The Girl With Lost Memories - Parts 1 & 2 (An OUAT Fanfiction)

𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 26: 𝒯𝑜𝓌𝓃 𝑀𝑒𝑒𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔

Last night, I made a bunch of posters online and hung them all over town this morning. Delilah waits with me at the podium in the Town Hall while I keep checking my phone for the time. It's five minutes before I have to start the meeting, and no one's here but us.

"Where is everyone?" I say.

"I don't know."

"Did I not give people enough of a head's up?"

"They'll show up. People are slow in small towns. They've got that laid-back attitude."

"There're only two minutes left. You'd think some people would've shown up by now."

"Maybe Regina sent a message, telling people not to come."

I ball up my fists and glue my feet to the ground. "I'd punch her in the nose if she did."

"Don't get all violent. She's the Mayor, and you went behind her back. She could have you arrested."

"Emma's not going to arrest me... again."

As more time passes, Delilah paces the stage. I can't move. I'm stuck by the podium, waiting for one person to walk through the doors.

No one comes.

Delilah returns to me and says with a lighthearted voice, "Wanna head to the café?"

"No," I snap.

"Granny's, then?" she asks with more sympathy.

"No. I want to stay here."

She shakes her head and says soothingly, "No one's coming, Bella."

My breaths quicken and become short. Everything around me spins and tries to knock me over. I want to fall. I don't think I can stand any longer. I thought this idea would be the one, but I never expected it to end with such turmoil. "...I don't understand. What went wrong?"

"Don't worry about that." Delilah puts a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"How can I not worry about that?" I shout at her, pulling away. "This may have been my last option." I sit on the edge of the stage. I want to cry so bad.

What happened? I did everything right, didn't I? I was sure this would work.

I whisper, a sob catching in my throat, "I want my mom and dad." I catch Delilah wiping away a tear. "Why are you crying?"

Her lip quivers. "I'm sorry about all this. You don't deserve it," she croaks.

"There's nothing you could've done."

"I could've stopped Henry from finding you. He told me what he was planning. I could've told Emma and Regina... But I didn't because I believed him... just like you did."

"What do you mean?"

"Henry—" Her face hardens, and she looks down at me. "...I'm going to give him a piece of my mind when I see him."

* * *

Somehow, I was able to walk from the Town Hall to Granny's on spaghetti legs. My arms tingle, making my mug shake in my hands. My throat tightens when I swallow the hot chocolate and barely lets it go through.

I don't know what else I'm supposed to do. I asked people, researched, and called a town meeting no one attended. I don't get it. Where did I go wrong? Someone had to have gotten the memo. I put up posters all over town. Hey, look. There's one right there on Granny's message board. You'd think that one would've been enough to tell all of Storybrooke.

In the kitchen, pans sizzle and clang as Floyd cooks. I've been to this diner too often if I know the chef's name. But his and Granny's food is fantastic. Without a doubt. All the customers in here prove that.

Ruby and Granny set plates on the counter and tables. Dishes clink while people eat and drink.

Out of nowhere, people cheer. I look over my shoulder, and someone got a bullseye on the dartboard by the service window.

Then, the bell tinkles.

Leroy strides into the diner and looks disgusted when he spots me. "You."

"What up?" I say, my voice deep and hoarse.

"How is it that Regina hasn't kicked you out yet?"

"Because she's not the queen."

He bursts out laughing, then cuts himself off. "If you hadn't tried to kill me, I would still be laughing."

"It was an accident." It came out like a whisper.

"Is that what you would have said to my corpse? 'It was an accident,'" he says, mimicking me.

"I don't sound like that."

"'I don't sound like that.' If Delilah hadn't canceled your meeting, I still wouldn't have showed."

"What did you just say?"

"You heard me, Toretto."

"Delilah canceled the meeting?"

"Of course, you wouldn't know." He waves his phone with a mischievous grin. "You're not on the town app." While watching me, he pockets the device and parades away like a dumbass peacock.

How could Delilah cancel my meeting? Especially when she knew how important it was to me? This is why I don't have friends. No expectations. No hurt feelings. No dependency. I hate having to depend on Henry and Delilah to find my parents. I hate that I let Delilah in just enough to crush me. I hate that I expected her to be a friend. I don't do friendship. It's not in my blood. And now she has to answer to a furious orphan.

When did she say that party was?