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IT HAD BEENnearly three hundred and fifty-three days since Cindy Harrington had felt Eleven's arms wrapped around her.
The feeling of it, something so raw, was a feeling so different than any she'd ever felt before. The world froze around them, a fragment of time locked in their memories for as long as they should live. Without each other, it felt as though the world were incomplete. An unfinished chapter of their story, the last page of a great adventure ripped out, forgotten, lost.
But as they held each other, squeezing each other so tightly as though they were making sure this moment was real, the unspoken words flooded back onto the blank pages, writing themselves, falling back into place as if they had been there the entire time. The stars aligned, the planets gracing each other with the gifts of eternal friendship. These two girls that shared one destiny: each other.
Cindy moved a hand to rest on the back of Eleven's head, smoothing her nimble fingers through the girl's slick locks.
"I knew I'd see you again," She whispered, eyelids fluttering shut as peace settled itself deep within her bones. It was a simple statement, yet it meant so much. The idea that soulmates are never forgotten, never given up on, never lost.
Cindy didn't know how to describe the feeling. It felt as though she had taken a drug, seen the life she had missed out on. Without Eleven by her side, one might consider her life normal. But a normal life was anything but what Cindy Harrington wanted. Her life was a gift, an odd one, yes, but one that was given to her for a reason.
No words emitted from Eleven's lips, only tears that dripped onto Cindy's shoulder as she squeezed her best friend closer to her.
"I knew you were out there," Cindy mumbled, pulling away from the girl and finally allowing herself to gaze into her dark brown eyes. "I didn't know where you were, I didn't even know if you were okay."
"She was safe," A deep voice sounded from behind the embracing friends, one Cindy recognized as Hopper's.
Clutching the large gun in his hand, the man took a few steps closer to the two girls, training his stare on Eleven. Cindy took a step back, watching the scene in front of her unfold. Her mind raced ahead of her, rushing with thoughts of lies and deceit so forcefully she felt as though she could topple over.
"What the hell is this? Where have you been?" Hopper peered down at Eleven, taking in her new appearance. The girl's brown eyes narrowed, and her voice was confident as she answered him.
