WARM WIND FLOODS the car through my open window, lifting the hair from my shoulders, and I squint at the bright afternoon. The sun is glowing in the sky, and wisps of white are sporadically scattered across the expanse, visible above the treetops. I stick my hand out the window, letting the breeze filter through my fingers, enjoying the feeling on my skin.

After over a week in the hospital—the majority of my time spent unconscious—it's nice to finally get some fresh air, to breathe in oxygen that doesn't smell like it's been sterilized beforehand.

I cast a nervous glance to my left, at Sofia in the driver's seat. Neither of us have spoken a word since I was discharged. The fact that she's my mother, yet I have zero recollection of her makes the idea of conversation feel impossible. The last thing I want to do is upset her any more than I already have.

There's a pressing anxiety in my chest at the thought of going home, wherever that might be. I'm hoping once we arrive, something there will be the trigger to filling in the gaps in my memory, as Dr. Meyer put it. I still believe gap is too friendly a word to describe the reality of what I'm experiencing. All of my memories have been ripped away, and I've been shoved headfirst into this life without a blueprint.

Swallowing hard, I reach forward to turn on the radio, desperate for a distraction, something that will break the deafening silence. Tapping my fingers on my knee, I nod in time with the beat.

"Do you remember this song?"

The eager question catches me off guard. It's the first thing Sofia has said to me since pulling out of the hospital parking lot, and I feel speechless for a moment. She looks between me and the road in quick succession, hope dancing on her expression. It takes me a second to realize the gravity of what she's asking, and when I do, my heart sinks down to the pit of my stomach.

"No," I begin, uncertainly, "It's just... an easy melody, I guess."

Her face quickly becomes closed off, and unreadable. She flashes me a tight smile, though it wobbles almost imperceptibly in the brief second that it's visible. "Of course. I suppose it is."

She returns her gaze to the street in front of her, and I see her swallow. Unable to watch her any longer, I turn away to look out the window again, guilt stewing in my chest. I know it's not my fault that I don't remember, but that doesn't stop me from feeling responsible.

Instead of drowning in my thoughts, I decide to focus on my surroundings. The town of Pender Falls, British Columbia, feels brand new, though I've been told I've lived here all of my life. I watch as we drive past an elementary school, drifting by the children playing outside.

After turning onto Seymour Avenue, we pull into the driveway of a house numbered 514, and I make a mental note to remember both. Sofia kills the engine, and we both sit in silence, staring at the building for a moment. I spare a glance in her direction, seeing the faraway look in her eyes.

She seems to snap out of it, unbuckling her seat belt. "This is home," she announces awkwardly, her lips pressed together in a tentative smile.

I take off my own belt, hauling in a deep breath to try to gain some confidence, before pushing the passenger door open and exiting the vehicle.

Sofia pushes open the front door, and I can't shake the ominous feeling that settles in my gut, wondering what's going to greet me on the other side of the door.

My answer comes in the form of a dog. A border-collie bounds in my direction, and I flinch as it launches at me, resting its paws on my thighs and barking straight into my face.

"Scout," Sofia hisses, latching her finger around the collar and easing the animal away from me. "Allie's home. What are you doing?"

My heart pounds in my chest, and I tune out Sofia's voice as she scolds the dog, closing my eyes, and breathing deeply. Once things have settled, she looks at me apologetically, maintaining a grip on the collar. The dog is rigid in stature, watching me cautiously.

"Sorry about that," she says breezily, "Scout isn't your biggest fan, but she's usually better than this."

"It's fine," I say, my voice sounding small.

Sofia notices my hesitancy as I stand in the entryway, shifting my weight between my feet. "You can hang your coat up on the hook and leave your shoes there," she says quietly, and I nod, grateful for the instructions. "I'm going to take Scout outside."

I do as she says, kicking off my shoes, and sliding out of my jacket, hanging it up on the hook, unsure of what to do next. I don't wait long though, listening to the sounds of incoming voices and footsteps, heart clenching with terror.

