Ally

As a young girl, I had always dreamed of seeing the redwoods – a remarkable species of trees that naturally sprouted their roots in Californian soil. There are three types; dawn redwood, giant sequoia, and the coast redwood. Each sporting a cinnamon-colored bark that I had fallen in love with at first sight while learning about everything nature had to offer in the eighth grade.

Now don't get me wrong, I know nothing about nature, hell, I couldn't tell between the different types of flowers until becoming employed at a florist shop. But the redwood trees had been the peak of my fascination since I was a preteen.

The trees spouted their roots and grew to massive heights with record breaking bases and had been gracing the Earth with their presences for over a million years. With their resilience, the redwoods were unlike any other tree in the world.

Which was exactly why it had always been a dream of mine to road trip the seventeen hours away to visit the Sequoia National Park in California.

Well, that was until I had to bury the one person that shared that dream with me.

"Excuse me?" A throat cleared. "Can I make an order?"

My head snapped up from the book I had been skimming through, smiling brightly at the customer standing on the other side of the counter. I straightened, standing from my spot on the stool and grabbing a pen along with the notepad used for writing out orders.

"Of course." The grin on my face was sickeningly sweet, matching the tone of voice I had perfected years ago. "What can I get for you?"

The smile on the older woman's face was as fake as mine.

"I would like to purchase a bouquet of yellow roses."

With a nod, I placed the tip of the pen against the thin page, applying pressure as my hand began moving on autopilot. "Alright, how many would you like," I asked, moving my eyes up to meet hers.

With her blonde hair pulled back into a classy updo from the 90's and her lips painted as red as a candy apple; I didn't have to eye the diamond studs in her earlobes to know they were real. And the fact that she eyed me like a kindergartener.

"How ever many comes in a bouquet."

I forced a breath, resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of my nose to redirect the oncoming headache. At that moment, her phone rang from the bag dangling from the crook of her arm. She didn't spare me a glance as she pulled it out, immediately letting her fingers dash across the screen.

"Just do whatever."

With that, she turned in her stilettos and strutted out of the shop.

I rolled my eyes before smirking as I charged her for a dozen of our best roses.

"What are you smiling about over there?"

That smirk turned into a small smile at the sound of Betty's voice, one that had become increasingly more gravely with age. Turning, I spotted her frail figure hunched over as her hand wound tightly around the walking cane at her side.

"Oh, just basking in a customer's lovely social skills," I teased lightly, placing the order along with other's that needed to be filled. Betty smiled, her perfectly straight dentures outlined by plum colored lips. I had taught her to apply makeup years ago when I first started working for her.

She chuckled, "you would think people would be nicer while buying flowers."

I scoffed wholeheartedly. "You don't even know the half of it. You are lucky you get to spend all day back there," I pointed towards the double doors that lead to where the magic took place.

Betty laughed her signature laugh, one that always brought me back to times that were simpler.

"I would rather your face be the first they see," Betty claimed, "you have brought in a steady flow of customers over the years with that smile of yours, my girl."

I bit my lip. I used to bring in a steady flow of customers.

Since the age of sixteen, I had worked under Betty at "Betty's Blooms" for four years. A small flower shop that was sandwiched between a juice bar and a boutique in the middle of downtown Littleton, Colorado.

Betty opened it nearly twenty years ago when it was simply just a little florist on a street by itself. However, over the past two decades, the downtown area of Littleton had evolved into a popular area for business. Soon, shops were brought in to line the brick streets, and in the blink of an eye, every business thinkable was within walking distance

But for the last two years, Betty's shop had been declining in numbers. And while she says that this happens at times, it didn't make sense, at least to me, whenever every shop around us was doing spectacular. Businesses around us were booming, and while Betty had turned it from just a florist into an adorable knick knack gift shop, things still weren't looking up.

I knew it was because of me. Whenever I had first started, I brought in characters and regulars with my charism and ability to never meet a stranger. But since that night two years ago, my smile hadn't returned. I was just like every other bland employee working in customer service. My smile was as fake as costume jewelry and everyone who walked through those doors knew it too.

"Well," I said on a sigh, forcing the best smile I could while guilt pooled in my stomach. "Rich snobs are always a treat."

Betty laughed at my sarcasm, patting my cheek gently. "Do we have any orders?"

I turned, reaching underneath the register to grab the papers. There were only about ten, and when I handed them to Betty, she eyed the slim stack. "This is it?"

That familiar guilt moved from my stomach and up my throat as I nodded. After a heartbeat, another smile spread across her aged face. "Alrighty, I'll be back there filling these if you need anything, dear."

I nodded, and when she turned around, my smile fell.

Before I knew it, six o'clock came around and I found myself locking up the doors to the shop.

I looked around, admiring the hustle and bustle of the city in the hue of the sunset slowly descending behind the snow capped Rockies. Above the streets were stringed lights hung from building top to building top in a zigzag motion, a warm white glowing from each bulb against the darkening sky. And even as the temperature dropped and shops were closing, the evening rush had kicked in – everyone in a hurry to finish last minute details before the day would come to an end.

Snow flurries began to fall as I started my trek towards my apartment building a few blocks away, only stopping at my favorite Chinese place to pick up takeout. And while I waited, my phone began to ring, the caller ID reading 'Cass'.

"Hello?"

Hey, Al. Have you picked up dinner yet?

"Not yet, I'm waiting now," I replied, sending a wave towards the little girl smiling at me from across the room. I was a sucker for children. "What's up?"

Do you think you could grab me an egg roll? I changed my mind.

