The Cycle of Friends to Strangers

Chapter 15 - I'm Trying

Melanie was waiting at the their house when they got back.

"Ian! Thank god you're okay!" Melanie ran up to Ian and hugged him, sobbing into him shoulder.

"I'm guessing you're my girlfriend" chuckled Ian as he hugged her back.

Melanie looked at Ian, "What? I mean yeah I'm your girlfriend, but... what?" The pair stopped hugging each other, Melanie looked at Anthony, who looked like he was about to cry.

"Ian lost..." Logan took a deep breath, "Ian lost his memory"

"No," Melanies voice croaked.

Anthony nodded and Melanie started to cry slowly.

"Hey, don't cry, please don't cry," Ian hugged Melanie again.

"Her name's Melanie," Anthony mouthed to Ian.

"Thanks," Ian mouthed back, "I think seeing you has jogged my memory, umm, Melanie?" Ian pretended to make her stop crying, he hated to see people cry.

"Yes! That's my name! Come inside, we'll get you more stuff to help you remember" Melanie pulled Ian inside the house, Anthonynfollowed.

"So, it's the 23rd of December today, which means it's 2 days til christmas" said Melanie as she sat Ian down on the sofa, Anthony sat down next to him.

"I'll just go and get the scrapbook you have" Melanie walked down the hallway to Ians room.

"Where's your girlfriend?" Ian asked Anthony.

"I haven't seen her since the party"

"What party?"

"The one where a car crashed into yours..." Anthony stopped himself from talking.

"Oh..."

Melanie walked back in with a huge scrapbook and dropped it into Ians lap, "Go through it," she smiled.

Ian turned to the first page, which revealed a picture of Anthony, Ian, Melanie, and some other girl.

"Is that your girlfriend?" Ian pointed at the unknown girl.

"Yeah, that's my girlfriend Kalel" said Anthony.

Ian had an evil sense about Kalel, maybe they had an argument before the accident or something.

There was a buzzing sound, Melanie pulled out her phone, "Oh, shit, sorry I forgot I have to babysit my little cousin, do you mind if I go?"

"No" said the two men on the sofa.

"Okay, get better soon" Melanie leaned down and kissed Ians forehead.

"Your present is under the tree" she whispered.

It was the present she forgot to give him before he left the party.

"Bye Anthony," she waved as she walked out of the door.

"Umm, let's continue with the scrapbook " said Anthony  as he turned the page for Ian.

This picture was a picture of a younger Ian and Anthony with their arms around each other.

"Who are they?" asked Ian.

"That's us when we were younger," Anthony laughed a little, "things were so much easier back then" Anthony whispered the last part so Ian couldn't hear him.

After a few more pictures, they turned to a page where the picture was taken out, the caption read 'Best Friends'.

"Where's the picture?" Anthony asked Ian.

"I don't know, what was it?"

"It was the only picture of us we really liked, where is it?"

"I said I don't know!"

Anthony stood up and began walking away.

"Where are you going?" said Ian.

"My room" Anthony shut his bedroom door behind him.

Ian turned to the next page in the scrapbook - it was a picture of Ian and Anthony, (it wasn't the one that's meant to be on the page before). The picture showed Ian and Anthony  hugging in a jokey way, as if they were going out. Ian chuckled then looked a little closer, in the background there was someone, Ian wiped his eyes to see clearly. It was Anthonys girlfriend Kalel, it looked like she was staring at Ian harshly.

Ian shut the book - he couldn't look at things he couldnt remember anymore.

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Anthony flopped down on his bed - how could he help Ian?

Anthony sat up and reached for his laptop, "I'll show him some videos"

'Why did it have to happen? Why did he lose his memory - Right after I told him I love him... he didn't get enough time to say it back' Anthony thought to himself.

Anthony clicked on a video and started watching.

*******************

Ian was wondering around the house trying to find Anthony, he then heard something very familiar... It was the intro to their youtube videos, he remembered something!

Ian walked into the room to see Anthony crying while watching the video, Ian started listening to the dialogue.

"I remember this video!" Ian announced.

"Really? What's the title?" asked Anthony as he shut the laptop.

"I'm not sure, but it's part of our 'If' blank 'was real' series" Ian helped Anthony put his laptop on the side.

"See! progress within a day!" grinned Anthony, even though there were still tears running down his cheeks.

Ian sat down next to Anthony and hugged him, "I'm trying, I really am trying" he could feel Anthony crying into his shoulder, "I'm trying just for you," he whispered into Anthonys ear.

"Thank you" replied Anthony, through sobs.