Down the Rabbit Hole

Chapter 6- Alice

I finished the rest of my shift in almost complete silence. While I normally loved the quiet, today, it was setting me on edge with all the changes.
That mouses words kept running through my mind, especially about my "claiming magic" reaching out to someone. Immediately my mind wandered back to Hatter. My mind always went to him when I thought of who I thought would be a perfect partner. He's been in my dreams since I was a kid, but I didn't think of him that way until I turned 18 and he changed in my dreams. They had gone from innocent tea parties with him, to him occasionally him fucking me on his tea table. When I woke up I could still feel his hands on my hips and my pussy throbbing from the orgasm I had from the dream. He felt so real in those dreams and he felt closer to my world as if when I first woke up, I could reach far enough that I could grab him and pull him into reality.
Today I finally realized I couldn't keep looking for a man who didn't exist. I knew I was going to have to give up my fantasy of him if I was ever going to find someone to be with me in reality. Going back to the farm this time I decided to leave my fantasy of the Hatter there when I left. It was time to let him go and move on. Years of pining for a man who wasn't even real couldn't be healthy. I'd given enough time to a daydream that wasn't going to come true.
The front door chimes going off broke me out of my thoughts of Hatter and previous dreams I had loved him in. I looked up and saw Mrs Smith coming towards the register.
"Hello Alice! Have a good day?" She's in an unusually good mood today. She's normally more reserved on rainy days.
"Hey Mrs Smith. Unfortunately no customers today. You know how we get slow on rainy days." She nods and places her purse on the counter.
"Oh well. We'll have to pick up some more advertising once the floors are redone. If you don't mind, I want some time alone here. Are you ok with ending your shift now?" She looks around the store with a far off look in her eyes.
"I want to plan ahead of what I want the new layout to be. I've ordered some new custom bookshelves once everything is done. I wanted dark wood this time. Add in the cozy feel of the store with some dark warm colors." I smile and nod while looking around the store. I always liked the look of darker wood shades, but the light oak shade that the store has now has grown on me over the last five years. Coming back was going to be interesting. Mrs Smith then turns to me and says.
"Don't worry. When everyone comes back I plan on having an employee's preview day so everyone can get adjusted to the new layout before we reopen to the public. I'd say you're done for the day. So go home and plan a nice vacation or just get some rest. We're going to be plenty busy when we reopen so get lots of sleep now." I grab my things and start to walk to the door when I take one last look across the shop, trying to memorize the way it is now. Still smelling the tea and the older books pages in the air. For one more moment I close my eyes and wish I could bottle this scent. I hope it still smells the same when I come back.
"Don't worry Alice." I hear Mrs Smith call out from the back. "I've redone the floors before and you could still smell the tea. It may look different when you come back, but it always manages to smell the same." I guess she saw me pause and inhale. I smile and leave to head home. Thankfully the rain stopped so I wouldn't get my sketchbook ruined on my walk home.

Jack quickly let me into my apartment when I got home. I just tossed my things on my bed before we headed out for dinner. On our walk to the restaurant Jack asks me.
"So do you know if they have any openings in your building for an apartment I could move into?" I laugh.
"God I hope not. As much as I love you, I don't wanna be that close to you again. I enjoy not having to see your face every day." He gives me a dirty look before he pushes me into a bush. He runs down the sidewalk laughing like crazy as I try to untangle myself. I roll my eyes as I stand up and see I have a small scrape bleeding on my hand. Once standing I realize I have something stuck in my shoe.
"Wait for me Jack! It's the least you could do!" I see him stop and double over still laughing at his joke. I roll my eyes as I press my hand on a tree to get the twig out of my shoe. Once my hand presses fully on the tree I swear I see Hatter and Cheshire down the street behind Jack, but that can't be right. They're just a dream. They're not real. I must be losing my mind. Jack sees the look on my face and looks behind him. He turns back to me and walks back to me as fast as he can.
"Are you ok? You look like you saw a ghost." I just swallow and nod. In a blink they're both gone. Jack is standing and looking down the street when I get a brilliant idea. Without hesitation I shove him into the same bushes he shoved me into and I sprint down the road, laughing till my sides ached. I hear him yelling at me from down the street.
"That wasn't fair! Get your short ass back here Alice!" I hear him scream at me. I don't stop running as I hear him catching up to me. We've almost reached the pizzeria when he grabs my elbow.
"Stop running. We're even. Ok? Even." He's breathless and doubled over trying desperately to catch his breath. I laugh seeing that he still has sticks in his hair.
"You know I can run for longer than you. You may be faster, but I can last longer. Remember that next time you shove me in a bush." He laughs as he straightens up then he gently shoves me.
"Fine. I'll remember that." He rolls his eyes and follows me to the front door of Romeos. He goes in first and as I follow behind him I swear I see a glance of Cheshire again. I shake the thought from my head. It's impossible.