Sparks

Chapter 32: "Because he loves her?"

The sound of my phone woke me up as I tried to catch my breath and realized that I was in Joy's bedroom. Did I stay overnight at her house? How and why? Fuck I don't remember anything last night.

My phone's ringtone kept ringing until I grew annoyed, "What?" I answered.

"Good morning, sunshine!" I was greeted by none other than my best friend. I put the phone on speaker so that I could hear her.

"Jess, you can't keep calling me every morning." I asked with a pain in the head.

"You said you were going to have dinner with the father-in-law, and you know I can't let this through," she said with giddiness.

Fuck, I can't remember a fucking thing last night. Three memories must have washed half a day's worth of memories.

"Uh, yeah Yeah, sure," I laughed awkwardly and went to silence.

Jessie understood the silence as she asked, "what is it this time?"

"Whoa, crazy talk, Jess. Nothing is wrong, don't worry about it-"

"Claude Kinsley Harris."

"Yeah, you sound scary when you call my full name. Don't you think it's a bit overboard?" It was frustrating to get up from the bed. My head feels like it has been hit by a truck.

"Don't tell me you forgot."

"No...?"

"Claude."

"Yeah, you're right. I forgot everything last night," I wined to the phone.

"What was the last thing you remember?"

I tried to recall my memory, "I remember going to Joy's house for a dinner with her family. That's it. I don't remember anything after that."

"That's bad. That's really bad, Claude," Jessie repeatedly said, "you could have missed something important."

"I fucking know that, Jess," I said, "I'll tell you something even worse. The dream. It wasn't Joy's memory anymore. I think I'm starting to dream about her dad's memory."

The image of Wayne getting beaten up keeps showing in my head, and I can't get rid of it. Why do I have to dream of Wayne's memories? Is it worth it? Everything I saw about his past was torture.

"Her dad? There's a correlation between Joy and her dad?" Jessie asks.

"Why are you talking about my dad?" a voice came from the door. I didn't realize that Joy was standing at the doorway the whole time. Dear God. I felt Deja Vu when I saw her wearing a sports bra and spandex like the first time I stayed in her place. I don't think I can handle seeing her in spandex.

"Is that her?" Jessie asked from the phone, and I put my phone on my chest, "you stayed for the night? Again?!"

"How long have you been standing there?" I asked, ignoring Jessie's nagging.

"Just now," Joy said, shrugging, "what were you two talking about?"

"Give her the phone, Claude!" Jessie said from the phone. I instantly changed the speaker and gave it to her.

Joy took the phone and listened carefully to Jessie. Oh God, I hope she didn't tell her anything weird about me. Then before she ended the call, she nodded with her eyes squinted and looked at me. She was looking at me... In sympathy? Oh God, what did Jessie tell her?

Joy walked toward me and sat next to me. Worry was plastered all over her face, and I was starting to freak out, "what did she tell you?" I asked.

"You had a short-term memory, and you didn't tell me?" Joy narrowed her eyes at me.