Groaning, I felt like my head was being split in two. The incessant beeping and voices in my ears weren't helping matters. If that wasn't enough, I was sure that something was poking and pinching me, which made things even more irritating. Another groan escaped me when I slowly opened my eyes. Everything felt sore. Immediately I felt arms around me before I could register anything. Looking around, all I saw were faces around me.

Looking around at each person, I tried to place a name to each face. Eventually, I gave up, unable to think with everyone talking at once. A knock at the door finally silenced everyone.

A guy in a lab coat came in. "Look who's finally up," He commented with a smile. "I'm your doctor, Dr. Diaz-Montez. How are you feeling?"

I looked around and shrugged. "Guess you could say I've been worse."

I smiled when everyone laughed at my joke. The atmosphere instantly relaxed when everyone started chuckling. It was great to see everyone smiling and not fussing over me.

Dr. Diaz-Montez grinned, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Good, a sense of humor is always a good sign. Can you remember what happened or where you are?"

I thought for a moment, trying to recall anything. I remember being at the gym shooting hoops with my dad. Then nothing. Everything went blank after that. Taking a good around the room, I did realize where I was.

The hospital. That explains Dr. Diaz-Montez and the monitors.

But why was I here? And why am I hooked up to different wires and monitors?

"Well, I know I'm in a hospital," I started, darting my gaze from one person to the next. "But, I'm not sure what happened."

The atmosphere instantly shifted, making me feel uneasy. Dr. Diaz-Montez stepped closer to me and pulled out a pen.

He poked me with the rubber end. "You feel that?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

He nodded and marked something on an iPod he grabbed from the end of the bed. "Let me know if you can't feel my pen."

He proceeded to run a pen down my legs and arms. Once he marked something else on his iPad, he pulled something else from his pocket.

"What's that," I asked, feeling anxious.

He glanced at his instrument and back at me. Just follow the light with your eyes."

I shrugged. "Doesn't sound too hard or painful."

Dr. Diaz-Montez showed the light in my eyes and stared into it. "Tell me the last thing you remember."

I blinked, trying to come up with something. My memories were so fuzzy. Some were so bad I wasn't sure what I was looking at. I felt like I was digging through some archives. Some ancient, dusty, and broken archives.

"Playing b-ball with my dad and brothers," I replied, making my best guess with all the fragments flashing through my mind.

Dr. Diaz-Montez stopped flashing the light and marked something on the iPad. "When was this b-ball game?"

I shrugged. "During New Year's vacation at the lodge."

The room suddenly felt really eerie, and my heart dropped to my stomach. Something was wrong.

My mom gently touched my face. She frowned with concern, and tears threatened in her eyes. "Angel, are you sure that's your last memory?"

Angel?

That can't be good. My mom used to call me Angel all the time in grade school. But it's gotten a lot less since middle school. Now it only ever comes out if something is wrong or to make me feel better. Something was really wrong.

I sighed, racking my brain again. Maybe I just had the wrong memory.

I looked up at everyone and tried another fuzzy, broken memory flashing in my mind. "OK, I sort of remember playing baseball with my friends. Was that it?"

The silence around the room, with everyone exchanging glances, spoke volumes. I knew I was still wrong.

Dr. Diaz-Montez was the first to find his voice.

"Uh, Troy, what year do you think it is?"

I shrugged. "2005."

Dr. Diaz-Montez nodded. "And can you spell picture?"

I narrowed my brows at him, trying to figure him out. "P-I-C-T-U-R-E."

"Good," Dr. Diaz-Montez praised. "Now, what is 10x2/5+2?"

I did some quick math in my head. "6."

"Right," He pushed someone forward. "Who's this?"

I stared at her trying to remember anything, but I couldn't. I shook my head. "Sorry, I'm not sure."

The nice-looking woman frowned, pushing her glasses in place. "I'm Kelsie; you've been one of my best friends since high school."

I frowned, trying to figure out what she was talking about. We're still in high school, and I never met her before. Maybe I've seen her around the halls of East High, but I wouldn't say we're friends.

I shook my head. "Sorry, I really don't remember. Uuuhhh, Dr. Diaz-Montez, is there something I can take for my headache?"

