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alice walked into the bar, immediately being bombarded with loud jazz-like music and crowds of people. she had her book clutched in one hand and a bright expression in her eyes. the setting was so alive and full of music, so full of joy. everyone fit the scene so perfectly. well, everyone but one boy who was hunched over his drink. he had fluffy blond hair, but he seemed rather frail and paler than a ghost. alice wasn’t sure why, but she was enamored with the boy.
almost ten minutes had passed, and she had only realizing she had been staring when she heard her name being called by one of the bartenders. alice snapped out of her trance, turning her head to the voice. her jaw dropped and she sprinted over to the bar counter.
“tabby!” she yelled, trying to reach over for a hug. tabatha pushed back gently, rolling her eyes.
“woah, hey there. i just wanted to make sure you weren’t dying. you were staring at alfred over there for, like, fifteen minutes. you good, girl?” tabby motioned slightly over to ‘alfred’, as she had called him, but alice had already made her eyes back to him.
“alfred,” alice mumbled, already starting to walk towards him. she was quickly stopped by her friend grabbing her arm.
“alice, no!” tabatha hissed, yanking the girl back to her. “you don’t want to get involved with him, you’ll just end up getting hurt.”
“oh, come on! look at him, he couldn’t hurt a soul!”
“i didn’t say it would be intentional. alice, i’m serious. don’t pin all your hope on him,” tabatha continued on for a few minutes, but alice had already wandered off. she sat down next to alfred, who was still in the same position as before. he didn’t even seem to notice her.
“hello? alfred, right?” alice whispered, tapping his shoulder quickly. he flinched rather heavily at the sudden tapping, sucking in his breath. before he could respond, though, she was already rushing into her next sentence. “you should come home with me!”
alfred paused, turning his head to the side. “i’m sorry, do i know you?” he asked, moving to the other side of his seat. he didn’t want to run away, yet, but he was close to it. though, there was something about this girl that drew him in.
“not before this, but now, you do. hi, i’m your future wife! but you can call me alice!” she held her hand out to him, grinning up at him. he raised an eyebrow and gently shook her hand.
“and what makes you think that?”
“i can just tell! it’s like the stars whispered in my ears when i saw you!” alice set her book down, pushing it in front of him. “do you like this book?”
“alice’s adventures in wonderland? sure, i love it. it’s one of my favorites.” he slowly picked up the book, flipping through the pages. a small smile spread to his face as he remembered his mother reading this to him when he was younger and couldn’t sleep. he hadn’t read it in years, though.
“you act like the white rabbit. did you know that?” she chattered on for several more minutes until alfred let out a sad sigh. “what’s wrong?”
“alice, i can’t come with you. i’m sick. falling away,” he whispered, pushing the book back to her. “i only have a few more months left, i can’t hurt you, or anyone, like that. that’s not fair.”
alice’s eyebrows furrowed in and she tilted her head. she looked down at her book and her eyes lit up with an idea. “alfie, i can read to you! you’ll feel better if i read to you, i know it!”
“there’s no way that could work. i kno-“
“well, how could you know if you’ve never tried it?” she asked and then smoothed her dress out, patting her lap. “come on, lay your head down. i’ll read you a few pages, and if you don’t feel any better, you can stay. if you do, you come with me. do we have a deal?”
alfred bit his lip, looking down at his lap. “um, yeah. i guess it doesn’t hurt to try.” he slowly lowered himself down, letting his head fall in her lap. he curled up and shivered, letting out a long breath when he felt alice’s warm hand rubbing up and down his side. she started to read off pages and alfred felt his spirits rise ever so slightly. the further they got into the book, the more relaxed he felt. he wasn’t sure whether it was just the feeling of being held and cared for, or his lungs maybe feeling a little bit better, but he couldn’t find it in himself to care.
alice finished up a few more pages and looked down to the fluffy haired boy laying across her lap. “so, what do you say, will you be my white rabbit forever and always?”
“of course i will. we made an agreement, and i really like the sound of staying with you.”
the two walked out of the bar moments later, hand in hand. throughout the noise, a soft sigh was heard. the sigh of a friend who knew what would be happening in the near future, but neither heard it or cared. maybe they could find momentary happiness in each other.