50 First Dates

iii

I spend the rest of the day carefully avoiding Zayn and Niall, because I know the only thing they want to talk to about is Ava, and I'm not ready to face that subject yet. I'm still trying to figure it out myself.

I've been trying to look at the bright side of this situation - if I tell her a horrible pick-up line and she turns me down, she won't remember it the next day and I can try again. But once it works, she still won't remember me, so it's not like anything could ever develop between us.

But it only makes me want to learn more about her.

It's not everyday that you meet someone with short-term memory loss. I just want to spend the day learning everything I can about her, even if she won't remember it tomorrow. I know her inability to remember should send me running for the hills, but it does the exact opposite. It only draws me closer, and I don't know why.

I sit in an empty corner of the break room, about to take a bite of my sandwich when Zayn walks into the room, searching for something or someone - probably me. I would get up to leave, but he's already walking toward me, and I wouldn't be able to get passed him even if I tried.

Zayn closes the distance between us and places a firm hand on my shoulder, as if he doesn't want me to leave. He must know me too well, because that's exactly what I want to do.

"Hey, where have you been all day, and why have you been avoiding me?" he asks.

"I haven't been avoiding you. I've been busy," I lie, taking a bite out of my sandwich in hopes that I don't have to answer any more of his questions so I can eat my lunch in peace.

"Harry, I've known you for five years, I know when you're lying." Zayn removes his hand from my shoulder and sits in the chair across from me, the hint of a smile playing across his face. "So did you see Ava again?"

I set my sandwich back down on the plastic bag I wrapped it in, and I look up at Zayn to find his face drop, seeming to already understand.

"Yeah," I say quietly.

"What happened?"

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Come on, Harry," Zayn pleads, resting his arms on the table to lean in closer to me. "Talk to me. What happened?"

I let out a deep breath. "She didn't remember me."

"Well, that's probably because-"

"No," I say, shaking my head. "She can't remember me."

Zayn furrows his eyebrows, looking puzzled. "What are you talking about?"

I take another deep breath, wondering if I should even tell him, but I'm sure he'd find out anyway, like he does with everything else that goes on in my life.

"She has short-term memory loss. She literally can't remember me," I say, and I watch Zayn's expression soften as the realization sinks in.

"Oh, man, that sucks. I'm so sorry."

I shrug. "It's alright. But do you know what the worst part is?"

"What?"

"She can't remember me, but I can't forget about her."

-

I close the front door of the apartment behind me and trudge towards my bed and fall face-first onto the mattress. Normally I would enjoy the silence, but it's only amplifying my thoughts. I spent all day trying to forget about Ava, because there's no way that any sort of relationship - friends or more - could blossom between us if she can't remember me.