Goodbye, 2033

On the lakeside it was calm and quiet, mostly, a stark contrast from the bustling school over New Year's Eve. The chirping of crickets pervaded the clear night air, only occasionally broken by the hooting of an owl and faint shouts and laugh from campus. She took a deep breath and inhaled the sharp scent of pines and grass. I feel like I'm out camping. Beata was really scenic, from the courtyard to the mountains to the forest that surrounded it all. Had the circumstances been different, Evelyn would have been glad to be attending here if only for the view.

It was as peaceful as it was eerie. The lake was crystal clear and there were just so many stars out... it was surreal, especially after living in the dump that was Helena, but it was also dark and she was alone at the forest edge. Evelyn hugged her legs closer to her chest, nervous. Teenage girl in a rural area, in a dark creepy forest, all alone... wasn't this the stuff horror movies were based around? This was probably a bad idea.

It was hard to get over that 2033 was nearly over. Her life had changed forever this year. So much had happened and it all still felt so fresh, yet now they were all moving on. It would be hard remembering that it was 2034, as it always was. Sometimes Evelyn forgot that she was 15 now. This year just flew by...

"They're going to set off the fireworks soon." Alicia muttered from behind the other girl, hands folded gently behind her back. Several people had been wandering to the large lakeside that evening, on and off throughout the night, although this area had seemed rather quiet. It was by chance she had run into Evelyn, or so she assumed. She hadn't seen it coming. "Some Spring and Autumn kids are on the other side of the lake setting up the fireworks for midnight. Right there." A small smile gently lit her face as she pointed up to the sky, letting her finger fall to a small place across the lake. A small group of people could be seen hustling about in the distance. "Going swimmingly, I bet." She joked lightly and looked back up in the sky expectantly, "I wouldn't worry, though. The show will still be beautiful."

"Shit." Evelyn hissed under her breath, startled, as someone began talking from behind her. What the hell was up with that? Did everyone think it was funny to sneak up on her? Who even walked up to random people and started talking? As the mystery girl prattled on about fireworks, Evelyn instinctively hugged her legs closer to her chest and tried to place the voice.

I know who this is... Evelyn realized, before it struck her. Alicia.

Color immediately filled her cheeks as all the memories flooded back at once. Go away. This is my spot. What makes you think I want to talk to you after what you did? Irritation began to replace her dismay and embarrassment. My head hurt for days afterwards. Then you brought me into all your stupid drama. Evelyn clutched her legs tighter, wishing she had a pillow to scream into. Montare watched me in these woods. If I tell you that, maybe you'll run away and leave me alone.

The girl didn't say anything, though. She only blankly stared out at the water, which was beautifully reflecting the moon and starlight. Why ruin this with talk? she thought to herself. Why can't people just leave me alone? Hopefully Evelyn's own silence would get Alicia to shut her trap too and find someone else to talk at. Unlikely, though. It would probably do nothing but have her talk twice as much to make up for the two of them.

"Language." Alicia had said the instant after the smaller girl had muttered her curse, having seen it coming at a moments notice. She meant the correction to be in a teasing manner, though if Evelyn would think the same of it or not was an entire different story. The young summer sighed, "There won't be many more nights like this. We must appreciate them when we can." She said simply, walking up to the winter girl and having little to no issues sitting beside her. "Do you mind?" She has asked, though she didn't wait for an answer. "I hope you have your wish ready." She stared off across the lake in anticipation, after a few moments, looking a bit distracted and started fiddling with her hair, humming a song to herself as if she thought she were alone.

Ugh. Of course. She opened her mouth to protest and make some excuse about needing to go back to the school anyways, but then Alicia just kept talking. Evelyn's heart sank a bit. I don't want to spend the rest of the year with you. Why can't you just go away? There were so many different things that she could have said, so many things she wanted to say, but she just resigned herself to her fate and stared up at the sky, trying to drown out the obnoxious humming.

"My... w-wish?" she asked after a moment, slightly puzzled. Was she supposed to wish on something?

The young woman nodded. "Yes," she answered, a small smile on her face. She paused and put a finger on her cheek thoughtfully, "Or, several wishes I suppose. I have more than enough for both of us." Looking rather bright-minded, she reached over to her side and opened her purse, pulling out a plastic baggie full of grapes, both green and purple. "Its a family tradition. On New Years Eve, you eat twelve grapes, making a wish on them for each month." She pulled out a small purple grape and held it between her fingers, closing her eyes for a moment before popping it into her mouth. With a satisfied look at she ate it, she held the bag out to Evelyn in offering.

