Notwithstanding its eventfulness, the day was not over yet.

   Rav's parents had given him permission to have a party in his wing for the night and we were all allowed to attend, even Camila.

   Hanging out at the Hoodas was turning out to be hands down one of the best nights of my life. This was technically our first time hanging out like typical teenagers and I savoured every moment of the normalcy I'd never imagined we'd have.

   After hours of karaoke, dancing, eating, non-alcoholic drinking (probably for the best considering what happened with me and Rav in his motel room the last time), while everyone else swam in Rav's infinity pool on his side of the roof, I decided to save myself the trouble of getting a panic attack from the height and give myself another tour of the Hooda residence.

   I ended up sitting on the steps that led to one of their gardens nearby, admiring the effects of the natural moonlight on the flowers whose various colours complimented each other.

   A light rustle broke my focus and I turned, only to be startled by Dorian's presence.

"Sorry," I shot to my feet. "I didn't know this was your spot."

"It's not." he shook his head, then stole my breath by saying, "I followed you here."

"Okay." I blinked. I wasn't sure what to make of that. The old Dorian had always used a certain blandness, which he was using now, to speak to me.

"Can we talk?" He looked me in the eye.

"Um..." I'd gone this far without crying in front of him. I just hope now wouldn't be the moment I'd ruined that streak. "Sure."

   We sat shoulder to shoulder on the steps. Cricket chirps filled the silence that fell between us.

"Rav told me everything," he finally said.

"I know."

"And I overheard you and Rav arguing the last time you were here."

   God. Of course he did.

"Do you remember when we bumped into each other near the library and you lied that you were coming from there and I said that couldn't be true because I was there for a Robotics meeting and I didn't see you?"

   Oh, that. It was after Viola had said those mean things about me not having a date to the Virtual Dance and I went to the Tunnel to get my Neuroskel but met a Yunie instead.

"Yeah, I do."

"You weren't the only one lying that day," A purple tint rose to the side of his cheek facing me as he stared down and whispered. "The reason I knew you weren't in the library was because I'd gone there not for a meeting, but to look for you."

"Really?" I said in a loud tone I instantly regretted it.

   Wow. I wasn't sure how I was expecting this conversation to go but I knew it wasn't this way in the least.

"Yeah." I saw him sit up straighter from the corner of my eye.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"But why? Why did you go after me? And why are you telling me you did now?"

   I wasn't sure if he'd heard my questions since he seemed transfixed with the blue myosotis flower he'd just plucked, but then he replied,

"The same reason I followed you now. You told Rav that I saw you the way everyone else in school did but that's not true. I can assure you that how I see you–what I feel for you does not in any way connote hatred or indifference."

   What?

   I couldn't get my mouth open. The layers beneath those words left me nonplussed.

   Just when I thought this couldn't get more astounding, Dorian placed the flower he was holding behind my ear. Once our eyes met again, neither of us could bring ourselves to look away. Those blue irises of his were suddenly familiar again, but I had to remind myself that he wasn't that Dorian anymore.

"I haven't told anyone this," he hesitated and looked away before continuing. "but I've been having dreams since I regained consciousness. And I don't know if this means I'm getting better since I barely remember anything by the time I wake up so I don't want to give Rav or our parents false hope by telling them. These dreams aren't... they aren't always good. I don't see the exact things that happen in them and I can barely hear the people in it's voices. But the thing that sticks with me even after I wake up is what I feel. I remember going through so much pain and many other emotions. At least beyond what Rav told me.

   Not sure what to say, I made the sympathy laced with my nod prominent. I, however, froze mid-nod by his next words, not knowing until then I could be rendered more speechless than I already was.

"I don't remember you, Beth. But I remember feeling so many things; confusion, jealousy, admiration, anger, affection...How someone made me feel these things." Dorian's gaze stayed trained on the flowers around us as that last word sounded choked. "And now, the stories Rav tells me about our entire experience don't sound so crazy like at first."

   Grateful his eyes weren't on me, I blinked continuously until the tears in mine were stifled well enough. What he said should have made me feel better, but what these dreams did was only reminded him of what was. The feelings he just mentioned were not what he felt anymore.

"I don't know whether I'll get better," he sighed. "but I meant all that I said at the dance. Especially the part about you and me starting over."

