PART ONE

EMILY

"Extra clothes, check! Extra money, check! Credit card, for emergency use only, check!" My mom said while helping me pack things up. She proclaimed to have control over me – my life, studies and even my hobbies. I understood, raising an eighteen years old maiden by herself is tough and requires a hands on approach.

"Mom, you've checked my things countless times, I could count all the stars in the sky right now and they would equal the times you've rechecked my bags." I stated, trying to hide my sarcasm. She threw her deadly stare at me, by which my intuition alerted me its hidden message, "Try being sarcastic and you'll die." She also raised her right eyebrow that made my spine shiver, so with all my might I managed to smile (as wide and long as I could).

My mom would be compared to a psycho, I think. Why? Because aside from her snow white, "baby face' appearance, she could be a wicked witch, like those villains at the Fantasy shows I often watched, if you pushed her to the limits. To make it short, she's a living proof of the saying, "Looks can be deceiving."

"Debbie will pick me up by nine, I think," I told her making the topic lighter and showing her that she had to be calm because I didn't want to see a monster mom right now, in the spot I was sitting in.

"Will you grab dinner there with her or will I cook? It's only eight-thirty," she offered while zipping my backpack. Alas, she's done with her thing!

"We will eat there, I promised her that we will have the hotel's finest buffet. So here we will both starve ourselves," I joked, and she laughed lightly.

"Just be sure that you eat your ordered food not anybody else's. Also, try not to glance at people eating, you might eat them," she joked back.

"Whatever mom!"

"If I didn't know your sexuality, I might have thought that you and Debbie were like a type of lesbian couple due to your closeness towards each other." She handed me my backpack.

"Mom! That 'closeness' you are referring to is called friendship." Giving more emphasis on the last word. She handed me her Oh-Really-Emily look. I just shook my head. Stopping my wild imagination to enter my precious brain and sub consciousness.

~*~

At exactly nine in the evening, Debbie, my best friend for life picked me up and as always, my mom wandered; still thinking we were a lesbian couple.

"And why is your mom looking at me like that? I think I haven't killed Amanda, as of now I'm not a killer. Still a virgin innocent," she verbalize brusquely. I stared at her, I realized as we closed our house's door my mom was still inside and looked odd.

"Oh, never mind that. She thinks that we are a..."

"A what?"

"If I say it, don't laugh. 'Kay?"

"Okay?" she replied, with a weird expression.

"She thinks that we're a lesbian couple," I calmly told her "and..."

"A what!?" She burst into laughter and almost gained a pail of tears in joy. "Nice mom, very nice. I blame it on you!"

"Let's go! I'm starving!" Nice Emily, good strategy to change the topic before it expands and land on God-knows-what topic.

We rode in a cab and headed to The Solaire's Hotel and Casino. This was the venue for the international tour of the musical Les Miserables. We were here to watch the musical. We got VIP tickets, thanks to Debbie's mom who's a brand manager at the Ticket World.

"Go and grab your dinner, sweeties." Debbie's mom instructed us as soon as we headed into the lobby. Where she was, standing and waiting for us to arrive; and for her to give us the tickets.

"Thank you!" We both said in chorus.

~*~

"I'll go with this and that. And oh! There also! And yay, those too!" Debbie pointed out all the food she wanted to eat at the buffet.

"Let's have a seat first. I know, our belly's boss is quite furious right now begging for food," I said as we searching for available seats. While we looked, I jumped because of Debbie's sudden pinch on my waist.

"Ouch! It hurts Debs! Want me to do it to you?" I said and aimed to pinch her.

"What the-, stop Emily! Look!" she pointed her index finger to a guy who was eating his dinner.

"Debs, it's a guy not a food. Could you just leave him alone? I think you'll disturb him if you act that way." I forced her to stop pointing at the guy and pushed her to our table, about three tables away from that guy.

"Aren't you familiar with him?" She asked while we ate, I didn't think we would be able to finish with all the food she got. I shook my head to answer no to her.

"Oh my god! Are you a human?" There she went, in her sarcastic tone of speaking. Now you know where I inherit my sarcasm.

"I have a brain, heart, internal and external body parts. So I therefore conclude that I'm a human." I sarcastically replied to her and our stare game began. We both stared and waited to see who'd open their mouth and say something first.

"That's Eli." She finally muttered.

"What? Eli?" I asked. Her voice turned very low, other people's voices overcame her voice.

"Yes."

"A-and who's that?" After that question, I died. Not literally, but I think 'died' is a good choice of word to describe what happened after.

"Hey girls, are you talking about me?" I turned my face to the speaker.

"Huh? N-no, W-we are n-not t-talking about y-you," Debbie responded, stuttering. Her forehead started to sweat and her white face turned red as a strawberry. Due to humiliation or a similar emotion?

