This is the memory, this is the curse of having too much time to think about it,

It's killing me, this is the last time. This is my forgiveness, This is endless...       Mayday Parade

Chapter 7 – We Ran Out of Apples

“He’ll be fine. All he needs is some rest and a few months for his arm to heal. Other than that, you’ve got nothing to worry about.” A voice reverberated inside my head but I couldn’t really make sense of it.

My whole body was numb, like I’d just been dumped into a bath full of Novocain. Barely able to lift my lids, I plunged again into a deep dreamless sleep.

“The brakes had been rigged. As well as the airbag. We’ll give you leads as soon as we can.” Another strange voice said before the sound of a door being closed roused me.

With much effort, I opened my eyes to scan the room: off-white walls, white tiled flooring, white sheets, a narrow uncomfortable bed that had fun buttons on them. Remembering that I just flew off my car and had an uncalled for accident, I realized was back in the hospital. That was funny but mostly ironic. I thought I remember someone complaining to me about my driving.

You drive like a maniac!

“Sarah!” I shot up from bed, a dull sickening throb in my left arm making me wince before groggily falling back on the pillows.

Of all the time in the world to have a car accident, why now? Someone wanted me dead. My car was rigged. On the bright side, at least, I didn’t have to fabricate really lame alibis to skip the movie shoot. Except if the director won’t mind filming a three hundred year-old blood sucker with a cemented arm in a sling.

“Leon.” It was Arthur who rushed to my side and leaned over to me. “I’ll call the doctor,” he said, a worried look taking away the usual unruffled air about him. His wavy blond hair was tousled, his chin looking bristly. Dark bags encircled his blue eyes. Dad looked horrible. Like a sci-fi horror hero who’d been chased by evil alien lizard humanoids for ten days in a planet where baths and combs are yet to be invented.

“You need to shave, Dad.” It was the first thing that came to mind.

Again, I tried to sit up, forcing myself to ignore the dull pain. My left arm was mummified. There must’ve been a surplus of plaster in Hopkinton since they decided to stuff it all around my arm.

Arthur managed a weak smile that could win the Lamest Fake Smile of the Year award. As was expected of him—trying to carry everything on his back as though everything would always turn out fine.

“I know,” he replied rubbing his stubbly chin. “How’re you?”

“Having a blast,” I said grinning while attempting to lift my casted arm like a built-in cannon. (Blast; get it? Ugh, forget I said that.) “Does it come in blue?”

“Sadly, no.” He chuckled but his face just leaked of worry. “Are you hungry?”

“Not really. How long was I out? How’s Sarah? I want to see her,” I raved on feverishly, staggering as I strained to get out of bed, my thick-rimmed glasses stuck lopsidedly on my face. I pushed it up on the bridge of my nose and heaved myself to my feet.

With a reluctant look, Arthur shook his head, took my good arm and slung it over his shoulder.

“To begin with, you’ve just been asleep for six hours. I called Moira and told her about your accident. She wanted a video of you as a proof for the producers but I already took care of that earlier while you’re asleep. I hope it’s okay.”

“Do I look pathetic in the video?” I asked frantically.

“Pretty much,” he admitted wryly.

I grunted exasperatedly. “Good. They’d probably cut me some slack this time.”

“Let’s hope. And Leon, you need to know something first. It’s about Sarah,” he said towing me to a wheelchair that was conveniently positioned near my bed.

“No wheelchair,” I argued. I didn’t want to look stupid in front of Sarah. The cast was nasty enough. “Why, is there something wrong? Is she sick?”

It took a few seconds before Dad could answer. “No. Not like that. Just… don’t panic, okay?”

“Yeah, I’m cool.” But in my head, I was running around screaming. My insides were squirming for some reason.

Once we were out of the room, I hurried my steps, the sling support making my shoulders ache. When we reached Sarah’s room, the door was already open. Freddy stepped out, a tired look on his face as he ran a hand over his curly dark hair.

“Way to go, kid,” he said exchanging uneasy smiles with Arthur. He eyed on my cast. “Looks good on you by the way. Gives you that new rough guy look.”

“I was thinking of changing my image anyway,” I grinned casually as my heart did cartwheels and hurdles inside my chest.

From the narrow gap of the door, I could hear several voices inside, talking, laughing. I saw Reed juggling oranges as Becky’s shrill laughter filled the air. Chuck was chortling by himself in a corner, his eyes fixed on the TV while Nathan shouted at him to keep it down. Matt sat silently on a padded chair. Weirdo.

I tuned them all out. All I wanted to hear was Sarah. I was about to go inside the room when Freddy took a hold of my shoulder and barred me from the door.

“Wait,” he started, letting out a sigh. “Sarah’s still… a little… disoriented. So please take it easy. And don’t panic, okay?”

Don’t panic. Why would I panic? Okay, maybe a little.

Without further ado, I nodded and went straight into the room. I must’ve looked like a big block of mess in blue PJs but it was too late to worry about that. All I wanted was to see her.

“Well, well. If you wanted so badly to live permanently in a hospital, you could’ve just told me. Nothing a good beating can’t fix, yes?” Nathan stood up and folded his arms, leaning on the wall as he eyed on my arm. “And Dad said I couldn’t get my driving license in a gazillion years. Considering you got yours, that must mean I still have a chance,” he added with a crooked smirk.