A boy and girl who appear to be a couple years older than me enter the kitchen, and the latter's eyes widen when she sees me. She gasps before coming at me with full force, pulling me into a tight embrace. My body has gone stiff with fear, but I hollowly force myself to return the hug, patting her on the back awkwardly.

She finally pulls back, gripping my shoulders, and I notice she sports the same brown hair and hazel eyes as Sofia. Her eyes glisten with tears as she regards me. "I'm so happy you're home," she whispers.

"I..." I trail off, having no idea what to say.

Thankfully, Sofia re-enters the room, and she catches my look of distress instantly. Gently placing her hands on the girl's arms, she eases her away from me. "Allie," she says to me, "this is your older sister, Audrey."

I nod, biting my tongue to keep from saying, nice to meet you.

Audrey puts a hand up to her forehead, grimacing. "I'm so sorry," she apologizes, before opening her eyes to look at me timidly. Guilt begins to brew in the back of my mind. "I'm coming on way too strong."

The boy steps forward, touching her shoulder reassuringly. His deep brown eyes are warm and sad, but he shoots me a wide grin, extending a bronzed hand toward me.

"Parker," he introduces himself as I take his hand in mine, shaking it. "Boyfriend of the sister."

My lips curl into a smile, relieved he's taken up the duty of introducing himself. "Allie," I reply wryly, "sister of the girlfriend."

He laughs, letting go. "Welcome home," he says, voice sounding thick with emotion, before turning to Audrey. "Come on, let's give Allie some time to get readjusted."

Parker guides her away from the kitchen, but before he leaves the room, he glances back at me over his shoulder, his lips pursed contemplatively, eyes unreadable. I feel my face growing warm under his scrutiny, and I swallow, pulse a little quicker than normal. He watches me a moment longer, giving me a brief smile of sympathy, before they leave the room, and my shoulders relax.

Taking a deep breath, I turn to Sofia.

"Shall we go up to your room?" she asks, raising her eyebrows.

I nod. "Sure."

My room is my last hope of something triggering my memory, and if that fails, the disappointment will be crushing. I follow her through the hallway and up the stairs, until we come to a door, a large A adorning the front of it. My legs are trembling as we up the last of the steps and she twists the door knob.

I hold my breath, stopping myself from closing my eyes as we step inside.

She pauses just to the side of the door, making room for me to enter and wander around. We're in an attic, made clear by the slanted, wooden ceiling, and the drafty air wafting through the room. There's a desk pushed up against one of the walls, and my eyes instantly fall to the laptop, feeling a flicker of hope.

A string of fairy lights decorates the wall above the bed, bright and twinkling, and they make a smile pull up at the corners of my mouth. Another wall is made up mostly of photos, and I'm eager to take a look at them when I'm alone.

The room is beautiful, but it doesn't feel like it's mine.

The thought deflates me, and I feel my shoulders dropping, my eyebrows pulling together. I turn around to face Sofia, intending to ask her for some privacy, but she sees the look on my face before I can say anything.

"I'll leave you to it then," she says briskly, smoothing her hands down her neatly pressed skirt.

I give her the nicest smile I can manage, nodding. "Thanks, Sofia." It's the first time I've addressed her by name, and I don't realize the magnitude of my mistake until I see the look on her face. "I'm sorry," I say immediately.

Her eyes look shiny. "It's alright," she says, laughing meekly. "I suppose it would be foolish to expect you to call me anything else." She pauses. "Let me know if you need anything, I'll be downstairs."

Sofia leaves the room in a rush, leaving me behind to rot away in my own guilt. I squeeze my eyes shut, willing my own tears away. Crying about it won't do me any good. I should do my best to fill in the gaps myself, so I can stop hurting those around me.

