Armani suit, black Mercedes Benz, penthouse. How in the world, or any other dimension for that matter, could he afford all of this? I half expect to be greeted by a butler as he opens the door.

He sheepishly opens the door. We walk into a living room that in one side is covered in bookshelves and is impossibly neat, while the other has a flatscreen tv and garbage everywhere.

"Sorry about the mess." He nods toward the trash, we weren't expecting anyone.

"We?"

"A buddy of mine, Ryan."

"I don't remember him." I shrug.

"College roommates."

"Ah." I nod.

He takes a seat in the recliner on the messy side, and holds his hand out to the spotless side. "Go ahead and sit down."

"Okay..."

"So what happened? I thought you were dead."

"I was- am." I correct, "I honestly don't know."

"How do you not know if you are alive or dead?"

"Maybe she's dead on the inside." A new voice drawls from the kitchen.

I turn in my seat, a shirtless man I have never seen before is watching us from the breakfast bar, sipping something that looks like coffee. Ew.

"Please continue." The man prods, "I am hooked now."

"Ryan! How long have you been sitting there?" Paul asks.

"Hey you walked in on me, I've just been sitting here...all alone...depressed that my own friend abandoned me...to go pick up chicks. My best friend! Why I could just-"

"Okay drama queen. First of all, don't degrade women by calling them chicks, and second I just went to go get food, and you claimed noon was too early to get out of bed." Paul interrupts.

He rolls his eyes and hops up. He leans against the back of the chair I am sitting on. "I'm Ryan aka the Traitor's hotter and funnier roommate."

"Ember. Nice to meet you..." I nod.

"A pleasure indeed." He says with a dramatic bow.

"Yeah okay Romeo, don't you have a job to get to?"

"Why yes I do Traitor, how kind of you to remind me." Ryan winks at me before grabbing his wallet and keys. He pulls on a shirt and walks out the door.

"Did he seriously just wink at you? I'm sorry, he isn't the most well mannered man I've ever met."

"Eh, I've met worse." I shrug.

"Really though, did you actually die?"

"Yeah, I just came back somehow." It's strange talking about death so casually.

"You just somehow came back? That really clears it up."

"I don't really know, I heard Samantha say that her guy friend heard that someone found a way to bring the life to dead, but it might just be a rumor. All I know is one minute I'm in Irkalla, the next I am in the river beneath the bridge in Deception Pass."

He takes off his glasses and drops his head between his hands. "It doesn't make sense. I just want to understand."

I can hear him breathing deeply. He sits like that for a minute before I get up. I crouch next to him and put a hand on his shoulder, "It's going to be okay."

"Dang it Ember, this isn't exactly an easy pill to swallow. You were my girlfriend and one of my best friends! Do you know how it feels to have something you love and can always count on be ripped away from you? Do you? And then to discover you haven't actually lost it now that you've learned to live without it? It's hard!" He snaps.

I massage his scalp as he vents. "I know it is, I'm sorry."

He laughs humorlessly, "Are you apologizing for dying?"

I smile, "I guess I am."

He stands and pulls me into a hug. I swear, I feel tears on my shoulder. "You have no idea how much I've missed you."

I think I do. He's the only man I've ever loved.

                                    ~

September 2nd 2004

Second day of school, I am wearing a pair of light blue capris and a purple tank top advertising a band I like.

I love writing, but AP English was the one class I was dreading the most. I heard rumors, and they were confirmed yesterday, that the teacher was a complete jerk. Not only that, but none of my friends were in AP English.

My eight grade English teacher had suggested I take an advanced course my freshman year. Somehow I ended up in a senior English class. Whoop-de-do.

The first day we had free choice seat wise but today we are assigned seats.

Hallelujah.

I am assigned next to this guy, Alex I think his name is, who looks like he has absolutely no interest in this class. He spends the first five minutes trying to get his pencil to stay in his crazy curly hair.

I am going to have figure out a way to cover my paper so he can't cheat off of my tests.

The late bell rings and Mr.Putten begins his lesson. "Turn to page seven in your-" He is cut off by the intercom.

"Mr.Putten, please send Alex York to the front office, please."

"Already Mr.York? Impressive." Mr.Putten chides.

Alex pushes open the door with so much force, he knocks down the boy standing just outside. "Out of the way freshman."

"I'm a sophomore." The boy corrects, picking up his backpack and adjusting his glasses.

"Like I care." Alex grunts and rams him with his shoulder as he walks out.

The boy groans quietly and walks into the room after regaining his composure. "Sorry I am late, Mr.Putten, I had a little trouble finding the classroom."

"Take a seat next to Miss Wes, we will have to find a new seat for Mr.York later."

He seriously isn't going to do anything about what just happened?

"Thank you, sir."

The boy sits next to me. He has dark brown skin that contrasts with the white dress shirt he is wearing. He has light blue eyes framed with a pair of silver glasses. His black hair is combed neatly to the side.

He sits down next to me, and immediately sets out his supplies. Everything is perfectly in place, even his pencils are all equal width apart.

After he is finished, he turns to me, "I'm Paul, I guess we are neighbors."

"It appears so. I'm Ember."

"Nice to meet you."

"If there is anything anyone would like to share with the class," Mr.Putten says obnoxiously loud, "Please let me know." He narrows his eyes at me.

I share a small smile with Paul as he continues the lesson.

We end up talking all through lunch. Then the day after that. And the day after that.

                                    ~

I hug Paul back. "I've missed you too."

He pulls back and looks me in the eye, his still shining with unshed tears. He looks at me in a way that makes my legs feel as if they've turned to jelly.

Then, he kisses me.

I instantly stop it by pulling my head back. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lead you on." I step backwards, away from him. "I have moved on."

"I thought I had too, until I saw your face, then I knew it wasn't true."

"I'm really sorry. I should go."

I put my shoes on at the door and walk out before he can object.

It's then I realize, I don't know where Samantha lives and have no way to get there.

Looking at my feet, I knock on the door I've just closed. It is opened before I even finish knocking. "This is really awkward, but can I borrow your phone to call Samantha?"

He looks sad, but agrees. He hands me a phone, identical to Sam's in every way but color.

From memory, I dial Samantha's.

A robotic sounding woman informs me that this number is no longer connected to a phone.

Crap.

I try Riley's, "Heeeeeeeello?"

"Riley," Thank goodness, I add silently, "Can you come pick me up?"

"Cinders? I thought you were with Sam, did she abandon you somewhere?"

"Kind of, not really but can you come get me?"

"Sure, where are you?"

I ask Paul for his address.

"Paul Hartes house. 3409-"

"PRISTINE PAUL HARTE?!" She yells into the phone.

"I'll explain later." I promise. I repeat the address she tells me she is on the way.

Not soon enough, a red Hybrid pulls up to the sidewalk next to me. She honks twice as I get up.

I climb into the car and see Zoë sleeping soundly in the back seat. Riley takes off before I can even buckle, I see her driving skills haven't improved.

"Paul Harte huh?" She says after a few beats of silence.

"Yep."

"Care to explain?"

"Samantha and I ran into him while shopping-" I break off, instead I begin screaming in pain.

Zoë starts crying from the back seat and I double over in pain. Riley swerves and we nearly hit a motorcycle.

I continue to scream, an agonizing pit growing in my stomach. It's feels as though my organs have burst and my brain is about to.

I vomit all over myself and start scratching at my eyes. Blood dribbles down my face from my ears and nose. I sit my head on the handle in front of the dashboard.

I feel like claws are slashing me from the inside out. Riley hastily pulls over but I have once again given into the darkness.

                                   ~

Come to me...