“Alright, just making sure.”
Uri asserted.
“She seems to be handling all the stuff about the manor pretty well actually.
Considering what she has been through and all.”
“When is Michael going to tell her about her mother?”
Gabe inquired, dreading the day her world would be shattered.
“I don’t know.
Michael said she still isn’t ready.
She understands a lot.
She gets that she is not nine years old anymore.”
Uri related.
“So how did you explain that?
Does she just think she was in an accident or something and now has a bad case of amnesia?”
Gabe asked, laughing as he did.
“Hey smart ass, don’t knock it!
It seems to have worked and Dina did a really amazing job convincing her.”
Uri boasted, commended their friend.
“Yeah, everyone had been giving me updates of their time with her but I had no idea about the amnesia bit.
Dina did tell me though, that when Sophie saw herself in a mirror she started crying.
I wish I could have been there for her.”
Gabe grimaced, shoving his hands deep into his pockets.
“Well yeah, can you imagine?
The last time you remember what you look like is when you were nine.
Talk about messing with your mind.” Uri lamented.
“I should have been there.
This is so wrong.
Sophie would have wanted me there with her during all of this, I know it.”
Gabe stated.
“Gabe, you need to get it through your head, you can’t be the boyfriend!” Uri exclaimed, clearly worried that his friend was not going to be able to handle the meeting he was escorting him to.
“I know the boundaries, Uri!
I was just saying that it’s messed up I can’t be the one to help her through this.
I don’t know how many times I can tell you guys this, I get it!”
Gabe defended.
“We know you get it, Gabe.
I think it’s more that Michael and I are just worried you won’t be able to help yourself.”
“Come on, I’m not an idiot.
I love Sophie.
I only want to help her.
I won’t let myself screw this up.” Gabe insisted.
“I’m sorry man.
I know you won’t do anything to hurt her on purpose.”
Uri replied.
The boys stepped outside into the open air, Gabe stopped for a moment to take in a deep breath and allow the cool air to fill his head.
There was a cold fog that had settled in and lay
like a blanket over the land.
They continued in silence to the gardens, neither sure what to say to the other after the tense interaction.
As soon as Gabe caught site of the cloaked figure sitting on the bench, he knew it was Sophie.
Her ankles were crossed and though the white hood was pulled up over her head as she looked over her shoulder at the brook, he could see her auburn hair poking out.
His stomach began to do flips.
He fought every urge in him to run to her side and begin hugging her wildly.
He kept reassuring himself that he could do this; he could keep his cool with her even though his friends apparently doubted it.
Gabe felt almost as if he were being torn in two from the immense conflict.
On one hand he was thrilled Sophie was free from the hold of the demons, but on the other she was trapped in an existence where she had no memory of who she was.
He was happy and terrified for her all at the same time and seemed to have nobody he could confide in since Sophie had always been the person he turned to.
“Sophie,” Uri said, slowly approaching the bench.
As she turned her head, Gabe held his breath.
This was it, the moment he had been waiting for.
This was their first true reuniting; it had to make her remember.
In the gardens where they had shared their first dance, their first kiss, countless picnics together.
He knew she would remember.
“Do you remember us telling you about another friend, Gabe?
This is him.”
Uri continued as he motioned behind him.
Gabe swallowed, took a deep breath, and walked up to stand next to Uri, beaming a smile from ear to ear on his face.
The smile quickly faded though when he saw the look in Sophie’s eyes.
While she smiled back at him, there was absolutely no recognition of him.
In that moment, he knew she had no clue who he was and he might have lost the Sophie he fell in love with forever.
“Hi, nice to meet you.” Sophie said standing up, hand extended to shake his.
“I’m Sophie.”
Suddenly, Sophie began to laugh wildly, blushing a little.
The two boys glanced at each other, both curious if they had missed the joke.
“Sorry, I keep doing that.”
“Huh?” Gabe grunted.
“Introducing myself when apparently people already know me and I know them.” Sophie explained.
“Oh,” Gabe added and both boys chuckled slightly.
“Well, I will leave you two to talk.
Enjoy your time together.
Sophie, I will see you later, alright?” Uri asked.
Sophie smiled and nodded eagerly before Uri turned and walked away, delivering a slight punch to Gabe’s arm as he did.
“Hmmm… well, this seems a little awkward doesn’t it?”
Gabe stated, unsure what to actually talk about now that he was here with Sophie.
Sophie smiled, “A little.”
“How about we take a walk through the gardens?
You always loved when we did that.” Gabe suggested, motioning towards the path in front of them.
“I did?
Is this something we did often?” Sophie queried.
“Oh yeah, most days.” Gabe was careful not to say too much.
“Well that sounds delightful.” Sophie answered and they began to walk beside one another.
“So… how exactly did we know each other?”
Gabe was shocked at her question and at first was unsure how to answer.
Trying to stall for time he asked, “Uri didn’t tell you?”
“Umm… he just said you came to the manor at the end of the last school year and we had hung out some but no real details.
