Carrying the Torch

Chapter 6: Brain Damaged

"Hey." I slip into the booth, across form Lily.

"May I help you?" She asks scared and confused.

"I just want to know why you stood me up yesterday." The words stinging my tongue as they exit my mouth.

"I think you have me mixed up with someone else." She looks at me concerned.

"Lily, please don't give me the 'who are you?' Line. I've used it a million times." I roll my eyes irritated. She didn't seem like the type of girl that would do that.

"How do you know my name?" Lily asks panic clear in her eyes.

"You told me like two days ago? Right here? In this booth? We worked on the song With Our Love together?" I ask her as she seems more and more confused.

"How do you know about that? Are you a stalker? Why are you stalking me? How do you know who I am?" She asks panic clear in her movements.

"Lily don't you remember me? Lily?" I try to grab her hand and calm her down.

"Leave me alone! I don't know you, you creepy freak!" She yells rushing out the café in total panic.

I walk over to the counter looking around for Liam or Big Poppa.

"Liam, what just happened?" I ask puzzled.

"That's what happens on the second attempt of dating her. It doesn't happen often we just do it to the players like you. I hate doing it to her it makes things worse but, it's not like she'll remember tomorrow any ways. She'll wake up happy without worry tomorrow." Liam rambles on.

"What do you mean she won't remember tomorrow?" I sit down waiting for Liam to elaborate.

"She has long term memory. She got in an accident a year or two back. Her dad died and she can't remember anything but waking up that morning. So every morning she wakes up thinking it's that day." Liam explains to me while cleaning the countertop.

"So she doesn't remember me? She doesn't remember any plans or.. Anything?" I try comprehending what he's said.

"Not a single clue. Such a tragedy that such a beautiful, amazing girl like her will never be married." He sighs implying he's tried her before.

"She deserves to. She's smart and amazing. She's talented and it should be known." I mumble under my breath. She really does deserve to find the right guy and get married.

"I agree but, life isn't always that thoughtful. Innocent people are sometimes hurt the most." He says sadness laced in every word.

"Is it possible she'll ever remember anything?" I ask out loud.

"Yes, ever since she was healed she's been going to therapy. It's been difficult and she hasn't made progress in months. I think they're gonna give up on her soon. She's only been getting worse. She needs.. Inspiration. She doesn't have any idea what's even going on. They just keep trying to make her live that day over and over again hoping that one day she'll just move on. Hasn't really been working if you can't tell." Liam says sadly, as if she meant more to him then he was letting on.

"What happened? Why do you seem so sad talking about her, as if you knew her personally before." I ask him watching his reaction.

"I was her boyfriend before, then she couldn't remember me and it only made things worse." He takes a deep breath. "Lily, her dad, Zayn, Ed, and I were in the car. We were going on a roadtrip. Her dad looked back at us and laughed at a joke I had told. When he looked back at the road we were about to crash with another car. He turned the wheel as fast as he could and ended up crashing into a tree instead. The car flipped and we all blacked out. Her dad died, Ed, Zayn and I ended up with scars, she had some brain damage." He looks down at his fidgeting hands.

"That's.. It's not your fault." I attempt comforting him.

"Yes it was. He could've been alive, I could've had Lily in my arms and she wouldn't be suffering." Liam sputters a tear running down his cheek. He wipes it off quickly.

"Umm, excuse me? Sorry. May I have a menu?" An all too familiar voice asks behind me.

"Taylor." I mutter catching my breath in my throat.

"Harry. Is this a bad time to talk?" She asks looking truly concerned and sad.

"Yes." I quickly reply, walking away before I cry in front of her.

"Liam, can we finish this conversation another time? Yea? Okay, goodbye." I exit the little café and enter my car.

···

"I know it's late but, I wanted to stop by after work to finish the conversation." I apologize to Liam as he stares at me and the clock I'm shock.

"It's past midnight. I'm just about to leave, I had to close the café." Liam tries to explain.

"Well you can spare a couple minutes." I urge him.

"Why do you care anyways? Why are you interested? You're a player remember?" Liam pulls out a chair and sits down.

"I don't know, she's just different and interesting." I shrug following Liam's lead.

"Well, she can't remember anything. She remembered me but, it was complicated." Liam shrugs.

"Well, what do you guys tell her about her dad?" I frown in thought.

"Well it was her dad's birthday so we just say he's out traveling as usual. She doesn't suspect anything at all because her dad surprised her that day. We were all gonna go on a roadtrip. The boys knew but she didn't. She was so unbelievably happy." He licks his lips nervously. "Everyday we give her the newspaper of that day. They monitor what she watches and hears. Everyday she comes to the café at the same time and leaves at the same time. Everyday she wakes up to it being August 14, 2011, a Sunday. They have a complicated routine planned out for her and they make sure she does everything on her to do list she made on the 13th." Liam frowns.

"So, she doesn't know, and doesn't keep a journal or anything?" I ask putting pieces together.

"Nope." He simply replies.

"Well what happens if she wakes up one day old and wrinkly? Won't that be worse for her or something?" I ask frustrated. She should know.

Liam simply shrugs and furrows his eyebrows as he thinks of the situation. "Who was that girl that came in earlier, that made you leave?"

"Taylor? Just.. A beautiful mistake." I softly whisper mostly to myself.

"Oh. Well it's pretty late, we should go. And you know enough for now." Liam yawns as he stands.

"You're right." I nod heading off to my car. "Oh, and by the way Liam. I'll make her remember me, no matter how brain damaged she is."