Amnesiac

CHAPTER 3

"You gotta stop being so tense," Rafe teased, and you thought to yourself that it was easier said than done. "...cause when you swing your arms..."

Rafe stood behind you, hands on yours as he forced you to do just that. You watched as the golf ball soared, the sun almost blinding you from keeping an eye on it.

"You want the rest of your body to follow suit."

"I'm pretty good," you said, feeling surprised at that. "Was I always that good?"

Rafe snorted to himself when you turned around to face him, and you watched him adjust the cap on his head.

"Golf was never really your thing," he told you, and you tilted your head. "Despite how much I tried to get you into it."

He was frowning slightly as he said that, and you chuckled.

You were getting more comfortable around Rafe, much to your relief. You had started to worry that it would take ages to get used to your boyfriend again, but Rafe made it easy. He was so sweet to you and patient beyond belief. It didn't hurt that he gazed at you like he'd take a bullet for you either.

Rafe was just so intense when it came to you that it was impossible for it not to rub off. He was always double checking to make sure you were okay, asking about your memories and your head, always touching you in some way. He was always just...there, and it seemed like you really had no choice but to get more comfortable around him.

You wondered if it was always this way. Were you just as intense before the accident? Were you just as in love and obsessed with him? It didn't seem possible, but the more time you spent with him, the more you could see that it might be.

"I guess surfing was more my thing..."

It grew quiet between you at that, and you knew why.

Neither of you had mentioned the accident since that night when you had your first major recollection. It had shaken you, the intensity of it, and Rafe was more than happy to sleep next to you however many nights you asked. The thought of that night had you looking towards the grass, and you swallowed.

You had gotten into an argument with Rafe not long before you went into the water.

At least, that was the feeling you got. The feelings of regret and sadness and anger had washed over you just like that water had, and you had the faintest memory of staring at his back as he stormed away, the evening sun setting on his blond hair. You didn't know what the argument was about, and even though you expressed a desire to know, Rafe had assured you that it was so insignificant, he'd forgotten about it the moment he pulled you from the water.

Rafe's voice pulled you from your thoughts.

"Topper's having a little get together later. I told him that we'd drop by."

You looked at him at that, shielding your face from the sun.

"If you want to," he added, although you could see in his face how much he wanted to.

"That's...fine," you told him. "I do want to get to know your friends more too."

You said that, but it wasn't entirely true. Rafe's friends were great and all, but your real interest lay with your friends. Or former friends. You weren't entirely sure. Sarah had spoken about them like you were as thick as thieves before the accident while Rafe spoke about them like they were a thing of the past. You wondered which was true, if you had told Rafe something that you didn't tell Sarah. He was your boyfriend, so the possibility was there.

However, you hadn't really been given the chance to find out.

The day that everyone had come by, you and Rafe had been in Charleston. You had completely forgotten about it when you accepted his suggestion the night before, mind going a mile a minute due to your nightmare. When you remembered, you had felt so bad and guilty, begging Rafe to go back immediately. You'd been in the middle of dinner, and he'd placated you, calming you down as he assured you he'd talk to Sarah and apologize on your behalf.