Two years later

Leaves crunch underneath our feet as we weave through the graves. The crisp wind bites my cheeks as the sun begins to set. We walk together silently, hand-in-hand, and allow the rustling trees do the talking. Speaking is not an easy thing to do on this day. It never has been.

We continue to travel deeper and deeper into the graveyard until, finally, we reach a large headstone that reads: Allie Baker, 1987-2004.

My eyes meet the sorrow filled ones of the boy beside me, who meets my gaze with a sad sort of smile. We squeeze each other's hand a little tighter before letting go so we can each whisper the words our souls long to say to the beloved grave that stands before us.

He goes first, as he knew her first. Truly knew her, I mean. I got that pleasure too late for it to ever be enough. I study his slender form as he sits before Allie's grave, head bowed and hands shaking. He still hates the fact that he couldn't save her as well.

It was hard telling him about her, as he remembered so little, but when I did, we both cried. And that is when things got better.

When he is done, he steps away from the headstone, glasses off and tears staining his face. He squeezes my hand again encouragingly, and then it is my turn. I take a deep breath and then step forward to Allie.

I kneel to the ground, for I know that standing will be difficult. I collapsed last year, shaking with sobs of pure grief and rage, but that was the first year since Allie's death. This time will be different.

I don't speak at first. The wind whistles around me and crickets begin to chirp as the sky darkens. I gently place the bouquet of daisies beside the headstone. The words feel stuck in my mouth, stuck in my heart, stuck in my soul.

My breath hitches when the first words come tumbling out. "I'm sorry,"

I blink away the tears in my eyes and will myself to keep going. "I know I couldn't save you, it took a while but I know that now. But I'm sorry for not fighting harder to get to know you, to make things right with you earlier on. Because in the few hours when I got to see who you truly were, you were beautiful and fierce and selfless.

"I'm sorry that you lost your family. I'm sorry that you got tossed around from family to family for so many years. You didn't have an easy life, so I'm glad you're happy now," I pause for a moment. "Well I hope you're happy. You must be, you're with your family again and that's so, so great."

I shake my head, tears running down my face. "You deserved so much better than this world gave you," A shaky smile forms despite the sadness. "So if you're happy now, what do I have to be sad for?"

The smile remains on my face even as I sob and say, "Tell my dad hi for me, okay? And that I love him, just as I love you.

"Until next year, Allie."

I carefully place my hand on the stone, giving one last goodbye before I stand up and walk back over to him. He wraps his arms around me, holding me tight. I lean into him, savoring his warmth against the cool wind.

Then Kevin kisses me softly, and together we walk back through the graveyard, leaving the whispers of our souls behind.

***

It took a while before Kevin and I fell back into place. We rebuilt slowly. His memories of me came back bit by bit as we got closer. It was weird, having to introduce myself to him, start our friendship all over, especially when I loved him so fiercely.

But during that time, I got to meet him again, learn more about my best friend, see him in a new light. And it made me fall even deeper in love with him.

The first kiss happened last summer when I woke up to frantic knocking on my door, nearly giving me a heart attack. I was scared at first, and it took me a while to convince myself to get out of bed and see who it was, but I crept down there, looked through the peephole, and there he was.

Naturally, I opened the door without hesitating. One, because I was curious. Two, because it was Kevin, why wouldn't I? So the door swung open, and he just stood there, staring up at me breathlessly, as though he had ran there.

And that is when I knew.

Those eyes, those gorgeous eyes filled with such emotion, such fire, and full of so many words, words that I didn't think I would ever hear from him, not anymore. The look was everything it had once been and so much more. It was more.

All he said was, "I remember," And then his lips were on mine, kissing with such a ferocity that I stumbled back. The longing ache inside of me ceased, and I kissed him with everything I had. It was like fireworks, like the beautiful melody of piano, it was everything at once and nothing at all.

And I knew, oh I finally knew, that I was love to him, just as he was to me.

***

Kevin and I moved after college, as well as our mothers. Staying in that town came to be too much after a while, a constant reminder of everything that had happened. And I don't have to worry about missing Jacklyn, as we attend the same college for acting. Yes, moving was for the best.

Kevin and I sit on a bench in the park, watching people go about their daily lives. People watching has become one of our favorite things to do. Not in a creepy way, though.

"Hm what do you think about...her?" I ask, pointing to a red-headed lady who's walking a tiny Chihuahua down the sidewalk.

He thinks about it and then says, "I would say she invests her entire life in her dog, spends wayyyy too much time with it, and has probably had several failed relationships because the dog didn't like the boy."

I hit him playfully. "Gosh Kev, what do you have against the dog?"

"Chihuahua's are very vicious creatures."

"Are you saying you're afraid of that little dog?" I tease with a laugh.

He rolls his eyes. "I'm not afraid just...cautious."

"Mhm, sure."

As he begins to go off in a long speech about how he is definitely not afraid of Chihuahuas, my mind wanders. All these different people...All these different identities. Isn't it crazy how everyone has their own story, but yet we'll only really ever get to read our own? Unless, of course, someone invites you to read theirs', and that is something truly special.

I still think about her sometimes; Olivia, I mean. It's not something that I'll ever forget, because it was my life, just as this is my life now. A story that I've read from cover to cover, from life to death. Sometimes little things will remind me of the memories I made, the life I lived. Sometimes they make me smile, other times incredibly sad.

The thought that no one would ever get to know my story as Olivia, and completely understand it, used to crush me, because it felt as if that made the life I lived there unimportant. But now I relish it. Because my identity doesn't have to be known to the entire world, it doesn't have to change it. What's important is that it changed me, and I'm better because of it.

I used to think having a double identity was a curse, but now I see it for what it truly is: a blessing, a second chance. And that, really, I am not split into two at all, I am Peyton Comber and Olivia Wright. In simpler terms, I am me; and that is all I will ever wish to be.

Kevin lays his hand on mine, grabbing my attention. "Are you okay, Peyton?"

I look from his gentle hand on mine, to the warmth of his brown eyes. A smile, a full, beautiful smile blooms on my face. I intertwine my fingers with his.

"Everything is great, Kevin. Everything is wonderfully great."

And...that's the end!! Thank you so much to everyone who read this story, you have no idea how much it means to me!! I will be posting one more chapter about all the scrapped storylines, the development of the characters, and etc, so stick around!