After staying a few years with Evelyn Brookes, Ajania was happy and living a peaceful life. She loved her neighbor the stone family. Her best friend ( Cough * ' Boyfriend ' '* ) was the best thing that ever happened to her.

Sadly they were all on their flight to leave to go to different places.

Ajania and her mother were leaving for Memphis and coming back soon.

Cal and his family were coming/going to Jamaica, she didn't know.

But one thing she did know.

This would change her life forever...

...

...

...

Fifteen-year-old Ajania Brookes walks slowly around the buildings and places, she was in the worst part of New York. Older men and women look on as she passed, some even gave her a sexual look. She shivered and kept moving, she knew how to defend herself.

Up ahead as she turned a corner, she saw a beautiful older male with dark brown hair, brown eyes, and a beard.

He looked at her and winked.

“ Come for some coke hon?” he asked.

Ajania bit her lip and looked around, she knew she shouldn't be doing this but this was all she had to escape her pain.

“ Yes, how much for all of it?” she asked. The male eyes widened and he gave her the number.

After a few minutes, they looked at each other.

“ So what brings you over here, girly? I'm Brian Miller by the way.” Brian said.

Ajania smiled. “ I'm Ajania Brookes, nice to meet you. And just to try something different”.

The drug dealer hums and lit a joint and blew a cloud of smoke across her face.

“ So what you are twelve?” He asked, squinting his eyes at her.

The brown-Skinned girl shakes her head. “ No, Fifteen. Still a minor, I know this is wrong”.

“ Oh, so you are sick of weed and want something stronger?”.

“ Yes, weed is doing nothing for me”.

“ You are not thinking of trying other things as well aren't you?”.

“ No, I don't want any of that other stuff.”

“ Good, I want you to live a full life.”

“ It's too late for that” Ajania replied, blowing a cloud of smoke in the air.

“ Hmm”.

...

...

...

13-year-old Ajay hums to herself as Olive comes in the room with drinks and snacks. The young teen sets it all down on the nightstand, walks over to the bed, and sits down.

" You got all that for one evening? " Ajay laughed Olive shoves her playfully.

The two sit on the bed, as the movie begins to play. As the movie was going on, Olive couldn't keep her eyes off the brown-skinned girl.

Ajay notices this and looks over at her, and smiles at her. " what's the matter, darling? ".

Olive reaches for the remote and paused the tv, turning to her best friend. She sighed deeply.

" Nothing, it's just. Lately I haven't been able to keep my eyes off you. And I was wonderi-well there was something I wanted to try ".

Ajay frowns but nods. She sits up and pats her leg. Olive climbs close and sits on her knee.

" stay very still. I want to try something " Olive said. Ajay nods and closes her eyes. It was silent for a few minutes.

Olive leaned close until her lips touch her, Ajay gasped and returned the kiss. Pulling her close. Ajay runs a hand down her back, and through her hair.

After a few minutes both pulled away, Ajay smiled making Olive do the same.

" So you like girls now? " Ajay asked. Olive shakes her head.

" No, but I wouldn't mind being in one with you " she replied.

This caused the Brown-Skinned girl to smile. " that's good. Would you like to go out? ".

Olive smiled, already giving her the answer.

...

...

...

* 1 year before the plane arrived *

" Let's go out," Evelyn said. Ajay was on the couch, watching the news and eating some cup noodles. She paused with the fork in her hand and glanced at her mother.

" Huh? " she responds. Evelyn walks over with a smile and pulled her daughter into her embrace.

" You and I spend some quality time with each other. It's been so long since it's been us two. I miss this " she replied.

Ajay finished eating her meal and nodded. " Of course, mama".

Evelyn smiled at her daughter and kissed her on the top of the head.

Once her mother was gone, Ajay sighed and looked at the phone screen. She had a text from Olive.

Hunny Bunny -

Hey, mom is ordering takeout, do you want some?

xoxo

Ajay bites down on her lip and smiles, a blush spread across her face.

She responds and places the phone on the table. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath.

' I need more therapy, I still feel less of a whole '.

" I better go get ready, I don't want to be late " "she said out loud.

~~~

10- year old Ajay looked at the screen, there was a red dot glowing on it. Next to her Olive looks on with a confused facial expression.

" What the hell mom? What does that mean? " she asks looking at her mother.

Evelyn Booker pursed her lip and glanced down at her daughter. If she knew the truth, she would be devastated. But if she lied, then she would hate her forever.

" I'm sure it's nothing. Probably a malfunction." besides them Grace was telling Olive similar things.

Ajay pulled herself close to her mother and held on to her leg.

' I miss you, where are you, Cal? '.

~~~

Take place in season, 3, episode 2. The moment Angelina Myer arrived.

•

Ajay was in Cal's room running her hand through his hair. He hummed softly and nuzzled against her leg. Next door she could hear talking. And she knew who it was.

