Hey guys, here is the second chapter. Any comments or reviews are greatly appreciated. Thanks again.

2.

"Can I get you something to drink?" Hana asked, smiling at me while sitting cross-legged on the carpet floor of her bedroom. She was trying so hard with me and although I didn't know her I understood how hard it must be for her having me not remember. I had hoped that when I came here all the secrets of my past would have emerged after spending time with her. Unfortunately, that hadn't happened yet. So rather than this being a reunion of sorts, it consisted mainly of me sitting on her huge double bed and her sitting opposite me on the floor, both of us staring at our shoes waiting for the other to speak.

"No, thanks." I replied quickly and Hana looked back down at her sneakers and the blanket of silence fell over us once again.

"So…" Hana fiddled with her long blonde hair, twisting it delicately around her fingers. "What do you want to do?"

I bit my lip. "What do I normally want to do?" the minute the words came out of my mouth Hana winced. I could tell that she had been banking on me remembering everything as soon as I saw her. Hana assumed she could make it all better. How could I explain to her that wasn't the case this time?

"We could go for a run? You used to like those." She didn't look at me, but rather focused on picking the rubber sole of her sneakers with her fingernail.

"Was I good at running?" I asked slowly, trying to imagine me running and being unable to do so.

Hana sighed, "Yeah you were. Better than me even." I found that hard to imagine. She jumped up from the floor, taking my hand in hers, "Why don't we go down to the kitchen? I'm sure I can find us something to eat there." I nodded slowly and she led me down the staircase to the kitchen. We passed her mother and Carol in the dining room; they were both sipping tea and making idle small talk.

"Hana?" Mrs Tate called. Hana stopped walking and let my hand fall back down to my side. She wandered over to her mother.

"Yes?"

Mrs Tate smiled at me, "Why don't you and Lena join us? Here, sit and have some tea."

"Oh, I was planning to-" Hana started.

"Lena would love to." My Aunt cut in, watching me with careful eyes. "Wouldn't you Lena?"

I nodded and Hana shrugged, sitting down beside her mother. I took a chair next to my Aunt. "So you really can't remember anything, dear?" Mrs Tate asked, taking a sip from the small porcelain teacup pressed against her pale lips.

"Unfortunately, no." My Aunt answered for me, to my relief. Hana's mother made me uneasy, though I couldn't quite figure out why.

A smile pulled at the corners of Mrs Tate's mouth and her eyes shone like she had a very precious secret she wasn't yet ready to share. "Unfortunately?" her tone told me she wanted me to answer this time.

I took a deep breath, "There are a lot of things I cannot remember. People for instance. I've forgotten almost everything." My eyes flashed to Hana who was playing with a silver bracelet on her wrist pretending she wasn't paying attention. But I know she was.

Mrs Tate frowned, "What do you remember, Lena?"

I hesitated when Hana looked up at me expectantly. "I remember it was dark. I wasn't at home; I was somewhere I don't recognise." Hana leaned forward, her blue eyes searching mine, "There was a house… 37…" I stopped, straining my brain to remember.

"What were you doing there?" Mrs Tate pressed.

"I was meeting someone I think." I scan my memories, at least what is left for them, for some answer to this strange puzzle.

"Who were you meeting Lena?" Hana watched me and I sensed hope in her eyes. I knew there was an answer she was waiting for me to say but I couldn't say it. I didn't know what the right answer was here.

"I don't know." I admitted and Hana's face fell. She returned back to playing with the bracelet.

My Aunt and Mrs Tate were awfully quiet. It suddenly dawned on me that they all knew about the memory. They knew who I was meeting. "Who…?" I managed to choke out.

My Aunt shifted uncomfortably in her seat and Mrs Tate smiled triumphantly. Only Hana stared at me willing me to remember. I felt it was right there I just couldn't quite grasp it. Mrs Tate interrupted my thoughts, "That cure has done a world of good for you Lena. Some things should not be remembered." After that Hana left the room.

Xxxx

"Do you want to spend the night here?" my Aunt asked me, "It's okay if you want to say no." We were standing outside the Tate's house on the front lawn; my Aunt was ready to leave. Mrs Tate had invited me to stay the night so Hana and I could catch up, although Hana never voiced her opinion on the matter.

"I guess." I replied, maybe talking to Hana alone would do some good.

My Aunt shifted her weight to the other foot; I could tell she was eager to get home to my cousins Grace and Jenny. "Well, alright. I'll pick you up tomorrow then."

