Unexpected Connection

CHAPTER 17

    "I remember everything!" I shout.

    "Lily?" I hear Ian call behind me. I turn around to see the shocked faces of Ian, Asher and Axel. I roll my eyes. 

Oh dang it!

    "What do you mean you remember everything?" Asher asks walking up to me. Instead of answering, I look at Ian who isn't moving or saying anything, I don't know what he is thinking right now.

    "Lily, what do you mean by you remember everything?" Eli asks standing beside Asher. I look at them and sigh.

    "I got my memories back" I explain. Ian takes a step towards me and then stops.

    "When?" Asher and Eli ask at the same time.

    "Yesterday, on the jet" I answer.

    "Explain" Eli says.

    "Fine, after you and Ian's other round of staring and glaring competition and you left to join Ash and Axe, Ian thought I was asleep and apologized again and this time he mentioned the reason he was sorry" I explain.

     "And?" Asher asks.

    "I found myself crying and when I went to the bathroom, my head began to hurt, it felt like I got hit by a truck, Asher. My whole memory came rushing back like the dam had broken" I elaborate. "It really hurt" I add.

    "Why didn't you tell me" Asher asks.

    "Didn't have the time but I was going to today. Besides, I wanted to know how long it would take Ian and Eli to tell me what happened or to stop fighting" I answer Ash.

    "I am so glad you are fine" Asher says hugging me, a little too tightly.

    "Thanks" I say.

    "I'm going to video call mum and dad and tell them" Asher says running upstairs. "You might have to call Doctor Carpenter" he quickly adds.

    "Thank you for remembering me" Axel says dramatically hugging me. 

    "I am glad, I'm remember you too" I tell Axel.

    "I am going to tell our friend group that you are back" Axel says running up the stairs leaving me with Eli and Ian.

    "Lily" ELi says and I raise my hands up.

    "I cannot believe you two" I say looking at the both of them. "First of all, you got so angry over a misunderstanding, what the heck Ian" I start.

    "Lily.." he trails.

    "I know you apologized but I am still upset about so many things, so I'd come back to you" I tell him. "Now, you" I say looking at Eli. "I thought you were my friend? Why would you just tell me about Rachel like that? Did you give Ian a chance to come clean himself? You know how much I like him, the least you could do is tell him to come clean on his own before telling me. You telling me out of spite and anger for Ian is what caused me to faint not because of what you revealed. Okay, maybe a little bit because of what you said but that's not the point. You shouldn't have told me like the way you did when you knew it would hurt me as much as it did. You didn't prove yourself to be my friend. Your anger for Ian overshadowed our friendship and that's not cool" I tell Eli. He looks down ashamed. At least he's remorseful. 

    "Now you" I say looking at Ian. "Why would you ignore me for so long because of a misunderstanding? Why didn't you believe that Eli kissed me and not the other way around? But do you know the worse of it all? You and Heather sleeping on the same bed-"

    "I didn't sleep with her, Lily" Ian cuts me of.

    "I know but why was she at your place? Why did she pick up your call? Why did you not just apologize instead of getting angry at me for bringing Eli to the party? Why did you have to come there with Heather of all people?" I say raising my voice. I sigh. "I know you are sorry and I already accepted your apology. I just needed to say this things" I tell Ian who looks a bit relieved.

    "I cannot stand you and Eli hating each other, the girl you are fighting over isn't even here, she's not with either of you but I am here and if you cannot sit down and resolve whatever the problem is, then I am going to drop both of you" I tell them. 

    "Lily" they both say and I raise my hand up.

    "Rachel has probably moved, definitely moved on. Now you two better. You both seemed excited whenever you talked about each other. When you came back from England, you talked about your dorm mate who was amazing and when you were telling me about schooling in England, you look happy taking about your own dorm mate" I tell them. How in goodness sake did I not figure it out sooner. "Anyways, resolve this bad blood or both of you should go home and I never want to see either of you again" I add and walk away leaving them to make a decision. I think I did well but I hope they resolve it. I don't think I'd be able to let either one go. 

    "Hey" I greet Asher walking to his room.

    "Hey" he greets tapping the bed. I jump on it. "How are you?" he asks.

    "I'm good. Sorry for not telling you about remembering everything. I was going to tell you" I tell him.

    "I know you were" he says kissing my forehead. I rest my head on his shoulder.

    "What did mum and dad say?" I ask him.

    "They are so happy. We should call them" he says and brings out his laptop. In a few minutes, my parents face pop on the screen.

    "Hi, Mum, Hi Dad" I greet waving.