I chuckled lightly. "I can do that."

Yay, thank you! I love you! We will see you when you get here.

"I love you, bye."

I ended the call, placing an order for another eggroll for my best friend that, if I had to guess, was curled up on my sofa with our other best friend. Cassidy Pierce and Trish De La Rosa – two girls that I befriended the very first day of high school. And little did we know then that the three of us would become each other's rock. Despite everything that life threw at us in the past six years of friendship, our bond was one thing that never faltered.

Most days, I was well aware I wouldn't have made it through the last two years without them.

Before my mind could wonder to darker places, the cashier called my name and I stepped forward to grab the two bags of takeout. Adjusting the bags in one hand, I tightened my scarf around my neck before stepping out into the Colorado cold once again.

I shivered the further down the sidewalk I got. The weather forecast called for snow, which wasn't unusual in the month of February in Colorado, and a temperature drop as low as sixteen degrees. Glancing down at the smartwatch on my wrist, I shivered again at the temperature reading a perfect twenty-five degrees.

My steps increased as I craved for the warmth of my apartment, and to be stuffing my face with food on the sofa while watching reality television. But as I was nearly a block from my complex, I eyed the brand-new building that the city had just finished a few weeks ago.

On the brand-new windows read 'Grand Opening' and 'First Fifty Customers Receive A Month's Membership Free!'. It was only then did I look up to see 'Kick Start Co.' in bold letters across the building.

I let out a hum, pushing it to the back of my mind as I practically sped walked the last block.

"You what?"

The words fell from my mouth like a question, but as I stared across the room at my curly haired, tan skinned best friend who was currently smirking at me like a madman, the words were anything but a question.

"Ally, come on," Trish exclaimed excitedly, adjusting her position from where she sat crisscrossed on my sofa. Her right hand gripped the fork that she had been using to shove noodles in her mouth while the other held a pamphlet to some sort of gym – she waved it around.

"This will be good for you! My cousin took kickboxing lessons, and it completely changed her life," Trish said with a mouth full. I glanced over at Cassidy who looked down at her own plate while nibbling on the damned eggroll I had gotten her.

"You knew," I claimed with a point of my finger, and Cassidy's head snapped up, her strawberry blond locks falling in front of her guilty features. Once her sheepish smile met my eyes, my glare deepened.

"What the hell," I grumbled, rubbing a hand over my face. "You can't go signing me up for memberships without my consent."

And when I stared at them, Cassidy looking more and more sorry by the minute while Trish just continued to nibble on her food, I shook my head.

"I expected this from Trish, but Cassidy, really?"

Cassidy instantly reached to put her plate on the coffee table in front of us. "I'm sorry, Al, you know how persist Trish can be."

"Hey!" Trish reached over to thump Cassidy's shoulder. "You said you thought it would be a good idea for her, too, blondie."

Cassidy swatted Trish's hand away before looking back at me. She sighed, "I do think it will be a good idea for you, Al. I mean, all you do is work and then come here, alone. You only see us once or twice a week, don't you think it is time for you to go and do something."

When my glare deepened, Cassidy twisted her lips, mumbling another apology before picking her food back up and placing it in her lap.

"I'm perfectly fine with the way my life is right now, and even if I wasn't, I don't need you two signing my up for shit that I don't want to do." I stuck my straw between my lips, and with a shrug said, "I'm not doing it."

"Ally," Trish whined, "come on. Please, please, please, just try it out! One session, you only have to do one, and if you hate it, you don't have to go to another one."

I simply raised a brow in her direction. "No, Trish, I don't even want to do the first session."

Trish closed her eyes, letting out a deep breath. "Ally, please. I'm begging you, just do one session. It won't hurt for you to try," she begged softly. "You've been so beside yourself since Dallas, and I just," she paused, "I just want you to finally do something for yourself."

I sucked in a breath at his name, closing my eyes as I felt the familiar ache ripping through my chest. Two years later and nothing made it hurt any less.

Missing him didn't hurt any less.

"Trish," I spoke, softer now. "I just don't see the point."

"Al, you've tried everything." Cassidy pipped in. "You have to move on with your life at some point, I know it sucks to hear. But you know that's what you need to do, and that's what he would've wanted. Working your pain away only helps so much."

I swallowed tears that were brimming behind my lids, blinking them away before they could form.

"It isn't that easy," I whispered, wringing my fingers together. My eyes landed on the ring adorning my left ring finger, a thin gold band with a single, tiny fourteen karat diamond atop of it that he had given me the night of our graduation along with the promise that came with it – to one day replace it with a wedding set. My body yearned for the piece of me that died with him.

"I know it isn't," Cassidy cooed, reaching forward to grasp my knee. "I know, but you have to try, Al. You can't keep living like this, we hate seeing you like this." She paused, squeezing my knee through my cotton pajama pants. "Just try it, see if it works."

I bit my cheek, staring at the two girls who had never steered me wrong before.

With a breath through my nose, I closed my eyes, instantly regretting the next words out of my mouth.

"One session. That's it."

Hiii...so, how did you guys like the prologue!

I'm back, and with another new story! And it honestly took me longer than I thought it would, but that's because I've been playing around with this story and it's plot for a minute now. I wanted to make sure I had everything planned out and ready before posting anything!

I'm excited for this story, and I hope you all are, too!

If I can pull it off, this story is gonna be an emotional rollercoaster ;) as described by loveauslly2504

Anyway; whatcha think?

It's a slow start for chapter one, but I hope you stick with me. I hope to have the next chapter up later this week!

Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think?

-Meg