H.I.C.C.

Chapter 15: Eye to Eye

I step out of the hospital. The air is fresh and warm. The sun's shining. It's a beautiful day. But I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do... The nurse gave me an address and said that it would be the address of my home. I put it in my pocket. I wouldn't go there right now anyway. I take out my phone. Locked. I don't remember the code... Was it my birthday? Even if so, when is that? Suddenly, just out of reflex my fingers fly over the touchscreen and unlock the phone. I stare at it. How did I do that? Doesn't matter. I scroll through the contacts. There aren't many. To be exact there's just seven. I take another look. Jessica's number is already there... I tip on the contact and dial the number. It takes a few seconds, but then she picks up. "Heyaaa! Who is it?" I hesitate a bit. "Hey, it's Jennifer." She sounds exited when she replies. "Oooooh! Jen, how delightful, are you out of the hospital?" "Yeah, shall we meet?" "Of course, just wait right there, I'll pick you up." There's a click. I didn't get to ask how long that would take. Oh well... I put the phone in my pocket and look at the sky. There were two contacts labelled "Mama" and "Papa"... Should I call them? I decide to do it later.

Jen looks left and right nervously. When was Jessica going to arrive? Then, she suddenly hears a loud noise. It sounds like a motorbike. It's an matte olive dirt bike with a black phoenix painted on the tank. It comes to a screeching halt right in front of Jen. "Hop on!" The voice beneath the helmet yells to overpower the sound of the motor. Then she throws Jen a helmet that was strapped to the back seat. Jen barely catches it. "Jessica?" She asks carefully. "Call me Jess, and yes, it's me!" Jen puts on the helmet and gets on the bike. "Hold on tight!" Jess accelerates the bike, and Jen almost gets pulled off by the sheer force. The bike was definitely to strong for her license. Jess takes a few shortcuts and slaloms, and after a wild tour, they arrive at the skate park. Jess parks the bike on the Park and turns of the ignition. She pulls out the keys. "We're here." Jen carefully gets off the bike and takes off the helmet. She looks around. It all seems so familiar. But... Something is missing. Jess walks over to a boy. "Hey Francis." Francis looks to the floor, ashamed. Jen's presence makes him visibly uncomfortable. "Jess... Do you really think that I shou-" "Should be here? Chill out, F. It wasn't your fault. Besides, she suffers from traumatic amnesia." Francis gapes at here. "What??" Jess sighs. "You heard me, sweetheart, she doesn't remember anything. Except me and this park apparently." Francis stares at Jen and raises a hand. "Yo." He says loud enough for her to hear. Shyly she raises her hand too. "'Sup?" Jess punches Francis' shoulder. "See? Now come on. Let's see how much skating's still in her."

The trio did one trick after another. Francis had trouble keeping up with Jen and Jess on his skateboard. The two skated from one ramp to another, making jumps, sharp turns and even flips. Well, the last was done by Jess mostly, Jen didn't feel comfortable doing them yet. Her first attempt had resulted in her landing on her knees, scratching the protectors to a point of being almost unusable. "You're a natural Jen!" Jess says it over and over. It feels familiar. Someone had said that before. But she was sure it had not been Jess. Suddenly, Jess brakes. "You guys continue, I've got a phone call to make."

The phone rings again. At the speed of sound, Nina sprints down the stairs and gets it, just before the mailbox could activate. "HI! Who ha... is it?" She pants. "Niiiina darling, hey, how are ya?" Nina lightens up at the sound of the voice of her old friend. "Jess! How's college?" On the other side there's a chuckle. "I knew you'd ask that. College's fine, though a little boring without you. Annoying the teachers is only half as much fun. I miss the 'Chaos Duo'." Nina grins. "Yeah, me too. But it just couldn't be help. My parents really wanted me to attend the pre-Uni course, you know, being high talented is a real burden sometimes. But anyway, I'm sure you didn't call to chat about the old times. What's up?" Jess smiles.

"Is your sister available?"