    "My baby" Dad says smiling.

    "Asher said you remember everything now" Mum says and I smile nodding.

    "I remembered yesterday" I tell them.

    "That is good news" Dad says and I smile at him.

    "When you come back, we would see the doctor. We called him and he says he is happy and that you would be fine but you have to see him when you get back" Mum says. 

    "Ash" Dad says.

    "Yes Dad" Ash answers.

    "Take care of your sister" Dad says. 

    "Always will" Ash says putting his arms around me. We say our goodbyes and cut the call.

    "How are you?" Ash asks me.

    "I'm good actually. I just hope Ian and Eli get over themselves" I tell Asher. "So they knew each other in England, big deal. The girl isn't even with either of them"

    "They should let it go" Asher says and I nod my head.

    "I know".

    "What about Ian deceiving you and starting your relationship on a lie?" Asher asks looking at me.

    "I was angry but when I lost my memory, he could have pretended that we were fine but instead he apologized to me so many times. He even did yesternight but he didn't know I had regained my memory then" I tell Ash. "He is so sorry and I don't know what to think or do. On the one hand, I am angry that he lied to me and deceived me about his coming and meeting me but on the other hand I know that his love for me is real, he's with me not because he wants to get back at Eli. What do I do?" I ask Ash.

    "I can't tell you what you should do but what I can say is this, Ian loves you a lot. I know it and can see it. When you were unconscious at the hospital, he was with you every day. He never went home, he slept on the chair next to you for a while before he was given a small cot to sleep on. He loves you a whole lot" Asher says. I didn't know he slept in the hospital with me. 

    "I didn't know that" I tell Ash.

    "Yeah well, how could you" Ash answers. 

    "I just hope they work it out. I don't want to have to lose them" 

    "What are you talking about?" Asher asks.

    "I told them that if they cannot work it out, they should go home and I don't want to see either of them again" .

    "Liliana Grant" Ash calls.

    "What, if I am not extreme, they would not make up. I mean, they were close friends and because of a girl they once loved and has probably forgotten they existed they are fighting, doesn't make any sense" I tell him. "Who allows someone come between friendships?" I ask him.

    "You and Hailey" Asher says. "Brad came between you two"

    "It's not the same, Ash" I say but I cannot think of how it is different. Brad is the Rachel of our own drama, Hailey is Eli who took him from me and I am Ian who lost a friend and a partner. I guess it's the same. Now I feel bad for forcing them to make up. If someone asks me to make up with Hailey, would I be able to do it. I don't know, I just might hate whoever tells me to make up with her along with Hailey. 

    "Maybe you are right, it's kind of the same as Hailey and I" I say to Asher.

    "Maybe but I still hope they let it go and move on" Asher says. "A girl shouldn't break a friendship" he adds. Should I let go of  the bad blood with Hailey too? What do you think?

    "Rachel wasn't any girl" Axel says walking into the room.

    "What are you talking about?" Asher asks.

    "Well, I knew when Ian was dating her and she was the first girl he dated after his parents died and when Heather cheated on him" Axel explains.

    "Ian's parents are dead?" Asher asks shocked.

    "Yeah" I answer him. I forgot Asher didn't know that.

    "You knew?" Asher asks me.

    "Yeah, he's my boyfriend" I answer.

    "I didn't know" Asher says sadly.

    "So Rachel is important to him?" I ask.

    "She was. He loved her or thought he did. He hated to lose her to Eli, to him, it felt like he just lost someone important to him. Rachel did draw him out of the dark place he was with losing his parents, his ex-girlfriend, Heather and one of his friends, Zach. He lost a lot that year and then he had to move to England, it was too much for him, he was going down a dark path, that is when he started underground fighting, he always got in so much trouble and then came Rachel, she was someone who made him laugh again, made his heart beat again and when Eli came to First Academy, he had a new friend and he was happy again. It was too much for him to handle when he saw Eli and Rachel kissing in front of he and Eli's dorm room. I guess that's why when he had a chance, he moved to the house next to yours to take you away from Eli" Axe tells us.

    "Wow" Asher says, "Did you know any of that?" he asks me. I get off the bed nodding my head.

    "You should know this Lily, Ian loves you very much. I remember when he called me and told me he had found his soul mate" Axe says and I look at him with a raised brow. "He told me he had abandoned his whole revenge scheme because he actually fell in love with you. He said it wasn't about Eli anymore or getting back at him that he loves you. At first I thought he was joking but he wasn't. I know this for a fact, he loves you way more than he ever did Rachel" he adds but how would I know that. Another lady is very important to him maybe even way more than I am to him. You heard Axel, she drew him out of a dark path. I don't know what to do with this information, did knowing this make me feel better or worse, I don't know. I leave Asher's room shutting the door behind me, I rest against the door .

