Twice The Trouble Book 2 of 2: Twice The Love

Chapter 54: Forgotten

Stacy

Come Monday morning, two days after Bryce got discharged from the hospital and one day before Halloween, I combed through my daily routine of going to school in the morning, then reporting to work after my last class.

"The Ace card is back," announced Selena when she saw me arrive at Orion University. I had that nickname since high school. Ace was short for Stacy, and it also meant I was the golden card, for various other reasons.

Miles said when I got close enough: "Sophia told us about Bryce's accident. Anything else you'd like to share?"

I groaned aloud before dropping my forehead between both their shoulders. "Fate is being such a dick right now," I grumbled.

Miles and Selena helped me compose myself. I straightened up, saying: "Felicia Aquino."

"What about her?" Miles asked.

"She told Bryce she was his girlfriend," I told them.

"Are you going to get revenge?" Miles asked me as we stood by a row of blue lockers.

"No," I replied, crossing my arms. "I'm not sure how to handle this situation."

Selena put a consoling hand on my shoulder. "Tell us what happened first."

I told them everything, from the stalking to the road accident.

"What am I going to do?" I asked my girlfriends. "I refuse to lose."

"Maybe you'd better get moving," said Miles. "Because Bryce is coming with his new girlfriend."

"What the-?" I said, shocked.

"Hi,Stacy," Bryce greeted me, surprising me even more.

"Y-you remember me?" I asked him.

"Barely," he admitted. "Felicia told me you and I are best friends and you helped Felicia and I get together as a couple. Thanks for that," he said before smiling at Felicia.

"E-excuse me?" I was stunned.

"He said that you two are best friends and that you're the reason we're a couple," repeated Felicia, putting an emphasis on the word 'couple.' "Got it? Now if you'll excuse us." She tried to brush past me but I pulled her arm.

I looked at her. "Where do you think you're going?"

"To class," she answered irritably. "Are we not allowed to do that?"

"You belong in different departments," I told her. "I'll accompany Bryce." To Bryce, I said warmly: "I don't mind helping you." Before Felicia could get a word in, I signaled to Miles and Selena. "Len! Miles! You were going to keep Felicia company, right?"

Miles looked confused, but Selena quickly caught on. "Yes! Let's go!" They took a bewildered Felicia by the arm and led her as far away from Bryce and me as possible.

Bryce and I went to the college of Fine Arts--he was a Photography major, I was a Fashion Design student--to familiarize him with his classrooms and classmates.

"Thanks, Stacy," he told me just minutes before his first subject would begin. "I don't know how I could have done this without you."

"No worries," I said, smiling at him. "What are friends for,right?" I ignored the slash in my chest when I said those words. Everything felt so different between us now. Gone was the cold, brooding Bryce De Los Reyes who was civil with everyone and gave me special treatment. He was suddenly replaced with a complete stranger who didn't know a single thing about me.. about anyone. His memories abandoned him, along with everything that happened between us in the past seventeen months: Our first meeting.. our first fight.. our first kiss.. our first night.. everything--gone.

"Are you sure we're just friends?"

His question took me by surprise. "W-what do you mean?"

"Please don't take this the wrong way, but there seems to be something special about you," he explained, failing to notice how my eyes widened when he said 'please.' "Were we ever together? Are you my ex-girlfriend or something?"

It took me a while to process what was happening. I was trying to put into words what I wanted to say...

"Never mind," Bryce said, blushing. "I'm sure Felicia wouldn't lie to me." But.. but.. wait! "Thanks again, Stacy. See you around." Then he left.

Bryce

"Good morning, Bryce!"

"Er.. good morning to you, too," I replied uncertainly. "What are you doing here?"

That I was shocked to see Stacy didn't faze her. She smiled at me, saying: "I'm officially volunteering to be your tour guide here in Orion University, what with your post-traumatic amnesia and all."

"Okay.." I said. "But Felicia and I agreed that we'd be spending our breaks together. Are you okay to hang out with both of us?" I flinched at the offended expression on Stacy's face so I added embarrassingly: "I'm sorry. Of course you'd be okay. You and Felicia are close friends, after all."

A sweet smile curved her pink lips. It seemed forced, but I couldn't really tell.

The fair-haired teen said: "I'm perfectly fine with it."

"Great!" I felt myself relaxing.I then took her pink backpack and carried it myself. "Shall we? What time does your class start?" I asked the sky-blue eyed blonde as we strolled the halls.

"7 am," she answered.

"Same here." I checked my watch. "It's only 6:20. Where do you want to go?"

"Let's just hang out at the lounge," suggested Stacy.

I nodded. "Wait, have you had breakfast?"

"Not yet," she answered. Then, with puppy dog eyes, she added: "Are you going to ask me to have breakfast?"

I playfully nudged her arm with mine. "Don't do that," I told her, laughing. "You trying to be cute is not cute."

"Fine!" she smiled. "I know I'm not cute. Because I'm pretty, admit it!"

I laughed again. "Felicia's right, then. You are vain." I saw the expression on her face and I laughed again.

"It's too early in the morning for that face," I teased her. "Let's just go."

We went to the cafeteria and had a hearty breakfast, where people forgot their manners and openly stared at us the entire time.

"Why are they all staring at us?" I asked across the table at Stacy.

The beautiful blonde grinned at me. "They're staring at you because you're popular."

"Oh," I said. "Figures."

She was about to playfully punch me when my phone rang. I excused myself to take the call and when I got back, I told Stacy: "Would you mind if I go ahead? That was Felicia. She wants me to pick her up."

Her sky blue eyes stared at me for a long time. "Oh.. uh.. sure," she finally said.

"Great. Thanks. See you later!" I bid her farewell after returning her pink bag to her.

Then I left.

Stacy

He left me.

Again.

As I walked past a few classrooms, I halted in front of a bulletin board which had a colorful poster announcing this year's Halloween Fair and costume contest. Both events would be held tonight, and I already had my outfit ready, quietly sitting on my pink bed at home.

I had been patiently waiting for Bryce to ask me to be his date but that was before he got amnesia and forgot all about me.

Hating my bitter thoughts, I fished out my white phone and dialed a familiar number. "Hey, Dylan?" I began. "I need some help."