Jen sits on a bench, exhausted. She had been skating for almost half an hour straight with no break whatsoever. Jess walks up to her and sits down with her. "We'll be getting company soon." Jen looks at her. "Who?" "Someone very close to you." Jen looks to the floor, saddened. "Do I have people like that? Close to me? Every time I try to remember, it starts to ache in my chest and head, being clouded. And then there's always the laugh of a man. Or a boy.. I really can't tell. But it's an uncomfortable laugh. One that is a painful memory." Jess wraps her arm around Jen's shoulder. "It's ok. She really is close to you. In fact, I think she's been visiting you every day." Jen lightens up. "That girl? She's nice.. But I don't know why she is nice, or who she is, or better was to me. It seems like she's important, but I just can't activate it." Jess strokes her shoulder. "Don't worry, I'm sure it'll come back to you. And speaking of coming, here she is."

I stand in the entrance to the park. I spot Jess and Jen on a bench further in. Jess waves at me. I wave back. I sprint over to the bench. "Hey you two, how are ya?" Jess smiles. "I'm doing great! How about you?" I shrug. "Could be better." I look at Jen. Her face is still so expressionless. "And you?" She looks at me. She puts on a smile, but it seems cold and faked. "I'm okay." How could she say that? I want to frown, but force myself not to do it. Jess jumps up from the bench. "Alright fellas! Let's get down to business!" She takes me and Jen by the hand and runs to the equipment. "Go go go!" She puts on hers, I do the same, and Jen as well. When we start skating, I feel hollow. It just doesn't feel right. We appear to be having fun, but I just can't. I am skating next to a person I'd like to know, I'd like to call my friend. But right now, can I really dare to do that? She is Jen, but at the same time she is not. She's just a shell, a mind shattered by a traumatic event.

It hurts.

Jess, Jen and L continue to skate throughout the entire morning. When the clock turns two, they take a break. The sun burns down onto the earth. Jen throws the sweater she had been given on the bench. "Bloody hell, it's so hot!" She falls to the bench. "Yeah..." L leans against a lamppost. Jess reaches into a backpack and hands both a bottle of water. Jen doesn't hesitate and starts drinking in big sips. L stares at her. Then she starts drinking as well. When she's done, Jen sighs and puts the bottle down. L gulps. "Why did you remember this place?" Jen looks at the sky. Her brown hair reflects the sun with an almost golden shimmer. "I don't know. But I think it might be because I had a lot of fun here. And also realised something extremely important. And skating here today with you two got me a few steps closer to remembering it." Jen stood up and faced L. "But I don't remember it yet. And I'm not sure if you had something to do with it."

The words burn in L's chest. She feels angry. She knows she shouldn't. But she just does.
"SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT?" Jen cringes. Jess jumps up, but holds herself back. She's not sure if she should intervene. "FUCK YEAH I HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT! I REACHED OUT TO YOU! HELPED YOU! LET YOU HELP ME! WE ARE FRIENDS! OR SHOULD I SAY WERE? HOW IS THAT NOT IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO REMEMBER?"
Jen looks to the floor. The words hurt. Badly. A tear runs down her cheek. Her mouth opens, but she doesn't know what she should say. The words just drop out of her mouth and shatter on the tarmac. Her chest feels like it's on fire. "I... I'm s-sorry..." L stares daggers at Jen. "Do these words hurt?" Jen nods. "How much?" Now the anger transferred. "IT FEELS LIKE I'M ON FUCKING FIRE, OKAY?? AND I DON'T KNOW WHY! I CAN'T EXPLAIN IT! AND IT AGITATES ME!"
"AWESEOME! THE FEELING'S MUTUAL!" Now Jess is sure she should do nothing. She stares at the sky and smiles. "AND YOU KNOW WHY? BECAUSE...." They stop. Jen looks away. So does L. "Just say it." Jess suddenly thinks out loud. Jen and L look at Jess, then at each other.

"Because I think I love you."