Hi, my name is Alice Roberts. I have an older brother named Ethan, and my parents are named Catherine and Luke. I like dancing, the color purple, and Ke$ha. My grades are nothing spectacular. I'm not exactly one of the cool kids, and I only have two friends. Pathetic, I know, but people don't really interest me. I spend most of my time hanging out with my friend Cole at my house. We're almost inseparable which is why it's so surprising that I'm out here without him, but he'll be along shortly. He'd said he had to something first. At least I think that's what he said. My head has been kinda fuzzy lately.
At this particular moment, I'm looking out at the rushing River of my hometown (Pinchwill, Texas, in case you were wondering). The cool wind is blowing through my long, loose brown hair. It had always been much too curly for me to do anything with. I'm so absorbed by the peacefulness of it all that I don't even hear the car pulling up behind me. It does register when a door slams and I hear chattering on a police scanner.
I look over my shoulder and see officers Jin and Ling walking towards me with Ling in the lead (she always had a leader quality). The two of them take slow careful steps, like they were approaching a wild animal that might attack them or run, and I know why. I'm not that stupid.
"Hello, Alice," Ling greets calmly. "We're here to help you."
I shake my head then shift my stance. I don't really need any help, I think to myself.
"Okay! Okay," she says while she holds her hands up, standing completely still. She probably thought I was moving away from her. She squats down slowly then says calmly, "Can we just talk to you, Honey?"
I nod my answer.
A tiny sigh relief escapes her before she speaks again. "Why are you here, Alice? Can you tell me that?"
I look back at the river. "I think," I begin as I look up at the sky. "I think I'm waiting for someone."
"Who are you waiting for?" she asks as she inches closer.
"My friend," I answer. "Colton."
She pauses looking grim, like she knows something I don't, something bad. "Why don't you come down from there, and we can get you some help."
Help, I repeat to myself. She means from a therapist. She probably thinks I'm depressed or confused which is not an unprecedented concern considering the circumstances. Most 17-year-old girls standing on the edge of the bridge at 1 o'clock in the morning wearing pajamas aren't exactly looking for the local Dairy Queen.
I shake my head. "He'll be here in a minute. I should wait here for him."
"I don't think that's a good idea, honey. Just—just come down from there."
I shook my head again and shifted my stance, but this time I lost my footing and I slipped.
"Alice!" Ling screamed as I fell backwards into the nothing. The air whipped around me as I plummeted into the icy currents below that hit me like wall.
That Morning
I opened my eyes to see Colton staring at me, and I screamed. He flinched away from me and groaned. "Geez, Alice. You got some lungs on you."
"Why are you watching me sleep, you psycho?!"
He smiled at me. "You're just so pretty when you sleep."
I rolled my eyes. "Creep."
He hugged me. "You know you love me."
"Alice what's wrong?" Ethan said as he skidded to a halt outside my bedroom door after throwing it open. "I heard you scream."
