Prologue: Someone Like you

"Zalisa."

"..."

"Zali-sa"

"..."

"Zalisa!"

"Nngg..."

"Come on hunny. We're here now. Wake up so we can un-pack."

"Ugh. Fine." Groaning I finally got up and out of the back seat of the car. My mother gave me a triumphant look and handed me a box, patting me on the head in the process. "Now take these up to your room. Whichever one you want is fine hun."

I gave her a sarcastic smile and walked to my house, which felt nothing like home to me, as Someone Like You by Adele playing on my iPod I groaned since at that moment I couldn't reach my iPod to change it from a depressing song. I sighed in defeat "God I miss it all."

I walked up the stairs to a large room with a walk in wardrobe. There were shelves indented in the walls and a desk connected to a corner next to the door. "Perfect." I said smiling for the first time I had been in this place. It reminded me of my old room in Radiant Gardens, if only a little.

Dropping the box on the desk, I grabbed out the first thing I saw. It was a picture, of us from pre-el. I remembered that day. The day we meet. The day we realized, our lives would never be the same. I smiled and stared at it for a while. I was sitting on Van's back as Ven stood next to us with his trademark grin on.

I laughed as the memory flooded my mind like it was only yesterday.

I rolled up to the school on my skateboard in my school uniform; a plaid maroon skirt, a black sleeveless button up and maroon blazer. I picked up the board and walked into the school, admiring the huge hallways, tall ceiling and tall metal lockers. "Wow." I stopped short as I took it all in. I'd seen places like this before but, a school? Never.

Looking around I saw really nervous faces... and then some bored looking one. I stared at him for a while, not realizing till I caught myself in the act. I shook my head snapping out of my daze and walked down the long hallway. I didn't get why all these kids were all so nervous for but... they were.

I finally reached what was supposedly my locker and unlocked it placing everything I didn't need in there like my skateboard, bag and the other crap I was carrying around. Before I could close it, I was knocked off my feet and headed for the floor when something caught me... well, someone caught me at least. "Oh my god! I'm so sorry about that!"

Some brownie haired guy was standing in front of my babbling on about how sorry he was and all that jazz as I rubbed my head since, well, I did kinda bash into my locker, proceeding to give me a headache, until, "Terra! Calm down brownie. God you're gonna give the poor girl a headache. Just close her locker will yah?" the guy holding me spoke up.

Looking up, I found out that my saviour was the calm, bored looking guy from before. He looked down at me and smirked, "like what you see hey?" he said receiving a sweat drop in return and winking at me. "And you're probably gonna creep the poor girl out Vanitas. Look at her! She looks like she's about to throw up!" "Shut it brownie!"

"Well I like the hair and the eyes but the attitude doesn't quite fit with me. Sorry." I replied with a smirk of my own and a small shrug of the shoulders. He scoffed and raised a black brow, "Are you kidding me? I basically just saved you from impending doom and this is how you're acting?" he said with a very disbelieving look.

I looked around and realized one very important thing, "Um, yeah, whatever Vanitas but could you do me a favour and let me down now?" I asked the spiky black haired kid whose name was apparently Vanitas. He just looked at me and smiled a really toothy grin. "Sorry but you might not be able to walk. Im afraid I'm gonna have to carry you around everywhere all day."

"Oh you've got to be kidding me." I said rubbing my temples with my fingers. I looked at him with a pleading look and asked again getting a refusal again and finally admitting defeat. "God you're persistent." I said shaking my head, "Yeah. Always have and always will be." He admitted with what appeared to be his trademark smile.

I sighed, "Alright. You can carry me around all day if you're gonna be that stubborn." He laughed and basically threw me onto his back holding his hand out to me, "The names Vanitas,"-"I figured as much"-"and this here's Terra,"-"yup knew that too." I said sighing as I took the guys hand and shook it, "I'm Zalisa but, call me Zal will yah?"

And that my friends. Was the start of an amazing friendship.

"God I miss you guys." I said as I set the photo down on the desk and walked back outside to get the rest of my stuff. This place may not be Radiant Gardens but from what I've heard from my brother it's a great place.

