Fall of Wonderland!

Four

DINAH CITY

It had been nearly a week since the four girls began their stay in Carmel Village. This was, of course, because they were reluctant to leave civilization. That, and the fact that they had no idea where to go. Wandering aimlessly for a week and a half did none of them any good.

Alice could barely concentrate most of the time. Valentina consumed her thoughts, and her time as well. The two were fairly certain Mali had told Jude about their encounter. Ever since that day, they had faced endless teasing. Alice was actually a little upset about it, and she knew Valentina felt the same way, but didn't want to say anything.

They strolled through the quiet streets of Carmel Village. Some of the citizens waved, but most went on with their everyday business. Alice reached over and grabbed Valentina's hand. They both giggled at each other quietly. Mali glanced back.

"Oh? You two are moving fast. Already holding hands, I see." She commented.

"Mali, don't do this." Alice warned. There was a rising, genuine anger in her tone that Mali knew well, but ignored.

"Do what? I'm just observing?"
Alice noticed Jude turning back to watch them.

"Mali." Alice crossed her arms, coming to a stop and dropping Valentina's hand.

"Do you guys have romantic nicknames for each other? Like Allie and Tina and stuff? I bet you do. I wonder how many times you guys have kis—,"

"Shut up!" Alice yelled, face burning with anger. "I wish that I could have time to figure out my own damn life before you started butting in! I was beginning to grow comfortable with how I feel and now you just... This is why I can't have nice things."

"Alice, I'm-,"

"No, it's fine. It's fine that you have to ruin everything, Mali!" Alice blinked back the tears in her eyes. She rarely cried, but right now she was close to it. To Mali and Valentina (and maybe even you) she seemed a bit dramatic.

Alice had been in two relationships before. One when she was sixteen, with a boy. His name had been Ivan, and he had been a year older. She had broken up with him after realizing she wasn't attracted to men at all. Her second had been after her seventeenth birthday, with a girl named Heather. Neither of those relationships had been healthy.

But now Alice really felt something. So strong that she couldn't breathe, at times it overwhelmed her. It was special and so, so real. What Mali was doing, barging in when it was so new and fragile, felt like shattering what little Alice had to hold onto.

"Let's go. I need to cool off." Alice muttered, knowing Valentina followed her as she turned away.

★♥︎♠︎♣︎♦︎

"You shouldn't be so hard on Mali. She's just messing with you." Valentina whispered. Alice could tell by her tone that she was just saying that to be the peacemaker. There was something else Valentina wanted to ask, that possibly had little to do with their current topic.

"You want to ask me something. Just get it over with."

Valentina bit her lip. "When did you realize you liked girls?"

Alice gave a weak smile. "You first?"

"I know it's cheesy, but it was when I fell in love with you."

"Oh? When was that?"

"Do you remember the day where you taught me how to control my fire abilities?"

They were sitting in a booth at a small coffee shop that was relatively modern compared to the rest of the village. "Of course."

"When you used insults to anger me into mastering my abilities, flicked my nose, and walked away." She paused. "It's your turn."

Alice made a face. "I had a boyfriend when I was sixteen. He tried to get me to sleep with him, and I just felt nauseous thinking about it. I went home and realized why, we broke up the next day."

"How many relationships have you been in?"

"Two. One other with a girl, it didn't go well."

Valentina nodded. "I haven't had the option to love who I wanted to love since I was nine years old."

Alice shifted. "I never want you to feel like you have to be here. What happened to you... it can't be easy to move past that."

"I want to be here. With you. I think that I—,"

The bell above the door rang. They quieres as a group of friends was seated on the table next to theirs. It was an elderly couple and their son, who continued the conversation they had been having after ordering.

"Have you heard about what happened in Dinah City? They say their Queen got arrested."

"The Red Queen?"

"Yeah, but they call her something else. Can't quite remember. Say she drove half the Knave Council out of Dinah City. They're probably wandering around Wonderland as they speak." Alice and Valentina shared a series of looks that equaled a full-length conversation.

"Well, they won't be able to leave. White Queen is the only one who can get them out once they leave. Well, unless they have a Wild Wonder, or whatever slang for us they have, to lead them through. Even then, they'd have to be experienced."

"Well, I don't want them here. They don't understand our rules. They're to systematic, too brainwashed."

"They'd have to travel all the way to the Ivory Palace to find her. That isn't too far from here, they'd probably pass through the village."

"Fair point. We should help get them out when they do. We don't like those people, they need to stay in their place."

Alice raised her eyebrows at Valentina. She nodded. "Well, Val, I think it's about time we head out."