    "Lily" Axel calls me.

    "Let her go, she needs to process this, you basically just told her there is a more important person in Ian's life than her. Let her process" I hear Asher. I walk to my room and change my clothes. I wear a leggings and sports b*a with my sneakers and I run downstairs. 

    "What's the problem?" Ian asks when he sees me downstairs. I ignore he and Eli, put in my air pods and run out the villa. 

I have been out for a while now. I ran up a hike to the top of the mountain, I have no idea where I am now but I can find my way back home. I run to the very top of the mountain and sit down. I am tired but it's nothing compared to what I am feeling emotionally right now. I didn't know Rachel was that important to Ian. She will always take a place in his heart, I'm sure. Should I just let it go and leave it. I am important to Ian too, right? Okay, maybe not as much as Rachel is but I do come pretty close. I hope. I sit here and just watch the mountains and the sky. This is such a beautiful view. I wish Ian was here with me. It reminds me so much of the cliff he took me too at home. The sun would soon set and I should get going but in a few minutes.

    "Hey" I hear Ian behind me. He puts a jacket on me.

    "Thanks but what are you doing here?" I ask. He sits down beside me. "How did you even find me" I ask.

    "Find my phone" he answers simply.

    "Asher" I say and he smiles. 

    "It's a long walk up here" he tells me.

    "I had a lot on my mind" I tell him and look at the view. "It's beautiful up here" I say and Ian nods his head.

    "It is".

    "Why are you here, Ian? Did you and Eli solve your issues?" I ask him.

    "We did. I guess we just needed to talk and we did"

    "That is cool"

    "Axel said he told you about Rachel"

    "He did, fun talk" I say sarcastically.

    "Lily..."

    "I didn't know she was so important to you. I thought she was just a regular girl but she isn't, she's special to you" I say refusing to look at him.

    "She was at a time" he says and I look at him.

    "Was?" 

    "Yes, was. Rachel was important to me but not anymore. I would always remember what she did for me but you are more important to me" he says. He turns me to face him, "I love you, Liliana Grant, more than I have ever loved anyone before. You are my heart. You are my soul. You are my forever" he says. "I need you to know that I no one is more important to me than you are, nothing is more important" he adds.

    "Promise?".

    "Promise" he says, "I love you"

    "I love you too" I say and we kiss.

    "That was so corny" Axel says. 

    "But it worked" Asher adds. I didn't know they were here.

    "We were all so worried about you" Ian says. Eli stands beside Axel.

    "Can we talk, again" Eli says. I smile at him and get off the floor. We walk a few distance and stand.

    "Let me just start by saying I am so sorry for what I did. I was not being a good friend and that wasn't cool. You were right, it wasn't my place to say anything. I thought I was looking out for you but I guess that was an excuse for  what I did. I know how much you love Ian and how much he loves you" he says. "I mean that guy would actually die for you" he says scrunching his face. "What I am trying to say is I am sorry and I hope we are still friends" he adds.

    "I am happy you and Ian worked things out. You both are very important to me and I love you both very much, albeit in very different ways. You are my best friend and that's not going to change" I say and I hug him.

    "Thank you" he says still hugging.

    "Love you" I say. 

    "Love you too, Lily" he say sand smiles. 

I am so happy things are a bit back to normal, I have my man back, I have my memory back and I have Eli back. Things could not be better. Now, now we can enjoy this trip. No more glaring and staring and killing each other with our eyes.

    "Hey guys" I say sitting beside Ian. The guys are all sitting down, the sun is setting and it is beautiful.

    "How are you?" he whispers to me. 

    "Happy and good" I answer smiling. "Most of the people I know and love are right here" I add.

    "What a fruitful first day" Asher say sand we all laugh.

    "It's going to be an awesome summer" I say and rest my head on Ian.

***

New Zealand is awesome. You guys should come here if you have a chance. The guys and I did so many many things. Let me see if I can remember some. Okay so, we went whale watching, for the record, whales are awesome. We sea kayaked, visited Hobbiton, watched a rugby game, so violent, my type of game. We are definitely adding that to Sunday Barbecue sports. We also did some wine tasting at a vineyard, went zorbing, which is a must try, we stayed overnight at a mountain hut, swam with dolphins and one of the best things we did was seeing the glaciers up close with an helicopter. Ian planned that and it was so cool. Loved it. We also went swimming in this hot waterfall lake, went bungie jumping and also went to Queenstown Luge and became real life Mario Karts. Before I forget, we also learnt Maori Culture. We also ate some nice awesome New Zealand foods like golden kiwi, fish and chips and fergburger. This is an awesome trip. I love New Zealand.

