Memorizing You

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Linc was listening to some of his music when someone tapped on his shoulder. He removed the earphones from his ear and turned his head, his eyes widening at the sight of Danny. He pocketed his iPod and stood up to face Danny.

"You're Lincoln, right?" Danny asked.

Linc was about to tell him a joke when he remembered that Jane mentioned to him that Danny suffered amnesia because of him. He took in a breath and nodded, "Yeah, I am. Can I help you, Daniel?"

Danny didn't want to approach him at first but he knew that it was either him or Jane. Seeing that the other choice was lying on the bed, unconcious, he was left with no choice at all.

"Well, there is somehting." Danny said, "It's about Alice."

Linc tried his best not to talk to Alice at all, not unnecessarily anyway. They only talked when it was really important, like taking turns from Jane.

Linc wanted to just kill himself from doing this, clearly it was all his fault. Now, Alice was losing his best friend because of his own stupidity.

"What can I do?" Linc found himself asking Danny.

"We broke up, as complicated as it sounds but I want her back and I.... I just want her back." Danny said, he tried to come up a reason on wanting Alice back. He failed to come up with some kind of reasonable excuse just to get her to smile those warm genuine smile back to him.

"I'll try my best, pal. Alice is a bit of a tough shell right now." Linc said and looked back to the ICU where Jane lay, "She might be a bit overwhelmed with what's happening around her."

"But--"

"Just give her a bit of time. A week or two and then talk to her. Tell her everything you want to say, don't let her cut you off, just rattle everything you need to say." Linc said and smiled, he placed a hand on Danny's shoulder.

"Thank you." Danny said, Linc was surprised at first, "I know you messed things up but you did it for a reason. Everyone will see it when time comes." Danny said and started to leave.

Linc just looked at him.

~

A week passed with Alice coped up in her room, surrounded by the flood of memories she shared with the person that meant the most to her. Confused and tired of being thrown around, she stood up and wiped the remaining tears on her eyes.

Her mother have been constantly knocking on her door to bring some food, in the end she would just give up and leave the tray at her door.

Alice took her phone and dialled one person who she knows that can help her with her dilemma.

"Hello?" the familiar baritone voice answered on the other line.

"Uncle Al? It's me, Alice." she said and took in a shaky breath, "Can I visit there? Like for vacation?"

"Sure, you're always welcome here." he said.

"Thanks, Uncle Al. I'll be there by Monday." she said and hung up, she moved to her closet and started packing.

"Alice?" A voice made her look at her door, Edgar was standing there, shocked to see Alice packing here clothes, "Where are you going?"

Panic was building up in him, he didn't know what to do if Alice left him. His anxiety rose up to his head as morbid thoughts flew around his mind.

Was I not enough? Am I a bad father? Have I made a mistake?

"I'm just going to Uncle Al's place and think. I can't think here, with Jane in the hospital, Danny right around the neighborhood, Linc everywhere. I just can't deal with it." she said and blew out a breath.

"Are you going back here?"

"Of course, Dad. I won't leave you. I'm just going to take a short break from all of this things." she said and saw Teddy pass by, "Teddy, can you drive me?"

Teddy raised both of his eyebrows and frowned, "Where are you going?"

"Atlanta."

Teddy nodded slowly, "And why are you going to Atlanta?"

"Vacation." Alice plastered a fake smile and shrugged on the maroon duffel bag with Watson High's logo, she used to be part of the track team but she left.

"I just got here and you want to take a vacation to Atlanta?" Teddy feigned hurt but smirked when Alice laughed, "Fine, but you're going to pay for gas."

Alice nodded and saw the defeated look on her father's face. Ellen just walked in and saw the duffel bag hanging on Alice's shoulder, "Going to somewhere, miss?" she asked teasingly.

"Uncle Al's." Alice admitted and sat down beside her father, Teddy shrugged and walked out of the room.

"You're leaving me." he whispered.

"For summer only. I'll be back in one month, two months tops." she said and leaned at his shoulder, "I just need to seclude myself."

"Aren't you afraid?" he asked.

"Afraid of what?"

"Being alone? Secluded?"

"I'm not alone, Dad. I have you and mom and Ted and everyone else. But, right now is the time where I need my personal bubble and just really think."

Edgar got up and sighed deeply, "Fine. If you that's what you want then I'll respect it." he said and held out his arms, "Be careful, Ali."

"I will."