Dr. Diaz-Montez finished on the iPad and placed it back at the end of the bed. "Yeah, I'll get you something. You try and rest. Can I talk with all of you outside?"

Everyone filed outside after Dr. Diaz-Montez. Glancing around the room, I suddenly felt very alone, empty, and scared. A single tear rolled down my cheek as reality sank in.

I stared out the window at the beautiful, sunny afternoon. It was the perfect weather for some summer fun outdoors with friends. If we were still in high school. I shuttered at the thought of being an adult.

Six years.

The last thing I remember was the New Year's Lodge family vacation just before the championships in my junior year. I don't even remember the entire holiday, only parts of it. I felt pathetic.

A knock at the door tore my attention away from the window. "Come in," I answered.

Dr. Diaz-Montez popped his head in. "How are you feeling?"

I shrugged. "Alright, I guess. All things considered."

He did some tests and made some notes on my test. "It shouldn't be too long before you're discharged. Your scans are clean, and your tests are showing normal results after the surgery."

"Except for the fact that I have no memory of the past six years," I reminded him.

Dr. Diaz-Montez sighed, putting down the iPad. "May I take a seat?"

I nodded. "Sure."

"Memory loss is common with head injuries," He started explaining as he sat beside me. "But the good news, in many cases, it's not forever. I've seen many cases when patients lose their memory, but then one day it comes back to them when they least expect it."

I hung my head. "I bet you've also seen the latter when patients never remember."

He nodded. "That's true."

"So, how do I know which one I am," I asked, "How do I know when I'll remember if I can even remember? Or what if I never remember?"

"Honestly, you don't. No one does," He replied. "But that's life. A whole bunch of unknowns and mysteries. But it could also be an adventure if we let it."

I picked my head up and stared at him with narrowed brows. "How can forgetting six years of my life be an adventure? Seems more like a nightmare."

Dr. Diaz-Montez shrugged. "You can only find out if you're willing to let yourself get back up."

He stood up and pulled something from his lab coat pocket. He placed it on the bed and left. I stared at the door for a long moment before picking up the card Dr. Diaz-Montez left. I read it.

Your passport to adventure.

I chewed on my lips, curiosity swiftly building in me. Pocketing the card, I decided to stretch my leg while I thought. My phone went off the second I got up, making me jump. I picked it up and saw who it was.

Gram Gram

Taking a huge breath, I picked it up as it rang again. "Hello, Gram Gram."

"Someone sounds really down," Gram Gram answered.

"No more than usual. How are you feeling today?"

Gram Gram sighed. "Just missing my great-grandbaby. The photos and video just aren't as great as seeing you in person."

The corner of my lips went up slightly when I let out a slight snicker. "So you can pinch my cheeks and tell me how cute or handsome I am."

"And give some loving Gram Gram snuggle that you'll never be able to get anywhere else," She added. "Why don't you come over to my room? If we're both going to be locked in a room, it might as well be the same room. We can keep each other company and lift each other's spirits.

I could hear whispers in the background. "Uhh, Gram Gram, why do I hear whispering in the background?"

"Oh, that's just some movie I've watched for the thousandth time," She replied with a shush.

I removed my phone from my ear and stared at it in confusion. "Gram Gram, did you just shush the T.V.?"

"Oh heavens no. Why would I shush the T.V.? That's ridiculous. That shush was for my neighbor next door. He's lucky all he gets is a shush." Gram Gram replied, "So how about it? You haven't stepped out of your room since you woke up, and you've been cleared to move around over a week ago. I really miss you."

I ran a hand through my messy hair and gave a nervous chuckle. "Alright, Gram Gram. You win; I'll see you in your room shortly."

I ended up the call, picturing my Gram Gram full of excitement. Gram Gram had always been more of a people person. She loved being around people even if she didn't know them. So being cooped up in a room by herself must be really rough.

Grabbing my outfit hanging on the chair, I went to change into some actual clothes for the first time in over a week. I've barely talked to anyone except Dr. Diaz-Montez since I woke up. It might be good to leave this room for a bit. At least it would give my family some relief.