I just hope he's right.

A few hours later, we had finished unpacking everything taking about three more hours to put everything in place. Of course it only took me about five since I keep a lot of stuff and I never throw anything out but clothes. Then I fell asleep looking at my photo album that Vanitas and Ventus gave me of everyone and everything in Radiant Gardens.

I had a pleasant dream about Van and... When he told me that he loved...

"Hey, Zal." We were sitting on the roof of his house looking out on the horizon like we always did. I looked to the twelve year old boy who was faced out toward the sunset looking down at the ground, "Do you believe... in love at first sight?" he asked looking to me with sincere eyes.

I blinked at him owlishly and thought about it for a moment turning to look out at the lowering sun, "I'm not too sure really. I guess with the right person it could happen but..." I looked down at my shoes, "I guess it's only a one way thing for most and sometimes..." I looked out again, "with very few lucky people, I'm sure it does happen." I smiled at the thought and looked to him with a bright smile.

"So yeah. I do believe in it." He smiled at my answer and nodded, "Good. Me too." He turned fully to me and looked me straight in the eyes, "Zalisa, I'm gonna tell you something and..." he looked away biting his lip then turned back to me, "I want you to tell me the truth about how you feel." He looked so serious about this.

I was a little curious to say the least but dealt with it anyway, "Okay, what is it?" I asked. He looked down at the tiles on the roof and back up again and said the four words I never thought I'd hear from him, "I love you Zalisa." I stared at him with a slack jaw in disbelief. 'Di-Did that really just-... Did he really say that?' I thought as I searched his eyes for some type of proof that I was delusional.

"I-I-I..." I was speechless. I couldn't get anything out of my mouth and was basically choking on my own words. "Will you be my girlfriend?" he asked making my eyes widen. 'YES! YES OF COURSE I'LL BE YOUR GIRLFRIEND VAN!' I was basically mentally screaming at myself to answer him. "Y-Y-Yes. Of course I will Vanitas."

He was basically glowing at my answer and was smiling so much I thought his face could split in two. "You're serious?" he asked receiving a nod from me. He pulled me into the tightest hug he ever had. My best boyfriend was overjoyed and would let go of me as though his life depended on it. And then what really surprised me was what came next.

He kissed me.

He really kissed me! There were sparks as I'd always imagined and although it was short lived I knew it would only be this first of many.

That was until I found out I had to leave...

"Zal..." he looked down and stared at his chucks in depression. I walked over to him and grabbed either side of his face making him look at me. "Hey. It's not like we won't ever see each other again, right? So don't worry. I'll be back and plus, I'll call you everyday okay?" I reassured him as, kissing him one more time before giving him a hug where he wouldn't let go even if his life depended on it.

"Just, don't forget me, okay? Don't run of with some islander kid." He said making me smile, "We've been together for four years Van. I don't think this'll change a thing." And with that I let go and walked away. And with one last wave and goodbye, the car drove off to Destiny Islands.

The words he said kept playing over and over in my head.

"Just, don't forget me, okay?"

"Don't forget me, okay?"

"Don't forget me,"

"Don't forget,"

"Forget me,"

And suddenly... that sweet dream turned into a dreaded nightmare...

"VAN!" I woke up with a fright and was finding it hard to breathe. I clutched my chest as my mum ran in and sat beside me as I cried on her shoulder. "Shush, It's alright sweetie. It was only a dream hunny everything's fine." She reassured me.

But something didn't feel fine. Something felt like it was missing. It felt as though there was a hole that couldn't be filled with anything... But him. "I miss him so much mum. I want him back so badly." I told her as I cried even more.

I remembered the words to the song I was listening to earlier which made me feel like crap considering what it was about.

Never mind, I'll find someone like you
I wish nothing but the best for you too
Don't forget me, I beg
I remember you said,
Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead,

Yeah right. Like I can do that to him, I promised. Nothing was going to be able to fix my heart. No one can fill that hole in my chest that makes me feel so empty.

Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead,

Or so I thought.