Amnesia

Aspen and Nathaniel

Aspen attempts to swallow the lump in her throat. But it lingers, making it harder for her to breathe. All she has to do is sob, but she refuses.

"Big girls don't cry." Her sister's words echo throughout her mind. Aspen still remembers the day Sloane's grey eyes bore into her while she spoke. Sloane's girlfriend had called off their two year long relationship over text. Aspen, who was only eleven at the time, can still picture her older sister weeping in the darkness of bed sheets. But when Aspen walked in, Sloane was content. Before young Aspen could even question, Sloane spoke the famous words.

And suddenly, in this moment, Aspen understood.

"A, would you look at me?" His voice pulls her from her thoughts and to the present. If she wanted to, she could still hear the way he said hello on the phone that first day so many months ago. But, she didn't want to give in, so she pushed the memory deeper into her thoughts.

She continues to divert his eyes, "I don't think I can."

"Baby-"

The lump in her throat erupts into a jumble of words, motivated by his word choice, "Don't you dare call me what you called Remy." The taste of the other girl's name was bitter on Aspen's tongue, but she continued, unfazed, "Do I need to remind you of the secret dates, late night phone calls, and..." Her voice trails, and though it feels like a gunshot to the heart she ends her statement, "And the kisses?"

His eyes are wide; Aspen is such a soft spoken person. It hits him right in the chest that he's making her do this, "Aspen, I-"

But she cuts him off again, "No, Nate. I want you out."

"Let's just talk this out." He says calmly.

She shakes her head and hopes he doesn't notice that her eyes are starting to water, "We're done, Nate." When he doesn't budge, Aspen pushes hard against his chest. He stumbles out of the door frame and is met with a door slam to the face. Then, just like in all cliché stories and movies, Aspen slides down the wood until she's curled up on the floor.

Little does she know, her back is to his. And for the first time since all of this started, Aspen and Nathaniel allow themselves to cry.