I'm Sorry (Sequel to "No Feeling")

Chapter 11

Scott POV

Standing in front of the 5-foot girl, I blanched. The look on her face expelled pure fury.

"Oh Scott, you have some explaining to do..." She said icily, eyes narrowing into black slits.

I gulped, nodding. She made it out like it was my fault. It wasn't my fault, it wasn't my-

"Scott," Marleah spat again, like my name was an insult. I looked up, meeting her glance. "Tell... Me... What... Happened..." She said, dangerously slowly and quietly.

So, I did.

I related the entire story of what happened.

Throughout my speech, I could just barely see Marleah's face soften slightly, her features becoming less hateful and the slightest bit more thankful.

As I finished by describing how I called 9-1-1, she didn't look like she wanted to murder me anymore.

When I stopped talking, we sort of stood still, like some invisible force was holding us there. We avoided eye contact and any form of communication, just- standing there.

She looked like she was about to break the silence, when-

"Ms. Freed?" A calm and authoritative voice called.

She spun around, rushing towards the source of the sound.

"Yes? Yes, that's me," she responded hurriedly. "How is Mitch? Is he okay? Is-"

"Ms. Freed, I implore you to calm down." Instantly, Marleah fell silent.

She breathed deeply. "H-how is he?" She asked, voice breaking. Then, it stuck me, Marleah really cared about Mitch.

"He seems to have suffered a moderate case of selective amnesia." She nodded profusely.

"I could've told you that. Any word on treatment?" She asked. She spoke slowly though, hope laced into every word.

The doctor glanced at his clipboard. "This has happened before, yes?"

Marleah nodded. "Shortly following his senior year in high school. He was 17."

My heart dropped. He got amnesia a year after I'd left? Could that be why he didn't remember me? Hope swirled in my heart.

Right, so, you know there's nothing we can do, apart from telling him everything he's forgotten. I'm sorry," he finished, walking straight past Marleah, virtually leaving her in the dust.

She started to swoon, almost hitting the ground before I caught her.

I sat her down in a chair and sat next to her, gently placing a hand over her small one.

"Are you okay?" I asked quietly, knowing the answer.

She shrugged. "This has happened before. I just- I know what to expect now, so just knowing the variables is really hard."

I nodded. "What kind of variables?" I inquired.

She shrugged again. "Well, it can be something small, like not remembering the events of this morning, which would probably be for the best." I nodded in agreement.

"He could also forget his talents, like singing." Mitch without singing? I couldn't imagine that. "He could also forget bigger things too, like-like me..." Her voice broke.

"No, no. He wouldn't do that, he wouldn't just forget you." I assured her. Marleah was his best friend, he couldn't just forget her.

She shook her head. "He could. He's... forgotten people before. His junior year, there was this guy."

I waited in bated breath to hear the story.

"From what I could tell, Mitch loved him. I mean, he would have followed the guy anywhere, done anything  for him." My heart warmed, Mitch cared about me.

"But, pretty soon, everything changed. The guy was really ashamed of their relationship, started treating Mitch awfully.

"Mitch saved my life once. I was being bullied every day, worse than you'd ever imagine. But, one day, Mitch found me and became my friend. He took care of me. He tried to tell his 'popular' boyfriend to make his friends stop, but he wouldn't."

I shuddered, at both the bitter hatred in her voice and the story of my awfulness.

"Anyway, Mitch being... well, Mitch, he stayed with the guy, put up with all of his dumb demands, gave up so much of himself for nothing in return. Then, after the guy's graduation day, he just up and left. Left Mitch in that god awful town after everything."

Her eyes were softer but more in focus now, as if something had just occurred to her.

"I was glad when Mitch forgot him. That guy tore up Mitch's self-esteem, his sense of self-worth. I'd never seen Mitch sad, but suddenly he was taking pills for depression. The first bout of amnesia brought him nothing but peace and a new sense of self. But now, there's no awful person to forget, and I'm scared."

I looked over at Marleah, taken aback by how tiny and scared she looked. It also occurred to me how young she was.

"Shouldn't you be in school?" I asked suddenly. She looked not even 17.

A small smile broke out on her face, but she kept staring forward. "I graduated as my grade's Valedictorian, age 14. With Mitch."

I nodded slowly. "That's cool," I said quietly.

We lapsed into a silence that was strangely comfortable. Even though she had uncovered that I was also awful not only to Mitch, but to her, I felt that she didn't remember anymore. Maybe when Mitch had forgotten, she had too.

Suddenly, there was the sound of a throat being cleared from the front desk.

We looked up, startled.

"Miss Freed?" Marleah stood up immediately.

"Yes?" She asked, desperation leaking in her voice.

"Mr. Grassi is up, and he's asking for you." I could make out Mar pressing a quivering hand to her mouth and letting out a quiet sob of relief.

"T-thank you," her shaky voice called.

She picked up her handbag and adjusted her clothing, her normal humongous sweatshirt and jean shorts, before taking a shaky breath.

Suddenly, she turned to me, with a look of hatred, that melted as soon as she met my eyes. The pity she felt for me was etched into her features.

She shuffled awkwardly for a minute, before opening her mouth to speak.

"People change, Scott. I know that. Mitch knows that. Whatever mistakes you might have made in the past, he won't hold them against you. Just give him time."

With that, she walked out of the room, towards the patients' quarters.

I was left staring after her, mouth agape. She did remember me. But, did that mean maybe Mitch could too?