Burning. That's what my lungs felt like. Like they were on fire. But I knew better. I was drowning. My lungs were screaming for just the tiniest bit of air. I didn't panic. Not at all. I embraced it, I welcomed my fate. I felt myself slip in and out of consciousness.

I never believed it when they said you could see your life flash before your eyes before you die. Until now. I saw everything, my entire life. The people I'd lost or hurt. All the horrible and all the good things I'd ever done. All the hurt and suffering I'd endured in my life was coming to an end. Finally. I let my eyes flicker shut as the darkness surrounded me. I welcomed it and let myself fade away with a peaceful smile…

Chapter 1

I woke up with a gasp. I was drenched in sweat. My long dark brown hair stuck to my neck and forehead. I'd been having the same dream for the past few months. It would start out in a different way but it would always end the same; me drowning. I felt like I should be freaked out, but I wasn't. After the initial shock of dying in a dream, I always felt completely calm.

I might as well get up. I thought to myself. I looked at my light blue alarm clock sat on my desk next to my bed. 7:23. Crap! I'd overslept again. Mr. Gold was going to kill me. Every morning at 7am, I'd go to Mr. Gold's pawn shop for work. I never went to school like other sixteen year olds because I never felt like it and no one could make me go.

With a sigh I heaved myself out of bed and started getting ready for the day. I drudged over to my bathroom and turned on the light. I stared at my reflection in the mirror. My hair was a mess, I had slob lines on my face, and crust in my eyes. A real sleeping beauty. Quickly, I washed my face and attempted to brush through the tangled mess I call hair. I threw on a light blue sweater and a white mid-thigh length skirt. I rummaged through my messy room to see if I could find at least one pair of shoes. Under my bed, next to an empty pizza box (don't judge me) I found a pair of blue flats.

I was still putting on my shoes when I ran out the door. I was sprinting to Mr. Gold's pawn shop when I crashed into Henry. I love that kid, he's so precious. Unlike his mother Regina. She's as evil as they come. Despite that she's still my best friend. (Weird? I know.) Regina used to be really sweet and nice until her desire to ruin Snow White's happiness corrupted her.

It had only been a few months since Henry left Storybrooke to find his real mother, Emma. Everybody was relieved when Emma broke the curse and discovered she was the Savior and everyone got their memories back from where they lived in the Enchanted Forest. Everyone except Regina, Mr. Gold, and I. Mr. Gold and Regina weren't affected by the curse and I figured it out after, you know, staying about 10 years of staying 16. Gold agreed to give me back my memories if I agreed to work for him.

"So are you up for it? Ella. Ella! Were you even listening?" Henry asked pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Sorry. I wasn't listening. What did you say? Henry sighed and repeated what he said.

"I said I was going to Granny's Diner later. Do you want to come?"

"Sorry kid. I'm going to be busy later" I attempted to ignore the look of disappointment on his face but it was gone in an instant and replaced with one of curiosity.

"Busy doin' what?"

"Stuff" I responded evading his question. I wasn't lying when I said I'd be busy later. Well I guess technically I was. I really didn't want to be around a bunch of chaos and knowing Henry's family there was definitely going to be some.

"How about tomorrow I buy you a hot chocolate from Granny's?" I saw a flash of hope in his eyes.

"With cinnamon?"

"Sure. But I can't do it today, I'll do it tomorrow I promise."

"No! Don't promise me." He exclaimed.

"Why?" I asked surprised. Henry hesitated before answering.

"Adults always break promises they make to me." Suddenly I felt really bad for Henry. He was right. Adults are always breaking their promises to him. To make him feel better I fixed my sentence.

"Okay. Well I don't promise. But I will try my very best to be there tomorrow. Anyway I gotta run kid. I'm already late for work."

"Alright then, I'll see you tomorrow."

"See ya! Oh, and one more thing, I'm not an adult." I called out to him. I'd never really liked adults. Even when I was younger I'd always dreaded having to grow up and be one. Adults are mean and bossy. I mean I am too, but that's not the point. Adults are worse. They expect you to listen to them and respect them just because they were born before you.

Some adults I don't mind, it's the ones that assume that they're always right and are hypocrites. Or the ones that tell you, you will be a horrible queen and our kingdom will fall if you don't stop slacking in your studies in diplomacy. What, your parents never told that before? Oh, well mine did and don't get me wrong, I loved learning diplomacy. There's just something about being able to tell someone to go freeze in the icy depths of 9th circle of Hell in such a way that they'll ask for directions that excites me (or maybe I'm just insane). But when you have sit through two hours of learning it every day and have to listen to some old man/lady drone on and on while forcing yourself not to play connect-the-dots with the moles on his/hers' face, you get sick of it pretty quickly. But anyway, to sum up my earlier statement, basically: adults=bad, children/teenagers=good.

"Gold!" I shouted as I entered into the pawn shop just for the sake of making noise. "Gold?! Are you in here? Rumpie-Bumpie?" Did I just someone giggle? I could practically smell the waves annoyance coming off of him from the nickname.

"Is all the shouting really necessary, Miss Aylin?" he replied from the back of the store. I scowled. He knew I hated that name even though it's my real name.

"I thought I told you to call me Ella. You know how I feel about that name and yes. The shouting was necessary." I stated as I walked through the curtain into the back of the store.

"I'll stop addressing you by your name, when you stop addressing me as Rumpie-Bumpie."

"Oh come on, I thought you loved tha- Um..am I interrupting something? If I am I can come back tomorrow." Gold and Belle were leaning against the counter holding on to each other with glasses of wine in their hands. I suddenly felt like I was invading something private. Belle was looking at him like he was the only thing she ever needed in this world (or any world for that matter).

"Your free stay if you want Ella." Belle answered.

"Nah I think I'll let you two..uh finish what you were doing. Oh and hello Belle." She nodded in response.

"Alright then , I'll see you tomorrow Miss Ella and if you would, lock the door on your way out."

"Ewww Gold, that's disgusting." I mocked deciding to mess with him a bit more.

"Not like that Ella." Gold said taking a sip of his wine.

"Uh-huh. Whatever Gold, you better watch how much wine you're drinking 'cuz I'm not babysitting any mini-rumples anytime soon." I laughed on my way out as he choked on his wine and started muttering under his breath.