Anyways, the guys and I are on our flight to Iceland. Yup we are going to Iceland next. Two weeks in New Zealand was the best now it's off to Iceland and I cannot wait to experience it. Ian and Eli were awesome in New Zealand. They have been talking to each other, laughing, hanging out and playing together. If they are pretending, I am going to kill them before giving them Oscars  for being good actors. I look over at them, they are playing video games together against Asher and Axel.

    "How are you beating me in my own game?" Ian asks and Asher laughs.

    "I am so glad you are on my team" Axel says just before they crush Ian and Eli.

    "You guys suck at this game" I say to Ian and Eli.

    "I know right?" Asher says to me and we both laugh.

    "Again" Ian says.

    "Your boyfriend is such a sore loser" Asher says and they restart the game.

    "She knows who she loves" Ian says, his eyes glued to the screen  Let me tell you, they have been playing that game all through New Zealand. Literally all through, they played the game every break they got from through out the trip. Ian and Eli always lose. How? It's beyond me. I don't even know how Ian is losing in a game he made. Let me tell you what he says is his reason, he says he didn't 'technically' make the game, that his company did and that it's different. He's right but it's no excuse.

My tablet starts to ring, talk about coverage. I look at the video call and see it's from Hailey. Why would she be calling me. I pick up the call and Hailey's face pops up on my screen with Brad's next to it.

    'Hi' Hailey says giving me a small wave.

    'Yeah'

    'We heard you were in a small accident and you lost your memory-' Hailey starts.

    'We just wanted to ask how you are feeling' Brad completes. They are acting strange. I don't think they know how much memory I lost.

    'Why, I was told we are not friends' I say playing along.

    'That is not true, we grew up together. We are all still good friends' Hailey lies. If she was beside me, I would have clocked her.

    'Then why weren't you at the hospital when I woke up?' I ask still playing along.

    'I was busy, I would have come though' Brad lies through his teeth.

    'I came but it was just so sad seeing you just lie there unconscious on the hospital bed' Hailey says. She is actually saying the truth. I couldn't move but I heard her when she came. She was not nice at all. Let me give you a quick recap:

So I was just lying in bed conscious but unconscious, if that makes sense. Anyway, I was lying there and I heard someone beside me, I couldn't see the person but I recognize the voice, it was Hailey. She sat beside me and whispered something to me. 

    "This is what you deserve. You believe that you are all that, little Miss, Popular. Liliana Grant, the invincible, turns out you are not so invincible. I hate you so much and wish you would just lay here unconscious forever, the world would be better without you. I have always hated you and I don't know how you never figured that out. Did you need me to spell out my hatred for you? And then you had the audacity to steal Brad from me. I hate you Lily and I hope you spend the rest of your life lying on this bed" she said to me. "Sweet dreams, Lily" she says and walks out the room. I can't know for sure but I am sure I cried. I knew she didn't like me but I didn't know I ran deeper than just Brad.

    'Lils' Hailey calls bringing back to the jet.

    'Hailey, Brad' I start.

    'Yes' they say at the same time.

    'I only lost a few months of memory' I tell them and they look mortified. 'Besides, I gained my memory back. That includes you trying to kill me with your motorcycle that night, Brad' I add.

    'Lily-' Hailey starts. 

    'I also heard you at the hospital, Hailey, You hoped I would lie in bed forever' I say. I thought she looked mortified before, I was wrong.

    "She said what?" Asher asks standing behind me.

    'You guys are jackasses and we are not friends' I say and cut the call.

    "Hailey was at the hospital?" Asher asks,

    "Yes, she said some things and I heard her. She didn't know I would hear her but I did"

   "What did she say?" he asks. I tell him everything I heard Hailey say that day.

    "I am going to kill her" he says then hugs me, kiss my forehead and leads me to meet the others. 

    "Don't tell Ian" I whisper to him and he nods.

    "I am tired of seeing you all play this game" I say when I see them play the same game. "This is what we are going to do" I say and they pause the game, "I am going to play you guys combined and if I win, you never play this game through out this summer trip" I say.

    "You will play us all?" Ian asks.

    "Yeah".

    "I know I shouldn't bet against you but it's the four of us against you" Axel says.

    "Deal?" I ask.

    "Deal" they all say together. I smile and jump on the couch with them.

    "Let's do this".