chapter one:
❛ all grown up ❜

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mckenna grace as young eloise levine

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I It had been eight months since the Blip happened and everyone who had disappeared returned. The world still hadn't fully adjusted to the overwhelming change. It felt like the past five years had been paused for some, while for others, it had been a never-ending stretch of grief and uncertainty. For Eloise Levine, it was the latter. She hadn't been part of the Blip. She had lived through all five years—alone, without her dad Lucas or her babysitter Peter, who had both disappeared in an instant.

She remembered the day of the Snap all too well.

It was May 2018, and Eloise was 12 years old, sitting in front of her bedroom mirror, brushing her hair. She smiled to herself, admiring the streak of pink dye she had added to her otherwise chestnut hair. It was a bold move—one she hoped Peter, her babysitter, would notice. Eloise had developed a huge crush on Peter, even though she knew it was nothing more than a schoolgirl fantasy. She was 12, and he was 17. To him, she was just the kid he watched over.

Suddenly, a scream from downstairs shattered her thoughts.

"Lucas!"

It was her dad, Conrad. His voice was full of terror. Eloise's heart raced as she jumped to her feet and ran out of her room. The house felt eerie, the air heavy with a strange stillness that hadn't been there before. She bolted down the stairs, her bare feet thudding against the hardwood floor.

When she reached the living room, she saw her other dad, Lucas, standing in the center of the room. But something was wrong. He wasn't just standing there—his body was beginning to dissolve, turning into ash, like something out of a nightmare. His face was streaked with tears as he reached out to them, his eyes filled with sorrow.

"Daddy!" Eloise screamed, running toward him, but Conrad grabbed her, pulling her back.

Lucas's expression softened, despite the fear in his eyes. "Be good, my pretty girl," he whispered as his body crumbled into dust, vanishing right in front of them.

Eloise collapsed into Conrad's arms, sobbing uncontrollably. The world as she knew it had shattered in an instant. She had lost one of her dads, and with him, the comfort of her family. But the pain didn't stop there. Peter, her babysitter and the boy she secretly adored, had also disappeared. He had blipped just like Lucas.

For the next five years, Eloise withdrew from almost everyone. The bubbly, energetic girl she once was faded, replaced by someone who built walls around her heart. She distanced herself from her friends, except for her best friend, Chiara, who had been her rock through it all. Chiara was the only person Eloise allowed to stay close. She had lost too much already.

Then, everything changed again.

On October 17, 2023—her 17th birthday—Eloise found herself sitting in her living room with Chiara and Conrad. It was a quiet celebration, just the three of them. There was a small cake on the table, a single candle flickering in the middle. Eloise closed her eyes, making a wish as she blew out the candle.

"I wish for Dad and Peter to come back."

No sooner had she made the wish than the room felt different. There was a sudden rush of energy, like a gust of wind, and when Eloise opened her eyes, standing in the middle of the living room was Lucas. Her dad was back, looking exactly as he had the day he disappeared.

Eloise screamed and launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around his waist and holding him as tightly as she could. Tears filled her eyes, but this time they were tears of joy, not sorrow. Lucas hugged her back, just as tight, his voice trembling as he whispered, "I'm home."

Eloise didn't know how it was possible. She didn't care. Later, they would watch the news and hear the explanation—the Blip. Iron Man had sacrificed himself to bring back everyone who had disappeared. But none of that mattered in that moment. Her dad was home, and her heart felt whole again for the first time in five years.

With Lucas back, Eloise began to feel like herself again. The grief that had weighed her down for so long began to lift, and slowly but surely, her bubbly personality started to return. Life was moving forward, and she was finally ready to live again.

That brought her to today—the last day of school.

Chiara, the ever-stylish fashionista, walked beside her as they made their way through the bustling school courtyard. Chiara, with her perfectly coordinated outfit and flawless hair, had that gleam in her eye—the one Eloise recognized all too well. It meant trouble.

"So," Chiara began, her voice casual but loaded with hidden excitement. "Now that Peter's back, and you're 17, and he's still 17... you've got a real chance, Elo."

Eloise's heart skipped a beat at the mention of Peter. It had been so long since she had seen him. Her feelings for him hadn't exactly gone away, but now... now they were different. She was different. Still, she laughed, shaking her head. "Chiara, come on. He probably still sees me as the kid he used to babysit."

"Only one way to find out," Chiara teased, nudging her with her elbow. She pointed across the courtyard where Peter and his best friend, Ned, were hanging out by the lockers.

Eloise's stomach twisted in knots. She hadn't spoken to Peter since before the Blip. What if he didn't even recognize her? What if things were awkward?

Chiara noticed the hesitation on her face and rolled her eyes dramatically. "Elo, just go talk to him! You're not that shy girl anymore. Besides, you're hot now. He'll definitely notice."

Eloise blushed, feeling a surge of nervous energy. "Fine. I'm going," she said, taking a deep breath as she made her way toward Peter and Ned.

As she approached, she could hear their laughter, and for a brief moment, she felt like she was 12 again, watching Peter from the sidelines, her heart fluttering with a crush she couldn't control. But she wasn't that little girl anymore.

