Lost Memory by Jacqueline Cortez

Chapter Eight: Gwen

"...someone you do not need to know...at least right now" He smiles. That smile...I recognized it from somewhere. As his dark brown eyes stare at me; He mouths something. I could not make out what he said. The ride ends in a blink of an eye. Naturally, the Korean guy and I walk out together. The girls look at me with a face like 'Ooo who is that?'

"See you later" The Korean stranger waves at me and he walks away. See you later?

"Who was that?" Rosaline asks lifting her head "Where did he go?"

"I do not know but he seemed to know me, I asked for his name and he said that I do not need to know 'right now," I tell everyone.

"He said 'right now?'" Jane asks to make sure.

"Like the exact words 'right now'" Azul adds

"Weirdo" Ann Marie lifts her eyebrows. I randomly begin thinking about the boys, I realize that I feel so much energy right now but when I was with them. I felt....exhausted. Why do I lose energy whenever I am around those boys? Could there be a reason? I am probably thinking too much.

"Ok, I have the list. Listen Carefully girls" Azul says as she waits for us to look at her and pay attention. "First, Electric Spin, Second, Astro Tower, Third, we can go to throw balls at the bottles and play ring toss, fourthi..." This is a long list "...other than that we can choose other rides"We all say that it sounds good and walk to the rides. As we walk, I look at where Rosa is. Her eyes were red, was she crying? She might get mad at me like she did last time when I asked. Every time she got mad it's because she was suppressing her sadness. This reminded me of the scar between us, a scar in our friendship.

A few months ago, it was just a normal weekend. We were binge-watching shows, tired of all the work we had that week, and finally having time to relax. She got a text from her mom. She told me that her mom asked her for a music box that her dad gave to Rosaline when she was younger before he died. Rosaline many times told me her dad's last words from 21 years ago. He was at the hospital, at that time he was going through cancer. Cancer finally reached stage 4 at this time. Rosaline's family was doing all they could to pay for the hospital bills and get him the best treatment but it did not help. It made it worse. Rosaline's mom and dad also at that time were separated. Which also made it difficult for Rosaline to be happy with everything that was going on. One day, she went to visit him in the hospital to see how he was doing. At that time she was only 14 years old but she managed to walk to the hospital after school. When she came in, he was happy to see her. Rosaline hugged her father and received a music box that was a crystal red rose, Rosaline's favorite color. As she opened it, a song her dad sang to her before she went to sleep when she was a baby until she was a toddler but not only he sang it but her mom did too. This was a time where she was genuinely happy. That's what made it special. The song her dad and mom made for her is called 'The gift is you.' Rosaline was the first child so she was their gift. I memorized this song...since it meant a lot to Rosa...

Rosaline,
You are our gift
No one can hurt you
We are here for you
Our baby
We will always love you
So don't cry
We will not leave
hold our hand, fall asleep
I hope you know, we have a gift now
And that gift is you

Rosaline cried as she heard that song come out of the little music box. He put his hands on her face and wiped the tears. He smiled at her and said his last words 'I love you, my beautiful daughter.' The line went flat. She yelled for him to come back but the doctors came to take her away from the room. Her family came getting a call from the hospital. Her mom was the one crying the most, knowing that she had not talked to him in about a year. She told Rosaline that same day, she wanted to come to the hospital to see Rosaline's dad. She didn't want to be separated from him anymore. She wanted to tell him that she still loved him.