Page 78 of Please Remember

"We won't let anything happen to you, Al," Benji says.

"Nothing bad will happen except maybe some fatigue from walking miles," Drew agrees. "But part of me hopes we run into someone who had something to do with this, that way I get to kick some ass."

I jump into Benji's arms, hugging him, before doing the same to Drew. "Thank you, guys. This means a lot. I just... There are still so many missing pieces that I think make it harder for me to move past this."

"Do you feel like you'll find the house tonight?" Sage asks.

"I don't know if I feel like I'll find the house, but I know I need to find it at some point to settle everything in my head. To close this chapter and never open up the book again," I say.

She wraps her arm around my shoulders. "Then we will do whatever we need to in order to find this place."

We all walk out to Drew's pickup and ride in silence as he drives to the area where I walked out and reached town. Climbing out, I continue walking perpendicular to the woods until I find the spot where I remember seeing the police station. The true finish line of my trek through the woods.

"Why aren't we waiting until morning?" Benji asks.

"Because I did all of this at night. It looks different during the day. Plus, it'll help me follow my instincts because I won't have the luxury of daylight. I'm hoping to remember what I experienced that night, minus the cuts and scrapes. I can do without that reminder."

"The goal is to backtrack to the house," Jax says. "The neighborhood was a bust, and they haven't had much luck finding another house that seems to match what she remembers."

Nodding, Benji shrugs. "Cool beans."

"Cool beans?" Sage asks and laughs at him.

Turning my back to the police station, I walk into the woods with my heart racing. I haven't been back here since that night, but I'velearned to trust my gut. It's how I found the parking curb that brought everything flooding back. It brought me home.

"Does anything look familiar?" Sage asks.

"Not at all, but I vaguely remember some of the turns," I say, and I know Jax is following right behind me. "I focused on the pain as I ran. The rocks and broken branches cut at the bottom of my feet, and the pain helped me keep going. Gave me something else to think about as I just ran."

"Can I ask exactly what happened in that house?" Benji asks.

I hear his "oof" as Jax punches him, and I reach behind me to take his hand. "It's okay, Jax."

"No, it's not okay."

"It's natural to be curious. I'd be, too, if it were say, Sage that was locked up in there. Or you. Or Drew."

"What about me?" Benji whines.

Laughing, I shake my head. "You, too."

"I could completely understand someone wanting to lock up Benji," Drew says. "He's kind of annoying."

Pushing him, Benji scoffs. "Of everyone here, I'm like middle of the pack when it comes to annoying. Especially now that you and Sage have started boinking."

"Benji!" Drew hisses, and I hear Benji hit a tree as Drew pushes him.

"Yeah, when did that start?" Jax asks, and I know he wants to change the subject.

"It's nothing serious," Sage says, and I look behind me to see the shadow of Sage flipping her wrist in the flashlight.

"Excuse me?" Drew asks.

I turn left, remembering roughly where I'd done that on my way out. Everyone just follows, and I'm happy they're bickering and conversingbehind me. It gives me a distraction to just go. Focusing too hard makes me question my memory too much. I take the turns on instinct, listening to my body instead of my mind.

"We haven't really discussed what we're doing, Drew," Sage says. "I haven't even told Allie about it yet. Not that I can get much time to talk to her now that she and Jax are back at it like bunnies."

Laughing, I just give a sound of agreement, and I know without looking that Jax smiles behind me.

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