Forgotten But Not Gone

So let it hurt, let it bleed
Let it take you right down to your knees
Let it burn to the worst degree
May not be what you want, but it's what you need
Sometimes the only way around it
Is to let love do it's work
And let it hurt

-Rascal Flatts

(Let It Hurt)

A Trip Down Memory Lane

It wasn't till two nights later when she saw him again. She hadn't expected to see the strange familiar man she couldn't quite remember again. But since he'd been so kind and concerned about her she couldn't help but think about him. For some reason she hadn't drunk as much that night. For once it didn't seem like an answer, but still, she ordered a drink, but only to hold it in her hands. The glass was familiar and cool to her touch, one of the only comforts she could find these days.

"Hey," the silky voice was familiar and she turned the first time, knowing the greeting was directed at her.

"You came back." It wasn't a question.

He smiled at her and took a seat on the barstool next to her. "I did."

She noticed his hand held a bundle of small papers— photographs in his hands, held together with a rubber band.

"You brought photographs," she said in the same tone.

He nodded. "I thought you might want to know I wasn't creeping on you. Everything I said was true."

He handed her the stack of photos. On top she saw a young girl and boy swinging on a child's play set, reaching over and holding hands. She could clearly tell the boy was a young Zach, but the girl looked so happy and carefree; it couldn't have been her.

"See?" he asked as she flipped through more of the pictures, all of them of the two children. "I wasn't lying."

"This isn't me."

He looked at her strangely. "Are you kidding?"

She shook her head and handed the photos back over to him.

"Of course it is." He looked at the photo on top, "this is definitely you. You look exactly the same."

The girl in the picture had blonde hair and blue eyes, like Cammie did now. But the expression she was wearing wasn't one Cammie had ever used.

"No."

"You're crazy." She shrugged.

He pulled another picture from the stack. "Remember them?"

It was picture of a gorgeous woman with long dark hair standing next to the girl, a different man in the back ground his hair even darker then the lady's his eyes bright green.

"Abby," Cammie said without realizing she had. "Aunt Abby."

Zach nodded, seeming pleased with himself. He pointed to the man.

"Uncle Joe."

He nodded again. "And that's you," he said, pointing back to the girl.

Cammie knew it must have been her; there wasn't anyone else it could be. She took the photo.

"Zach?" she asked quietly. "What happened to me?"

He looked at her like he didn't understand her question.

"I can't remember my childhood, I barely remember you and my Aunt and Uncle. My life is a mess. What happened to me?"

"I don't know," he said, and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "But I don't think we're going to find out sitting in a tiny bar in L.A."

She nodded. "I don't know what happened to me. . ."

"Come on," he said and got up, pulling her along. He slapped a number of bills on the counter for the bartender before gripping her hand and leading her out of the bar.

"We can go to my place."

She allowed him to pull her along; she didn't know what else to do. She had never felt lost before; she'd always known her place. But now she did feel lost, desperate to know the life she couldn't remember.

Zach wasn't exactly living the highlife. He had a large apartment he shared with three other guys. It was a very college-y way of living and it took her a moment to realize he was in college.

It was typical guys place, messy and smelled of guy funk.

But it was nice enough, better than what she had.

"Do you want to take a shower?" he asked.

Her eye brows pulled together. "Do I smell or something?"

He laughed and shook his head. "You smell like a bar."

She shrugged. "That would make sense."

"Come on," he showed her to his room, which seemed even messier then the kitchen and living room. He grinned sheepishly. "I wasn't expecting company."

He kept walking till he she found herself in a tight little bathroom.

"Use whatever you want," he said. "I'm going to go if I can see if I can find you some suitable clothes."

She smiled and nodded as he pulled the door shut as he left.

When she was through showering she felt considerably different. She looked in the mirror, noticing her eyes were clear and bluer than they usually were, not a trace of eye makeup to be found. Her skin was clear, one of the things she'd always been proud about. Her hair was healthier looking as she pulled Zach's comb through it.

When she was done with a big white towel wrapped around her the ventured off to find Zach.

She walked into the kitchen and found a different man though. She assumed it was one of the roommates Zach had mentioned.

She cleared her throat at the man rummaging through the refrigerator.

He turned around, took one look at her and dropped the box of Chinese food he'd pulled. Cammie decided he was actually very attractive, looking a lot like a young version of Brad Pitt.

