Important notes at the end of this chapter. Please make sure to read it ;)
•
What is a RETROGRADE amnesia?
It is caused by damage to the memory-storage areas of the brain. Damage may be from traumatic injury (such as car accidents), serious illness or degenerative brain disease.
So please take note of this 🤪👇🏻
In retrograde amnesia, REMOTE MEMORIES like her childhood and all are more easily accessible to a person (so that's why Harley can recall everything with her childhood bestfriends) than events that have occurred just prior to trauma.
And that's that... 🤪
••••
I have amnesia and a crucial part of my past has been totally and intentionally wiped out by my brain.
I want to have my memories back but I'm having second thoughts. Prior—or maybe after the accident, I, maybe myself chose to forget those things. Did my old self want my new self to regain those memories back? Did I wish to never get them that's why they're all exceeding so much efforts from hiding everything? I need to ask Bridget.
As for her, she makes me wonder.
With just a single plea for the truth, she tells me effortlessly without a hint of a doubt or second thoughts. She tells me straight-up that I have amnesia. She's willing to tell me everything. I know this is not just love, it's something more.
Maybe my poor Bridget Argent just really wants me back.
"Harley?" Ms. Hayes calls, snapping me out of my thoughts. I blink several times trying to rid myself off the trance.
"Yeah?" I answer and it's a wrong move. I don't answer to my teachers when they call me. I just send my brows up telling them that I acknowledge their calls.
I hear Bridget's low hiss beside me and as a response, I kick her chair. Acting normal—in her own standards—is harder than I've imagined. I overestimated myself by thinking I could do this.
Every single fibre in me wants to bombard everyone with questions and snap at them for being high class liars. But I can't. Acting normal as though it does not pain me is the only way I could repay Bridget for being such a real friend. All those years I've spent far away from them, not just geographically, she never stopped being my bestfriend.
"Are you okay?" our teacher asks warily as her eyes try to dive into my vast ones.
"She is!" Bridget suddenly replies, surprising all of them. I shake my head ever so slightly. If I can't keep the acting, she definitely can't, too. Bridget Argent is paranoid.
From my peripherals, I notice Austin and Jace sharing a knowingly glance to each other. They sense that there's something odd going kn between the two of us and if they don't know, that means it's a big deal. We never hide secrets from each other.
"Thanks for the prompt response, Ms. Argent," Ms. Hayes sarcastically acknowledges her and half of the class chuckles. Bridget gives her a forced cheeky grin before sending me a discreet eye roll.
I am dragged away from the crowd of students trying to get to their last classes by Bridget. I expected this one to happen so I just willingly go with her.
"So much for acting normal," she hisses at me whilst her arm is intertwined with mine. "Why don't you cut classes? Go to your dad. Talk to him. Think all these through then come back tomorrow when you have finally decided to calm the fuck down."
I scoff. "I think you should be the one who's calming the fuck down."
Bridget shakes her head, her jaw clenching. We are headed on the opposite way from our room, meaning we're skipping it. "I agree. That's why I'm escaping with you," she says with a wink.
One more push from her and I'm jumping on her plan. I can take this as another opportunity to ask her more questions at the luxury of my home where there are on prying eyes and eavesdropping people. Or we can get through our last subject, come to our cheer practice and then talk at night.
"But the cheer——" she places her long index finger on my lips, shushing me.
"You just had the revelation of the century and you still want to set hell on all of us?" she says sounding like I'm so unbelievable. "You will put all of us on so much pain after what you've learned and I'm up for that."
I feel like I'm smiling devilishly inside. Bridget Argent just gave me an idea and I think my face is registering what I have in mind because my bestfriend's face is starting to drop.
"I hate you," that's all she says and I chuckle. So we both walk shoulder to shoulder to our next class and I'm already looking forward to practice.
Bridget wants me to act normal and won't it be normal if I go all Satan on them on practice? Of course, it's normal. I am Harley Gold and they freaking fear me for being so ruthless and heartless. I'll make them pay for what they've been doing to me.
After our last class, I notice her frowning to herself and just dumping her stuff inside her bag like a petulant child. Austin and Jace are watching her in confusion and I let out a chuckle.
"Are you on your period?" Evo suddenly asks. Apparently, we're not the only ones who's watching her.
Bridget glares at her as she dumps her last notebook inside and zips it close with so much force. She slings it over her shoulder and snaps at Evo, "Well congratulations then. You're not yet a father!"
And then she just walked out leaving all of us shocked with dropped jaws. I wasn't able to stop myself from reacting. If that's not another revelation of the century then I don't know what is. Bridget Argent slept with Evo Cullen? And all our friends heard.
