You And Me, Two Messed Up Freaks

Ghost of Reminiscence

Chapter 3

-::::Ghost of Reminiscence::::--

"Your memory is a monster; you forget—it doesn't. It simply files things away. It keeps things for you, or hides things from you—and summons them to your recall with will of its own. You think you have a memory; but it has you!”

― John Irving, A Prayer for Owen Meany

I silently watched the two kids sitting at the cafeteria table, having a heated discussion, faces flushed with excitement. Arms waving. Accusing looks.

I wasn’t near enough to listen what they were talking about the scene was wildly familiar.

 I had been here before.

I just couldn’t remember how or when.

It felt like a dream within a dream within a memory. A lost memory.

The boy donned a black leather jacket, over his school uniform. Dark blue pants, white shirt, a blue checkered tie hanging loosely from the collar. His dark brown hair windswept, a few strands hanging over his eyes. He smirked mischievously. The gesture spread warmth in me, I had seen it before.

He said something to the girl that made her blush before she smacked him playfully in the arm. They seemed so innocent, lost in their own world. So different then the world I lived in.

My world was filled with darkness, a hollow and empty place. Void of any humanity, but over flowing with hatred.

The boy poked his tongue out, amusement evident in his eyes.

The girl’s dark blue checkered uniform skirt barely showed beneath her long red coat. Her long brown hair ending in curls around her. Her green eyes sparkled laughter, a smile on her pale pink lips.

She seemed so girly and naïve.

The boy grabbed a hand full of fries before shoving them in his mouth; he then offered one to the girl.

 She snatched the whole plate away from him when suddenly my vision was blocked by someone standing in front of their table. I instinctively moved closer trying to clear my view.

The new comer was a girl, her medium brown hair ruffled under the pink beret crowning her head.

“Umm, Hi.’ She spoke shyly.

The first girl looked irritably at her. “No he won’t go on a date with you.” She said haughtily.

The new girl turned red from top to bottom. “Not him, you. I want to be your friend.”

The first looked at her with disbelief. “I’m not a lesbian!!!”

The boy burst out laughing.

“Come on Echo, get up. We are late. Come on, wakey wakey.” I looked around to see who was calling me.

I couldn’t seem to find the source.

It seemed distant, of another world. A world I did not want to go to.

My eyes flew open as I went flying off the bed.

 Where was I?

The green walls weren’t mine. 

I rubbed my eyes groggily, try to steady my mind and clear my vision. I hadn’t slept properly for a long time, I couldn’t remember falling asleep.

“Come on Echo, get your lazily ass up or we are going to be late to pick Jo-Jo from the airport.”

I raised my head to see Tyson holding out my hoodie, a look of emergency of his face.

I was in Tyson’s room, why was I in Tyson’s room?

“Get off the floor Echo!”

I had come with Tyson to his father’s barbeque party, later at night we had stuffed ourselves with popcorn and watched movies.

I must have fallen asleep.

“Why did you throw me off the bed?”

“You won’t get up!”

“You’re a bitch Tyson!!”

“Hurry up we have to leave.”

“Fine.” I huffed.

Grabbing my car keys I followed Tyson out the door.

Laughter.

Laughter, it echoed in my head: the remains of a forgotten past..... It seemed foriegn yet so familiar.

How had it gotten into my head? It was musical, alive and light-hearted. I tried to remember, ..... what had I forgotten?

A faint picture, two kids laughing.