Amnesia

Chapter 11

After Kevin gives Penny another quick hug, he walks over to Avi and gives him a gentle slap on the back. Avi turns to look up at him, but Kevin's eyes briefly flit towards Penny's and, catching his gaze, Avi follows suit. While Avi looks at her, Kevin keeps talking and then gives him another slap on the shoulder as he finishes and plops down on the couch next to him.

Avi continues to stare at Penny and she pulls nervously at her clothes under the weight of his eyes on hers, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. As Mitch calls his name in annoyance and Kevin nudges his shoulder, Avi's stare falters and he turns his attention back towards the group.

Penny watches as the five of them sit between the two couches—Mitch, Kirstie and Scott on one and Kevin and Avi on the other—and toss around conversation, obviously catching up from Avi's missing time with the group.

Time he spent with you.

Yeah, time I took away from him being with his family.

You are part of his family.

She pauses on that thought and lets the idea roll around her in brain. It's not an unwelcome thought. The idea of being a part of his family sits warmly in her chest, and despite her earlier trepidation in meeting the others, Penny feels comfortable around them—this is familiar to her.

Of course it's familiar. You've been with him for almost two years.

Two years I can't remember.

Her mind is silent for a moment and then—You can remember some of them.

Penny's dragged from her thoughts as Scott begins to sing, lowly, creating a slow, yet steady beat. She's held at rapt attention, catching Kevin's smirk and he catches her eye, nodding towards Avi next to him. Scott's beat holds and, closing his eyes, Avi begins, the warm, rich melody of the song falling from his mouth and—

Thwump.

The sharp jolt of memory hits Penny like a ton of bricks and she can't stop the gasp that pulls from her throat. Thankfully, no one notices, and as Mitch begins to sing harmony with Avi, Penny shivers, goose bumps rising on her arms.

I remember this. His voice, the warm, rich tone of it. The way it always shoots down my spine, even though I've heard it thousands of times before. I remember the way he always closes his eyes, unable to contain all the passion within him and it just pours from his soul, bleeding into the space around him.

I could listen to him forever.

"I remember, Avi," Penny whispers to herself, her gaze unwavering from the five people in front of her, "I remember."

The song continues, Avi and Mitch's voices soon being joined by Kirstie's, her higher tone adding an increasingly rounded sound to the progressing song. The four voices blend together for a few seconds more and slowly taper off as Kevin begins layering in the beat and then—holy shit.

Kevin and Avi continue with the beat and—holy shit, he's so low. How is he...what?—while Kirstie, Mitch and Scott sing harmony. Their voices fill Penny's brain and create a warmth in her chest, Scott's voice sending chills down her spine. The melody continues to swell until it hits its peak, the trio ringing out in one final note before Scott resumes the low, steady beat that started the song. Kevin slowly fades out as Avi begins singing once more, his voice settling pleasantly in Penny's skull.

I want to touch it.

His voice?

Yes. I want to touch his throat and feel him vibrate beneath my fingers.