Remember by, Anita

How did this happen? Even I don’t know. Over a month ago he didn’t even remember my name, or remember that I existed, or remember that I was the reason he was still alive, or know that I detested him because he didn’t remember.  All he remembered a month ago was the simple stuff. As of right now, he is kissing me, wondering why I didn’t tell him sooner, wondering why the girl he had tried so hard to find until he lost his memory hated him.

            A few years ago, I was being chased through the forest. My enemies, blood thirsty killers with the desire for my power, the power of the Shadow Spirits. My power was dormant and would probably remain that way for the rest of my life, but they didn’t care. They thought they could somehow awaken it when they got it from me. They had been chasing me for 3 days now, and they had decided that unless provoked, I would not reveal myself. As they were wandering they found 2 people, a boy about my age, 13, and a girl I guessed was his little sister. The monsters decided to attack them thinking that if they attacked innocent people then I would reveal myself in an attempt to rescue them. I was not 2 yards away from them when I heard their screams. Their screams of fear of the blood thirsty, killing machines that had appeared before them. I reached them in time to block the strike, but not fast enough to block the strike with an actual thought out, evasive move. I had to block it with my cloak. My cloak was made of a strong thick material that was not easily penetrated so the wound was not as bad as it could have been. I found the strength to whisper, “Run,” but they stood there for another 3 seconds, staring at me in shock. I managed to yell, “RUN! I’m on your side.”

This time they ran, and I blocked any other advances on them with counterstrikes. I fought as hard as I could with the extra energy provided by my dormant powers, but I was at a disadvantage. They had managed to push me to the water where I would have no extra strength. Water drains the extra energy provided by special powers. Water is a greedy element. Eventually I became so drained that I decided that my only chance was to jump into the river and get out somewhere downstream. As I did I passed out.

            I awoke in a warm room in a comfy bed. I could smell something delicious and hear two other voices, one male and one female. I tried to sit up, but I felt great pain all along my back. An elderly woman came in with a tray of food, and was delighted to see I was awake. When she saw I was trying to sit up she rushed over and laid me back down. My arms were no good either. As she fed me my food she explained my situation. I was severely injured, weak, and would probably not be able to move for the better part of the next two months. After I completely recovered I stayed and helped with the harvest to repay my debt. When winter came, it was deemed impossible for me to travel home so I continued to stay till late spring when all the snow melted. Then the man broke his back. With no one else to plant the crops I decided to stay throughout the summer to help plant them. I then also decided to help with the harvest in the fall since the man had still not fully recovered.

One night when I came in from the fields the woman said she had always wanted a child like me, a daughter more specifically. I was surprised, and that night I had decided that as long as it was okay with them, I would stay with them, help them, and be the daughter the women had always wanted. It’s not like I had any family to return to anyway.

This plan worked for the next three years, but, as all old people do eventually, they died. I was forced to move back to my home town where I would be safe from the magic of the untamed wilderness. When I got there I realized just how much had changed. I had been believed to be dead even though I sent a letter explaining my situation. All my friends had moved to a more advanced and safer town and had been replaced with all new faces. One of which was the boy whose life I saved. I enrolled in his school, made new friends, ultimately avoided him, and lived happily till school started, but nothing lasts forever.

            At the beginning of school year we ended up in a class together. He paid no attention to me, but then the teacher moved our seats. I ended up next to him. He became curious about the girl who sat next to him. I answered his simple questions like “How old are you?” but avoided the more elaborate ones like “Where did you go when you left here and why did you come back?” I hated him for not remembering even though he had gotten amnesia years ago, and figured if he doesn’t remember so what. Don’t tell him; just let him figure it out on his own if he can. I learned his name was Jack Phelps and he learned that mine was Avalon Jones. We maintained a simple, somewhat friendly, yet distant relationship up until the end of the second quarter.

At the start of the third quarter we were paired together for a project. We started to hang out more often. While I only hung out with him because it was needed I could tell he wanted to hang out with me for a whole other reason. He was gradually getting closer to me and I didn’t like it since I still hated him. The last time we got to together for the project we decided to work on it at my house. When I invited him in I told him to go into my room where the supplies were set up and I would get us a few snacks. Unfortunately, I had forgotten that my diary was open to the entry about me saving his life. My diary was the only thing that survived the ride downstream besides me and my clothes. Even though he had not meant to, he read the passage and remembered. It all came back in a jolt and he dropped my diary on the floor as I walked into the room. I stared at him in suspicion, but he stared at me in complete shock. I put down the snacks, walked over to him slowly, and picked up my diary. As I saw what entry it was open to, I realized what happened, and it was too late to stop it.

            “It was you? You were the one who saved us?” he managed to say. I avoided returning his gaze, but I nodded yes. “Why? Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked, suddenly sounding slightly angry.

            “I didn’t tell you because I hate you. I thought you should have remembered, even if you were in an accident. If you had saved my life I would have never forgotten, even if I lost some of my memory in a car accident!” I was yelling now, wishing I could just rewind the clocks to that day and somehow change something, anything, everything to avoid what was happening now. It was killing me inside. Hating him I mean, but I had resolved the hate him, curse him even, for not remembering. Saving someone’s life was special. Many people believed that if you save someone’s life the two people are connected for eternity. Anyone who doesn’t believe hasn’t seen the connection created between the two.