I held back a smile. Even he couldn’t spoil my good mood.

I found Sarah sitting on the side of the hospital bed, dangling her bare feet while looking at the floor. Her long wavy dark brown hair was tied back loosely, her face more pallid than the usual making her look breakable. She appeared like she lost a few pounds. Besides that, I couldn’t help but stare at her, unblinking, dead scared that I’d wake up soon only to find that everything was just a dream.

When she lifted her gaze up to me, her lips slowly curved into a shy smile.

“Hi,” I said, unable to think of a more sensible thing to say. My brain just went haywire. It felt like I haven’t seen her for years.

“Hi,” she replied. Her gray eyes had a hint of blue on them when they caught the light. “H-how’s your arm?” she stammered, dropping her gaze back to the floor.

Something was wrong with Sarah. I could just feel it. Maybe she was still upset. “Not too bad, actually.”

An awkward silence filled the room only to be broken by Chuck’s snickering laugh. He got dangerous stares from everyone after that. Cautiously, he turned off the TV.

“You want a banana?” Nathan finally said to Sarah, offering her the basket of assorted fruits like expressing his undying love for bananas was totally called for the occasion. My brother must’ve gotten it from the ape side of the family.

Timidly, she shook her head and eyed at the basket for a while as if she was having second thoughts.

“B-but… can I have the apples?” she asked flinching a bit like she expected someone to hit her or at least jeer disapproval.

“Uh… Sure,” Nathan said hesitantly, watching as Sarah hurriedly picked all four apples from the basket and placed it carefully on her lap. “No need to rush, Nerdy. No one’s going to steal your apples,” my brother added ruefully. Even Nathan looked perplexed.

The next thing I knew, she was already staring at the apples, a weak unsure smile making its way on her face as she did. She placed one of the apples on the side table; a slight crease on her forehead as if she was trying to decide whether the apple was facing the right way. Then she smiled again—a sad smile with her impenetrable gray-blue eyes melting—like there was something special in that particular apple that was visible only to her.

What’s wrong? I wanted to ask. But something told me that I might not want to find out.

Patiently, I waited until the guys finally decided to call it a day, not without some casualties—a broken leg of a chair, an unhinged cabinet door and the missing battery cover of the remote control.

“Is she okay?” I asked Dad who just replied with a reluctant look as we headed back to Sarah’s room after finally seeing the guys off. “Something seems different with her,” I added upon reaching the door knob.

Hesitantly, I paused, hearing Sarah’s voice from inside the room.

“I… I really don’t know what happened…” she started sounding troubled, almost miserable. “On my way to school, I saw this periwinkle on the sidewalk just in front of EMC park. It’s the first time I’ve seen it growing there so I picked it up…”

“And?” Becky said carefully, seemingly expectant.

“And Mike Sullivan with some jocks threw snow at me,” Sarah replied hesitantly. In her voice, I heard resentment and sadness as she trailed into a momentary silence. “And they hit me on the head. So I closed my eyes…”

The memory of my first meeting with Sarah came rushing to me, making me nostalgic, making me miss her even more. All of me wanted to rush into the room and hold her hand but my head told me to wait.

“Then… after that?” Becky encouraged.

There was a long silence before Sarah could answer. “Sorry,” she said weakly. “I’m so sorry.”

“No. It isn’t your fault,” said Becky in a comforting tone.

I heard faint sobs from inside the room. Sarah was crying. But why? Was she still upset about everything?

In that very moment, all I wanted was to bust the door, ask her what’s wrong, comfort her, tell her everything’s going to be alright and that I’d always be with her no matter what. Instead, I remained on my spot, frozen, unable to move a muscle.

When finally, she calmed down a bit, Sarah cleared her throat. “That… that boy with a broken arm, how long did I know him?” she asked Becky.

That boy with a broken arm? What was that all about? I have a name!

“For more than two years, Sarah,” answered Becky letting out a sigh.

“Were we… close?” Her voice broke as though her heart was breaking.

“Yes. Very.” Judging by how her small voice shook, I could tell Becky was crying too.

“I’m sorry. No matter how hard I try… I still couldn’t r-remember anything,” Sarah rasped. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry…” she croaked in between the irrepressible sobs.

Stunned. Looking emptily at the doorknob. Deciding whether to twist it. I clenched my hand and let it drop limply to my side. Questions. Lots of questions.

An answer came. No. That couldn’t be it!

Weakly, I leaned on the wall closing my eyes, swallowing hard. Something in my chest twisted and wrenched the life out of me. The world just crashed upon me.

Be brave, Leon. Boys don’t cry, I told myself repeatedly but it didn’t help hold back the tears. Breathing hard, I turned to Dad, unable to look him in the eyes. Of all people, he was the last person I’d have wanted to see me fall apart.

“Is it…” I couldn’t finish putting into words what first came to my mind like somehow, saying that one overwhelming word would make it more real.

Arthur nodded gravely. “Amnesia,” he murmured.

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Err... *ducks an arrow* Next upload will be in 3 days so please watch out, vote comment and tell your friends about it while waiting... Or for the meantime, read my other story called Reapers and tell me what you think! I appreciate all the support guys! Okay... I'm gonna hide now before any one of you tries to kill me.                                  Straight from my secret cubby hole, ~shim <3