"Forget Me Not" {first published novel}

Ch. 12 ~ "Flame Lilies"

Misperception leads to complication, and can shield us from our right path. Yet endless attention and communication can put rest to this kind of wrath.

As I sit down next to a girl with curly black hair and Evan, I regret returning from the crime scene. He keeps looking at me from the side and I instantly become uncomfortable. I get up to leave but he grabs my wrist. I slap him across the face and run to the last remaining two seats at the back.

Beside the empty seat I choose is one of my other great friends from kindergarten, Gabby. I give her a huge bear hug and I am so happy that she happens to be in this class too.

"Please help me, Gab," I begin looking over at Evan who is still looking at me.

"What's wrong? Are you okay, Al?" She asks concerned.

"My boyf- er, I mean ex-boyfriend, wont leave me alone," I mumble.

"Who, Josh?"

"Oh hell no! I can't get enough out of that guy! Why does everyone keep thinking that?!" I say frustratedly.

"Well he-", Gabby begins before I cut her off.

"Anyways, my real ex and I are in a fight because he lied to me about something very important."

"Well, maybe he's right. You never know, maybe he was trying to protect you," she explains.

Once I think this over I realize that she has a very logical point. Maybe he thought knowing about Elaine would make me even crazier, or maybe he did not know. Maybe he thought it was too soon to tell me my therapist was a murderer, a day after I hit my head with almost complete loss of memory from the day before.

Either way, I can not forgive him, not right now anyways. Gabby and I talk all class about the situation. I do not know what to take of it. Is Evan in the wrong or the right? Once the dismissal bell rings, I do not care, my main goal is to go home and sleep away all the confusion.

As I step foot on my source of transportation an arm pulls me back. It's Gabby again.

"Gab! Hey! I'd love to talk but I gotta go," I say to her.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" She asks me, which makes me think.

Well, I already have my backpack on board, and I was not wearing a jacket or hoodie overtop of my outfit. I do not know what it is I am forgetting.

"The dance?" She asks me, seeing if I remember.

"Oh, right. I was supposed to go with Evan, but I'm not gonna go because we aren't really dating anymore, plus he wouldn't go anyways," I respond sadly.

"Oh c'mon Al! I remember when you wanted to do absolutely anything! Kat, Ash and Dawny will all be there too! Who needs boys!" She says with excitement and hope in her voice.

"Fine, fine, I'll stay. But I won't guarantee I'll like it."

Cheers from Hilary, Lauren, Joseph and who I am assuming is Cody, Lauren's twin, come sounding from behind me.

"Hey! I said I won't like it!" I yell jokingly back to them as the driver drives away.

Gabby looks back at me and smiles. For the first time in a while, I smile too.

Twice a year, St. Jasper High School holds a freshman/ Junior dance. Apparently it is a joke compared to Senior Prom, but it is always fun to let loose for a night.

Gabby and I begin walking to Kat's house as soon as the vehicle reaches the distance where we can not see it anymore. My shoes do not hold much protection to my toes because there is a while at the back where my heels will be later on.