Checking my pocket for my phone, I felt a piece of paper in my pocket. My eyes widened at the ticket that was clearly drawn and not printed. In fancy letters, it read.

Last Waltz

I blinked, trying to remember where I got the tickets but couldn't. Giving up, I shoved the ticket and phone back into my pocket. I pulled the door shut behind me and headed down the hall. I paused in front of Gram Gram's room with a huge sign that read.

Last Waltz

It was in the same fancy print as the ticket. Pulling the ticket from my pocket, my gaze went from the ticket to the sign.

What going on?

I noted the closed curtains and the lack of light coming from the room. Taking a step closer, I could hear whispers and shushing. Drawing a huge breath, I slowly turned the knob with a death grip.

"Welcome to the Last Waltz," Everyone exclaimed when I opened the door.

My jaw dropped seeing everything and everyone around me. In one little room, there were five stations, with someone at each station. The room was decorated for a dance with streamers, balloons, and a huge fancy banner reading: Last Waltz. Everyone was dressed in suits or fancy dresses, ready to party.

Aspen came up in a pretty purple dress, reaching her hand out. "Sir, do you have your Last Waltz ticket," She asked me.

I glanced down at the ticket in my hand and handed it to her. "Here you are, mama. May I say you're looking lovely tonight, and I'm glad you're my date."

Aspen took my ticket. "Oh, I'm not your date tonight."

A little boy who couldn't be much older than Aspen came up. He held out his hands for Aspen, and she curtsied. Before I could ask her anything, Aspen took his hand and raced off. I tilted my head as I closed the door behind me.

The current song ended, and Braydon hopped on stage. "OK, who's next for Karaoke?"

The spotlight whirled around the room for a good minute before landing on me, causing me to shield my eyes. "What the?"

Everyone chuckled and cheered. "Oh, looks like the spotlight has spoken. Troy and Gabriella come up and give us a small sample."

Madyson dragged me in protest onto the stage. Braydon handed me the mic with a wink and a good luck wish. I pulled his arm to stop him from leaving. "Dude, I play basketball, not this. I can't sing or dance."

Braydon chuckled. "You'll be surprised by your abilities if you give yourself a chance."

Gabriella stopped next to me and gave me the most beautiful heart-stopping smile. "Ready," She asked.

My mouth suddenly went dryer than the Sahara Desert, and I couldn't form any words. All I could think about were her gorgeous brown eyes and perfectly shampooed hair; what I wouldn't do to run my hand through her hair and hold her in my arms.

Braydon's voice snapped me from my dream. "You remember Gabriella. You saw her a couple of days ago."

I nodded, taking in everything about her. She smiled at me, and my heart momentarily stopped. "Hi," I somehow managed to whisper.

Braydon placed a hand on my shoulder. "OK, you got this."

He left the stage, and the music started. I looked over at my Dad, silently pleading with him for help. He motioned for me to relax and go ahead.

The words appeared on the screen, and all I could was pray this was not going to be too horrible. Gathering my wits about me, I whispered the words on the screen. Once that was over, I turned to leave before it could get any worse.

I paused when I heard Gabriella sing. She didn't only have the look of an angel. She had the most beautiful voice I've ever heard. Something about it was so soothing and encouraging.

Glancing at her, the idea of finishing this song didn't seem so bad. I leaned towards the mic and tried another verse. One verse became two, and before I knew it, we were smiling as we sang and danced around the stage.

When the song finally ended, we were both laughing as everyone cheered. It wasn't nearly as bad as I had pictured. In fact, it was enjoyable and something that I could see myself doing again.

"You were truly amazing," I praised Gabriella as we hopped off the stage.

She giggled, and my heart skipped a couple of beats. "Thanks, and I'm sure with how well you did, you've done a fair amount of singing yourself."

I shrugged, "Only if count shower singing."

She laughed, and I did an internal fist pump. I could listen to her laugh all day. "Something tells me shower singing is not your only talent."

"Well, how about we find out now," I suggested.

She raised her brow. "I'm listening."

I held out my hand. "Let's see if either of us has any talent on the dance floor."

She pretended to hesitate for a second and nodded. "I'd like that."

