Help Me Remember (COMPLETED)

Chapter 20 Part 2

I'll be honest, these aren't the easiest chapters to write and the next parts are sure to be a little draining too. Tell me what you think! 

Chapter 20 Part 2

Stranger

I wished they'd just keep quiet until the food arrived. And after eating really quickly, we could all go our separate ways.

But you don't always get what you wish for. In fact, many times you get the exact opposite of what you want.

Natasha, the tiny blonde leaned back in her chair and eyed me, "Well, it really has been a while. How have you been, stranger?"

With the things spouting out of their mouths, I had half the mind not to answer at all. But as I had it, they didn't really expect me to answer that question.

Veronica leaned front in a second, "We heard about that freak car accident. The media probably exaggerated it if you're walking around looking this well."

Amanda fixed her eyes on me then, "That's true. I saw pictures of your car after the crash."

At the mention of the accident though, I stiffened. 

There were two things in my mind: If they were really my friends, why didn't they bother to visit me in the hospital? And the other thing was the accident itself. How much did they know about what happened then?

But as I thought it through, I didn't want to know it from them. These three didn't seem to be reliable sources.

"I'm fine." I simply said using a tone that meant to put a stop to a conversation.

But it must have flown over their heads.

Natasha was clearly unsatisfied with my answer. She wanted the juicy details but she knew she wasn't going to get it. So she dove for a different angle. She eyed my clothes.

"Sweetie," she started in a disgusted tone, "What are you wearing?"

The reference to my clothes reminded me of the clothes I gave away. Clothes similar to the ones they were wearing. That realization didn't sit well with me.

Lily looked at my clothes too and I saw in her expression that she was confused, "There's nothing wrong with them." She commented and immediately regretted it.

Amanda smirked cruelly at her, "Really?" then turned to me, "Please tell me this is some kind of dress up game. You'd never be caught dead in that before today."

She seemed confident in her words and I stopped a little to think them through. Did she really know me well?

The redhead burst out laughing then gestured to Lily, "Maybe she's trying not to scare off this girl for their play date. Their clothes are on the same level. Are you doing your hubby a favor by entertaining his best friend's wifey? Everyone knows she's been an outcast since her stunt with Marcus. But Marcus cannot have a socially inadequate wife now, can he? I do know Zachary and Marcus have known each other forever. Did Zach ask you to do this?"

The black woman pouted, "Why would she do that? Scarlett goes out of her way to destroy Zachary's image. You know, all those hot guys we find in the clubs." She winked at me and snickered.

I stared at her blankly, "What?"

The more the words..

"Oops," Amanda smiled snidely then turned to Lily, "pretend you didn't hear that, will you?"

The blonde waved at her friend dismissively, "It's not like Zachary doesn't know. Not with how much we charge to his card on a nightly basis."

The three of them laughed in sync.

I think my ears were ringing with every bit of revelation. If Lily was shocked, I wouldn't know. I, myself, was digesting their words without success. What were they saying? What did those words mean to say? About me?

Their words may not b penetrating my blocked out memories but they were doing things to the organ in my chest. I could hear my own heartbeat loudly.

They were talking about the past I wanted to know so badly. But why? Why did it feel like that past I wanted to know was just that... bad.

I managed to glance at Lily whose pallor had gone an unhealthy white. She was staring at the three and she looked sick to her stomach. And i don't think it was simply from being socially inadequate.

It was on cue that the waiter came back with our drinks. Five opened bottles of cold beer to be exact. Of course, they'd want to start drinking this early in the day.

When the waiter set them down in front of us, the three immediately took swigs out of their bottles. Mine and Lily's remained untouched.

Veronica raised an eyebrow at me, "It's good beer." Then she turned to Lily too, "Oh, I forgot you're pregnant. I can't imagine not touching alcohol for what? Nine months?"

Amanda and Natasha turned to each other with meaningful grins.

"And you? What's up?" Natasha asked me, eyeing my untouched bottle, "Don't tell me you're pregnant too?"

I stiffened. And of course, those vultures would notice. The comment caught me off-guard. And as much as I know the pregnancy wasn't exactly a secret, I knew I wouldn't want these three to know. Even if we were close in the past I couldn't remember.

The three had stopped and were giving me suspicious looks.

My resolve was quick, and I matched their flippant tones, "Do I by any chance look pregnant to you?"

They burst out, laughing. Those horrible grating sounds that made a person want to grins their teeth.

"There's the Scarlett I know!" Amanda commended.

Veronica shook her head, smiling, "For a second there, I thought I was talking to a different person!"

They made noises of agreement on top of each other. And that relieved look on their faces was insulting.

"But speaking of pregnancy," Natasha pulled out a card from her purse and held it out to me. "If you ever do find yourself pregnant, you might want to visit this place. I can assure you their team is very... shall we say discreet? In handling these delicate situations. You're sure to be in safe hands."

Everything in me screamed warning at the calling card she was giving.

But she added, "Come on, Scarlett. From one friend to another."

Friend? Was she really my friend? Were they? From the way they spoke to me so easily, they did seem to know me. But my mind rejected the idea of them being my... friends even now.

I eyed the card she was giving me and in a split-second decision, took it from her.

The two other girls made sounds of approval.

Lily glanced at the card with a worried expression before lifting her eyes to me. I can;t help but notice she hadn't spoke in a while. But with her eyes, she was asking if I was okay. And I reassured her silently.

I put the calling card in my purse then.

I had an idea of what kind of place it would be. But I wanted to check.

It would reveal something about these people. And in turn, if they really were my friends...

It would reveal something about me too.

Something bad? I hoped not.

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And thank you for reading! It sincerely means a lot to me:) I'm making up for not posting for a while. It also hurts me not to be able to write something when I know people are waiting to read this.