"Okay, see you at the musical. Hope you two enjoy the night, lesbian couples." With that he hurriedly left, chuckling, bringing on an urge to punch him in his face. It begins with my mom and now this guy, I mean Eli. But wait, who's Eli?

"Please, next time we see that bastard don't you try to stop me if I strangle him to death!" I said with too much fury. Debbie just laughed. What the!?

"Try to breathe, it's not an option." I sarcastically muttered and she paused at her merry momentum.

"There, there. Sorry." She apologized, but I can sense she was trying to conceal her leftover laughs as her body shook.

"We should go inside." Debbie uttered and we both stood up.

~*~

"At exactly five minutes, Les Miserables will start. Please observe cleanliness and proper decorum as the show is ongoing. Thank you and enjoy the show." A woman's voice echoed through the area giving us the dos and don'ts.

"What!? Five minutes!? I'm already dying here! Oh my god, people!" Debbie said, with her eyebrows raised in a show of irritation. I just looked at her and smiled gently.

"Just wait, that's what your good at. Right?" I managed to crack a joke but it seemed it didn't helped her on her self-struggle.

After many minutes of waiting, it finally started! Act I went well. The new cast of this West End Company is quite great, I watched how the Filipino talents performed there. Ms. Rachelle Ann Go as Fantine is a true successor of the former Ms. Lea Salonga. Sorry, I think I am being biased here. Jean Valjean's voice and emotion are what makes his scenes cute and thrilling. Especially his soliloquy. Eponine's longtime favorite musical score, 'On My Own' is quite enticing to listen.

As I was applauding, I realized that Eli played Marius, and he played him well! He's a cool stage actor. It was like he performed the role Marius as Marius himself. So what; he's now this modern day Marius Pontmercy?

After a round of applause, and unending praises to each casts and bows; the INTERMISSION flashed on the side screen, which also covered the performer's live videos for those who couldn't see them near the stage.

"I'm going to buy more popcorn, do you want something?" Debs asked.

I nodded and handed her some money. "Grab me a soda."

Deb went outside and headed to the snack bar nearby. I put my earphones in my ears and played some random songs on my iPod, when a couple of hands covered up my eyes.

"Who the hell are you!?" I said while I swatted at the filthy hands of the stranger.

"Eli?" I asked, amused.

"The one and only." He said, and winked at me.

I just raised my eyebrow towards him.

"Don't you remember me?"

What is the reason when you really could have any man you want?

I don't see, what I have to offer

I shouldn't be in season, guess you could see I had potential

Do you know you're my miracle?

A small flashback came to my mind. Someone's singing me a love song? But then his face was blurry so that I couldn't identify him. Who was that guy?

"No," I strongly stated to him. My statement was like a dagger that struck him directly in the heart; his face went blank and cold as he excused himself.

"Alright, I have to go. Act II will be performed next." I nodded and let him go.

Let him go?

I pondered that last statement as if my mind was a little bit old. It seemed like, someone had already said, "Let him go."

Debbie arrived, with what looked to be a dozen treats in her hand just in time for Act II of Les Miserables.

~*~

"It was spectacular!" Debbie remarked, I didn't even noticed her eyes were gleaming like a young child's eyes.

"Master of the House is hilarious!" I jotted a praise and we both laughed remembering what the actors did when performing that scene.

"Ticket prices were expensive but well worth it." She said and I nodded in agreement.

It was already late when Debbie drove me home using her mother's convertible. As I entered the house, I become aware that the lights were still on. I wondered why my mom was up at this hour.

"Mom, I'm home!" I said but I found Eli sitting on the couch and they were both laughing. Did I miss something?

My mom was up late, chit-chatting with Eli like they had known each other well, both laughing hard. I felt there's something wrong here! They both stared at me and paused for a while. My mom cleared her throat before speaking.

"Eli's funny, like the same old Eli we both used to know." She said and winked at me sheepishly.

"Okay," I told her coldly. Blank. There was something inside me that told me to stay away from Eli; for good.

But God-knows-what reason they were hiding every time I asked them Eli's identity. I seriously didn't know a thing about the guy. Well, I have some. He played Marius at the musical and Debs and he seemed to know each other. I thought longer on it, maybe we know each other, too?
I was about to go at my bedroom and rest, "Hey," he called and I glanced at him. He smiled and gestured for me to continue like he called me for no reason. When I shut the door, I hurriedly laid on my bed. Oh my god! How I missed my bed! I also felt that it misses me, too.

Three knocks and my door opened. It disgorged my mother. Who looked at me suspiciously. Wait, am I the one who killed Amanda, Debbie's mortal enemy? I smiled lightly when I reckon that.

"Silly." With my mother's futile remarks on me, I faced her.

"Yeah, whatever. At least I'm not talking to someone I don't know." With that, I felt like a child, remembering when mom always warned me about not talking to strangers.