I led her onto the dance floor with everyone else, and we waltzed around. Having her in my arms was the best feeling, and I never wanted to let go. Holding her close, I prayed this moment could last forever.

When another song ended, we pulled apart. "Would you like something to drink?"

She nodded. "Sounds great. Can you surprise me?"

"You got it," I kissed her cheek with so much as thinking.

My face immediately went red, and I darted off before she could say anything. I felt so stupid and verbally beat myself as I grabbed the drinks. I was mumbling to myself as I poured the punch into cups.

"Seems like you and Gabby are really hitting it off," Jason stated, shoving some chips into his mouth.

I looked up and jumped, not expecting to see someone there. "Dude, a little warning would be nice."

He shrugged. "Sorry, so how are things between you and Gabby? You two were rocking on stage, and I'm pretty sure I saw some sparks on the dance floor."

I finished pouring the drinks. "I really like her a lot, but I might have over did it."

He looked at me like I'd lost my head. "How? It's singing and dancing. What most people do at a prom or any kind of dance."

I gave him a 'my bad' kind of look. "I kissed her."

Jason's eyes grew wide with a smile. "Man, that's huge."

Now it was my turn for a confused look. "What do you mean it's big? I've had other girlfriends before. It's just different with her. I've never felt this way."

"Right, you're right," He agreed, taking the punch in my hand and taking a sip.

I gasped. "Dude," I exclaimed, giving him a 'what the' look.

He shrugged. "It's a dance. Loosen up and have fun. Your girl is not going anywhere."

I rolled my eyes. Turning around, I started pouring another cup of punch. "She's not my girl. She's a girl I….."

I stopped cold when I saw Gabriella on the dance floor in some other guy's arms. She was laughing as she leaned into him. I watched them with a heavy heart. My entire world instantly shattered when I saw Dr. Diaz-Montez whispering something that made Gabriella throw her head back in laughter.

"I should've known," I muttered to myself as I dropped the ladle for the punch. "Someone as amazing as her couldn't be single."

Jason followed my glances and took the punch in my hand. "OK, you're disarmed. Now my suggestion is to go and see what is so funny. Maybe somehow shove yourself into the conversation."

I shooked my head. "No, I already made myself look like a desperate idiot once. I don't need to make myself look that way twice in front of her. Plus, he's a doctor. I can't compete with that."

Jason stopped me. "OK, instead of bagging on yourself, let's look at some of your positives. You're funny, kind, good looks, and an NBA star. And that's only the start. Just show Gabby that, and you're golden."

I scoffed at Jason. Sometimes he was just too optimistic. "Yeah, I've seen some of my NBA games that my family taped. I'm bench warmer more than anything else, and when I'm actually on the court, I'm an embarrassment to the game. It's a miracle I'm even in the NBA." I turned Jason's attention to the dance floor again. "And what exactly do I have that he doesn't?"

Jason winced. "OK, so when it comes to personality and looks, you guys are pretty much tied. But you still shouldn't take yourself out of the game. As long as she hasn't told you to get lost, you could still win her heart."

I glanced at Gabriella with Dr. Diaz-Montez again. "I doubt it."

I threw the drinks into the trash and started to leave. This had been a horrible date and an even worse dance.

I watched as Aspen climbed the jungle gym at the park. I couldn't believe she was really seven years old and entering the second grade. The last I remember, Aspen was barely walking, and now here she was, climbing and running all over the place. This all feels like some weird dream. I was trying to wrap my head around the new things around me when a shadow paused next to the bench.

"Troy? Troy!"

The shaking and calling snapped me from my thoughts. I looked up to see Gabriella hovering over me with a smile. A feeling of bitterness instantly nagged at me. "Hi."

Gabriella's smile dropped a little she did her best to hold her ground. "Jason told me what happened and why you disappeared while you were getting drinks."

I nodded, avoiding her gaze. "Did he?"

I tried my best not to let my bitterness show, but I knew it wasn't working. The bitterness and jealousy I felt were clearly written on my face. I knew my actions and word choices weren't doing me any favors. It didn't make any sense to me. The bitterness and jealousy I had was towards Dr. Diaz-Montez. I should be happy, excited even, to see Gabriella, but I wasn't. I wasn't sure what I felt, so I came across as angry.

