One Night Changes Your Life

They Don't Know

I learn that it is the 6th of February, a Friday, today and I should really be at school, but considering the recent past and the fact that I have been having short-term memory loss, there hasn't been any point in me going to school. I was told that the night that all of this happened was January 20th, a Tuesday. Why I wasn't at home, I don't know. It's thought that I was walking home from a friends house. I was out with my friends after school on the day, so my parents thought I was with them still when everything was happening.

No one at school knows why I haven't been in. None of my friends. None of my teachers. Only the people high up in responsibilty know that I was even in hospital for any time at all. This isn't good. I'm in my last year of school, in year 11, getting ready for about 16 exams that I have in only about 3 or 4 months, and yet I'm not even at school learning anything.

The doctor said I can go back to school as soon as the memory loss thing wares off and as long as I feel comfortable going back. I was told to take it easy but don't completely change my life because of it, as that wont help the situation at all. My parent suggested that I keep at least next week off before I consider going back but I don't want it to seem any more suspicious as it already is. Staying away that much longer will cause more questions to rise. Especially seeing as I havent spoken to my friends since that night, 2 and a half weeks ago!

They've got to be worried. If I've basically just disappeared and no one has bothered to message them. Even though everyone seems to think I should still wait at least a week before going back to school, I tell them that I plan to go in on Monday. I'm going to stay home today but I need to make sure my friends know I'm alive.

I go back upstairs to my room after Ella and Daniel leave and check all the messages I have. I swipe the screen to the side and enter my password to unlock it and decide to open up iMessage first as I have more texts than anything else.

Lola. Maddie. Jasmine. Katie. Jennifer. Lily. Oliana. Emma. Lucy (Emma's twin). Rose. The other Lucy (Lucy's best friend). Jacob. Phoebe. Ellie. Vicky. Monica.

And then one person that makes my heart drop. Daniel.

Daniel and I speak everyday. Whenever we can we would message each other. Everyday. It's not like we can even see each other when we want to seeing as he lives in a completely different country from me.

I open each conversation one at a time. Each of them saying very similar stuff. "Hey Lauren, where are you?" "What has happened to you? Why are you not at school?" "Lauren you're getting behind!" "Are you dead? Message someone! Please!" -This doesn't surprise me at the slightest. It's something one of us would say if someone isn't in and hasn't given an explanation or answered a message. 'The group' being Lola, Maddie, Jasmine, Katie, Jennifer, Lily and myself. Oliana used to be a part of the group but she's with my old group now. That group being Emma, Vicky, Monica and 7 more. Rose used to be in that group too, but she moved and not long after she did is when I went with my other group of friends.

There were loads more message from all of them. Pages and pages to scroll through before it got to the last time I had messaged any of them. I figure it would be easier to send them all the same message that just tells them the basics.

"Hello everyone." I start it, ready to send to everyone that had messaged me out of all my friends.

"I know I haven't been at school recently but trust me my reason is more than perfect! I'm sorry that I haven't messaged you and that my family didn't either! I thought at least Zara would, or Hallie but I guess not...

So I was in an accident -If you call it that. I don't want to get into it yet. Especially as this is only a text to all of you, but as of now, I think I'm fine. I've told my parents and my doctors that I plan to go back to school on Monday cause of the exams and you and everything.

They suggested that I don't push myself too much because of what has happened and to maybe stay in the LSC at lunch and break and in any lessons I feel too much pressure in and that. But I will be in. I'll tell you everything at school. See you then. Bye." And I send the message.

The LSC stands for Learning Support Centre by the way. It used to be the libary but they changed it all.

I go by the rest of the day as normal. Or as normal as I can right now.

I go onto my iPad and read books as I did before, to try and distract myself. It does work, for a while. Until I read one book and memories just keep flooding back and it's all I can think about.

After I calm myself from that I change my activity to watching TV. There's two programs that I love and always watch, so there's the choice of which one to put on today. FRIENDS, or Grey's Anatomy. Considering the Grey's is based aroung doctors and a hispitol, I don't want to watch that and put on the best sit-com of all time and watch the funny people say their funny jokes and smile when Ross and Rachel kiss.

'That's a relationship I want!' I think to myself, just like everytime I watch the show. 'One like Ross and Rachel. They just love eavch other so much and you can see it even after they break up. You can see it throughout the series. When they're with other people, you can see it in their eyes and the way they look at each other. You can see it. That's the sort of relationship I want. When even if you deny it, people know the truth.'

That's the sort of relationship I want with Daniel.

I better tell him everything. About what happened, I mean. I pick up my phone once more and see that some people have messaged me back after my text this morning but ignore them to call Daniel. Thank god it's already past the time he finishes school!

Viber --> Potato --> Call

*Ring Ring*  *Ring Ring*  *Ring Ri--*

"Hey mushroom! What happened to you? Why haven't you returned any of my messages? Did I do something wrong or upset you or something?" He asks with a jokey manner to begin with but it turns into panic, which is what upsets me.

"No Potato, you didn't do anything wrong. But someone did and I don't know who they are!" I say with sorrow in my voice.

"Hey, what's wrong? What happened? What did this person do wrong?" He asks with concern.

"Daniel," I say. "I was raped. And I've had short-term memory loss for the last two and a half weeks! That's why I haven't spoken in so long!" I say without letting him interrupt me.

"Erm..." He goes silent.

"Daniel, I know this is bad and a big deal of information, but you're the only person I've told so far and I need your support so much until I can tell the rest of my friends. And I know it's hard because we live so far away, but... I need you!" I let my heart spill.

"Oh Lauren, you poor little mushroom!" He sighs down the phone. I can't help but smile. Everytime he calls me mushroom, I do. He calls me his little mushroom, so I call him my potato -He is a little chubby. Or at least he was the last time I saw him over 4 years ago.

Daniel and I talk for the next few hours. Past the time of my sisters getting home from school. I'm kinda glad that they go to a different school to me as I'm sure they would have more people asking what has happened to me if we all went to the same school.

Daniel and I hang up when it's time for him to have his nightly shower. We both have a routine of showering just before we get into bed. After I put the phone down I reply to all the messages I have again and assure everyone that I am alright. I ask them not to message me before I see them at school on Monday because I don't want to feel guilty about them not knowing. I'll tell them then.