" What do you think your mom is talking about with Angelina?" Cal asks. She scoffs and moves the boy from her leg.

Sitting up and standing on her feet, she looks down at the brown-hair boy.

" I don't know, let us go and meet her" Ajay replied. She walks out of his room, and into the room Angelina was in.

No one was there except Angelina, the Auburn hair girl's face lit up when she saw the brown-skinned girl.

" Oh, are you their babysitter?" The Auburn woman asked.

Ajay shook her head " No, I am a family friend. My mom and Olive's mom are close" she lied. She didn't want the girl to know her busy.

She knew all about her, and what she would bring in the future. But for now, she would play her cards right, and pretend like everything was okay.

Angelina nods, and together the two walk out the door together.

~~~

A few months later...

" Where are you two going?" Ajay asked, she was sitting on the couch with Eden. Olive and Angelina walk downstairs. Both stopped when she spoke.

Olive looked at her and blocked her view from the Auburn woman.

" She had a calling. And I will be helping her" she replied.

Ajay shakes her head and rocks Eden back and forth. The two leaves, and she looks down at the little baby in her arms.

A sigh left her lips, as she placed a kiss on the baby girl's forehead.

~~~

" You want to come as well?" Grace asks. Ajay was sitting on the couch, reading a book. She looked up and smiled with a nod.

" Of course, I always wanted to meet your brother" she replied.

She stood up and placed the book down on the table.

" Well I better go pack, and such" she was about to leave but Grace stopped her.

" No need, we'll find something when we arrive" the brown-haired woman replied.

Ajay nodded.

As they all got in the car, she sat next to Cal. He smiled at her and looked ahead.

Leaning back, Ajay sighed.

' let's get this over with '.

...

...

...

When they arrived, Grace's brother was acting hostile, then finally he warmed up.

Ajay held Eden when the two talked. It reminded her of her daughter Faith.

She wanted to cry, but she held herself. There was no use in getting work up.

And then, Hallelujah! He changed his mind. The family walked inside and got settled in.

Right now they were eating dinner, while Cal and Ajay were making eye contact.

' why are you staring at me, weirdo? '.

Just then she froze, lucky the adults didn't notice only Cal.

" what? You are leaving!?" Older Ajay says. The blurred figure sighed in annoyance.

" I must darling, if I don't. Then people will die". Ajay smiled at the figure and the two moved close and connected their lips.

The kiss was passionate and full of love. It almost made her want to cry.

She could tell their love was strong, pure, and true. The two figures pulled away.

" I love you so much. It would hurt me to see you lose this battle, stay strong for me Ajay" the blurred figure says.

Older Ajay smiles and nodded. " I will don't worry."

Then the figure steps into the light to reveal....

Ajay bites her lips from gasping out loud. Cal looks at her with a confused facial expression.

" What did you see?" he mouth.

She shook her head " nothing important. "I'll tell you later".

Cal nodded, and they ate in silence. Only Cal and Ajay knew what the future held.

But it was a shame they wouldn't realize that until it was too late.

...

...

...

Takes place around season 2 | Episode 11.
Ajay is 16 going on 17.

•

" Sir, you drop your lighter," Ajay says, holding the small thing in her hand and giving it to the old man.

TJ looks on, as well as Ben. After the man left, all three walked down the stairs and into the darkness.

Ajay walks over and leans on the wall, she has a bad feeling about this.

" Do you have a gloomy bad feeling?" Ben asks Tj. The blonde nodded.

" yes, a bad gloomy feeling".

The lady on the microphone begins to speak on the box.

" Stand away from the edge,  stand away from the edge".

Ajay looks over at an elder man, the same one from earlier.

" Hey!  guys look over there," She said out loud. Both Ben and Tj look in the direction she was pointing at.

The elder man walks close to the edge, and her eyes widen. TJ and Ben run after him and tackle him.

TJ looks at Ajay, as her eyes are wide as well. " What the hell?".

~~~

| Later at the hospital  |

" I abandoned them!"  the man said forcefully. Just then Zeke comes in with Ben, he mentions for TJ and Ajay to leave.

Ajay stands, grabs her small purse, places it over her shoulders, and walks out of the room with TJ. When TJ and Ajay made it to the front, both sat down in a chair.

Up ahead, Grace was walking down the hall with baby Grace and Cal.

Her heart skipped a beat, she could never get over him. It was amazing that he still look of the age of 10. But in reality, he was supposed to be 15.

" Are you ready to go home?"  Grace asks. Ajay nodded, while TJ patted her back.

" I better leave as well, I have school soon". Standing up she walks to the front entrance with Grace, Ben, and Cal behind her.

~~~

A few months earlier...

So Michaela agreed to Marry,  Zeke. And here Ajay was tucking in Cal. The two had never been alone before.

