You Have to Leave

1

"Where were you all summer, Maxi?"

"I don't remember..."

"What do you mean you don't remember? How can you not remember your own summer?"

My friend Michelle always wanted to know about other people's vacations. And I had always told her... At least until now.

I was trying to think of what I'd done all summer. But it just seemed like I came back to school and two months were just gone.

"I'm trying, Michelle, I'm trying. I just don't remember. I can't remember!"

"How is that possible? You've remembered everything since the day you were born. You can't just stop remembering."

We went and sat down at our lunch table. Everyone was talking about their summer and I just sat their eating my pasta and salad, listening to their interesting stories. How can I just not remember?

Bzzzzz.... Bzzz.... Bzzzzzzzz...

I swatted the area next to my ear, thinking that was just a fly, but the sound kept on going.

Bzzzz... Bzzzzzzzzzzz....

What the heck could that be? Am I going insane? First I don't remember my summer, and now some mysterious buzzing sound that's in my head. What is happening to me? I'm only thirteen, I can't be going crazy yet.

"Maxi, are you okay?"

I realized that I had just looked like an idiot in front of my friends. Swatting at my ears like some maniac. Great. Just great.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine Rachel." Rachel, Michelle, and I had all been best friends since kindergarten. We had been through everything together. From broken bones to stolen toys. Everything. "Yeah, it was just a fly. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Michelle interjected.

"First not remembering summer, now swatting at imaginary flies? What's gotten into you?"

That was the thing. I didn't know. It was confirmed. Someone was inside of me. Where else would that buzzing sound be coming from?