Chapter 13
I rushed to the hospital from school the next day. I ended up forgetting my history book to study for the test I had the next day but I wasn't really worried about it. All I wanted was to see Aden.
I ran as fast as I could to the hospital, a great accomplishment for me seeing as I hate running and the hospital is actually pretty far from my school. I got into his room out of breath and I plopped myself down onto the chair next to his bed. He smiled at me, "Dougie, right?"
I nodded, "Have you remembered me yet?"
He shook his head and sighed, "I had a dream about you last night, though."
"Really?" I asked, sitting up, "What happened?"
"I don't remember," he shrugged, "I just know you were there. And you seem so familiar and I want to bad to remember you."
"Don't worry," I said quietly, "Give it time and you'll remember. I know you will."
"What if I don't?" he asked me, "Are you gonna be mad at me?"
I looked at him, the innocence in his eyes and I smiled, "Of course not. I could never ever ever in a million years be mad at you."
He returned the smile, "Even if I don't know who you are?"
"Even then," I told him.
"Promise?" he asked me.
I sighed remembering all those promises I made to him before. All those promises he'd never remember. I nodded, "I promise."
"Dougie?" he said after a few minutes of silence. "Yeah?"
"Why are you being so nice to me?" he asked, "I mean, it's not like it would make a difference whether you came here or not. I don't know who you are."
I sighed, "Well believe it or not you and I went through a lot together. I was the only person you told about your dad. I promised I wouldn't tell anyone else. And..." I felt a lump in my throat, "And I broke that promise."
"How?" he asked me.
"I was scared so I told Tom what happened after I promised you I wouldn't. And then I told Kelsi and then we had this whole plan to help you out and if didn't work and now you're here. And it's all my fault."
"Dougie..." he said moving the the side of his bed, "It's not your fault."
I looked at him, tears in my eyes. "Yeah it is. I should have told the police, not Tom. I should have gotten you help when I could have and I didn't. Maybe it's best you don't remember who I am."
"No!" he shouted, "I want to remember! I don't know who you are but every time I see you I know that you did something to help me out and that you gave me a friend. Every time I see you...I feel like I belong."
"Well it feels good."
"What does?
"It feels good to finally belong somewhere."
I swallowed hard and held back tears. He was so close, I knew he was. He knew who I was and he was doing everything he could to remember. It broke my heart that he couldn't.
I heard a few people shuffle in and I looked up. It was Danny and Kelsi. They both smiled at Aden, "Hey."
"Hi guys," he waved.
"Still don't remember anything?" Danny asked. Aden shook his head.
"It's cool, dude. Don't worry about it." he told him. "Dougie, how long have you been here?"
"Since school let out," I shrugged. I heard my phone ringing and Danny laughed at my ringtone. I smiled and went to hit talk.
"Wait!" Aden shouted.
Kelsi, Danny and I turned to him, I hit ignore on my cell phone. It could wait. "What?
"Dougie..." he sad quietly, his eyes fixed on the carpet. "What is it, buddy?"
He didn't say a word but he looked directly into my eyes and stared at me for the longest time. Finally his face lit up and he shot up in his bed, "Dougie!"
"What!?" I asked, getting scared.
"You're Dougie! Dougie Poynter, my big brother. And...and we played Guitar Hero in Danny's basement and you took me to McDonalds and we went swimming and...and you were my best friend."
"Yes!" I jumped up and lifted him out of the hospital bed, tears filling my eyes, "Yes that's exactly who I am! You remember!"
"And I beat Danny at Guitar Hero!" he giggled and Danny smiled through his tears and nodded, "Yeah, you did." he managed to say.
"Dougie," he said, his face buried in my shoulder.
"Yeah?" I asked wiping the tears from my eyes.
"Thank you."
so sorry for the lack of updates recently! Finally a new chapter! aah lol
You know the drill, reviewss are nice haha