Erased

7

"So do you think that Sunshine Golden Boy of yours is from around here?" Alya brought up the topic, looking around in her purse.

We had just parked outside the mall, which was such a lucky find, since we never expected that the mall would be so packed in a Monday afternoon. The last thing that I wanted to do was to bump into people who used to know me, and probably wonder why I shot back up here again after leaving for New York. I'd like to spare them the sad story of my solitude there. "Could you check the front compartment for me? And Rose, check the pockets behind the seats?"

I rummaged through the contents of the compartment, going over three and a half pairs of sunglasses, several parking tickets and a half stick of gum, despite the fact that I had absolutely no clue of what I was looking for. Rose patted the backs of the seats, but to no avail.

My friends just couldn't get over the fact about the cute boy I met on the plane. I mean, it was a coincidental non-story, but the thing about best friends is that they make me feel like even my smallest insignificant stories sound like celebrity gossip.

Rose then said, "Nothing here, Alya. You must've left it at home."

"I swear I never do," Alya retorted.

"What exactly are we looking for?" I asked.

"Alya's credit card. We were just talking about it," Juleka said. "Didn't you-"

"Maybe your head got a bit more bumped than you might have expected," Alya shrugged.

Dr. Moreau did mention that I may have some memory lapses from time to time. It was quite normal, and it should go away as my head heals. It's just the first time I've ever really forgotten something so recent as a minute.

"So, about that boy...?" Alya asked again.

"I have no clue. I mean, I wish I had at least the slightest idea," I shrugged with a deep sigh. "He probably got fixed up somewhere else, or maybe he's already out and about with his drumsticks and all."

"Oh, he's a drummer?" Rose clasped her hands together. "That is so romantic!"

"What's so romantic about a drummer?" Juleka asked.

"I don't know, but I know when they're around 'cause I know the sound of their heart," Rose replied. "And it's such a beautiful song."

"Huh..." Alya smirked. "Never seen this side of you, Rose— this drummer-infatuated side."

"Isn't Rose just infatuated with everything?" Juleka snickered and Rose let out a light huff with her blushing cheeks.

After staying and chatting inside the car for nearly twenty minutes, the girls and I finally stepped out into the parking lot. Alya did find her credit card in her purse, so we headed up for the top floor to the cinemas.

"Yeah, well, how do we send out a massive search party, if all you have is a generic tall and cute description? How tall was he? Big eyes, what?" Alya asked once more.

"I don't know," I groaned. "I was too busy hanging onto my life to notice."

"So, what are we watching?" Alya asked, turning to Juleka and Rose, whose decisions would always tend to clash.

"There's that new screamer movie." Juleka pointed to a grim movie poster with a girl with bloodshot eyes.

"Or that romantic one." Rose tilted her head towards a bright blue poster that looked like one of those Miss Dior advertisements.