Peter looked up as she got closer, his brow furrowing in confusion at first. It took him a second to place who she was, but then his eyes widened in surprise.

"Holy shit—Eloise Levine?!"

Eloise couldn't help but giggle, her nerves melting away at his reaction. "That's me."

Ned's jaw dropped as he looked between Eloise and Peter. "Dude, holy shit—the kid you used to babysit got hot!"

Peter shot Ned a glare, his face turning slightly red. "Okay, you just made this weird."

Eloise chuckled, a blush creeping up her own cheeks as well. "Nice to see you too, Ned."

Peter rubbed the back of his neck, still processing the moment. "Yeah, uh... wow. You really... you really grew up, Eloise."

She shrugged, her voice light but with a deeper meaning. "Guess five years does that to a person."

There was an awkward pause before Peter finally smiled. "It's... it's really good to see you."

Eloise's heart skipped another beat as Peter smiled at her. His face softened, and for the first time in a long while, she felt like things could be normal again, even if normal wasn't exactly what it had been before. She had spent years wishing for this moment—wishing for him to come back, for her dad to come back—and now that it was happening, it felt surreal.

"Yeah, it's good to see you too," she said, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. She felt like she was standing on the edge of something huge, something that could shift her entire world again.

Ned, ever the comic relief, broke the tension by nudging Peter in the ribs with a knowing grin. "Dude, seriously. You're acting like you haven't been low-key crushing on Eloise this whole time since you came back."

Peter's eyes went wide, and he shot Ned another glare. "What the hell, Ned?!"

Eloise's face flushed a deep red, caught off guard by the comment. Her heart raced—could that be true? Peter had a crush on her? Or was Ned just trying to be funny again? She glanced at Peter, who looked thoroughly embarrassed, his usual cool and composed demeanor faltering for once.

"Don't listen to him," Peter mumbled, still trying to recover. "Ned doesn't know what he's talking about."

Eloise laughed, but she felt something flutter in her chest at the possibility. It wasn't a rejection, but she wasn't quite sure what it was yet. Peter had been her babysitter, and now... what was he? The dynamic between them had shifted, and for the first time, it seemed like they were on equal footing.

"So, uh," Peter stammered, trying to fill the awkward silence. "How have things been? I mean... since the Blip?"

Eloise hesitated. She hadn't really talked about the Blip much, especially not with someone who had gone through it. Peter had been gone for five years, but for him, it had been like no time had passed. For her, those five years had been long, lonely, and full of grief.

"It was... hard," she admitted softly, her eyes flicking down to the ground. "Losing Dad, losing you—it was like the world stopped making sense."

Peter's expression softened. "I'm sorry, Eloise. I didn't even know... I mean, one second I was here, and then I wasn't."

"I know," she said quietly, looking up at him again. "It wasn't your fault."

They stood in silence for a moment, both of them processing the weight of what had happened. It was strange—being the same age as Peter now, feeling like time had somehow caught up with them. But there was also something comforting in the familiarity, in knowing that despite everything, they were still here.

Ned, clearly uncomfortable with the serious tone, cleared his throat dramatically. "Okay, wow, this got deep really fast. So, Eloise, are you like... coming to the end-of-school party tonight? You know, now that you're hot and all?"

Eloise shot him an amused look. "You've mentioned that, like, three times already, Ned."

"Yeah, but it's true!" he grinned. "Come on, you should totally go."

Peter looked at Eloise, still a little unsure. "You should come," he said, his voice softer. "It'd be good to catch up... for real."

Eloise's heart flipped at the invitation. There was something in Peter's eyes, something that felt different from how he used to look at her. For a moment, it felt like maybe, just maybe, there could be more between them than just a babysitter and the kid he used to look after. But before she could answer, Chiara—who had been watching from a distance—sauntered over, her usual confidence on full display.

"Oh, Eloise is definitely coming," Chiara declared, flashing a smile at Peter and Ned. "She's been working on her glow-up all year, so we're not letting her skip the party."

Eloise shot Chiara a grateful look, though she felt a mix of nerves and excitement swirling in her stomach. She turned back to Peter, nodding. "Yeah, I'll be there."

Peter's smile widened, a hint of relief crossing his face. "Cool. I'll see you there, then."

As Peter and Ned walked off, Chiara looped her arm through Eloise's, leaning in with a mischievous grin. "Holy shit, girl. Did you see the way Peter was looking at you?"

Eloise blushed, trying to play it cool. "I don't know... I mean, maybe he was just being nice."

Chiara shook her head, her voice filled with excitement. "No way. He was totally into you. You've got him hooked, Elo!"

Eloise bit her lip, her heart racing at the thought. Could it be true? Could Peter really see her as more than just the kid he used to babysit? The possibility seemed too good to be true, but for the first time in a long while, she let herself believe that maybe, just maybe, things could work out.

The end-of-school party was just a few hours away, and for the first time in years, Eloise was looking forward to something.

As they walked away, Chiara chattered excitedly about what outfit Eloise should wear and how she should do her hair, but Eloise was lost in thought. Her heart was full of hope, something she hadn't felt in so long.

ASH SPEAKS!

idk about you but im excited for this party scenes next chapter (ik there was no party in the movie idc im adding it...)

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