How did we meet?” Sophie probed.
“Oh wow, this is so weird, sorry.” Gabe replied.
“Don’t worry, it is for me too.
Just take your time.” Sophie reassured him.
“That’s funny and so you.” Gabe mused.
“What is?”
“I am supposed to be here helping you, but like usual you are the one who is comforting me.” Gabe smiled as he saw a familiar side of Sophie.
“I see.” She stated.
Gabe felt his stomach flutter.
She was still the same kind, caring, and compassionate person he had fallen in love with, even if she didn’t remember who he was.
In that moment, Gabe decided if Sophie wasn’t going to remember they were in love then he would just have to make sure they fell in love all over again.
“Well, actually, you were one of the people that brought me to the manor.” Gabe finally answered.
“Oh really?” Sophie asked intrigued.
“Yes, Uri came to New York to find me. Along the way back here we met up with you, I suppose you were the getaway driver so to speak.
Let me tell you, you make quite a first impression.”
Gabe laughed as he recalled the night.
“Oh yeah?” Sophie said, wishing she knew what he meant.
“Sorry, yeah.
I guess I should explain.” Gabe added.
Sophie giggled, “That would be nice.”
Gabe thought back to that night and recounted it detail by detail.
How he and Uri pulled up behind the car on the motorcycle, how she had pulled Uri into the car, scaring him half to death.
Gabe continued with his story, how he had acted as though he were asleep so he could listen to the two.
Then he ended the tale with the grand battle of how Sophie saved his life that night.
“You were truly amazing!” Gabe gushed.
“Uri yelled, do it now, Sophie and bam, next thing I know those demons are ash.” Gabe loved how Sophie’s face lit up at the story.
“So Uri really had a lot of faith in me?” Sophie asked.
“Huh?
Yeah, I guess.” Gabe replied, puzzled by the question.
The two walked on a few moments in silence as Gabe tried to figure out what exactly Sophie meant.
“He has been so helpful through all of this.” Sophie added.
“What?
Who has?” Gabe asked anxiously.
“Uri.
He has been there with answers to all my questions and he has been so patient with me.” Sophie continued.
Gabe felt his face turn red with heat.
The admiration was clear in Sophie’s voice.
He had been warned not to allow Sophie to know about their relationship, told she needed time to heal.
He feared he in fact had been betrayed and all along Uri wanted a second chance at Sophie.
He knew Uri had feelings for Sophie before he had arrived.
Perhaps this was the perfect opportunity.
“What do you think?” Sophie asked.
Gabe realized he had heard nothing else Sophie had said after her gushing about Uri.
“I’m sorry, what do I think about what?”
“Dina told me about the Fall Festival Dance.
I was going to ask Uri, you seem to be his close friend, what do you think?
Do you think he would say yes?”
Sophie asked, her beautiful big blue eyes peering up at him.
Her blue eyes still sparkled like he remembered.
He wanted to cup her face and kiss her until she remembered that she loved him, not Uri.
Gabe didn’t know what to say, he didn’t want to traumatize Sophie but he couldn’t let her fall in love with Uri.
They were meant to be together.
Everything he had done was so they could be together.
“Sophie, I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Gabe hoped that would be the end of it.
She would drop the infatuation.
“Why?” She prodded with a wounded stare.
“Ummm…”
Gabe desperately tried to think of a reason without telling her that she couldn’t ask Uri out because they were in love with one another.
“I’m pretty sure Uri has started to date a girl at another manor, like this one.”
The words just fell out of his mouth.
“Oh…
Really?”
Sophie looked away, clearly disappointed by the news.
“He hasn’t said anything about a girlfriend to me.”
“Well, it’s a newer relationship, but seems pretty hot and heavy.”
Gabe emphasized.
“What’s her name?” Sophie asked, consumed by the idea of this other girl.
“Artis.” Gabe didn’t hesitate, he needed Sophie to drop this infatuation and he knew Uri did like the girl, so perhaps in a way he wasn’t actually lying to Sophie.
At least that’s what he told himself.
“She sounds exotic.”
“I don’t know, I suppose,” Gabe agreed, trying to think of any way to change the topic.
“You know, you were the one that first showed me images of what we were up against here.” Gabe said.
“I was?” Sophie asked, clearly still distracted by thoughts of Uri’s love interest.
“Yeah, we spent a lot of time alone together.” Gabe said, trying to hint at the depth of their relationship without actually saying it.
“You took me to the storage room under the library and showed me these amazing crystals.
Is that something you would like to see?”
“Gabe, I’m sorry,” Sophie started.
“I am not feeling very well.
Would you mind terribly if we continued this another time?
I think I prefer to just go back to my room and lie down.”
“Of course, I’ll walk you to your room.” Gabe quickly replied, frustrated by their lack of connection.
“No, no,” Sophie quickly replied.
“That’s alright, I prefer to go alone.”
“Oh, alright.” Gabe added.
“I’ll check on you later then.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
Sophie added.
“It was nice meeting you.
Perhaps we’ll see each other around.”