Remember me

Chapter 8

Nick

The bell rings and I walk out of class and towards my locker feeling relieved. I passed the exam to test out of my senior math class so now I can end my school day at lunch time. This gives me more time to pick up the extra hours I desperately need to get at work.

I type in my combination and pull open the locker door when I see something fall out, fluttering to the ground. I reach down and grab it. A picture?

Holy hell.
She brought a damned picture.

Part of me is pissed, why won't she just leave it alone? I've been such a dick to her, I'm surprised she isn't staying as far away as possible. The other part of me though, wants to laugh. She's the same girl as I knew before. Bossy. Pushy. Can't leave well enough alone. I can't help but smile.

"See! You're smiling!" I look up and there she is, speed walking toward me. "I knew you remembered!"

She must of been watching me.

For fucks sake.

"No" I say with a pause, looking back down at the photograph and scrambling for something to say.. "I'm laughing at your hair! What's with the braided pig tails, pippy long stocking?"

"Very funny captain America," she retorts. "Pretty sure you wore that shirt almost every day. It stank!"

I start to laugh but stop myself. I frown instead. How does she do this to me? I promised myself I was going to forget her. To leave her alone and not drag her back into my shitty life. I didn't plan on her being so determined to do the exact opposite.

I can feel her stare while I'm lost in thought, and after a moment she says, "Your unhappy. I'm sorry. Did I say something wrong?"

I don't answer.
I don't have an answer.
What I want and what I know is best are pulling me in opposite directions and I feel like I'm losing either way.

She looks down at her feet and softy says "You do remember, don't you?"

I'm hurting her.
I almost give in right then and there because I know I am hurting her.

I didn't think my already broken heart was capable of breaking any further, but I think it cracks just a little bit more as I hand her the picture back and walk away.