Damned

Chapter 3- Gone and Definitely Forgotten

This is an author's note and in no way affects the story, feel free to skip it.

So sorry I'm once again late with the update (but be warned, just because I apologize doesn't mean I'm going to change my ways). To make it up to you, I've edited the first part. It's now much more cleaned up, and there's a few hints that tie into later chapters. Still, you won't miss anything if you don't reread it.

Still looking for an editor, if anyone's interested. I would be willing to edit their writing in exchange and their name will, of course be given recognition at the beginning of every chapter. As always, criticism is appreciated (Hell, it doesn't even need to be constructive) and encouragement will be kept close to heart.

-Sekai

Chapter 3

Ean blinked in shock as his brain tried to process the information.

"What?"

"She has amnesia, but we're not sure how long it will last." The doctor paused awkwardly, waiting for them to say something. "Ah, can you tell us anything about her? We know from her driver's licence that her name is Aria Vesni, but there isn't mention of any living relatives in her medical records, and we'd like to contact someone as soon as possible."

"Erm, actually we--"

"Actually we don't know her that well, we only met her a few weeks ago." Sandy said quickly, stepping on Ean's toes again. "We we were just with her when she got hit and wanted to know if she's okay. We don't know her family or anything."

"Can we see her?" Ean blurted out, earning another glare from Sandy.

The doctor gave them a suspicious look. "What are your names?"

"Sandy Saccardi."

"Ean... Starling." He said hesitantly.

The doctor's attention landed solely on Ean. "Just a minute."

The doctor disappeared inside Aria's room. Sandy craned her neck to see through the door. "He's talking to a bunch of the nurses in there. I can't tell what he's saying his back is turned."

The doctor opened the door and stepped out. A line of nurses filed out after him. "Right this way sir." He held the door open for them, waiting awkwardly for them to walk in before leaving.

"Sir?" Sandy questioned Ean, smirking.

"Shut up."

"Hey, it got us in here." Sandy shrugged. "And why do you hate being treated like that? I mean, all they have to do is hear your name and they suck up to you."

"I don't want respect just because my parents own the place. I want to earn it on my own. I've told you this already."

"And I still think you're crazy." Sandy returned.

"Um... hello." A soft voice said from the bed.

Ean and Sandy jumped. Both of them had been so wrapped up in their conversation that they had forgotten why they were there in the first place. They looked towards the girl in the hospital bed.

Aria looked up timidly at Ean. Despite being in a hospital gown with an IV in her arm, he couldn't help but think she looked beautiful.

Her golden curls spilled down her shoulder, shining in the florescent lights above. Her eyes, which were a light, caramel brown looked up at him, framed by thick lashes. That paired with her bell-like voice made Ean's mind go blank. Why was he here again?

"You kissed me." She said, her voice still maintaining it's innocence even with the accusatory note in it.

Sandy sent him a smouldering glare that was ten times worse than the one in the hallway.

"No, no no no no. It was mouth to mouth..." Ean's words died in his mouth as Sandy's glare turned up a few more notches.

"Thank you." Aria said, unperturbed by The Look. "The doctors said I would have died if you hadn't helped me."

"Erm, well I did the best I could." He said, flushing pink and running his fingers through his hair. "Oh, how are your ribs? The doctor said they were broken."

For a second Ean thought he saw a look of annoyance cross her face, but then she smiled softly at him. "They do hurt a bit, but I'm alive, thanks to you."

"Never mind that." Sandy said without the slightest bit of sympathy. She sat down in one of the chairs beside Aria's bed, looking at her with unblinking intensity. "Do you really not remember anything?"

Ean opened his mouth and was about to say that she was being rude and that Aria probably didn't want to talk about it when Aria spoke up.

"I keep on getting little wisps of memory, and I definitely remember the semi. But besides that... nothing." She said, staring at her hands clasped in her lap.

"How long did the doctors say it would take for you to get it back?" Sandy interrogated.

"Amnesia usually lasts anywhere from a few hours to a week or two." Ean informed her.

"Shut up. I wasn't asking you." Sandy covered his mouth with her hand, refusing to move it even when he licked it. She didn't take her eyes off Aria, who was beginning to shift uneasily under her stare.

Ean pushed her hand away. "Well how is she supposed to know?"

"I don't know! Don't doctors tell you that sort of thing? When I fell off a roof and broke my leg the doctor told me how long that would take to heal."

"So you're saying amnesia is like a broken leg?" Ean challenged.

"Depends on how you look at it." A voice said from the doorway.

Ammie walked into the room, carrying a tray with some papers on them. She was a short, plump nurse who could have been anywhere between forty and seventy. She wore red sparkly glasses and had her salt and pepper hair swept up in a neat bun. She was one of the few people who treated Ean like a normal person, something he liked her for. She surveyed the scene, her eyes twinkling in a way that made it seem like she was in on a joke the rest of them didn't get.

"Both of them need examination before you can be sure of anything, which is what I was about to do right now." She pulled Sandy out of her chair by the scruff of her shirt and shooed both her and Ean out of the room. "You two can see her tomorrow. Now shoo!" She promised, shutting the door in their faces despite Ean's protests.

They both stood staring at the door for a moment, Sandy in shock. No one threw out Sandy Saccardi before she had a chance to argue. She recovered and spun on her heel to face Ean.

"Well then." She said, "See you tomorrow?"

Ean snapped out of his daze. "Yeah... Wait, what?" His brain was still scattered from all that had had happened in the span of a few hours.

"At school. The place you've been going to for the past ten years?" Sandy stared down with an expression Ean couldn't identify.

"I don't trust that girl." She said abruptly.

With that she turned around and strode towards the exit, leaving Ean even more confused than he had already had been.