Leading up to now

Chapter Two - Cassie

I am a good girl, a smart girl and I never question anyone. It’s a Saturday night and I’m on my way to pick up my parents from there night out, they were drunk so I offered to pick them. They got into the backseat because I had one rule if I picked them up drunk, no one sits next to me, as they talk complete rubbish and it distracts me.

I looked in my rear view mirror and saw them both smiling at me, I smiled back. I looked at the road and saw headlights, I tried to move the car but it spun out of control and the car went into the back where my parents were, I screamed as the car flipped over.

I opened my eyes, quickly getting my seatbelt of me. I put my hands on the roof of the car which was now the bottom seeing as I was hanging upside down. The door opened on the first try, I climbed out. My messy bun had come undone, the wind blowing my hair in every direction, my blue eyes filled with tears as I walked and walked.

A police car pulled up next to me, I noticed the officer was Cindy’s brother, but I can barely remember him… Or anything.

“Cassie, oh god are you okay?” He asked and pulled me into a hug. Who is Cassie? My name is Cassandra. “We need to get you to the hospital.” He rushed me into the police.

“My name is Cassandra, not Cassie.” I said and he looked at me frowning. We arrived at the hospital and I was getting all kind of questions thrown in my direction. “Where are my mum and dad?” I asked, no one looked at me. “I need to phone her to let her know I’ll be late home.” I explained still no one looked to me. I felt the tears slide down my face, I wiped them away.

“Cassie, do you not remember?” A man asked me, I shook my head not trusting my voice right now. “You were in car crash, your parents didn’t make it.” He said his voice filled with pity and sympathy.

“I shouldn’t have been driving, I’m only sixteen!” I screamed and cried. Cindy and her family came in, I barely remember her. “Why would they let me drive when I haven’t even passed my test?” I asked.

“You’re seventeen, you had your own car. This wasn’t your fault remember that.” Cindy told me. “Also you must remember when we were sixteen you wanted everyone to call you Cassie, Cassandra sounded to grown up for you. Remember?” She smiled with hope.

I frowned and spoke. “I can’t remember anything… I can hardly remember you or my parents. I killed them.” I cried and broke my heart. I killed the people that gave me life, I killed them even though I may not remember them a lot I had killed people I love.

“No, you didn’t. A drunk driver was on the wrong side of the road,” Cindy’s brother spoke, I tried to remember his name. I shut my eyes and focused on his name, nothing.

“What’s your name? I can remember you’re Cindy’s brother but it’s blank after that.” I whispered.

“Daniel, don’t worry about it. Your Aunt Fiona and Uncle John are heading here now.” He hugged me and I returned the favour. The doctor spoke up.

“You have a small case amnesia, you may never get your memories back, but never say never.” He smiled and left. I have amnesia, it doesn’t matter if it’s a small case, its still amnesia. Memories I can never get back. Half my life gone, because of some drunk driver.

It’s been three days since it happened and I have to stay in the hospital until my Aunt and Uncle get here. They rushed through the door, hugged me straight away. I barely remember these people… I hugged them back and they had tears in their eyes.

“We talked and decided, you can move in with us in Noosedale.” Uncle John said. “Since you’re such a good girl, smart and well-behaved.” He carried on like this until I got mad.

“I am not a good girl, smart and well-behaved!  I don’t have half of my memories, I barely remember you and just by an inch I know that you are who you say you are. I am sick of people coming in and apologizing, do you know what they say? ‘Such a shame a smart girl like you, it will get better.’ Each time. I’m sick of it, if I was so smart then I’m changing and you may not like what I am about to become. If you don’t want me because I’m different now, there’s the door.” Something snapped and I slammed my fist on my bed.

“I’m sorry… We do want to take you in to our care.” Aunt Fiona said and held my hand. “But we want to let you stay here at least a couple of months before we head back, we’ll stay with you. Try and help you remember?” She whispered and I gave her a slight nod.

~*~

They kept their promise. As we’re on our way to Noosedale, it didn’t even come up when I typed it in to the internet. What kind of town is called Noosedale anyway? I sighed and pushed my sunglasses that were sliding down my nose back up.

“Oh sweetie, could you not change into trousers?” Aunt Fiona asked.

“No, I like wearing shorts… Are you going to kick me out of your house for that?” I snapped and she ignored me the rest of the journey. “Do I have to senior year in the high school?” I asked with a kinder tone.

“Well, there’s one high school so yes.” She replied and I put my iPod in. I must have fallen asleep because Uncle John woke me up.

“Cassie, we’re going into the store why don’t you come?” He asked and I followed him. Aunt  Fiona went off to talk to her friends, probably about me. “So what do you like?” He asked me and I smiled, me and Uncle John got on well, he was my godfather as well. I shrugged. “Just fling whatever you want in the trolley, deal?” He put his hand out and I shook it.

“Deal old man.” I chirped and grabbed a turkey. “This?” I asked, he said something maybe later on in the year. I saw Chinese food. I grabbed as much as I could and ran back dumping it in the trolley, I saw Aunt Fiona smile at me for the first time. “I remember you both bought me this when we were in New York…” I smiled and I ran down the aisle grabbing whatever caught my eye.

We ended up buying, everything I wanted Aunt Fiona was shocked that I made more healthy choices than chocolate etc. We got the house and it was rather big. We took the shopping and my suitcases, boxes of things I didn’t know if they were junk or valuable to me. I unpacked and took a book Cindy gave me to read in the back garden. The moonlight gave me enough light to read in the dark. I saw they had a porch swing so I sat down with my legs dangling. I looked up at the house on the cliffs that must be pretty cool staying up there. I wonder who lives there. They are the closest thing to a neighbour I have.

I bit my lip and forced myself to try and remember, the doctor said I shouldn’t do it as it will stress me out but I always do it. Because now… I do what the hell I want, whenever the hell I want. This was my new life and no one was going to find out about the old me, or the fact I have amnesia.