My wide eyes stared at him in shock as he spoke, his soft smile never faltering. I felt a breath hitch in my throat when he kneeled down before my sitting form.
"Ace?" I asked to confirm if it was truly him. He gave me a nod as a response. I took in a shaky breath to stop myself from tearing up. Who wouldn't? My best friend who left me for years finally came back. Just as he promised he would do. "Oh my god," i mumbled as i brought up my hand to cover my mouth while i take in more shaky breaths, tears already forming on the sides of my eyes.
Ace noticed me doing this and lightly chuckled. He pushed a strand of my hair back and tucked it behind my ear, "Why are you crying?" He gently
"You were gone for years. I had hope. I was near to losing it, honestly. I really thought you wouldn't come back again. My parents almost convinced me that you weren't real and you were just something out of my imagination. I really thought you were.." I explained as some of the tears came rolling down my cheeks, only to be brushed away by his thumb.
"I made a promise, didn't i? Of course i came back. We didn't say goodbye for good. We told each other, until then." He said, making me remember that last dream. He was right, we didn't say goodbye as if it was our last meeting.
"I too, was about to lose hope. I thought you stopped believing in me. I thought if i had set out to find and meet you again, i would fail. But once i did," he stopped and chuckled, "It wasn't so hard to spot you."
He grabbed my hand and gave it a light reassuring squeeze. "You've.. changed. So much." He pointed out as i uncovered my mouth from my hand. "I have to say the same to you," I replied.
"Didn't you have brown hair back then? It was also quite longer, if i remember correctly." He said and i nodded, "That's right, i did. I.. cut it off and i still have--"
"Can you hold that thought, sweetheart? I need to bring you somewhere. Somewhere a bit far from here. You're.. you're not safe here. I'll explain more when we get there." He said as he stood up, gently pulling me up with him and walking down deeper into the alleyway.
During this walk, i took my time to see how much he's changed from all those years apart. "You've grown taller.." i mentioned and he tried to hold in a chuckle, "Your height didn't change much, you're still the shorty i know and love." I perked up at this and lightly scoffed. "You didn't need to point that out," i laughed.
"How old are you now?" I asked, looking up at the red haired boy. "Im 18 now, im guessing you're 16?" He asked, and i nodded. "Can't believe its been that long since we've met.."
He brought me to the end of the alleyway where a tall brick wall stood. Small bits of sunlight seeping in from parts where the buildings didn't block the sun.
"What're we doing here?" I asked him as he let go of my hand. He merely smiled and held out his hand, red long strings forming at the tips of his fingers and firmly grasping onto some of the bricks on the wall.
I watched as he pulled on the strings, making the bricks de-attach from the wall and a portion of the wall collapsing down onto the ground.
The red strings faded into nothing as i looked, wide-eyed and mouth agape, at the big hole on the wall.
Instead of seeing the street at the other side. My eyes were met with a lush forest. Tall trees and green grass. The sunlight shining through the leaves of the trees lighting up the inside.
"Wh-" Ace chuckled at my surprised reaction and approached the hole in the wall, "Keep your mouth shut, sweetheart. We don't want any flies flying in now, don't we?"
I closed my mouth and walked up next to him, "What's this?" I asked, confusion lacing my words.
"A faster transportation to where we'll be going. Just step inside, sweetheart. It wont hurt, don't worry." He reassured me with a smile.
