The Art of Forgetting

A Unexpected Guest

At the night after a simple dinner in their peaceful apartment, Suzie found her father reading in the living room, the gentle hum of city traffic a distant background sound. She took a deep breath. "Dad?"

He looked up, a gentle smile on his face. "Yes, sweetheart?"

"Rohan... and Mom... they said some things about Ansh Malhotra yesterday. About our past. But they wouldn't tell me anything."

Her father's smile faded slightly. He sighed, placing his book on the small coffee table. "Suzie, your mother and Rohan care about you very much."
"I know, but it makes me feel like there's this huge part of my life that's just... missing. And they won't help me find it."

He reached out and took her hand. "Sometimes, chérie, the past is best left undisturbed. If you don't remember, perhaps it's because your mind is protecting you from something painful."

"But how can I move forward if I don't even know what I'm leaving behind?" Suzie's voice was filled with frustration.

Her father squeezed her hand gently. "Trust us, Suzie. We know what's best for you." He echoed Priya's earlier sentiment. "If you don't remember, maybe it's for the better."

Defeated, Suzie nodded slowly. She knew she wouldn't get any answers from her parents or Rohan. "Then... I guess I'll have to figure it out myself." The thought of confronting Ansh directly solidified in her mind. He was the only link to this forgotten past.
All through the night, Suzie's mind was a whirlwind within the quiet of her Parisian apartment. The image of Ansh, his knowing gaze mixed with a hint of disappointment, kept replaying in her thoughts. Why did he seem to know her so well when she drew a blank? And why were her mother and Rohan so insistent on her avoiding him? She lay in bed, the soft glow of the city lights filtering through her window, trying to piece together fragmented feelings and fleeting images, but the harder she tried, the more elusive the past remained. She knew she needed answers, but confronting her family again felt futile.

The next morning, the familiar splash of bright color from Ananya's scarf was a welcome sight at the bus stop in their quiet apartment district. Suzie, dressed in a comfortable yet stylish denim jumpsuit layered over a simple white t-shirt, a vibrant patterned scarf loosely tied around her neck, approached with a determined set to her jaw. Her expression was focused, a slight furrow in her brow indicating her resolve to uncover the truth.
Ananya was already there, wearing a bright yellow sundress with delicate floral embroidery. She turned as Suzie arrived, her usual cheerful demeanor slightly subdued with concern as she took in Suzie's resolute appearance.
"Hey," Suzie began, her gaze meeting Ananya's directly, a hint of anxious anticipation underlying her determined tone.

"Hey! You seem... preoccupied," Ananya observed, her eyes scanning Suzie's outfit and then settling on her slightly creased forehead. "Anything new on the Ansh front?" Ananya stood facing Suzie near the simple metal bus stop sign, the quiet hum of Parisian morning traffic a backdrop to their conversation.

As the bus rumbled along the Parisian streets towards the university, Suzie reiterated her plan to confront Ansh. Her gaze was fixed out the window, but her mind was clearly elsewhere, the determination on her face unwavering.

"I just don't see any other way, Ananya," Suzie said, turning back to her friend. "My family won't tell me anything. Ansh is the only one who seems to know about our past. I need to understand what happened."
Ananya, sitting beside her, looked troubled. "But Suzie, think about it. Your mother and Rohan were really worried. They practically told you to stay away from him. Don't you think there's a good reason for that? Maybe confronting him directly could be risky, could bring back painful memories or even put you in an uncomfortable situation."