   I just realised that while drowning in my pool of sadness and self-pity, I'd never considered the possibility of making new memories with him. Maybe they won't be the same as the previous ones since we were together anymore, but all that he'd said tonight wasn't said to a person you didn't not want to be together with in the near or distant future. Whatever we ended up being–friends, or more–though, I wasn't going to let that make or break the chances of creating new memories with him.

   Also, those dreams could be the key to him actually getting his memories back tonight or tomorrow for all we knew. I couldn't think of being anywhere else if that happened than at his side.

"So did I." I smiled. "Starting over sounds good."

"Good."

"Yeah. Good."

"I read your comics, by the way," he said, bumping my shoulder with his. "You know, the ones you left in my room the other day? They were pretty interesting."

   I grinned. "Glad you liked them. I'll bring more next time I come over."

"Thought I saw you from the top!" Rav's shout, like the weight of his encircling arms on our shoulders, crept up on us from behind.

   He wasn't alone. Camila, Landon and Talise behind us mirrored the same stupid grins he was wearing.

"We're already late." Rav said, as he stopped a car key into Dorian's hand.

"For what?" Dorian stared at the key like it was carrying an STI. Like me, he clearly wasn't too pleased with the interruption.

"We're going for a drive. Mom and Dad say it's okay." Rav replied. "You know, what? Let me have the key back. I think the past is enough to prove that I'm more capable of driving everyone anyway."

"Yeah, right," Camila scoffed.

"Remind me, again, Cami, how many hours until your house arrest grace period ends?"

"Ask my probation officer." She ended that statement by grabbing the keys out of his hand and taking to her heels.

"Hey!" Rav chased her.

   Landon and Talise followed behind to catch up with them both, definitely to ensure that it didn't get too bloody when Rav finally caught up with Cami.

   That resulted in me and Dorian being alone. Again.

   Dorian turned to me once more, purple shades decorating his cheeks as he looked like he was trying to revive his barren vocabulary from our previous conversation. "Y-you coming over. I'd like that."

   My grin defeated my efforts to stay cool while saying, "Me too."

"Good."

"We should probably find the others now." I gestured to the direction our friends had taken. "I don't trust Rav to not leave us behind."

"You're right." He chuckled. "Let's go."

   So we did. Side by side. With our hands to ourselves and sharing occasional not so subtle glances.

   Starting over didn't sound bad at all.

A/N:

It took me years to write this–three years for the first draft (started writing in 2019)–and it feels so surreal that this is my final author's note for this novel! I'll like to begin with a brief introduction of myself:

My name is Zainab Mustapha. I am 20 years old. I am from Ghana, West Africa and I am currently studying law.

First, I'd just like to thank God. Free Minds was inspired by this nightmare I had (specifically the part about where Beth is trying to run away from the Yunies to get to the school gate). I remember how it terrified me so much when I woke up and it was what filled my head throughout the week. But at some point something changed, whenever I thought of it, rather than be scared, I'd start asking questions, like "what was I running from?" and "why was I running?". In answering these questions, I realised the answers I was giving myself just got wilder and wilder and before I knew it, I was writing! This experience made me realise that God is the only being who can take your nightmares and make them dreams come true! So I'm grateful to God for the nightmares and the ideas that helped me write this amazing novel.

It took me so many years to finish Free Minds because I started in high school and had limited access to my devices, which prevented me from updating regularly, especially when I had to go to my senior high school's boarding school during the Covid period. I also started law school in 2021 and its demanding nature made it so difficult to be consistent. This is what makes me so proud of myself though–the fact that despite all these, I've finally been able to finish!

And how long it took me to write this makes me more appreciative of the people who have read and supported me from the beginning and even from the middle. Thank you so much for your patience, your votes, your comments! Free Minds wouldn't have over 5k reads right now without you!

And to future readers, because I have so much faith that Free Minds is going to reach a much, much larger audience soon, thank you in advance. I'm grateful for your votes and comments which I will definitely read and do well to reply to when I can and should!

And thank you so much @lifebytheseashore for the cover. I'll cherish this forever!

Lastly, to my fellow writers, don't stop writing. Don't stifle the craziest ideas. I personally think Free Minds is living proof that those ideas are actually the ones that work most! Make sure you finish no matter how long it takes and ignore the voices within and from other people which will try to stifle your dreams to write!

For the last time,

Thanks for reading! Please don't forget to vote and comment ❤!

Follow me on instagram: @zwrites._

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