𝔽𝕆ℝ𝔾𝕆𝕋𝕋𝔼ℕ 𝕊𝕆𝕌𝕃𝕊 || A Romance Story - Written by Qrvilpa

𝐀 𝐍𝐞𝐰 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠

Lillian

The drive home feels surreal, as I gaze out the car window at the familiar surroundings. The trees lining the sidewalk, the old corner store down the street, the white picket fences and neat gardens; they all seem so familiar, but yet, so far away. As the car pulls up the driveway of a pretty two-story house and comes to a stop, I can't help but feel a wave of unease wash over me. This is my house, my home, but why can't I remember anything about it?

Stepping out of the car, my feet touch the paved walkway that leads up to the front porch. The air is heavy with the scent of freshly clipped grass, and the front door looms ahead, painted a cheerful shade of yellow. Taking a deep breath, I start up the porch steps, each one creaking under my weight. The door looks so normal, so ordinary, yet it feels like a portal to another planet. As I reach for the knob, my hand quivers slightly, and I hesitate.

"Its okay, Lillian." Eliza adds, noticing my hesitation. As my fingers touch the cool, metal knob, a sharp jolt of unease shoots through me. I take another deep breath and pushes down on the knob, the hinges creaking as the heavy door swings open.

The entryway beckons, and I step over the threshold. Everything about the place feels wrong and yet, eerily familiar. The photos on the wall, the plush, cozy couch in the living room, the family portrait hanging above the fireplace. These are all things I should recognize, but I can't. The walls, the furniture, the knickknacks on the mantlepiece - each thing seems to hold a silent secret, a hidden memory that I can't quite grasp.

I make my way through the living room, and into the kitchen. The refrigerator is covered with children's drawings, and the kitchen table is set for three. A pang of isolation hits me as I realise I don't know who the third setting is for. I quietly turn to Eliza, my voice quivering slightly as I speak.

"Who...who's the third setting for?" I ask tentatively.

Eliza looks up from where she's busy pulling out some ingredients for dinner. "Oh right," she says, her voice nonchalant. "That setting is for Ava. She's joining us for dinner tonight."

The pieces begin to fall into place as Eliza mentions Ava. I remember the name from the hospital, the other girl who had rushed into her room alongside Eliza. "Ava..." I muse aloud, my voice soft. "I remember her."

Eliza finishes pulling out the ingredients for dinner and turns to face me. "Yeah, Ava has been visiting you often while you were in the hospital. She's been pretty worried about you," she says, her voice warm. I cant believe that someone I don't even remember has been worried about me. Guilt washes over me. "She has?" I ask, my voice wavering slightly.

Eliza nods, a small smile playing at the corner of her lips. "Mhm," she affirms. "She's been practically glued to your bedside. I think she even skipped some classes just to be there."

I smile softly, and make my way to the living room, my eyes roaming over the various photos and trinkets that adorn the mantelpiece. My fingers lightly brush over a photo frame, picking it up and studying the image inside closely. The picture is of two adults, a man and a woman, smiling and waving from a beach.

I turn to Eliza, the picture frame clutched in her hand. "Who are they...?" I ask. Eliza's expression softens at the question, her own eyes flickering over the picture which now sits clutched in my hands. "Those are Mom and Dad," she says gently, a touch of melancholy in her voice. "They passed away a few years ago. You don't remember that, either?"

I shake my head, my eyes fixated on the picture as I slowly process Eliza's words. The news that my parents are dead hits me like a freight train, the impact of the words sinking deep into my bones. "I...I don't remember," I murmur, my voice small and quivering. The need to understand, to know how my parents died, takes root within me . "How...how did they die?" I ask, my voice slightly unsteady.