Amnesia

3. I'm Adrian

CLUNK

The sound of my steel pipe connecting with his forehead echoed throughout the valley. I don't know why I hurled the pipe at him, let's just say my primal instincts got the better of me.

My newest acquaintance was now on the ground, his arms and legs spread out like a starfish, a swelling bump forming on his forehead and with a confused and feral look in his eyes. It took him a few minutes to process what just happened. I don't necessarily blame him. 

He slowly sat up right, clearly in a daze. His eyes scanned the surroundings while blinking furiously. When his eyes locked on me, they narrowed.

"What the hell?!" He shouted while clutching his forehead, wincing when his fingers made contact with the admirable lump.

My mouth opened to formulate a response, but no words came. I sat there in awkward silence like a child who just got busted for sneaking some candy.

"I- um... Sorry?" I said hesitantly while smiling nervously. Maybe my sudden attack had been a bit uncalled for.

"Fuck." He groaned, and leaned backwards again while closing his eyes, probably still trying to understand the unusual situation. Two strangers in the middle of this vast emptiness, the plains of the desert stretching further than the eye could see. A pondering silence surrounded us, only to be occasionally broken by the calls of a bird flying above.

About five minutes passed before I slowly got up and walked over to him, my boots making soft crunching noises in the dirt. Hesitantly, I kneeled down beside his head and gingerly touched the bump on his head. His eyes flickered open, the rage that had filled them just minutes ago had been replaced with confusion and slight curiosity. His eyes scanned my face, probably trying to decipher my thoughts.

"I'm sorry." I repeated myself, trying to sound more empathetic this time. I might've lost my memories, but I knew suddenly throwing things at strangers wasn't really socially acceptable.

"I heard you the first time." He snickered sarcastically, slightly flinching at my touch. Another minute of silence passed. It gave me the time to study his face. I didn't know much about past-Alex, however I'm sure he would've been her type, with his tan skin, freckles and wavy light-brown hair. His high cheek bones and long nose gave away his Southern-European heritage. When he opened his eyes again, he grinned at me.

"Take a picture, it'll last longer." His brown eyes gleamed playfully.

I scoffed, "thank you for the tip. You do pull off the I-just-got-hit-on-the-head look very well."

My snarky response managed to make him snicker again. He had a charming laugh, I had to admit. He glanced at me again and maintained our eye-contact while slowly heaving himself up. Now that we were both sitting upright at the same eye level, it was his turn to check me out. While his gaze scrutinized my appearance, the tension in the air thickened. I thought I could die of suffocation before he opened his mouth again.

"I'm Adrian." He reached out his hand. I couldn't identify the myriad of emotions in his eyes.

"Alex." I replied, shaking his hand.

A bemused look crossed his face, was it amusement? "Alex?" He repeated my name questioningly. 

"Yeah, you got a problem with that? Adrian?" I shot back, feeling more hostile now that he was questioning my only leverage to my past self.

"Not at all." He grinned.

This boy sure likes to grin.

"You only pegged me more as an Allison, or as a Monica." He continued while keeping eye-contact with me, his eyes searching for a reaction it seemed.

Is he trying to start a fight?! Where is my pipe.

I took a deep breath to calm down and to prevent myself from making any more rash decisions. "Sorry to disappoint, it's just Alex." I replied, annoyance obvious in my tone.

Now that he finally was getting the hint that my name was non-negotiable, he shrugged apologetically. "Sorry if I offended you, Alex. But tell me," he leaned forward, our faces mere inches away.

"What were you doing in my uncle's warehouse?"
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A.N.
Welcome my third annual update lol.
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