I could've done - so did everyone else. It was like losing my dad. Things just happened sometimes.

I walked up to Chrissi at her lunch table. She was sitting on her own. She had become very anxious and highly strung, even though she'd had therapy. She could barely focus on anything in class. Poor thing. "Hi." I greeted quietly. The red-haired girl repaid my (hopefully) friendly stare with a blank one. Her fist clenched. Fear rose in my chest.

"Alice," she said after a moment's silence. She relaxed (to my relief!). "What do you want?"

"I need to talk to you," I replied. I gulped. "About Louisa."

"Louisa," Chrissi slowly said her name, pain destroying her voice. I felt awful. I could've done something. You're useless, my old insecurity whispered. You couldn't save anyone.

"Yeah," I replied, biting my lip. I sat at her table. "I'm sorry. I could've saved her. But I didn't because..." I'm a stupid coward, I finished in my head. A stupid coward. Tears formed in my eyes. "I'm sorry. You must hate me."

"Sorta," Chrissi replied, staring at her lunch. She didn't look very hungry. "Louisa told me about her entering... that game. She said she didn't know how. Something to do with prophecies and the future - I guess that's how you got in. Anyway... the first time she entered, she said she woke up on a blimp, travelling across an ocean. The blimp crash-landed into said ocean. She was washed up onto... what was it, Mythology Island...? She stayed there for a bit. One day, she decided to climb some tree with golden apples, and that's how she met... him..."

"Zeus," I mumbled. I gazed at Chrissi. "Go on."

Chrissi sighed. "Lousia told us all about her plans with him. She said she was going to rule all of Poptropica and kill you - the prophecy was about her, apparently. She said that you were a menace and in her way. She was always saying that to us. She said once you were dead, Poptropica would belong to her and Zeus. She didn't say she was going to die." She looked frustrated.

"The others and me were used to her being a little angry and creepy, but even we were concerned when she started acting differently," Chrissi continued. "She was 'showing her true colours'. She was getting excited and evil and a whole lot of other things. That's when we started doubting her plans - they were really getting to her head. She got furious and that's the last time we heard from her." She bowed her head.

"So that's what happened..." I said aloud. I placed a hesitant hand on Chrissi's shoulder. "I didn't know all that happened to you, Chrissi. I'm so sorry." I paused, my heart throbbing. "Trust me, I know what it's like to lose someone. Do you know why I let you bully me? It was because Dad left my life and I was left with a mental - and formerly physical - scar. I became vulnerable and my confidence went down the toilet. I didn't know what to do. I turned to Poptropica as a solace. I never thought I would enter it. And... I have to say, it really opened up some doors for me."

"Explains your leg." Chrissi grunted, eyeing my leg. I gave the air a gentle kick; it didn't hurt. I loved my new leg.

"Yeah," I said brightly. I frowned. "I didn't ask to be part of some big prophecy, though. My whole Poptropica adventure has been absolutely insane. Fierce Fox could be a little harsh, my mom was anxious, so was I, and..." I looked away. "There's still so much to be scared of. It's not over yet. But I'm looking forward to it. I can't wait to go on another adventure back there. It's given me so much and it kills not being there right now. But if there's something I've learned - you don't always get what you want or deserve. Life's not fair. But we can't give up on ourselves and hide - we have to face the truth head-on. I believe that's the best thing I've learnt and will hopefully help me work on myself."

"Haven't you learnt a lot, Crashice?" Chrissi asked jokingly. "Know-it-all. You're not so bad. Honestly, Lousia was a little..." She pouted. "Unpredictable. She wasn't the greatest person. I know she was resentful about her mom, but..." She frowned. "It wasn't right to torment you for something that's not even your fault. If there's something that damned therapy taught me, it's that." She gave me a grin. "I'm sorry, Alice. I was a jerk working for a messed-up girl."

"It's okay." I replied genuinely. It was hard for me to be mad at Chrissi. She wasn't really a terrible person. She was only trying to be a supportive friend to Louisa. Now that I thought about it, Chrissi was right. Lousia really wasn't the best person. Didn't mean she deserved to die. I mean, I could sympathize with her in some places. We'd both lived a similar tragedy but had different reactions. I had shut down. She became cruel and hateful. Neither was worse. We'd both suffered. And we both went to Poptropica. It had done wonders for me but definitely not for her. Life is funny like that. Everything and everyone's different. No one's perfect and it doesn't matter what you've been through. We're all in this. So why reject it?

I smiled. "Hey, do you want to come and sit with Marcus and I? I have to warn you, though: he's a major brony. If you stay friends with him for long enough you'll end up watching all seven seasons of MLP."

"Sit?" Chrissi cocked her head. She stood up. "Sounds good." She followed me over to our table. A good feeling balanced alongside my anxious feelings about Poptropica. It was always rewarding to befriend your enemies. I grinned at both as we faced each other, lunches in front of us.

"So," I began. "What are you guys doing for Christmas?"