"May I please sit?"

I shrugged, moving over to make room. "Free country."

Gabriella sat beside me, and we just sat in silence.

The silence, second ticking away, felt like an endless torture. Every second that ticked away, I couldn't imagine that she was there to rub my face in. It just didn't like her to be that mean and outright hurt someone. So why was she here?

She eventually broke the silence. "Troy, I know what you must be thinking."

"Really," I interrupted her in a challenge. "I didn't realize you're a mind reader. Please demonstrate your abilities."

She sighed, clearly annoyed with my attitude. "Right now, you're angry that I'm here and wondering if I will rub my relationship with Dr. Diaz-Montez in your face."

My jaw dropped. "OK, that was impressive," I admitted, picking my jaw off the floor.

"It's called knowing your friends and the people around you," She corrected me. "No magic and no special abilities. Just good old fashion talking and understanding."

I blew a raspberry. "And I'm guessing I haven't done much of that with you lately. Even if we are friends."

She chuckled with a shake of her head. "Not exactly. I mean, we talk and stuff. But we never talk talk."

I frowned. "Why not?" If we're friends, shouldn't we actually talk and know each other?"

She dug into her bag and pulled out a bag of trail mix. She offered me some as she grabbed for a handful herself. "I guess no one told you after we broke up, I ghosted everyone for three years. We only recently ran back into each other."

I reached into the bag. "I knew we broke up, but the ghosting that's new."

She sighed and dropped her gaze to the ground. "I really am sorry, Troy. When my past started resurfacing, I freaked out. Instead of talking with you, I imagined the worse. I'm not proud of it, and I know I really hurt everyone-especially you."

I smiled. "Seems like we're doing pretty good now."

She scrunched her nose. "Don't be fooled. We've had good starts before, and we end up yelling angrily at each other. Not pretty."

I winced. "Sounds pretty bad."

She shook her head and corrected me. "No, it is bad."

"Would it help if I told you I accept your apology," He asked. "Or that I'm not really angry."

Her smile brightened, and my heart skipped several beats. "It does. Thank you."

I grinned. "You're welcome; I'm glad we're still friends even if we broke up."

"Me too," Gabriella agreed. "And because we're friends, I should've trusted you more."

I scrunched my brows together in confusion. "Huh? You didn't trust me?"

"Oh, I did," She corrected and continued slowly. "Just not with everything that I trusted Javy or even Teagan with."

I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Closing my mouth again, I frowned. I wasn't sure if I should be offended or upset. Maybe I was both. I couldn't tell, but I did know I was hurt and jealous of Dr. Diaz-Montez.

There was also no point in hiding it. I knew the look I had on my face was speaking volumes.

"I'm guessing that was one of our problems."

I nodded. "That was actually a huge problem between us and something we argued about before."

I dropped my gaze to my hands and fiddled with them. "Did we…..ummm…."

She gave me a knowing look, like she could read my mind, and shook her head. "We tried, but in the end, we ended up yelling at each other."

My shoulders slumped in disappointment. Were we so different that we had no command ground? Did I really have a chance if we couldn't even talk about the simplest things? What if she loved him? That would mean I was wrecking her relationship. Is that something I could live with?

"Do you love him," I whispered, actually fearing what the answer would be.

She placed a hand on me and nodded. "That's one question I've been asked me before. My answer is the same as it was back then-yes, I'll always love him. But you're special to me too."

"Just not special enough," I grumbled, failing miserably to hide my jealousy and sadness.

She shook her head and pulled something from her bag. "That's not true. You're both special in your own ways, and you don't have to keep comparing yourself to him."

She handed the card in her hand to me. I frowned at it, flipping it back and forth. "What's this?"

She stood, swinging her bag over her shoulders. "An invitation to a party at my parent's place. I invited all our friends, and your entire family is invited too. Come to the party if you want to know more about me and even Javy. I hope to see you there."

I watched as she turned to leave and disappeared appeared around the corner. Staring back at the invitation, I smiled. Maybe I did mean something to her.