SOMETHING WAS MISSING
1264 Words
Janie couldn't sleep that night.
She lay on her bed staring at the ceiling, replaying the moment over and over again.
Chris's face.
His confused expression.
And the words that had shattered her heart.
Do I know you?
She closed her eyes.
A tear slipped down her cheek.
How could he not remember her?
How could someone who had once known everything about her suddenly look at her like she was a stranger?
She remembered their first conversation.
Their first date.
Their first argument.
She remembered the day Chris had told her he loved her.
She remembered everything.
But Chris remembered nothing.
Janie turned toward her bedside table.
The envelope was still there.
The same envelope she had been carrying on the day of Chris's accident.
The news she had wanted to tell him.
She had never gotten the chance.
And now, she didn't even know if she ever would.
---
The following morning, Chris arrived at school with Ivy.
That was the first thing Janie noticed.
They were walking together.
Ivy was talking excitedly while Chris listened quietly.
Janie stood near her classroom door.
She tried to look away.
But she couldn't.
Ivy suddenly looked in her direction.
The moment their eyes met, Ivy smiled.
It wasn't a friendly smile.
It was a warning.
Janie understood immediately.
Stay away from him.
She lowered her eyes.
She didn't want trouble.
Not anymore.
---
"Chris!"
One of his friends called him from the basketball court.
Chris turned.
"I'll be there soon."
His friend nodded and ran off.
Ivy remained beside him.
"You've been spending a lot of time with your friends."
Chris looked at her.
"They're my friends."
"I know."
She smiled.
"I just thought maybe we could spend some time together too."
Chris frowned slightly.
"We are together now."
"I mean... alone."
Chris looked confused.
Ivy stepped closer.
"Just you and me."
Something about the way she said it made Chris uncomfortable.
"Ivy—"
"You used to trust me, Chris."
"I still do."
"Then why do you always seem uncomfortable when I'm close to you?"
Chris didn't answer.
Because he didn't know.
Ivy had been around him for years.
He knew her.
He remembered her.
Yet something felt strange whenever she tried to become too close.
Like his heart was refusing to follow.
---
Later that afternoon, Ivy convinced Chris to sit with her behind one of the quiet buildings near the school.
There were no students around.
Chris sat beside her.
Ivy looked at him.
"Do you remember anything about us?"
Chris turned.
"Us?"
Ivy quickly smiled.
"I mean... before your accident."
Chris thought for a moment.
"You were my friend."
Her smile disappeared slightly.
"Just your friend?"
"Yes."
Ivy looked down.
She hated that answer.
She had spent so much time wishing Chris would notice her.
Now he had forgotten Janie.
This was supposed to be her chance.
But Chris still wasn't looking at her the way she wanted him to.
Ivy moved closer.
Chris immediately became uncomfortable.
"Ivy."
"What?"
"You're too close."
She laughed.
"Since when?"
"I don't know."
He moved slightly away from her.
Ivy stared at him.
"Chris, I'm your friend."
"I know."
"Then why are you acting like this?"
Chris looked frustrated.
"I don't know!"
Ivy became quiet.
Chris ran his fingers through his hair.
"Something just doesn't feel right."
"What doesn't feel right?"
He looked at her.
"I don't know."
That answer made Ivy angry.
How could he not know?
Janie was gone.
Chris didn't remember her.
There was nothing standing between them.
Yet Ivy still couldn't make him feel the way she wanted.
---
That evening, Chris returned home.
His mother was sitting in the living room.
"How was school?"
"Fine."
"Did you see your friends?"
"Yes."
"And Ivy?"
Chris looked at her.
"Yes."
His mother smiled.
"Ivy is a good girl."
Chris said nothing.
"She's always cared about you."
"Mum."
"Yes?"
"Why do you keep mentioning Ivy?"
His mother hesitated.
"I don't."
"You do."
She smiled.
"I just think she's good company for you."
Chris shook his head.
"She's my friend."
"Of course."
But Chris noticed something.
His mother seemed very interested in Ivy.
Almost too interested.
He didn't understand why.
---
The next day, Janie decided to speak to Chris again.
She had spent the entire night thinking.
Maybe she had approached him too suddenly.
Maybe he needed time.
Maybe if she reminded him of the things they had shared together...
he would remember.
She waited until lunch break.
Chris was standing alone near the basketball court.
Janie slowly approached him.
"Chris."
He turned.
His expression immediately changed.
It wasn't anger.
It was confusion.
Again.
"Janie."
She smiled weakly.
"You remember my name?"
Chris frowned.
"Ivy mentioned it."
Her smile faded.
"Oh."
An awkward silence followed.
Janie looked at him.
"I just wanted to talk."
"About what?"
"Us."
Chris's expression hardened.
"There is no us."
Janie felt the words hit her like a slap.
"There was."
Chris stared at her.
"What are you talking about?"
"We were together."
He laughed slightly.
But there was no amusement in his eyes.
"Janie, I don't remember that."
"I know."
"Then why do you keep coming to me?"
Janie's heart broke.
"Because you were my boyfriend, Chris."
He froze.
For a brief second, something happened.
A strange feeling passed through his mind.
A girl laughing.
A familiar voice.
A hand inside his.
Then—
Nothing.
Chris grabbed his head.
Janie stepped closer.
"Chris?"
"Stop."
She froze.
"What?"
"I said stop."
He looked at her.
His breathing had changed.
"What are you trying to do?"
Janie stared at him in shock.
"I'm not trying to do anything."
"Then why do I feel like you're forcing something into my head?"
Her eyes filled with tears.
"Because you're trying to remember."
"I don't know you!"
His voice was louder now.
Students began turning in their direction.
Janie lowered her voice.
"Chris, please."
"I don't know you."
Those words hurt more the second time.
Janie stepped back.
Chris suddenly felt something strange.
He didn't know why.
But seeing tears in her eyes made his chest hurt.
For some reason, he wanted to stop her from crying.
For some reason, he felt like he had done something terrible.
But he didn't understand why.
Ivy appeared behind him.
"Chris."
He turned.
Ivy immediately noticed Janie's tears.
"What happened?"
Janie wiped her face.
"Nothing."
Ivy looked at Chris.
Then back at Janie.
"Maybe you should stop disturbing him."
Janie stared at her.
"I wasn't disturbing him."
Ivy stepped closer.
"Chris doesn't remember you."
Janie's hands tightened.
"You don't have to keep reminding me."
"Then accept it."
Janie looked at Chris.
She waited.
Just for a moment.
She hoped he would say something.
Anything.
But Chris remained silent.
That silence hurt more than his words.
Janie slowly nodded.
"Fine."
She turned and walked away.
Chris watched her leave.
Something inside him felt painfully empty.
Ivy took his hand.
"Don't worry about her."
Chris looked down at their hands.
And immediately pulled away.
Ivy stared at him.
"Chris?"
He looked uncomfortable.
"I'm sorry."
"Why did you pull away?"
"I don't know."
Ivy's face tightened.
Chris looked toward the direction Janie had disappeared.
For some reason, he couldn't stop thinking about her.
A girl he didn't remember.
A girl he didn't know.
A girl whose tears somehow made his heart ache.
And for the first time since the accident...
Chris began to wonder if Janie was telling the truth.
Maybe he had forgotten something.
Something important.
Something his mind couldn't remember.
But his heart somehow still could.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD