tears in the rain | the weeknd

fourteen

1 week later

Abel

A couple of faint and distant memories flash in my mind: rain, Aria's smiling face, the sound of her laughing as I spin her around.

And then it all disappears. Just like that.

"Remember, remember," I tell myself over and over again quietly as I grip at my hair in a frustrated motion.

I twist my neck and look down at Aria, who is sleeping peacefully, looking just like an angel straight out of heaven itself.

Before she went to sleep, she was telling me about how we first met, our first date.

It all sounded perfect - I wish I could remember it all: everything we talked about, my thoughts about her when we first met.

But I can't. And it sucks.

Most of all, I wish that I could remember if I love Aria or not - I must do because she did say that I proposed to her, but then why isn't she wearing the ring?

Oh yeah, she took it off because she wants me to give it back to her when I regain my memories.

Shifting over to the nightstand now, I pull open the draw and pick up the engagement ring, looking at it.

The diamond glistens in the dark when the lights from outside streams through the peeks of the curtains and reflects on the ring.

Again, I can hear the sound of rain pouring and Aria laughing and I try desperately to hold onto the memory, wanting to remember the rest of it.

But it slips away again.

Sighing deeply, I place the ring back in the nightstand and close the draw.

I slide down in the covers and pull them over me, wrapping my arm around Aria's body and pulling her closer to my own.

"You smell good," I comment as I kiss the top of Aria's head and pull the covers over us.

She's just showered and her dark hair is plastered to her head, appearing flatter than the usual volume thats in her hair.

I pull Aria's shivering body closer to mine and run my hands up and down her back., feeling how smooth it is.

Aria looks up at me and smiles. "Thanks," she replies, hand sliding up and down my bare chest.

We stay silent for a long time, with me running my fingers through her wet hair and her nuzzling into my neck.

"Aria?"

"Yeah?" She looks at me with questioning eyes and begins stroking my cheek with the back of her hand, while the other stays at my chest.

My heart thumps against my chest and my throat goes dry, the three words getting stuck in my throat.

What if she doesn't feel the same way?, I think to myself.

Fuck it.

"I love you," I tell Aria, heart racing. It feels like it's going to explode at any second.

I bite down on my lip, studying her face as I wait for her say something.

She doesn't feel the same way. I've made a fool of myself. How fucking embarrassing!

Aria starts stroking my cheek again, beginning to grin. "I love you, too, Abel," she tells me and I feel my body beginning to relax again.

"Really?" I ask stupidly. "You're not just saying that because I said it and you feel bad, are you?"

Aria laughs and kisses me. "No!" she exclaims. "No. I love you, Abel Tesfaye." She kisses me again and i kiss her back, smiling against her lips.

Aria pulls away and smiles at me, eyes glistening. She cradles my cheek gently before connecting our lips again.

I push her down and climb on top of her, my chest brushing against her bare breasts. "I love that you sleep like this," I comment, hands running down her naked upper body and then to her panties.

Aria giggles. "Just kiss me, Abel," she says with a roll of her eyes before pulling me down to kiss her.

I look at Aria, who turns around, her face inches away from my own.

I do love her, I think to myself with a smile on my face.

I pull my hand away from Aria's waist and stroke her cheek, pushing a few strands away from her face.

My fingers brush against the scar she got from the accident and I lean forward and press my lips against it, making sure I don't wake her up.

Now that I know I love her, I just want to remember everything. Especially the memory of the rain and Aria laughing as I spin her around.

Maybe that's the night I proposed to her?, I think to myself. Before the accident . . .

I lay in bed for a long time - my arms wrapped around Aria's body - trying to place the memory of us in the rain.

After a long time of trying to remember, an idea pops into mind and I slowly push the covers away from my body.

I make sure not to make too much noise as I start to get dressed, the sound of Aria laughing and rain hitting the ground in my head.

Before leaving the bedroom, I place a kiss on Aria's forehead and pull the covers up more around her.

I go downstairs and open and close the door as quietly as I can, walking out into the cold streets.

I kind of know my way around since Aria took me out on little walks with her the past week, trying to see if she could make me remember the neighbourhood.

As I continue walking, I stuff my hands in my pockets, ignoring the raindrops that start to fall around me and on my head.