"I know him. His mother is my late best friend. Now she's dwelling at His paradise." She's being emotional, again.

"Mom, is it me or is it normal for you to put sentimental values on random things and people?" I sarcastically asked her. She just sent me her deadly stare.

"Geez, I didn't know if I was lacked up on something. You stubborn girl." She said and went to my bed. Patted my head like a child, or worse, a dog.

"Mom!" I stopped her as I imagined myself the dog.

"Ha-ha-ha, okay; okay. Go to sleep and don't let the bed bugs bite." She said as she turned off the light. And all of a sudden, I entered a world of perfection. My dream.

"I love you, always."

"Me, too."

He handed me a bouquet of red roses and tulips. I thanked him and gave him a peck on his left cheek.

"Forever." He said as he held my hands, gently then showing me his tight grip.

"You hold my hand like there's no forever." I chuckled and ended his statement with, "And always."

And we officially called it a day with a sealing of a kiss.

"I thought you'd never leave me? Why are you doing this all of a sudden?" I asked him but he didn't respond. Like I was talking to the wind.

"Please, tell me!" I managed to utter, before I broke down in tears.

~*~

"Tell me, who's Eli?" I asked Debbie straightforwardly. We were at a local café, having our happy hour. Weird? Maybe yes, but for us having a happy hour isn't about the liquors, it's about being happy. Happy hour. Hour of being happy.

But this time, it wasn't a happy hour. It was more of detective hour.

"You honestly don't know him?" She asked me.

"Are you a record on repeat mode?" I managed to throw out another sarcastic statement.

"Fine, okay. Eli's your ex-boyfriend. But hey, I consider him your boyfriend still, until you get closure that is." I searched my memories, but found nothing. All I got was a severe headache.

"So, that's what my Professor in Psychology was teaching us. A human's mind can automatically shuts down and reformat itself like a computer. Meaning, it has a natural way of protecting itself from bad and painful memories." She explained, but I didn't pay any attention to what she was saying.

"Is it possible to have that kind of Psychological stuff?" She nodded.

"Are you're sure with that?" I unbelievably interrogated her.

"Yes! A hundred percent sure! But, I can't remember a thing. I'll asked my professor about it. Maybe tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever."

"But are you sure that you didn't know him?"

"And here we are again." She just tsk-ed at me while I delivered my invisible daggers from my eyes.

The next day, while I was playing Solitaire on my laptop, Debbie texted me.

Debs: Hey, come on over at the university. My prof's here!

It seems she was very determined to find out my 'disorder'.

Me: I'll come over. Just wait, will text you when I'm nearby. See ya!

I told my mom I was going to Debbie's university for my character research. Good thing my lie came with truth, since I also told her I was working on a novel for my last semester's final project in my Creative Writing class. A perk of being a Bachelor of Arts Major in Language and Literature.

I quickly took a shower, entered my room and looked for nice clothes since I was meeting up with her professor. She sometimes compared him to a zombie. Well, I don't know (and never will know) the connection to that. So, yeah never mind, Emily. Never mind.

Minutes passed by after I typed, "I'm here." And sent it to Debs. In a jiffy, my phone began to vibrate. Showing a, 'Debbie Calling...' notification. I slide it to the right and answer her call.

"Where the hell are you?" she asked. I looked around so that I could tell her where I was at the enormous university.

"There's a couple of rooms here, with the Administration Office and an Accounting Office." I told her, still looking around. I hoped she was nearby.

"You keep looking around." He said, I stopped and realized we were both swinging our hands.

"I am just fond of this place, it's cute." I praised, he let out a small laugh.

"Cute, like me?"

"You're not, arrogant!"

We both chased each other around the lake. Splashing the cold water between us, as we laughed like kids.

I stopped looking around. My head started to pound. I massage my temples to ease the pain.

"Hello? Still there?" I heard Debs say.

"Y-yeah. So, where are you now?"

"I'm on my way there. Wait!" She exclaimed before she hung up.

I waited for Debbie for a few minutes, she arrived just as my headache went away, I hoped it would be for good.

~*~

"Are you also a Psychology student?" Debbie's professor asked me while we were sitting at the university's library. He had a bunch of hardbound books that he had found from different shelves, he told us they would help us find information on the 'disorder.'

"No, sir. I am a Literature student," I politely replied, his presence made me feel vulnerable. Why? Blame it to his voice containing too much authority. I think that's the reason why Debbie thinks he's a terror prof.

"Ah, I see. So this is for a character research, then?" I just nodded and he shrugged. He grabbed a thick hardbound book titled "The Human Mind."

"See, I told you, he's kinda annoying. Sometimes," Debbie whispered. I just nodded. Like her professor, she shrugged.

"Are we having a staring game here or should we start the research?" the professor stated, looking at the two of us.