I slowly turn my to Evo and the sight surprises me as well. He is shocked too. I have no idea if he's shock because Bridget blurted their secret out or he's shock because nothing happened between the two of them.
"I must be going crazy," Austin says as he blinks. In two seconds now after everything sets in, he's going to go all Hulk on Evo so Grayson and his friends drag him away from us before that could even happen. Good decision.
Jace raises his hand as soon as they're all out the door. "What the hell was that..."
Austin squares his shoulder. "I have no fucking idea," he replies and then they both look at me, eyes pure of accusation.
I cock a brow at them. What? They think I know shit whoever Bridget's screwing with? "Ask her, not me."
"Aren't you rattled?" Austin's voice pitches. Wow, he really is mad and he's directing it at me. How rational.
I sling my bag over my shoulder and shrug. "Why would I be? Sure, I hate those people but I love Bridget so whoever she is sleeping with is none of my fucking business. It will only be my business if he breaks her heart."
Argumentative me is someone Austin's not a fan of so he turns to Jace and Jace pales. I know I have a point and it hit Austin so now he's going to take it on someone who's less likely to shut him up.
"And you? Since you're Evo's friend and all. Did you know?" Austin interrogates.
Jace points a finger to his face. "Does this overly handsome shocked face looks like he knows?"
I grab Jace's arm. If only Evo wasn't his friend, I know he'll be acting the way Austin is acting too. But he's torn and he is bound to understand that's why I have to save him from
Hellboy. "I told you, Aust. Ask Bri not us."
Jace lets out a deep sigh of relief as soon as we're out of Austin sight. He did not let me let his arm go, instead he holds my hand and we both walk together to the gym.
"I thought for one second he's going to end me," he murmurs and with my free hand, I pat his shoulder.
"Do you think it's real?" he asks me calmly but deep inside I know it's bothering him otherwise he won't ask me.
I shrug as I adjust my bag on my shoulder. "No idea but if it is, I'll respect Bridget. She always has reasons like you do when you did that to Grayson's sister."
Probably not a good comparison and it's bad of me to bring that up because his face falls and he lowers his sadly. I want to apologize for being stupid but I stop myself. Normal me would not do that.
"I regret that, you know," he starts and I really want to hug Jace. I am such a bitch. "Not the sleeping with her part but the part that came after that. I really liked Lily. I was falling for her and then the complication came after we did that and everything just fell out of my hands. I just thought the more I fight it, the more it will be harder for her. So I let it go and let them judged me."
I am breathless as I am listening to him. Jace just did a confession on me and I am way too surprised.
My innocent boy liked that Lily and it was all just a matter of misunderstanding from people with poor comprehension that lead them to where they are now. Jace doesn't deserve this and I grit my teeth.
"Jace..." I softly call him and he raises his head to look at me, his eyes watering. Oh my boy... "Did you tell them?"
He shakes his head and I grit my teeth. "I told you, the more that I fight, the more it will be harder for Lily."
"Why didn't you tell Austin and Bridget?" I ask and he chuckles.
"Those two?" he tells me and I can hear a hint of pain in his voice. "They were all full of anger that time too. They were irrational so I thought if I tell them, they'll fight for me and they will make things worse. I just want it to stop."
"By putting yourself into that position?!" I snap at him and he grins, trying to hide the pain and of course, he wants to end this conversation.
Jace Whitely pulls me to him and hugs me. He places his chin on my shoulder and he relaxes. "I told you because I know you're the only one who's going to listen."
So stop asking, those were the unspoken words that goes after that sentence. I hear you, Jace. And I'll respect that.
We pull away from each other and before we could enter the locker room...
"I told you! Nothing happened between us!" that's Evo's voice we're hearing. Jace and I look at each other and just like any other eavesdropper in the history of eavesdrop, we press our backs on the wall just beside the door that leads to the locker rooms.
"Then why the hell did Bridget say that?" Rue exclaims. I never heard that Rue get so angry before.
"I have no fucking clue. Maybe because she's lying bitch! I swear to fucking god I did not fucking fuck her!" Evo bursts out as well.
I hate that I heard him call Bridget a lying bitch because I'm sure as hell she is not, compared to all of them. So I grab Jace's arm, he stops me once but eventually let me drag him inside with me. They notice my presence and they watch us walk to the lockers in silence.
"Hey!" it was Evo.
One more word from this idiot and I'll freaking snap. If ever he really did it with Bridget, it's not his fucking loss. My bestfriend is such a win. He's just frustrated because he's being ganged up by his friends. I understand Grayson's friends' anger about this matter because this had happened once and it happened again—which I'm sure really didn't.