"Oh..." she mumbled, softening up ever so slightly. She'd never heard of anything like that before. Usually she'd just stay up and set fireworks off as the clock struck midnight, otherwise... Evelyn looked Alicia and the bag over carefully before cautiously sticking her hand in and picking a bright green grape out with long and slender fingers. What do I wish for? The girl rolled the grape between her thumb and index finger, unsure of what she wanted. To go home. That thought came easily to her, but did she really want that? What was left for her back home? Besides... that's impossible, stupid. Mom won't let you come home until you're normal again.

"...w-what did you w-wish for...?" Evelyn asked, pressing down on the grape a little bit until a small stream of juice trickled down the side and ran down her thumb.

Alicia near cast a glance at the girl next to her, shooting a serious look. "You're asking me to tell you?" She said in a mockingly stern tone, though she couldn't keep the smile away for long. "That's bad luck you know." The summer shrugged and grinned it off anyways. She wasn't the suspicious type. In her experience, what would be would be, no fighting fate and no amount of wishing could change that - certainly not a few grapes. But it still was tradition, one that kept her heart close to home. And hey, while it may not work for her, maybe it'll pull a tide in the winter's favor.
"Well, I wish I could change the past." The burnette sighed, picking another grape out of the bag. Sad thing was she knew for certain some people could. What luck.

Evelyn looked up from the grape and blushed, about to hash together some sort of apology, when the girl smiled. She laughed nervously before turning her attention back to the grape. "Um... w-why is t-that?" she asked. Changing the past sounded like it could be dangerous. Yeah, she wished things could have been a little different, but... well, things could be worse. Trying to alter history in hopes for a better outcome could end horribly. Hadn't she learned anything from Back to the Future?

Alicia laughed lightly under her breath, "Well, I try to be a good person, but I've done a lot of things I'm not exactly proud of." She admitted, rolling her next grape around gently between her finger tips and pondering what she'd want to wish for next, though nothing came to mind at the moment - nothing extremely sentimental anyways. "Haven't you ever done something you've really regretted?" Besides, before she changed the past, she could predict what would happen to the future. Bam. Predicament solved.

Evelyn had to think for a moment. "W-well... sure, y-yeah, I guess..." Everything she did was a blunder. She always said the wrong things or did something awkward, or got herself into some kind of predicament because of some misunderstanding or lack of communication... But changing the past wouldn't fix her as a person, so nothing good could come out of meddling with time, only all the negatives and unforeseen consequences. They were mostly minor things anyways, even if she was always up late at night thinking over it.

She was curious as to what could be so bad that Alicia would want to change the past, but Evelyn didn't push it in fear of being nosy. Instead, she just stared at the grape... until it struck her.

I wish my stutter went away. Evelyn wished on the little grape, shutting her eyes tight, before popping it into her mouth. She chewed and turned her gaze to her lap. It was impossible, sure, but that's what wishes were for. Eleven miracles to go.

With a look of satisfaction, watching the scrunched up look on Evelyn's face with amusement, she quickly turned back to the little fruit in her hands and looked it over thoughtfully. "On this grape..." She started, sighing in thought, before her face brightened up quickly. "I hope I never see a wolf again~." She looked rather delighted with this wish, though she wasn't sure if the winter knew what she was talking about or not, she quickly ate the grape anyways. Looking across the lake, she notice someone fall into the water, and laughed a little - wondering for a moment if they'd get through all the grapes before midnight.

Evelyn frowned at Alicia's wish. Me neither. I don't want another kiss. The girl reached into the bag again after a few moments of silence and picked out another grape. I wish that I'll be able to learn how to control her power. she invoked, feeling like an idiot, before biting into the grape. It still felt like a punch in the stomach just remembering that day. They had tempted her with the promise of being able to control her gift, lured her out to the school, and then just kicked her out of the first Gift Mastery class she tried to attend. She clenched her jaw and curled her hands into fists. Spion's apathetic face was etched into her mind.

The Winter pulled out and ate another grape. This one wasn't too hard to think of. I wish Jace finds and kills him.