"Tell me, are you two..." Before he managed to finish his thought, I interjected with, "No, we're friends." He just raised his eyebrow. Another one for the population count of those who thinks that we're a couple. First, mom then Eli and now him. Speaking of Eli, I have no updates on him anymore. Our last meeting was the night after we went and watched Les Miserables.

"Okay, before we get off topic, young lady ask whatever you need to."

"Well, uhm, my character is experiencing a short term memory loss. Like, she doesn't remember anything about a certain person and selected things in her life. Painful memories that caused her a lot of stress," I explained, hopping he didn't notice the character I was referring to was me.

"Well, I feel pity for your character. For her condition, it is a normal defense mechanism of the brain. Deleting some certain memories that, like you've said, caused her too much stress, my guess lead to depression." He explained as he flipped through some pages of the book.

"Is it a disorder?" Debbie asked, shyly. Like she didn't want to butt in but thanks to her, my nervousness calmed. A bit.

"No, it's not really a disorder even though in some people it may look like it. It's more like the brain's defense mechanism, For example, what if I said, to put the past behind you and not to cause too much brain damage with the stress that comes from that past."

With the professor's words, I was enlightening about memory skips.

"Example, I know you're Debbie, a student in my Psychology class. But after a few days if there is a trigger, I'm aware that I somewhat know you but I feel different to some point. Also there is this feeling that I do not know you anymore." He continued, that's how I feel towards Eli.

"Is there any treatment?" I asked as he closed the book.

"The number one cure is acceptance. Tell your character to accept the bad things and just let go. Move on."

~*~

After an hour talking about memory skips, we both thanked Professor Henry for all the information. He wished me good luck in writing. I just smiled, politely. Containing myself and keeping relaxed.

We went to the university's cafeteria to grab a snack.

"Memory skips, see I told you, it was real." Debbie said, munching on her tuna sandwich.

I bit my chicken sandwich, and held in a sigh. "Acceptance is the cure. But how can I accept it when I don't even know what I'm accepting?"

"Maybe it's time to get re-acquainted with him?" She pointed her index finger at my back, I automatically turned my head and followed her finger, and saw him. He flashed me a bright smile.

"Hey girls." Eli approached us with a wink.

"I'm outta here. My next class starts in a few minutes. I need to go. Bye!" Debbie swiftly made her way out, leaving the two of us behind.

"Debbie told me everything. About your memory skips." I sensed a genuine sincerity in his words that calmed me. This time, my memory didn't skip, but my heart did.

Seeing him eye to eye made my stomach fill with fluttering butterflies. My knees became jelly. As if my knee caps were converted into Jell-O.

"Argh, that woman!" I said, making myself distracted by eating my sandwich and drinking my soda.

"So it's true that you can't remember me. I thought you were just lying or had amnesia."

"Amnesia is a medical term for those who can't remember memories by head injuries, memory skips are different. For one forgets events and people of recent times." I explained, with Professor Henry's words running in my mind.

"Now I see, but let me help you to cope and accept." He smiled, offering his hand.

"Just accept it, 'kay!?" Eli was mad. It was our anniversary when his BIG 'surprise', literally surprised me. After a year, he just said: "We're done, thank you and good bye."

I slapped him. So hard, that my hand left a reddish imprint on his cheek.

"What a bastard!" I stormed away.

After the memory flashed into my mind, I got a creepy feeling about him. I shouldn't trust Eli. Not now, not ever.

"Screw you! Stay away from me!" I yelled at him loudly, everybody in the cafeteria heard it. Murmurs surrounds the whole place. With my trembling hands, I managed to drink my soda, till no drops were left. On the other hand, Eli was still shocked over my sudden rage, he stared at me with eyes that said, "Why are you pushing me away?"

I grab my things and left leaving Eli behind. I had no intentions at looking back. I walked straight outside the cafeteria. I had to make a strong barrier between him and me. He will never be a nuisance to me again.

~*~

"He keeps on bothering me. Always texting and calling, just to ask if you are okay. I think both of you are driving me crazy! Why don't you both hang out and talk? I think that'll help you out." Debbie suggested. My barriers were strong, I didn't know if I could break it.

"Maybe, having this kind of whatever..."

"Memory skips." She told me flatly.

"Alright, fine. Memory skips. Maybe it's a sign that I should put him behind me. That our 'almost' perfect love story lead to a horror one. Wherein, in horror films, both the love interest and the main character doesn't fall in love," I stated. She held in a sigh and let out her words of wisdom.

"But hey! This isn't a horror, this is reality! My god Ems! Wake up and face him!" she urged me using her persuasive voice on me.

"Hmm, what if history just repeat itself," I sighed. Showing her my disbelief in her intuition that we should talk about it.

"Stop being a balsam pear and think about your catastrophic history between Eli and you.