"It's okay, I can walk home-"

"No." My Aunt interrupted, "I will pick you up tomorrow." I nodded then, eager to get back inside the warm house rather than standing out in the cold with the wind whipping my dark hair across my face. My Aunt nodded and patted me on the shoulder before turning to walk back down the road. "Oh and Lena? Be careful." That was her final warning before disappearing into the looming darkness of the quiet street.

I turned to head back inside when I heard my name. I hadn't heard where it had come from, I wasn't even sure if I had heard it at all. It sounded like a trick of the wind, the voice too velvety to be real. I walked warily towards the tall trees to my left where I could have sworn I heard something move, the slight rustle of leaves when the wind wasn't blowing. "Lena!" this time I knew I hadn't imagined it. My heart raced as I edged closer to the tree.

"Lena!" I turned around to find Hana standing on the front porch calling to me. So I hadn't heard a mysterious voice from behind the trees after all. I almost laughed at the thought.

That night I lay uncomfortably on a mattress that lay beside Hana's bed on the floor. I couldn't get comfortable and I couldn't seem to get to sleep either. I didn't know whether Hana was asleep or not. I could only hear her light breathing against the pillow and the sound from the television both her parents were watching downstairs. Hana hadn't spoken to me most of the night. We'd eaten in silence and gone to bed in silence. Then again, what was there to say?

I froze as I heard footsteps outside the door and my breathing sped up without me realising. "Relax." Hana placed a gentle hand on my shoulder from her where she was curled up under her covers. "They are just getting ready for bed."

I relaxed then. "You're still awake?"

"Yeah," Hana breathed, "I can't sleep."

I sighed, "Me neither."

The lights outside turned off and the hallway went completely dark. I heard the bedroom door in the room opposite close with a soft click. I felt Hana ease beside me. I listened as she pushed the covers aside so she could sit up in her bed. I felt her hand that was still on my shoulder, give me a reassuring squeeze. "Lena, we're safe now, no one can hear."

I propped myself up on my elbows so I could see what she was doing. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness around us I made out her thin frame still seated on her bed. "Hear what?"

"The two of us talking." Hana replied as if it was obvious. As if it was obvious that the two of us were going to talk like the two best friends everyone keeps telling me we were. I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach and the memory of us sitting awkwardly this afternoon, neither of us having anything to say to the other.

I relaxed back against the pillows. "What are we going to talk about?"

Hana laughed, "You know. Tell me everything that happened!"

I tensed, "What?"

"Oh come on, Lena. I know you were faking memory loss out there with them. But we're all alone now, no one can hear. So tell me." She bounced excitedly on the mattress, crossing her legs as if ready for a story. I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes, wishing I could tell her. Wishing I could even pretend we were the bestest of friends that she seemed to think we were. I didn't speak. "Lena?"

I broke down then, the tears spilling out over my cheeks and wetting the pillow I had covered my face with. Hana didn't move. "I'm so sorry Hana."

Hana rushed over to me and collected me in her long slender arms holding me tightly, like a promise that she would never let go. But I had to. "No Lena, I'm sorry this was all my fault."

"What?" I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand suddenly confused, "How can any of this be your fault?"

She tightened her grip of me and took a deep breath, "Lena, I was the one that-" she didn't get to finish. We froze at the sound of footsteps in the hall. "Don't worry," she whispered in my ear, "It's just dad getting a drink or something."

"Hana, I don't remember anything." I blurted, holding on to her arms that were still wrapped around me. I was hoping for closure from someone I was about to hurt beyond measure. "Hana, it's true. I remember nothing after waking up and being cured. I don't remember my family, I don't remember my friends. I don't even remember you." Hana's hold on me loosened slightly and I was waiting for her to climb back into bed where she didn't have to be close to me.

"Oh Lena. It's not your fault. It's mine." She rested her head against my shoulder, her arms still around me. "I thought maybe you were lying to everyone so they would believe the cure worked."

I turned my head to face her, "Didn't it?"

"I don't know." Hana admitted, "All I know is that there is too much at stake here if it did."

"What?" I asked. "Hana, I'm not following you.

Hana ignored me. "I need to talk to him…" she said softly, she was speaking to herself.

"To who?" I pressed.

"We have less time than I originally thought." Hana was still thinking aloud.

"What?" I asked, exasperated.

"Hush, Lena. I will sort this out, I got you into this, and it's up to me to fix it." She paused. "So you remember nothing?"

"Only what I told everyone before." I replied.

"Hmm…" she bit her lip thoughtfully. "Is that all?" she finally asked.

I began to suddenly wonder what Hana was getting at. "Should I remember more?"

In the darkness I could make out a wide grin that spread across Hana's face. There was a glint in her wide eyes. "Do you want to?"

~Lel