Locks and Keys

Chapter 26

Flashes of people haunted my dreams. Two girls that were laughing with my sister and I at what looked like a slumber party; three guys sitting at a cafeteria table with Lock and Ollie; a nerdy looking boy with fluffy blonde hair sitting next to me in a Design Technology workshop; and finally, teo girls standing over me in a dimly lit warehouse, one holding a baseball bat and the other smiling menacingly.

I was dragged from my blurred dreams by hushed voices, conversing either side of my bed. I didn't open my eyes; just lay there listening in to whatever the people were saying. I recognised the voices, but only as if they were from a distant memory – or a dream.

"Why would Ava do this? She's always been so quiet, I never would have guessed." A feminine voice began, seemingly opening up the conversation for others' input.

"Maybe she was jealous? Key has become quite popular around school and maybe Ava wanted that." A boy's voice suggested.

"Don't you think that this is all a bit extreme if it was just jealousy?" Another boy's voice tagged in. Hearing their theories made me want to open my eyes and know who was voicing them.

"There might be something wrong with her, you never know." Ollie contributed, which made my eyelids flicker a bit, wanting to open on instinct, but I kept them shut. Why did I want to see his face, again?

"Hey, guys, I think she's waking up, I saw her hand twitch a little." Lock said, sound more suspicious than anything else; it was as if he guessed I was listening into their conversation. Stupid twin-bond. I let my eyes flick open to see eight faces looking down at me. I frowned up at them as I recognised them all from the images that had flashed in my dreams, along with the fact I already knew whom Lock and Ollie were.

"Don't tell me your names, I'm sure you've heard about my memory loss. I want to guess." I ordered, which made them all chuckle a little. I pointed at the girl with black hair and glasses, scrunching my forehead together in concentration. "You are a place in America. Which city? Dammit, brain, remember! Uh... B-b-b... Not Boston, right?" I joked, remembering that her name was Brooklyn, and that the curly haired boy had teased her with that nickname. Brook grinned and slapped me gently.

"You remember me?" She squealed.

"Vaguely, I had a few dreams and a few memories came back. I remember your names, but I don't recall how we met or all the things we've been through together." I answered, before pointing at them one by one and listing off their names. "Brook, Amanda, Kent, Josh, Ollie, Connor, Danny and Freak." I said, finally pointing at Lock. He rolled his eyes.

"You haven't forgotten your sense of humour I see." Connor laughed, pushing his nerd glasses up his nose. He leant into Josh slightly and Josh wrapped his arm around Connor, making me beam at them.

"Things going well between you I see." I said, wiggling my eyebrows at them and Connor blushed.

"Stop being annoying, Key, or you'll have someone other than Ava hitting you with a baseball bat." Connor growled playfully and winked at me.

"How do you know about the baseball bat?"

"Ava and Kacey were taken into custody this morning, they're being charged of kidnapping, blackmailing and attempted murder. They found the baseball bat with your blood and their fingerprints on it." Amanda answered for him, with a distant look on her face. She obviously hadn't still processed the whole ordeal.

"Have any of y'all seen Emily?" I asked them, and they looked at one another awkwardly before Kent spoke up.

"Her parents are too happy about Kacey getting accused of what she's done, and don't want her to visit you." He explained and I nodded in understanding. I didn't blame them; it's not the greatest thing to have a relative accused of a felony.

"That out of order, Bro, Key did nothing wrong, it was their daughter that attacked her." Danny said, angrily. Brook began rubbing his arm to try and calm him down. Aw, they were adorable.

"It's fine, Danny, I understand their reasoning." I said, flashing Danny a small smile, to show him I meant what I was saying. "The real question is, when the hell do I get out of here?"

"That is a good question, Vanessa, and I shall answer it." A voice came from the open door. A doctor stood in a long white coat and hair tied back in a ponytail. She walked over to my bedside and checked all the bleating monitors and dripping liquids. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm alive, which, in my opinion, is a win. I can remember some things here and there, too." I told her and she smiled.

"Yes, you being alive is a very good thing, and so is the fact that you're getting over your concussion. I can't guarantee that you'll get all your memories back, but if they are like you say, then there's a good chance they will."

"So does that mean I can leave, like, now?" I enquired.

"I just have to do a bit of paperwork, then your parents can sign you out." She said with a smile.

"Great! Freak, go get Mother and Father, immediately!" I ordered my twin, who rolled his eyes, but got up anyway and left the room.

I got changed into some casual clothes that my parents had brought me, which consisted of a pair of burgundy tracksuit bottoms and a baggy grey t-shirt, which I think actually belonged to Lock before I stole it.

My parents signed a load of documents and when they were done, the doctor prescribed me some drugs to help me sleep and for when I get headaches. We left the hospital and when we got home Jo-Jo, Lucy and Jamie were waiting outside the front door with a massive sign that said 'Welcome home Key!' I have to admit, I almost shed a tear when I saw them.

The whole group that had been at the hospital pulled up at our house, as we got put of our own car. Everyone got out of their cars and joined in on the family group hug we had going on outside our house. Everyone started laughing and we began to tumble to the floor. We ended up in a massive heap on the front lawn, still giggling like children, even though some of us were. Cough, Lock.

I wanted to stay in that moment forever, with my friends and family all around me, but for some reason, all good things must come to an end.