Forget Me Not Ch. 02

‎"I should have, although I'm pretty sure that I would have been tripping over your feet."

"I didn't blame you, that was the night your sister broke her leg. You practically spent the next couple of months looking after her. By the time you came back, you just dove right in to your school work... And by the time high school started we just drifted apart I guess. Then you went to the state varsity and got that scholarship to UCLA."

Violet didn't break her leg the first time, that was what caused the change. That still didn't explain Mr Johnson's death. If I could only find out how...

‎"You know, I always wondered how things would have turned out if you know, you didn't miss that dance." She said interrupting my thoughts.

We would have become invincible...‎

"I guess we'll never know."

Until you destroy me.

That thought left a sour taste in my mouth and a bitterness in my heart. I decided to change the topic.

"I've always wanted to ask, why do you work at a diner when your parents are practically the richest people in town?"

She looked at me pointedly, before twisting a lock of her long urban hair. She does this because she's nervous about revealing something, or when she's deep in thought. I always liked it, the subtle little behaviors she has.

"I want to pave my own way I guess. Build up my character with my actions and choices, not with my parents money... What are you smiling at?"

I was smiling at her. This was the girl I had fell in love with, I reminisced watching the receding sun latch on to her very being as if in lingering regret.

"Nothing, you just remind me of someone I used to know." I gazed upon her beautiful face, looking for any sign of recognition.

"Oh... Girlfriend?" she started to twist her hair again.

"She was..."

"You don't strike me as the type of guy who would date a waitress with a trust fund, or would you?"

"I'm not sure." I said looking off into the distance. "You're avoiding the question, would you?"

My eyes returned to hers, "I wasn't talking about that one... I'm not sure what type of guy I am."

In that moment it become clear that I wasn't ready to face my past, my demons. Not with it staring me in the face with Jessie's pretty hazel eyes.

"Not that this hasn't been fun, but I think I better get going before my gran has a fit." I stood up and stretched my aching legs.

"Yeah me too, it was nice talking to you... Perhaps we can do it again?"

I helped her up as I began walking to my car. "It's a date."

"Oh is it now?" she said with a devilish smirk, "Fine then, same time, same place. I normally come here on-"

"Wednesdays, I know." I finished for her. She had a puzzled look on her face, before breaking out into a giggles, "Stalker much?"

I laughed, "You have no idea." I got into my car, and just before starting the engine I had a powerful urge to kiss this woman. The pain of what she had done to me was still raw, but this Jessie hadn't done that, had she? God perhaps I was losing my mind. Still, I had this hope that if I kissed her, she would remember me - remember us. I knew it was stupid but after years of watching true love conquers all animations from Disney, it was all I had to go on. I was just about to get out of the car, when my cell phone rang.

I sometimes wonder what would have happened if I had chosen to ignore that call, if the caller with their oh so urgent ringing had been delayed. Even just for a moment. Then maybe, just maybe, things might have unfolded very differently.

-Violet. I picked up.

"Yes, are you alright?"

"Where are you?"

"In my car, I was talking to Jessie."

"Oh... I see... You better get here and quick."

"What's wrong?"

"No time, just get here!"

"Tell me now Violet!"‎

I heard her sigh over the phone, before saying the one word that might as well have been thousand bullets, "Elizabeth..." - she hung up.

It felt as though my feet were whisked out from under me, but gravity hadn't decided if I should fall yet.

I gripped the steering wheel so tight, that my hands went white with numbness. I turned the key and started the ignition, hating to have to see yet another demon of my past.

***