I start with the mirror, since I haven't got a good look at myself since I woke up in the hospital. Bracing myself, I position myself in front of it. After a while of staring, I notice I look a great deal like Audrey; not identical, but you'd be able to tell we're sisters by a passing glance. I favor Sofia more than she does, my face thinner, and my eyes bright, despite their dark shade. For some reason, this gives me some reassurance, being able to confirm that I do look like them, that they are my family.

Judging by our last name, I make the assumption that we've got Hispanic roots. And I feel no reservations about admitting that I'm pretty, since it doesn't feel like I'm looking at myself in the mirror, it feels like a stranger. I swallow, staring at the evident melancholy in my eyes, and the bags beneath them. Despite the sadness, my eyes have a harsh look to them, like they could silence someone with a single glance. I don't think I like that.

Moving away from the mirror, I decide to try the wall of photos. However, I don't make it too far, ramming my side straight into the dresser, and I curse under my breath, clutching at my abdomen as it throbs painfully. During my stay in the hospital, I dealt with many flares of pain not unlike this one, but it was never mentioned, and I didn't have any time to investigate on my own.

A feeling of dread settles in the pit of my stomach as I slowly turn back to the mirror. I pull at the hem of my shirt, looking at my stomach in the reflection, and gasp, my blood running cold. A white bandage covers a large portion of my abdomen on the left side, stained a faded red. Gritting my teeth, I latch onto a corner of the bandage, prying it from my skin to reveal what lies beneath. I suck in a breath at the sight that greets me. A messy, black line of stitching holds together a large still-healing gash.

You sustained most of the injuries in your head.

It's deeply unsettling that Dr. Meyer would fail to make any mention of a wound this debilitating, and he wouldn't give me anything to ease the pain. It's not as though he didn't see it; it's impossible to miss. Biting my lip, I replace the bandage and let go of my shirt, covering up the disturbing injury.

For a moment I stand there, wringing my hands uneasily. Does Sofia know about it too?

Feeling uneasy, I try to return to my previous task: looking at the photos.

There are so many, it's hard to focus on one at a time. But the majority of them seem to have been taken in crowded living rooms, usually a red solo cup in hand, often flipping off the camera. There are a handful of people who appear multiple times—a beautiful blonde with a dazzling smile, a dark-haired boy most often showing me some form of affection, and a stocky guy wearing a letterman jacket and a goofy grin.

I swallow.

So many faces with no memories attached to them.

I don't know if I can become the person in the pictures.

A knock sounds on my door, startling me, and I clear my throat, blinking away tears.

"Come in," I call, expecting Sofia, and taking a seat on the bed.

The door clicks open slowly, revealing Parker, and I hide my surprise, tucking my hands beneath my legs. He sees the look on my face, pressing his lips together in a sympathetic smile. He hovers in the doorway, hands in his pockets.

"Hey," he greets.

"Hey," I respond evenly.

He takes my response as the okay for him to enter the room completely, and takes a seat on the bed a short distance from me, resting his forearms on his knees. "How are you doing?" he asks sincerely.

I give a short laugh, raising an eyebrow. "I think you're the first person to ask." He gives me another small smile, but waits for my response. I take a deep breath, pulling the sleeves of my shirt over my fingers, looking down before meeting his eyes again. "Could be better."

Parker nods. "I believe that."

Frowning, a new thought occurs to me. "Do we know each other well?"

He grunts in quiet amusement. "Yeah, we do," he remarks. "I consider you one of my closest friends."

I can't help the smile of hope that pulls at my mouth as I perk up. "Really?" I ask. "Can you tell me about... myself?"

Raising his eyebrows, he adjusts his position slightly, folding his hands together. "I'm not sure where to start," he admits.

"Is that really me?" I gesture to the wall of photos with my chin.

He laughs, following my eyes. "For the most part, yeah," he says. "You were always out. Always. Out with your boyfriend, out with your friends, out doing God knows what. You're definitely a wild card, Castillo," he says, before pausing, and for some reason it makes a chill run down my spine. "Nobody could predict what you were going to do next. You fought with your mom a lot, Audrey too."