"Who are you?" he asked, staring at her like she was the most amazing thing in the world. She felt flattered, as often men didn't take a second glance at her. But she supposed she didn't look as trampy without her thick makeup and sultry dresses.

"Cammie," she replied. "Where's Zach?"

"You're with Zach?" he practically spat, his eyes wide.

"Um. . . yes?"

"Well I guess he ditched you because he left about ten minutes ago," the man said.

She rolled her eyes. "Great. Do you have a shirt I can borrow?"

His eyes went a bit bigger. "Are you serious?"

"Are you slow?"

He sent a silent glare at her. "I'll be back in a second."

She remained in the kitchen, holding the towel to her chest till the boy returned with a folded shirt.

"It's mine and kind of small so . . ." she took it gratefully sending him an appreciative smile.

"Thanks," she said and pulled it over her head and once it covered her let the towel drop.

He stared, wide eyed.

"What?' she asked.

"Under that shirt you're naked."

She looked at him stupidly. "Yes, and under your clothes your naked too."

"But—"

"I'm guessing you don't have any girl's underwear?"

He gave her a sly smile. "Not clean ones."

She scrunched her nose up in disgust. "Great, I guess I'll have to do without."

Cammie had gone most of her life living with things she probably needed but couldn't get. To her this was no different.

"I actually think Zach might have gone to get you some clothes," he said.

"And you've known that all this time?" she wondered.

He shook his head and pointed to the door where Zach was coming in, a couple of plastic bags on his arms.

"Grant," he sighed. "What are you doing?"

"I was helping the girl you left all alone."

"She was in the shower, and I left to get her clothes so she wouldn't feel uncomfortable."

Cammie didn't say anything, even though she felt anything but comfortable with Zach going out and buying her clothes.

He handed her the bag. She took it reluctantly, not saying anything as she retreated to Zach's room to change.

When she returned, the two were at the small table off to the side, munching on Chinese.

"Yum," she said, taking a seat with them, just taking food from Grant's container. "Mandarin Chicken," she said. "Good choice."

Grant looked at her with disbelief before he turned to look at Zach, his expression becoming amused.

"Dude," He said. "Where did you find this chick?"

Zach smiled and shook her head. "LA."

Grant rolled his eyes and looked at Cammie. "Will you marry me?"

She laughed. "Was that supposed to be a pick up line?"

"Zach!" he said, almost squealing. "She knew it was a pickup line!"

Zach rolled his eyes. "Grant's been trying that for years and girls just look at him weirdly. I told him to stop but he was convinced. Thanks for helping my cause."

She laughed and looked at Grant, who was now pouting. "Ignore him Grant. I think it's a great pickup line."

He grinned. "Forward, but effective."

"Not really," Zach muttered beneath his breath.

Cammie nudged him playfully. "Kill joy."

"I could seriously kiss you."

She stopped laughing. "Please don't." He looked at her seriously for a moment before for of them broke into laughter.

Zach watched with an amused expression. No doubt these two were cut from the same cloth.

"Anyway," Zach said. "Back to the matter at hand."

Cammie nodded, still eating Grant's food.

"Which is?" Grant asked.

Zach took a moment to fill him in.

Grant looked at Cammie quizzically. "You don't remember your childhood."

"Nope."

"Must not have been very good."

"That's what I've been saying," Cammie replied. "But Zach here seems to remember us being gloriously happy."

Zach pushed the photos towards Grant, and he began to flip through them.

"Aww," he said. "You were so cute."

"Thanks," Cammie said.

"I was talking about Zach."

They all laughed. Cammie really liked Grant; he was such a kindred spirit. Someone she could easily spend a lot of time with.

"Whatever," Zach started. "Cam, I think we should call your aunt and uncle."

"And how do you suppose we do that? I don't have a number for them."

"The internet is an amazing place."

"Are you serious?"

Slowly, he nodded his head. "What else can we do?"

She shrugged— she didn't know.

He pulled something, piece of paper, out of his pocket.

"What's that?"

"Their number."

She looked at him in disbelief. "You already got it?"

"I was going to call them even if you didn't decide to come with me. I was worried about you," he said, his voice completely sincere.

"There's our Zach, being such a Good Samaritan," Grant said sarcastically.

Cammie raised an eyebrow.

"Zach's normally an ass," Grant explained.

"That is not true," Zach denied. "Don't listen to him."

When Zach wasn't looking Grant looked at Cammie and nodded his head.

She laughed. "Well."

"Well what?"

"Are we going to call them or not?"

Hope you guys enjoyed :)

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