A Faded Love

Chapter 9

After a long silence in the room, Christen walked in accompanied by Lauren and Amy.

Lauren and Amy ran to Tobin and gave her a hug.

"Please tell me you remember us," Lauren begged while cupping Tobin's face.

Tobin looked at Lauren and then at Amy and could tell they were crying. She thought hard, but no memory could come to her. But then she remembered that she remembered her mom by looking at pictures. "I don't remember your faces, but if you show me pictures of us, I may be able to remember."

Lauren and Amy looked at each other with concerned faces. They were upset that Tobin was unable to remember them, but managed to stay calm, hoping the pictures would help.

"I just realized I left my phone at home," Amy said hitting her head.

"I only have a few pictures of us since I got a new phone, but I think they would help," Lauren said while pulling out her phone. "Hey wait, Tobin do you have your phone?"

Tobin shrugged so Christen answered for her. "The doctors said her phone was crushed in the accident."

Lauren nodded and then proceeded to showing Tobin's the pictures of them together. She first showed Tobin a picture of the three of them when they were in elementary school, "Our parents called us 'The New Kids' because we became friends together while being the new kids at school."

The next picture she showed was of the three of them in their school soccer uniform, "We took this picture after receiving our uniforms and finding out that we made the Varsity soccer team."

Lauren found the last picture which she thought would help Tobin remember them. She showed Tobin a picture of the three of them wearing their college shirts, each sitting on one swing. "We took this picture at the place we first met, the school playground. After you verbally committed to play soccer at UNC, we decided to take this picture. I'm going to UCLA, Amy's going to USC, and you're going to UNC," Lauren started to tear up, "Tobin, we took this picture because it shows where we first met and now our future."

Tobin stared at the picture and that's when things started to flood into her mind. She remembered attending a UNC soccer camp, she remembered verbally committing to UNC, she remembered her best friends. "Lauren Cheney and Amy Rodriguez."

Lauren and Amy looked at each other and smiled big. They both hugged Tobin while Mrs. Heath and Christen watched them with smiles.

"Oh, Tobin, please don't scare us like that ever again," Amy said.

"Just as long you guys stop calling me Toby," Tobin responded while everyone laughed.

Lauren and Amy spent the next hour talking to Tobin and getting to know Christen. Mrs. Heath, along with Lauren and Amy decided to leave and come back tomorrow. They said their goodbyes while Christen stayed with Tobin.

"See, you remember who you are and who your family and friends are now," Christen said with a big grin.

"I just wish I could remember Alex. She looked so hurt when I told her I didn't remember her."

"Someone once told me that if something bad happens prior to losing your memory, you'll remember that last," Christen sighed knowing this would hurt Tobin, "Maybe you guys had an argument prior to the accident."

"It must have been a pretty bad argument if it had lead to me getting into a car accident." Tobin could sense Christen becoming uncomfortable so she tried lightening the mood. She cleared her throat, "So you said if something bad happened prior to losing my memory, I'll remember that memory last?" Christen nodded, "So I guess if something good happened prior to me losing my memory, I'll remember that first?"

Christen nodded, "I guess so."

Tobin laughed at how oblivious Christen was. "I'm saying that I remembered you first. You were the good memory."

Christen immediately started to blush. She tried hiding it by putting her hands over her cheeks. "I guess you could say that," Christen said with a giggle.

Tobin flashed her million-dollar smile to Christen. Christen's heart skipped a beat and that's when she realized, she was slowly falling for Tobin. "Oh no," she thought to herself.

"You know, the most I know about you is that your name is Christen Press. Tell me about yourself," Tobin said while turning to look at Christen.

Christen fiddled with her fingers, "Um, well I am 18 years old. I'm a Freshman at Stanford and I currently play for their soccer team," Tobin's eyes widened and was intrigued by Christen already, "my favorite color is green, I like to do yoga, and I am on break right now so that's why I am here."

"Stanford, huh? That's cool."

Christen laughed, "UNC is a pretty cool too."

"Also, you know you're not here because you're on break. You're here because you found me unconscious on the road, almost dead," Tobin said while laughing.

Christen was shocked to why she was laughing. "Tobin, why are you laughing, you nearly died!"

Tobin laughed at how concerned Christen was. She thought it was cute and she also thought Christen was cute. She took a moment to look at Christen. Green eyes, dark brown hair, and a beautiful face. She didn't admit to herself that she's starting to develop feelings for Christen because she barely knows her. But once she gets to know Christen better, she knows that she will fall for her.

Tobin remembered Alex, but she also remembered what Christen said about possibly having an argument. She thought Alex was beautiful too, but she didn't have any feelings for her, which was strange. But now Tobin is slowly developing feelings for Christen, while Alex's world is slowly crashing down on her.

"But I didn't die," Tobin flashed her big smile, "because of you."