"Wow, I sound great," I say sarcastically, causing him to break out in a grin.

"You are," he reassures me.

"Well, at least we get along," I conclude, raising an eyebrow. "It's good to know I wasn't public enemy number one."

He ducks his head, suppressing a smile. I glance at him, my own mouth quirking up. I can't explain it, but being with him is the most relaxed I've felt upon waking. I believe that we were close, before everything.

"What does it feel like?" he asks suddenly.

Meeting his eyes again, I notice the space between us has gotten smaller. I tilt my head slightly. "To have amnesia?"

He nods, looking concerned and intrigued all at once.

Shaking my head, I look away again. "Awful," I say firmly. "It's like I've stepped into somebody's life and now I'm picking up where they left off, except I have no idea what happened before I got here. Everyone is going to expect me to be that girl," I point at the photos on the wall, "but I don't even know her. All I'm going to do is disappoint everyone. It makes me feel so guilty—"

"Stop right there," Parker silences me fiercely, his hand on my arm, and it takes a second to realize my vision has become blurry with tears. His brown eyes bear into mine, his mouth set. "You have absolutely no reason to feel guilty. This isn't your fault. You didn't choose this."

I can only manage a nod, sniffling and attempting to look away again to keep from falling apart. It's the first time I've heard the words, and I didn't realize how much I needed them. We're silent for a few moments, before I turn to him again. "I don't know why, but I trust you. I trust that you'll tell me the truth."

"Of course," he says, reaching out to squeeze my hand. "You can always ask me anything."

"Thank you," I reply, my eyebrows furrowing as I look down at our intertwined fingers.

"Allie," he murmurs, letting go of my hand.

In the next second, he's cupping my face, pressing his lips to mine. A jolt runs down my spine, and I freeze, but it only takes a second for me to come to my senses.

Boyfriend of the sister.

Placing my hands on his chest, I push him away, standing from the bed abruptly. "What the hell was that?" I ask, cheeks flushing.

Parker looks equally shocked, mouth floundering to come up with an explanation. It's quiet as I wait for him to speak, and he runs a hand over his cropped hair, cursing under his breath.

"What are you doing?" I reiterate, anger creeping into my tone.

He glances at me again, brown eyes pleading. "I'm sorry—that wasn't supposed to happen."

"You're Audrey's boyfriend. That's what you just told me."

He squeezes his eyes shut. "I am," he confirms, his voice low.

"Then what was that?" I demand, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Something that shouldn't have happened again, especially right now." He looks at me remorsefully. "I'm so sorry, Allie. I thought I had more self-control than that."

I don't miss the key word. "Again? This isn't the first time?" Tears spring to my eyes, and I shake my head, feeling nauseous. "You've come on to me before?"

Parker is silent for a few beats, and I raise my eyebrows expectantly. "No..." he says finally, keeping his eyes down. "You kissed me."

I exhale sharply, squeezing my eyes shut. "This is so fucked," I remark.

"It won't happen again," he assures me.

I refuse to look at him, my body rigid with guilt. "You're right, it won't," I say firmly, gritting my teeth. "I think you should go."

Staring at the floor, I don't watch as he stands from the bed. He heads toward the door, closing it quietly behind him. Once he's gone, my face crumples, and I sink to my knees. What kind of person would do this to their sister, to their partner?

Moments ago, it had felt like I had someone in my corner, but now all I feel is the sting of betrayal. I tuck my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around them, allowing myself to cry for the first time since the hospital. I'm stuck in this life, forced to deal with the mess that was left by a stranger.

Looking up, I stare at the wall of pictures, my eyes automatically drawn to a photo of Parker, Audrey, and I. My hand subconsciously gravitates toward my bandage.

A tangled web of faces stares back at me, and I have no idea who to trust.