            “You… Hate me?” he barely managed to whisper. I could see he was hurt, but I felt awkward. I didn’t know what to say. I started to back away, but he grabbed my hand. The way he was holding it I could tell he wasn’t going to let go anytime soon. When his gaze met mine I could see the hurt clearly in his green eyes. This time I returned the gaze to show I was serious about what I had said. He got the message. At first I didn’t know why but he started stepping closer to me, never dropping the gaze or releasing my hand. When he was close enough for me to feel his body on mine I had realized what he had wanted to do. I tried to back away, but he grabbed my waist forcing me to stay put. My pulse was racing. He started to lean in to me. I started to say, “Ja-,” but got cut off as he made the final inch between our lips disappear. He was kissing me.

            I tried desperately to move, to make a sound, to do anything, but I was frozen. I was in shock. Even by the time I regained my senses he had still not released me. I tried to struggle and loosen his grip but he had an iron grip. I could tell by the fact that he wouldn’t let me go that he was enjoying it. I finally managed to loosen his grip on my hand when I started to dig my nails into his palm. With that advantage I pulled hard and he lost his grip. Then I pushed him away from me. I still didn’t understand why he kissed me. The words flew out of my mouth before I could stop them, “Why did you kiss me? Do you like me that much?” I asked. I could hear the curiosity in my voice. It sounded like I wanted to know because I liked him too. ‘No! You don’t like him!’ I screamed in my head, but the more I thought I hated him the more I felt like I loved him, especially after that kiss.

            “I don’t like you. I love you. Ever since you saved my life and I saw your face. You protected me with your life. After I ran away with my little sister I felt so ashamed and guilty for leaving you to handle them alone. I started searching for you holding on to the hope that you were still alive, and that I could show you my gratitude. I searched for you for one year, but then I was in that car accident where I got amnesia. I knew there was something important I had forgotten and I was mad at myself for not remembering. If my family had survived I’m sure they would have told me, but they didn’t. But, what I don’t get is why I couldn’t find you. Where were you?” he asked.

            “Well after I saved your life, I fought with those guys for a little bit before jumping in a river so I could run away when it was clear that I was going to lose. I was washed somewhere downstream. I was unconscious for half of May. I woke up on June 1. Because of my injuries I was in bed for June and most of July. In August I started to help the people with the harvest to repay my dept. Then constant difficulties kept getting in the way so I stayed there for 3 more years. I have no idea how you didn’t find me in that first year or why you never met up with me in the town nearby when I ran errands,” I explained.

            “I have one other question. Why did you save me anyway? Why were you so close to us?” he asked. I didn’t want to answer, but he deserved it.

            “I saved you because they only threatened your life because of me,” I said. He looked confused so I continued. I explained to him that they were chasing me because they wanted my still dormant powers of the Shadow Spirits.

            He stared at me in disbelief. “How do you have the power of Shadow Spirits? The line of people able to wield them died out like 500 years ago.”

            “Yes, my great, great, great, great grandfather. He was the last one able to WIELD them. Extra emphasis on wield. He wasn’t the last to house them. The ability to house the powers of the shadow spirits didn’t go away, but the actual ability to actually control the Shadow Spirits did. My great, etc. grandfather was the last of my family that could control the spirits. Now why am I explaining this to you anyway?” I asked. He shrugged and gave the expression of ‘I don’t know’ and got up from the spot on the floor where I had pushed him. When he tried to approach I took a step back.

            “Hey, easy. I actually have just one more question. How did you fight them? I mean the monsters looked super powerful and you were only like 13 or something.”

            “My father taught me martial arts when I was younger before both him and my mother were murdered.” As I was explaining he edged closer to me. When I noticed I took a tentative step back, expecting…, ‘What are you expecting?’ I thought. While I was thinking he got closer and before I could react he caught me in a hug.

            “I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it. And, I still haven’t thanked you,” he took a long pause and pulled me closer. “Thank you. Thank you for saving my life,” he whispered in my ear. I could tell that it was 100% genuine, but something felt weird. I had never expected a thanks so I felt weird receiving it. For some reason I returned his hug pulling him in closer so that there was no space between us. I felt him tense up, but then loosen up. I thought it was because he never thought I would return his hug. “Avalon? Um, I know you said you don’t, but I can’t help asking. Do you um… like me? At all?”

            “Well just a minute or so ago I realized something.” I felt him tense up again in anxiety. “I realized that I don’t hate you anymore. I also don’t like you,” I said and took a long pause before continuing. I got up on my tiptoes so I could whisper the rest of my response in his ear. “I don’t like you either, because I’ve decided that I… I actually  love you.” I could sense his emotions. I could tell that he was more than just happy. Slowly I made him release me from the hug, and we stood there facing each other for a few seconds. Then I reached up and placed my hands on his neck. I got up on my tippy toes again, and decided that this time it was my turn to kiss him. When our lips met he placed his arms around my waist pulling me in closer. When we released each other I could sense that something was different. I could sense that everything between us recently had changed and that it would never be the same. 

And I was fine with it.