Trauma [H.S]

13

"I called you that nickname the other day? Buttercup? It was what I used to call you. But when you didn't react like I hoped you would, I thought you were pretending that you forgot about me and didn't want to be friends with me after all this time away from each other. I tried reaching out to you after you left but I couldn't find any trace of your name on social media. It's like you just... you just vanished."

My breathing picked up "b-but how? I don't remember you."

His eyes burned though my soul "so you really don't remember me? Like at all?!"

I shook my head slowly. I didn't know him at all "if I did, I would've said something!"

I knew something was off when I first saw him.

This was it. Wasn't it.

"Why didn't you say something about it when we met? Why mention it now?" I asked in confusion.

"Because I didn't know what to say! I didn't know if you'd remember me.. so I had to mention it as subtly as possible, and you caught up on that just like I hoped. I didn't know how else I could've mentioned it." He tried to explain.

"Well, I don't remember you. You're nonexistent in my memory."

"Did your memory of me get wiped or something?"

****

"Memory loss. The concussion made her lose a part of her memory. She might get it back if you remind her of what happened. We still don't know how much she's lost, but hopefully not much and she'll recover 95% of it if not a complete recovery for her age." The doctor explained to my mum as I was perched up on the hospital bed, listening to their conversation.

"I'll try and remind her of the important stuff. Is there any medication I should give her?" My mum asked the doctor, with concern written all over her face.

"Just rest, and painkillers for the headaches.. and keep her in dimly lit rooms because the bright light might give her headaches.. stop activities for a bit then restart them gradually, like going to school and such, and she'll be good as new after a few weeks with the proper medical attention. But unfortunately, she might have a permanent loss of part of her memory because the concussion is strong.. but hopefully she won't lose that much."

****

"I honestly don't know." I answered quietly. Maybe this was the part of my memory that I lost.

The memory of Harry being in my life.

If that was really the case, why couldn't I forget about my past and just remembered him?

"then let me refresh your memory. In second grade, we were in the same class together. We were friends, Val."

What?

"We went on a picnic together once with our parents in a beautiful flower field. Don't you remember?"

It was all starting to get together in my head the longer he continued talking.

Like the memories are coming back slowly.

"We were practically inseparable. Until you went back to your hometown, after your father... Y'know.. went into a coma."

He said the last part in a whisper and stared at me to check if he's struck a nerve. He didn't though. I made peace with that.

"I was your only friend back then."

This was too much to take in all at once.

"You didn't call me by my full name. You called me by my nickname, it was-"