Broken Memories

Chapter 3

Chrissy

"Take your time. We can talk about anything you want." The therapist, with a small reassuring smile, tells me.

"Okay . . ." I have one small question but I'm not too sure whether I should ask it or not.

Time ticks by. No one talks. Silence is swallowing the room leaving me no choice but to ask, "What's the school like?"

"Well, if I'm correct it'll be your last year. So you'll have to take you're GCSEs. But we'll work on a workaround." She informs me.

I nod. "But what's it like? School, I mean."

"That's a loaded question. You go five days a week and you'll have five different lessons on those days. Your goal is to learn as much as you can. And you also are given the opportunity to make friends there." She tells me.

***

"Then we talked about what lessons I'll be doing, and the curriculum," I tell my mum.

"That's great sweetheart." My mum smiles whilst driving. "Hey, do you want to go to the shopping centre? I know your clothes don't fit you."

"Yeah, sure."

As we arrived at the modern shopping centre the first thing I notice is the wave of people constantly making their way in and out of the front entrance.

"There are so many people!" I exclaim to my mum.

"Yeah, honey there are. They're probably doing back-to-school shopping." She informs me.

I nod my head whilst jumping out of the car. As my feet touch the ground I notice a girl staring at me, she stands next to another car not too far away, and then all of a sudden she's running. Sprinting over towards me: yelling my name.

"Chrissy!" She repeats as she weaves her way between cars and closer to me.

"Hello?" I question her.

She doesn't reply, instead, she wraps me in a hug, squeezing me and not allowing me to leave. Seldom do I get a hug like this? My parents are normally so careful around me and my brother just messes with my hair, I just assume that's his term of endearment: how he shows his love for me.

"Oh my gosh! I missed you so much." She squeals. "Where were you?"

"Oh, um. I was in a car crash." I tell her timidly.

"Oh, my golly gosh!" She exclaims then looks over towards my mum for confirmation.
My mum just nods not keeping eye contact with either of us.

"That's horrible! Well, it's okay. Because your best friend is back." She tells me.

"Best friend," I say with a smile.

"Yes. You're repeating what I'm saying." She smiles like I'm acting silly. To her I probably am.

"There's another thing Ella." My mum breathes, "She's lost her memories."

That's when Ella tears up. "Guys this is a joke right."

We shake our heads.

"Oh. Okay, bright side. I finally get to blackmail you into going to work with me at the library." She speaks to herself.

"Ella, we're here buying Chrissy new clothes if you want to join us?" My mum asks her.

Ella breathes. Smiles. And then replies, "Of course. Chrissy always needed more fashionable clothes."

"Hey! That's not true!.. I think."

Getting dragged into the shopping centre wasn't where I thought my day would go but here I am. My mum ran behind us to keep up.

"Right where to first?" Ella asks herself and with her free hand, she taps her head quizzically.

"Well, we cou-" I get cut off.

"Onwards and upwards!" Ella shouts, "Towards the good clothes stores."

And that was what it was like for a whole five hours. By the end, my feet were hurting and I was way too tired to carry on. After I'd complained another twenty times Ella and my mum finally decided it was time to go home.

"Well, I'm pooped I have to say," Ella states as we all wobble out of the mall, feet aching with the stress of trying o run after Ella.
That girl is hyper as hell.

In any case, I'm glad to have a friend like her, I wonder if this used to be a regular occurrence. I wonder if we used to go to the mall all the time together. I wonder, I wonder, I wonder . . . But I'll never know for sure.

"Okay, I'll see you at school Chrissy?" Ella asks us. "You're going right."

"Yep, I'm starting back soon!" I say with a bright smile, even though my insides are curling up. I'm scared. I'm scared I won't fit in there, that I won't be smart enough. But I think this is another thing I'll have to keep to myself. I can't let anyone worry even more about me, I've put my loved ones through so much already.

Eric

I got up early today and decided to cook my family breakfast. And by getup early I mean I didn't sleep, I just couldn't, and I have no clue why. My sleeping schedule has been messed up for a while now but I was hoping before school I could get it a little better: I guess not.
So here I was dancing to a playlist my dad had put together for our family and whipping up some waffles because I'd been craving them when I got out of bed and led my eyes away from the ceiling. Honestly, I'm surprised I decided to do something useful with my time. I'd already mixed the ingredients as my parents strolled into to the kitchen, my mum hugging my dad's arm as they looked at me astonished.

"You're cooking!" My dad laughs, "I always knew you'd be a chef and when I get old you'd cook you gourmet meals for me."

"Woah, slow down there. It's just waffles!" I point out, "No gourmet food here."

"Anything you cook is amazing, honey." My mum says whilst detaching herself from my dad to kiss me on my forehead.
Afterwards, my dad, loving as ever, traps her back in his hold.

"What time is it?" I ask them.

"It's almost time for school." My dad replies.

"Really?"

"Yeah, so be quick about our breakfast chef! I have to get to work." My dad tells me before pulling out a chair for my mum to sit in.

Once the waffles are cooked and my siblings have joined us downstairs we all dig into our breakfast quickly, excited for the day ahead.

School.

At least I don't have to take the bus today, I've been given access to take the car every day I'm willing to drive my siblings to school as well.

I jog upstairs and back to my room quickly to grab my bag and hopefully all the essentials I'll need for the day and then work my way to the garage where Caleb and Lucy are waiting patiently for me.

"Are we ready?" I ask them as I unlock the car.

They both giddily exclaim, "Yes!"

Then Caleb jumps in the backseat while Lucy goes to the front to sit next to me. Once I put my backpack with Caleb I hop in too. And we embark on the car drive to school, maybe this year will be better.