Remind me to forget

Chapter 10

After coming home from band practice, Zack took some take out up to his room and started to watch some TV while eating.

At least until the doorbell rang. He groaned and got up to answer it. Though when he opened the door, two boys were standing there. The smaller one reached for the hand of the redhead and swallowed.

"Uhm hello...? Can I help you somehow?" He asked when the two wouldn't answer.

"I think that we got the wrong door" The smaller boy said, letting go of the redhead's hand. He fixed the beanie on his head before started to walk away, though the redhead grabbed him to pull him back. 

"Wait, you are Zack, right?" He nodded.

"Yes, that would be me?"

"Congratulations, this is your lost brother" That's all he said before pushing the smaller over to him. The boy stumbled and if it wouldn't have been for Zack, he would have face planted.

Brother.

"Cody...?" He asked, voice a whisper. His brother. That was his brother. His brother had returned.

"Is this really you?" He asked, holding him up by the waist, though the smaller slowly regained his footing. The boy nodded rapidly, laughing so dearly.

Oh God.

"Cody"

His brother.

After four years.

He was back.

He was alive.

He seemed fine.

"Oh Zack" He sobbed, standing up again with the help of his crutches, though only to hug him. Zack wrapped his arms around his brother, planning to not let go again.

"I'm so sorry that I left, Zack. I'm so sorry" Jughead sobbed, starting to cry. Zack held him up with one arm while using his other hand to wipe his tears.

"It's okay, Cody, it's okay. You're back now" Zack said, helping him to stay up "Oh I've missed you so much. Please don't ever leave me like this again"

"Never, I promise"

The hug lasted forever.

Eventually Jughead had to pull away, supporting himself on his crutches again. Zack still held onto him though while looking over at the redhead. He just awkwardly stood there, shifting from one foot to the other.

"And who are you?" Zack asked.

"I'm Archie, his... his friend" Zack nodded and asked both to come in. On their way to the bedroom, Zack grabbed his food from the coffee table before going over to his bedroom. Archie and Jughead followed him and Jughead sat down on the bed in order to stretch out his legs. Archie sat down next to him, putting Jughead's uninjured leg on top of his thigh. Zack took the swivel chair to his bed and sat down on it.

"The room is... different than I remember" Jughead said, looking around. Zack nodded, biting his bottom lip.

"After you left — and didn't come back... mom... sold everything that she had from you, your furniture, even your laptop. Everything... She sold some of my furniture too, just to give me some new ones. Everything in order to forget about you. I was able to keep some of your things though, before she could grab them and throw them out"

"Really? Do you still have that stuff somewhere?" Jughead asked and Zack nodded, getting up again. He walked to the closet and opened the doors before reaching up to the top drawer. In the past, he had to use his chair in order to reach it and get the box down safely. By now, he could reach it enough in order to not drop it while getting it down without a chair. After he grabbed the second box as well, Zack carried both over to the bed. He closed his closet doors before sitting down on his chair again. Rolling forward, he opened the first box.