The Loser in the End--The Sequel

The Final Chapter

Although both you and David were tired after the long day, David was expected to attend the afterparty.  After resting for a bit and freshening up, you headed over to the hotel where it was being held.

Both of you were unusually quiet, and you assumed it was because he was tired.  Actually, you were glad he was so untalkative, because you had so many thoughts racing through your mind. And what you didn't know was he had troubling thoughts of his own...

David's deepest fears were coming true.  You were starting to remember.  Only you didn't quite realize it yet...

He wondered if he should mention something about it, but decided tonight certainly wasn't the night to do it.  Then again, maybe he shouldn't ever mention it.  Maybe it was best not to ruffle any feathers.  It certainly wasn't in his best interest for you to remember anything.

Freddie hadn't arrived at the party yet, and you were glad.  You knew you wouldn't be able to keep your eyes off him--he was that magnetic.  But instinctively you knew there was more to it, and just thinking about it gave you anxiety.  

As if on cue, Freddie walked in, with Roger by his side.  Freddie must have been saying something really funny, because Roger was giggling hysterically.

That giggle...

You suddenly had a vision in your mind of being somewhere on a tropical beach with two gorgeous and tanned men, one blond, one brunette...

Were you losing your mind, or was your memory returning?  Things were so good in your life with David right now...If you regained your memory, would that destroy everything?

You heard a woman's shrill and strident voice somewhere behind you.  You were unclear exactly who this woman was, but you knew she was no friend of yours.  

Suddenly, without even trying, a name popped into your head.

Ava...

"God, look at those two,"  you overheard her snicker, referring to Freddie and Roger.  "It's just a matter of time until they're fucking each other again!"

That annoying voice...and that phrase she had just spoken...The hairs on the back of your neck stood up and your blood ran cold.  

You were triggered.

You recalled vividly when she had spoken those same words to you...

Desperate for her not to see you, you slipped away into the crowd.  You couldn't think.  You just knew you had to get out of there.

You searched frantically for David in the crowd to no avail.  You planned to tell him you weren't feeling well and you wanted his driver to take you home.  But he was nowhere in sight.

Your heart was pounding in your chest as you were flooded with memories.  It was all coming back to you...Ava's cruel words, Brian's diabolical ways, the blackmail, the threesomes with Freddie and Roger...all of it, crashing into you like a tsunami.

You were shaken to the core, and so you stepped out onto the balcony to get some fresh air.   You had no idea how or why Ava's voice and words had caused the shroud of amnesia to lift, but now that it had, there was no stopping it.

Your emotions were all over the place.  What were you going to do?  Just what the fuck were you going to do?

Out of nowhere, Ava appeared on the balcony, searching in her bag for a cigarette.  You shrank back into the darkness, but she saw you from the corner of her eye.