"Hey Pud- I mean... Miles. I wanted to let you know that I'm okay. I'm staying in New York. I don't know why, but this city's changed me, Miles. I'm not coming back. I'm different now. Don't get me wrong, I still love you guys, but I just can't stand that hell hole anymore. And, let's face it, I was doomed stay there for the rest of my life anyway if I didn't do anything. I've quit smoking. You never mentioned it, but I could see in your eyes that it bothered you that I smoked, but you did it with me anyway. Anyway, call me back to let me know you got this. Maybe the, 'To Be Continued' will be... 'Continued.'"
Miles sighed as he sat back down on the small couch in his little apartment. He'd listened to that message time and time again over the course of five years, but he was never able to find her. Her words were forever etched into his mind, along with the background sound of a television playing an old rerun of The Simpsons. There was this dull ache in his stomach that yearned to see her. When he'd gotten that feeling before, he would just listen to the recording on his phone, or go to the police to see if anything had come up. Nothing ever did.
Pretty soon, Miles got fed up with Officer Jones telling him to, 'Go home and get some rest, son.' So Miles conducted a search of his own. Still, though; no Alaska. So Miles gave up. He deleted his message from Alaska, partly out of fear of going insane if he listened to it again. Then he tried hard, so very, very hard to forget Alaska and move on.
While Miles had given up on Alaska's little game, Alaska clearly hadn't. She still waited for Miles to call, and even though he never did, she was never discouraged. It had been five long years since she had last seen Miles, and she didn't want to forget him entirely.
Many more months passed and still nothing came from Miles. Finally, Alaska took the matters into her own hands. She'd been waiting all this time for Miles to come rescue her, that she hadn't thought about what would happen if he just... gave up. And that's exactly what happened.
So Alaska took action. She promised herself that she wouldn't rest until she found Miles again. She packed her bags, grabbed some money, and set off on an adventure that would truly be for a great cause. The Old Man downstairs smiled when he saw her. The doorman told her that if she didn't return in three months, then he would sell her apartment. Not the most enjoyable goodbye she'd ever gotten, but at least it was something.
As she opened the double-doors and allowed the spring air to reach the cold, air-conditioned apartment building, she couldn't help but think back to when she was a freshman. She remembered being on some sports team, way before she even met Takumi or The Colonel. She could still remember the fresh smell of freshly cut grass that was just wet with the morning dew, and the crisp, clean air not laden with the scent of sun-screen or perfumes yet. It was pleasant.
Alaska smiled and flipped out her phone. She started dialing the number that had been etched into her brain since she left him that message. When she out it to her ear, that familiar coldness accompanied it. One ring. Two rings. Three rin-Click. "Hello?" Alaska heard from the other end.
"Takumi. Hey." She responded. It had been so, so very long since she'd heard any of the voices that belonged to her friends.
"Hi? Who's this?"
"You wont believe me if I tell you. You really wont."
"Try me."
"Alaska."
"What?"
"It's Alaska. Alaska Young."
"Alaska?!" That's impossible. She died in a car accident. We had a- a whole assembly and everything. Is this a joke? Because it's serously NOT funny."
"It isn't a joke. I promise. Ask me something only I would know."
"Who's the motherfucking fox?"
"You are Takumi."
And so their conversation went on. It went on for so long that Alaska completely forgot what her purpose for calling was until the name of 'Miles' came up.
"Oh my goodness! That's why I called you! Do you know or have any information about where Pudge lives? I- I left him a message a few years back, you know, hoping he would come and find me. He- umm... he never did, though."
"He knew you were still alive."
"Yeah."
"And he didn't tell me or The Colonel about it?"
"I guess."
"That's just wrong. Anyway, I know that he is currently residing in... New York? Yeah. New York. Not sure what part. Upstate maybe."
"Thanks lots Takumi. It means SO much to me."
Once they hung up, Alaska flagged down a taxi that was puttering by. The driver grunted and rolled his eyes a little when she asked him to bring her to upstate New York. He didn't really ask where, but he just seemed to know where this girl was going.
Miles was in bed one night, reading about some genius, wishing he was him, when there was a knock at the door. Who could be coming over at this time of night? Oh, that's right, he thought, it's only seven-thirty. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, then lazily dragging himself to the front door. The sight that he met once it was opened, however, brought him back to his time in high school. He could remember Alaska Young coming to his dorm room to hang out with him while all the others were busy, even though there were plenty of other people she could've hung out with that most likely could've been better company. Only, this time, it didn't really look like Alaska. Unless, of course, you scrape off the layer of New York that had accumulated over the years. To Miles, she looked like a stranger that you would see on the street.
Not like a stranger on the street in a bumish sense, but in a way that they're just a normal person, probably going off to do normal things and you just happen to see them on the street. Only, their appearance sparks a small bit of a memory in your brain, and all you do all day is think about it. In fact, you think about it so much that finally, the entire memory forms in your head and you can remember everything about it; the place, the time, the smell, the feelings, everything.
Alaska's hair was long, almost to the middle of her back. She had this sort of half-smile on her face once she saw Miles, but that faded quickly after he dragged her into his apartment.
"What do you think you're doing here?" Miles asked, clearly shaken from seeing her.
"I've been waiting to talk to you for a long time Miles. Listen, when you didn't show up-" She began.
"No, Alaska, YOU listen for once. I drove myself insane looking for you for years. After you left me that message I was determined to find you and save you or something stupid like that. I finally gave up, and I don't intend to go on another wild goose chase, so don't expect to just come around here and mess everything up again, because it's not going to work." Miles said it in a the way an actor would say a soliloquy that they spent weeks memorizing.
"Miles, you won't have to go looking for me anymore."
"And why is that?" He queried.
"Because I'm standing right here, stupid!"
