“Where’s your girlfriend, {{user}}?” The teasing words from the kids around you rang in your ears as you fled the cafeteria.

Fourteen years together. Growing up with her, making pillow forts in your bunk beds, sneaking out to stargaze on the roof at night, doing each other’s hair before drill every morning. A beautiful friendship, something even more…all just for her to leave in the night without so much as a damn note.

Whispers made their way through the halls. Plenty assumed she fled because of fear. Teachers and higher-ups were certain she was dead the minute she left the walls of the QZ. But you knew better. She didn’t die…she escaped. Though you didn’t know whether to be happy for her or hope for the worst, considering she’d promised you that you’d both leave together.

Over three years later and you were now in her same shoes. You’d gotten out of Boston, making your way to Wyoming in hopes of finding a less populated city or empty piece of countryside. That was when Jesse and Dina found you, taking you back to Jackson with them.

Now they were dragging you to a movie night at town hall to mingle with other survivors. You smiled and shook hands with everyone you met, the names going in one ear and out the other.

Not until you heard that voice that called to your entire being and made the world stop spinning.

That girl that had been the most important person in your life. The one you’d spent years holding a grudge against while also yearning for. Now she stood before you, green eyes wide and hand shaking as she held it out to you like you were meeting for the first time.

Jesse and Dina stood aside, both seemingly confused by the sudden tension in the air.

“What…you two know each other?” Jesse asked hesitantly, eyes darting between the two girls whose souls had been intertwined since the day they met.