ꨄThe Debutanteꨄ

79.

...

December

Christmas Night, continued

...

Tori stared at Anika in surprise once she pulled away. Their faces were close. "Woah..." Tori closed her eyes, inhaling. "Don't make me throw all my therapy down the drain." Tori said, as if she was warning her. "What do you mean?" Anika asked. Tori then pulled away, moving Anika's hands from around her and standing up.

Tori ran her fingers through her hair and began to pace. "Goddamnit, Anika." She said. "What's wrong with you?" Anika asked. "With the way I am- okay, I know your memory is all messed up...-Oh, I wanna kiss you back so bad, I want to kiss you so bad, but I won't-" Tori seemed to be trying to keep some sort of self control, cutting her current sentences off to start new ones.

Anika seemed to pout. "Are you with someone else- no, but I'm not with you- What do you mean you aren't?- Okay, how do I say this without sounding like a bitch..." Tori said to herself.

"Listen baby, you have a girlfriend, and it's not me." Said Tori. "It's not you?- No, it's not. I was your girlfriend. Now I'm your ex, so there's that." Said Tori. "My ex? Why?" Anika asked. Tori was about to speak, but changed her mind. "I'd rather not get into the details, but anyway, your girlfriend is in the hallway crying." Said Tori.

"But the last person I remember loving is you-" Tori shushed her. "Don't say that. Do not say that." She said, then exhaling. Anika then moved the sheets from under her, placing her feet into the floor. "You're confusing me, can we just talk-" She had almost stumbled to the floor, seeming to be unable to support her own weight.

Tori rushed over to her, putting her arms around her waist and holding her up. "Woah, what are you doing? Hold on, sit back down. You haven't walked in almost a year, you have to sit down." She said, then guiding Anika back towards the bed by walking against her so she'd step backward. Anika looking up at her and into her eyes. Tori looked away. "Oh god, stop looking at me like that." Tori mumbled, squinting. Anika seemed to be pouting. "Stop making that face, please. What's wrong?" Tori asked. "Are you actually my ex or do you just not want to be with me anymore?" Anika asked.

"No, no, no, no, no, you got it all it wrong. I'm your ex from years ago. We've been broken up since college. You've been dating someone else for a year now. And I told you she's in the hallway crying." Said Tori, sitting Anika down. "Are you talking about that woman who accused me of lying about not remembering her? With the way she said it, I don't know if I'd want to have her as my girlfriend." Anika said, crossing her arms.

"You two are literally head over heels in love with each other. It made me sick at some point." Tori shrugged. "She's upset because she's the one who has been by your side the longest. And now you remember me, your ex, instead of her." Said Tori.

Anika tried to think for a moment, and then she heard the door open. It was Renee, and she was turning towards Cookie and seeming to be whispering to her. Cookie was wiping her eyes, her face seeming to be in a pout. "I know, I know. But just try. Take your time. Do everything you can. It'll be okay." Her mother whispered to her. Anika and Tori stared at her while she walked in. Renee rubbed her back as she guided her to the bed in front of Anika.

"Just introduce yourself." Said Renee. Anika stared up at her blankly. Cookie sniffed, trying to keep her composure. "My name...is Cookie Lyon. We've been together for a year. We always spent so much time together. We traveled and went on dates and so many other things. Y-you don't remember any of it?" Cookie asked. Anika shook her head. "I don't think so." Said Anika.