" So had you been having that scary creepy shadows calling of late?" Ajay asks, pulling the covers over him.

Cal didn't respond right away, he only gazes at her in wonder. She chuckles and turns off the light.

" No, and I am glad. They are kinda scary." Cal admitted.

She nodded and stood up. Not before kissing his forehead, and telling him good night.

Ajay closes the door and walks downstairs. As she left, Cal saw three shadows leaning over his bedroom door.

The child was terrified at what he saw.

~~~

" All things work together for Good " - Katherine Stone ( Manifest Netflix )

•

| 5 years later - Ajay is 15 years of age | Season 1

November 8, 2018.

Ajay was in the living room minding her business on the phone with her boyfriend Jasper. She has finally gotten over her long-time boyfriend Cal Stone, but a part of her will never get over him. He was the key to holding her on this earth.

That's when her mother came in with her phone in her hand and mouth open. " Aj, please put your shoes and coat on. We have somewhere we need to be ".

She nodded and hung up the phone. She did what her mother asked when they reached the airport. She asked her mother what was going on.

" We can't, there are some people we need to meet".

Ajay nodded. And they both waited, soon the other stones arrived and she knew something was wrong.

That's when Grace came running in shooting a name she hasn't heard in a few years.

" Ben!" the woman screamed. Ajay followed her voice and her heart felt like it was going to beat out of her chest.

There at the airport were the people that had been missing for five years. Only they haven't aged a day, they still look the same. That's when she saw Cal, he still looked 10 years of age. Small compared to her 15-year-old self.

" Ajay?" he asks walking up to the taller girl. She nodded. They embraced and she looked over at Ben.

"I don't understand, what happened? Why do you all look the same after five years? Shouldn't you look older?" Ajay ask.

Her mother walked over and placed her hand on her shoulders. " Come on Aj, let's give them some time to themselves. We can see them later ".

She nodded and let go of Cal, she wished she hadn't it felt wrong. Her soulmate was back.

A sign left her mouth, and she left the airport station with her mother. When they reached the car. She glanced over at her mom.

" Mom What The Fuck Was That? How are they still looking the same after five years ?" Ajay screamed at the top of her lungs.

Her mother glared at her sternly " Language! " she snarled. " I don't like this any more than you do, but that doesn't give you the right to use strong language ".

" Whatever " she snarled rolling her eyes. Her mother heard every word she said.

" You are grounded when we get home ".

" Yeah, we'll see about that".

" Ajay!".

She smiled, batting her eyes. " Yes, Mother?".

* * *

When they reached the house, she ran up to her room. Close the door, and jump on the bed, she pulled out her laptop and put her password in, and went to her sight.

It wasn't even a few hours and the government was talking about the return of flight 828.

It was a miracle and laughable how they seemed to care about a missing plane, yet the world was going to hell every day.

Just then her phone rang. She reached over and picked it up, and placed it to her ear.

" Hello? This is Ajay Booker speaking " she said on the phone. The person on the other hand spoke.

" Hey, Aj this is Olive. Have you seen the news yet? And see Cal and Aunt Michaela."

It was a good thing she didn't see her facial expression. Because she would have seen the tears on her face.

" Yeah, it's shocking because they look the same. It's like they didn't even leave " she replied into the phone.

" Yeah, I know. I feel the same way. Anyways, I am coming over and bringing Cal with me. We will be there in one hour. And no buts, you have no choice" Olive said.

They spoke more and were disconnected from the call. Ajay rushed to get ready, she took a thirty-minute shower and got dressed in a favorite outfit.

When one hour reached the doorbell rang. And she rushed over to open the door.

She saw Olive along with Cal.

She invited them in, and the three sat on the couch. She took Olive's hands into hers.

" So what should we do?" Ajay ask. Cal smiled at her and hugged her, she returned the hug and looked at Olive.

She smiled at her and they decided to play a few board games and catch up on everything.

Soon they all were camping on the couch, when Evelyn returned she smiled at the two teens and a small boy sleeping on one another.

' how adorable, they all look so cute and young. They have no idea what stress feels like ' Evelyn thought.

She went to the closet, grabbed a blanket, and placed it over the three of them.

* * *

" it is day 12 and the passengers from flight 828, are still a miracle to all. People are still wondering how they haven't aged a day -"

The tv was cut off. Ajay glared at the screen. News reporters always got on her nerves. They have been doing this for years now, and it was starting to get on her nerves.

" Mom, I am going out. I'll see you later " she replied.

" Okay, stay safe" her mother shouted from the kitchen.

And she walked out the door, ready for her mission.

...

...

...

I know this is long, over 2,000 words. Enjoy! And tell me what you think. More chapters is coming soon 😁.

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With love -

xxxAaliyahGibsonxxx