Page 15 of Please Remember

Pointing at him, Sage laughs. "Yes!"

Watching the way they interact makes me realize how much I’ve lost, and I don't particularly like the feeling. "I'm sorry I don't remember you, Sage. You seem like a great friend."

"I learned from the best," she says with a smile. "And the reason you fell for Jax the moment you met him was because he's basically the male version of me. He's the only boyfriend you've ever had that I didn't hate. In fact, I made him take me on a date when you two started getting serious."

That sounds weird. "You did?"

"Yeah, and she told me she liked me. But shelovedyou," Jax says. "And she said that if I didn't make you happy, she would make sure I was never happy again in my entire life. That you were hers before you were mine, and if she was going to give you up to someone, he better be worth it."

"And he was worth it?"

She smiles at me, and I find comfort in her brown eyes. They're lighter than Jax's, but they complement her soft features. The lightsmattering of freckles on her nose and cheeks makes her look innocent. Not to mention her square face, framed with short, honey blonde hair. She looks trustworthy.

"He was totally worth it. I didn't feel any jealousy losing time with you when you started dating him. He made you happy, and you being happy was all I wanted. It helped that Jax always knew that he'd have to share you. He'd willingly give up time with you so we could spend it together."

It sounds like my boyfriend and my best friend were also friends. In most of the books I read in the basement, there was usually conflict between the two. The heroine had to bridge that gap, or she had to pick a side. In those situations, the boyfriend was usually no good, and she knew she should have listened to her best friend all along.

"Would it be weird for me to ask you for a hug?" Sage asks.

Shrugging, I open my arms and let her take me into hers. Something about being in Sage's embrace feels familiar. She releases me, but I grab her and pull her into another hug, holding her tightly.

"Are you okay?" she asks, her arms wrapping around my shoulders.

She's a good couple of inches taller than me, and it feels nice to be hugged by her. Comforting. And familiar.

"Do you remember something, Allie?" Jax asks.

I pull away and shake my head, trying to figure out how to begin to explain this. "It's hard to put into words."

"Can you try? Please?"

Rubbing my fingers against each other at my sides, I try and find the words to express what I feel. Sage stares with wide eyes at my fingers, and I stop. "What?"

"That thing," she says and points to my hands. "You always did that when you were thinking. You've done it since we met."

My eyes glance down at my fingers as I make the motion again, fluttering my fingers as though quick little movements might make them fly away. "Really?"

"Jax was right," she whispers. "You're still in there. I was worried I'd lost you, but there are still parts of Allie that you don't know, but we do."

"This makes my head hurt when I think too much about it," I say with a laugh. "But to explain... It's nothing specific. There was no memory or anything when I hugged you, Sage, but it felt familiar. Like something I know I've done a million times, and it's... familiar. I don’t know a better word for it. Almost like I remember it, but it's like looking at something that's really blurry, something that’s impossible to see clearly.” I chance a look at the two of them, curious to see their reactions. "I don't know if that makes any sense, but it's the best way I can describe it."

"I'm more than happy to offer as many hugs as needed to help you focus on a memory or a feeling or whatever," Sage says with a smile. "I know you don't remember me, but I remember you. And I've missed you so much, Allie. And I've missed my Allie hugs. No matter what, you could hug me and make me instantly feel better. I've needed that so many times these past seven years, and it's been really hard without you."

Sensing the raw emotion in Sage’s voice, I find myself wishing I could say the same thing back to her. And to Jax. That I could tell them I've missed them both. It would make them so happy to know I remember them, that I remember how important they both are to me, but I don't want to lie. It's hard enough being somewhere I know I should recognize. I feel a connection to things, like this house, but I'm not able to figure out why. Where that connection begins and ends. All the memories just flow below the surface, and I know they're there. Thatthey're trying to come up, but they can't until I find a way to grab and retrieve them.

"I'll leave you guys alone now," Sage says and hugs me quickly. "Call me if you need anything, okay?"

"Thanks, Sage," Jax says and hugs her. He shuts the door behind her and looks at me. "Are you hungry? I can make us dinner. I bought everything to make your favorite."

My favorite. Again, something he knows about me that I don't. It's surreal that someone knows more about me than I do, even though I know I don't remember anything beyond seven years ago. He knows what I like to eat, drink, where I went to school, who my friends are, and what hobbies I enjoy. He knows all the things a person should know about themself, whereas I know nothing.

"Sure, that sounds good," I say instead, following him into the kitchen. "What's my favorite again?"

Chapter Seven

Jax

Watching Allie eat the homemade macaroni and cheese she used to make every few weeks after finding a recipe for it makes me smile. It never tastes the same when I make it, but she seems to enjoy it.

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