Though We May Fall {An Aphmau AU}

A Blast From The Past!

**Katelyn's POV**

    I pulled up in front of the junior dorms, trunk rattling with all of my boxes. My phone had been going off non-stop, and I was glad to finally be able to check it and put a stop to the relentless noise.

Garroth
hey guys who wants to meet
at the café it feels like i haven't
seen everyone in 4ever

Dante
I'll go if you ever learn how to
write. Irene Garroth, it's like you never even went to school!

Garroth
and what if i didnt huh i can
do what i want dante

Nana
I'll be there in five minutes

Travis
I'll get there as soon as possible!
You were right about one thing Garroth- it's been too long

Garroth
hey are you calling me dumb

Laurance
He's stating the truth bro

Cadenza
Ouch Laurance. Better get your boyfriend some ice for the burn

Laurance
HE'S NOT MY BOYFRIEND CADENZA!!!! DON'T YOU
HAVE SOME DOLLS TO PLAY WITH?!?!

Cadenza
EXCUSE ME

Nicole
Calm down you two. Me and
Lucy'll be there soon

Aaron
I'll be there right away with
Jeffory

Zane
Can't you guys just shut up?

Laurance
Can't you just get a life?

Zane
WHY YOU-?!?!

Travis
Calm yourselves bros

    I sighed, leaning back in my seat and rubbing my eyes. "Why are my friends so dumb?" I shot them back a text, sitting in my car in the parking lot.

And here I thought you guys couldn't get dumber

Travis
Hey there beautiful ;)

Shut up dork

Travis
Can't wait to see you again XP

    I groaned, realizing my mistake. Travis was such an idiot. Ugh. But this was the perfect time to ask a question I had. It had been bugging me non-stop ever since I left home. All because of that girl...

    I padded up the steps towards my room, leaving an awkward silence behind me. I didn't want to interrupt their reunion, no matter how curious I was. That girl looks so familiar... why? I never even knew Sylvanna had a daughter. Ugh, my brain hurts. I opened the door to my room, right next to the balcony. The blue walls enveloped me, the large window letting in mass amounts of light. The closet door was shut tightly, locked against the world. I myself had never even been in there. Who knew what that closet hid.

    I flopped onto my bed, staring up at the ceiling. This time tomorrow, I'll be in my dorm room. Wonder who my roommate is this year... I turned my head and looked at the picture sitting on my bedside table. It was my favorite picture in the entire world, reminding me of simpler times. It contained all of my friends, back when we still fully liked each other.

    On the right were Garroth and Laurance, so young and innocent. They were grinning, arms around each other's shoulders. Dante was next to them, elbow resting on Aaron's shoulder. Aaron was grinning, an expression I hadn't seen on him ever since. Jeffory was next to him, and I was leaning against him. Travis and Lucinda were beside us, Travis sitting on the ground with his chin in his hands. Nana, Nicole, and Cadenza were all sitting around our feet as well, laughter bursting forth from their smiles. Vyald was leaning against Zane, and Zane was smiling ever so brightly. But on Aaron's back, laughing and almost falling off, was a little girl. She had long black hair, tan skin, and brown eyes. She wore a red dress, and I knew that if she wasn't there, none of our smiles would've been as wide.

    I rolled over, taking the picture and holding it closer. "There's no way... she looks so much like Sylvanna... she couldn't be that girl downstairs, could she?" Sitting up, I looked around the room. Before I had moved in here, the walls had been completely purple. The closet was still locked then, and maybe... "Maybe when she left, Sylvanna couldn't bear it, so she locked all of her things still here in that closet. It must have hurt her so much to allow me to move in here when it was the only thing really left of her daughter... Irene...."

    That thought had been bugging me ever since. But maybe one of my friends knew something about it.

Dante
Go and flirt somewhere else perv

Travis
Dante! I'll come over there and punch you!

Be quiet. I have a serious question

All of you have the picture
from when we were little,
and all of us are in it. So do
you guys remember that
little girl? The one on Aaron's
back? Please tell me I'm not
the only one

Aaron
That's Aphmau. She was our
best friend until she left after
she finished second grade
because of some dumb reason
I can't remember

    I stared in shock at my phone, and a feeling rose in my gut. I knew Aaron wouldn't say anything after that, he would wait until we saw each other at the cafe. So, I might as well go and meet the others.

    I opened the door, slamming it shut. I could get moved in later, but for now, I needed to speak with Aaron and the others.

    The sounds of something dropping crossed my mind. I looked over to see the girl from earlier, standing in front of an open trunk. A box lay on the ground, it's contents spilled everywhere. I smiled, remembering the number of times the very same thing had happened to me. "Hey! Need a hand?" She looked over, a smile growing on her lips. Oh, she is definitely the same girl from the picture. I would recognize that smile anywhere.

    "That would be greatly appreciated." She giggled, kneeling to pick up her things. I started to help her when I saw a picture frame lying on the asphalt. It was the exact same picture that the rest of us had. "You're the woman at my... at Sylvanna's house. Katelyn, right?" I nodded, picking up the picture and coming over to her.

    "Yep. And you're Aphmau. Tell me, how did you get this picture?" She looked down at it, and something flashed through her eyes. She took the picture, looking at it with curiosity.

    "My mom gave it to me before I left for here. She told me it was of all my childhood friends, and that she hoped I would reconnect with them someday." She sighed, looking up with a half-hearted smile. "It's been so long, I wonder if they'll even remember me. I've started to remember them just by looking at this. But have I faded into the background in their minds?" She shook her head and started to place the frame back into the box. I stopped her by grabbing her wrist.

    "We haven't forgotten you Aphmau. Every day we looked at that picture, we wondered who that girl was. Where did she go? Why did she go? Will she ever come back? But now you're back, and we will welcome you back with open arms." I pointed to the little blue-haired girl I used to be. "That's me. And everyone else in that is here too. Come with me. Come with me, and meet the rest of your family."