amnesia | editing

Chapter 6

Zann

I pulled back from Javier's embrace.

"I'm really tired, Jave, thanks for being here for me. You can go," I said, faking tiredness.

Javier eagerly nodded.

"Bye, Zann. See you tomorrow for lunch!" he added and ran off.

Most likely to find Claire and be with her, I thought.

His acting wasn't that good. From the moment after he came up with Claire, his faking had become more...

Desperate.

Like he wanted me to believe that he still loved me and didn't love Claire.

I saw his body tense when Claire left.

That's when I knew that the guy I loved was gone.

Matthew turned to me.

"You okay? Has this acting thing taken a toll on your well-being?" he asked, concerned.

I shook my head.

He grinned in relief.

Oh yeah, and after he pulled me in for that hug?

I remembered everything that happened before my amnesia episode.

Yes, I'm serious.

Everything.

Weird, right?

I had expected the memories to come back to me in a form like that, but I wasn't prepared for the emotional turmoil I felt right now.

I looked up at Matthew's relieved face.

"Matt..." I said slowly.

He glanced at me.

"Yeah, Z?" he replied.

I took a deep breath. I wasn't sure what consequences there would be for me  if I told him that I regained my lost memory, but he was my bestie, and I couldn't lie to him.

Matthew's an awesome lie detector.

The truth's gonna be revealed sooner or later, anyway.

"I... I remember." I stammered.

He immediately put his phone down and twisted to look at me.

"Are you serious, Zann? Really?" 

Matthew's eyes widened to saucers.

"Yes, I am." I replied.

His face broadcasted a mix of happiness, sadness, anger and jealousy.

Why's he jealous and sad and angry anyway?

"Well, that's... great." he tried to mask his sad tone but his lips gave it away.

Why am I even staring at them?

"Hey, what's up with you? I thought you were supposed to be happy for me..." I said, confused.

He glanced earnestly at me.

"I am. It's just... I wish you hadn't remembered some parts of it, like that part where..." he couldn't finish.

"Where what?" I asked.

He lost that brave exterior he had put on, and underneath it I saw my best friend, trying to protect me from the inevitable memories.

"Where you cried and cried for days when you learnt that Claire was seeing Javier." he finally finished, his voice breaking at the end.

And I flashed back to that moment and gasped in pain.

That sorrow...

Matthew glanced, alarmed, at me.

"Zann? Zann, are you okay?" he asked.

I nodded numbly.

I couldn't hold it back anymore.

I fell into Matthew's arms, crying helplessly as the all too familiar pain devoured me.