I turn and raise my brow at him. I can feel Jace trying to drag me away from them but I hold my ground.
"Where's your bestfriend?!" Evo asks.
I slap his finger that's pointing on my face. Before I could even talk, Jace jumps in, "Evo, man. You really don't want to do this with her."
Evo realizes that Jace is right so his face softens just a bit but still insists, "Where is she?" his question now directed to Jace.
"What's got you all so fucking worked up with Bridget sleeping with you whether it's true or not? It's not a loss on your side," I start and Grayson comes walking behind him. He knows I'm going to bury this idiot to the ground. "Instead of crying like a coward, why don't fucking man up? You said it yourself it wasn't true so why don't you just let it go?"
"Harls..." Jace calls and I jerk my arm off his grasp.
"You will never call her a lying bitch ever again because she is not like the rest of you," I pause for a bit so I can glance at each and everyone of them, with Grayson as the last. I made it really really meaningful so they can get the message. "Did it ever occur to those minuscule brains of yours that she might've just freaking said that as a sarcastic comeback because hello, it was not your business to ask if she's on her period just because she's throwing a tantrum. ARE YOU HER FRIEND?!"
Evo cowers beside Grayson who's smiling at me. As usual he's enjoying this.
"You're not her friend, Evo. Don't cross the line," I end my speech and leave them. But that's not the end of this. "See you at the field in 10!"
"I miss the old her," those are the last words I heard Evo say to his friends and Jace knows I heard him perfectly.
That clearly tells me that he was a part—or they were a part of that important memory that I forgot. I have to learn more.
But first, let's act normal and give them hell, shall we?
••••
"What the hell is this?" Grayson asks when I summon all the team captains in front with me.
I had everyone all lined up, waiting for me. All of Grayson's friends can't look me in the eyes except for him of course so I made it my joy to keep staring at them make them feel uncomfortable. They are also a part of the lying party who are committed to hide my memories for me and it's the least that I can do to make them pay.
I hold out pieces of folded paper and ask each of their captains to choose one. "Don't open it yet. Written on those papers are our respective teams."
"And?" Austin asks.
"Open it now," I tell them and they all frown. The others watch us in confusion and the eagerness to know what's going to happen after this.
"Cheer squad," Grayson reads what written and I nearly burst out into laughter. "What? You're going to team us up?"
I grin and his smile fades. At this point, they know I'm up to something they're not going to like.
"Whatever it is that's written on that paper means you have to fill in their shoes. So the Football team will practice as cheerleaders for the entire day meaning they have to do stunts, stretching and dance," I announce and they all grown in protest.
"Are you crazy?" Jace asks. He hates dancing and their captain happened to pick that one.
"What did you get, Bri?" I ask and she glares at me.
"Football," she says with a pout.
"You're going to waste a day of practice so you can have fun watching us?" Grayson says and everyone agrees with him.
I shake my head. "Sure, it will be fun watching all of you do the things you're all not accustomed to. Imagine seeing Grayson Levy doing splits?" I receive series of laughters from the group. "And no. It's not a waste because at the end of the day when you're all sore and frustrated and embarrassed... you'll know one important thing about this championship."
"And that is?" Grayson says irritated.
"Respect," I reply. "The only way for all of you to develop respect on the other teams is for you to experience what they're doing. For example, the Football team are looking down on the Cheer team because for these hormonal male teenagers, cheering is not a sport and we don't deserve to be a part of the championship. Am I right?"
None of the football gods answer but the cheer team smirks, agreeing with me.
"It's easy to say that you guys respect them but you really don't unless you put yourselves into their shoes and endure what they have to endure. The same goes to all of you. All sports teams are important. We all have a role to play and you can be a Jack of All Trades but you're not always good at everything. Just because in your eyes what the others are doing is easy doesn't mean it really is."
They all nod at me and when I look up at Grayson, he's looking at me adoringly. The hell?
"In order to win this championship, we should be lifting each other and recognizing that each and everyone of us have roles to play. Appreciate and respect is what we're up to today."
"God I hate that you're right," Jace tells me. "But can we not do this? We can develop respect by——"
"So go to where the teams you've picked are practicing and I'll come and visit you to fire orders! No messing around!" I announce and they all snap to senses and run to where they're supposed to. "If I see any of you not taking this seriously, you'll be stuck with that team until the message sinks! I don't care if it'll take you a month. Just do it!"
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Okay so..
There's possibility that I will continue this story at Dreame.
But before I decide or anything, I would like to know what you guys think? Will you guys be following Grayson and Harley there?
I'd love to know your opinion.
Comment them down.
You can also drop me a private message.
I hear you. ❤️