Lost Memory by Jacqueline Cortez

Chapter Thirteen: Alejandro

I see Gwen with the container I saw from the other night, the one with the date 2025. I can not let her take them. I know she told me it is for her pain. No one else knows she is taking this. What if it is bad for her? Faster than I knew it I find myself taking the pills out of Gwen's hand.

"Don't take them"

"I have to..." Her eyes, full of pain. Her eyes, red, as if she did not get any sleep "You...don't understand my pain and what I have to go through so you don't have to interrupt or get in any of my business Alejandro" She says vehemently with anger and pain mixed into one emotion. She grabs two more pills and swallows them at one time with a tiny sip of water then glances back at me, "Maybe I was a little harsh"

"Just a little?" I turn around ignoring her words. How would I know about her pain and what she goes through if she never opens up to me about anything? She did open up about her friend...but I feel like there is more to the story than what she is telling. If only she could really talk to me... My family has not been happy for a long time. My twin sisters weren't able to see that yet and I am glad they haven't. My family is not special at all just because they are rich. People say 'You are happy because you are rich', 'I wish I was you', 'I want to be rich like them.' The truth is rich families are never really happy, the family is always is some type of mess or problem that no one ever knows unless you are in the family. The real truths are kept secret until someone uncovers.

"Hey Alejandro"

"Yeah Ann-Marie"

"...uh she died in a car accident...and I was in the car crash...I was only 11 years old...All I remember was being in the car with her and we suddenly get into a crash"

"You didn't get hurt right?"

"No not me..the car hit exactly the part of the car that she was in and she died instantly. I climbed out of my seat to reach for her and she wasn't breathing anymore..." This time tears start coming out of my eyes. Ann-Marie pulls me into a warm hug "The police and ambulance came trying to take me from my mom...I could not leave her there...she had to breathe...she needed to breathe" My tears are falling onto Ann-Marie's shoulder, "I'm sorry. I'm messing up your jacket with my tears"

"I have never been through any of that but I am always here if you need me...thank you for sharing that with me" Ann-Marie pats my shoulder.

As we all decide who is going where. I turn around to catch Gwen looking at me. I roll my eyes and turn back around. Wait did I just roll my eyes at her? I wasn't supposed to do that. I'm not really mad at her anymore. I figured something happened to her so I shouldn't blame her for anything. After she took her medicine she seemed better. Like she said I don't know what is going on in her life. We walk to the coffee shop.

"Hey give me the hat, let me try it on" Ann-Marie points at my black bucket hat that I asked Ross to get me from the back seat of Gwen's red Camaro.

"Why"

"Just to see if it fits me" Ann-Marie looks down at her feet, shyly, "If you don't then I will tell Gwen that you said that she is annoying, so ugly and that her loft makes you puke by how she designed it"

"She would never believe that," I say doubting my own words.

"Oh, you sure about that?" She pauses. "I can call her right now" Ann-Marie pulls out her phone. I snatch Ann-Marie's phone out of her hands, quickly putting it in my pocket and putting my hat on Ann-Marie.

"There, happy?" I say opening the door to the coffee shop for the others.

"Yeah" She smiles with the braces that she has on. I never recognized them before. She adjusts the hat as walked inside to order.