Taste of Memories

I SMILED WIDELY when I arrived at Fitzmael University. It was our first day of class. Back in high school, I wasn't the type to show up on the first day... but I've changed. By seven-thirty in the morning, I was already here.

I closed my eyes, taking deep breaths. I was enjoying the cold wind and the sunlight kissing my face. A lot of students were walking inside. I could sense both excitement and anxiety in their eyes.

"Why are you staring into space? Go inside," the guard commented. His forehead furrowed as he looked at me.

I gulped and took a step forward, smiling at him. "I'm just a bit out of place."

"Are you a first-year?" he asked while checking my empty bag.

There probably wouldn't be any professors teaching on the first day of school, right? "Second year. I'm a transferee.”

"Why did you transfer?"

I gathered my strength and recalled what happened to me last year.

"He's already in the US."

"Well, that's a relief."

"They've already checked the CCTV footage, but the incident happened in a blind spot. Do you think someone lured her there? If so, why? Why did this happen to us?"

"I don't know either. We've been too busy with work, so we didn't know what was happening to our daughter. I just hope she wakes up soon."

I heard them clearly. It felt like I had been drunk these past few days.

You know that feeling when your mind is awake, but you can't understand a single thing?

I heard someone crying yesterday. It wasn't my parents. I believe it was a man. He was saying something to me, but I couldn't grasp or process it at the time. His voice was unfamiliar to me.

When I woke up, Mom and Dad were there, looking obviously tired and recently crying, their eyes swollen. I frowned as I looked around the room. I realized I was in a hospital. "Mom? Dad? Why am I here?"

I thought I was just drunk, lying down and unable to move! That's why I kept hearing people arguing when I couldn't open my eyes.

Mom quickly approached and gently stroked my cheek. "You're in the hospital. Don't move too much, you might hurt yourself."

"Why am I here? Am I sick?" I asked, confused. I was about to sit up, but my head suddenly hurt. It felt like someone was punching it. "My head hurts, Mom. Am I going to die? Is there something seriously wrong with me?"

I suddenly became anxious. What I thought was just me being drunk turned out to be me lying in a hospital bed.

Soon after, Dad excused himself to call the doctor. Mom held my hand and cleared her throat. "You're here because you were in an accident. But we're wondering why... why you went to a place where the CCTV couldn't catch you? Your car wasn't even parked there!"

"Why was I there in the first place?"

Mom's eyes widened. "W-Why are you asking me? You don't remember anything?"

I tried to remember what happened, but my head only ached more. "I-I don't remember."

Our conversation was interrupted when Dad entered with an older doctor. They talked to me and examined me for a few minutes. The doctor said I had selective amnesia.

The last memory I could recall was when I came back to San Tiago from China. Everything happened after that, I couldn't remember. Mom told me that before I went to China, I stayed here in San Tiago for two weeks, but I couldn't recall that either. Maybe it wasn't just my memories from last year that were lost, but also some things from my senior high school days. Weird...

PRESENT TIME

I USED TO take things for granted. Not until that moment. When I woke up from a coma, I was homeschooled. I had to keep up with my studies. It was difficult studying Information Technology when I couldn't even remember my past lessons. I had to go back to square one.

I said goodbye to the security guard after I finished telling my story. I walked for a few minutes, searching for the IT building. As soon as I entered the room, Coren greeted me with a hug.

It was the warmest hug!

"Finally, you're already here!" she said, giggling.

"I miss you," I replied, hugging her tightly.

"We're sitting together. I reserved a seat for you," Coren said, pointing to the seat. "It's been so long since we last saw each other. Amazing!"

I winked at her before sitting down. "It's your fault! Why did you have to leave the country? Just when I needed you, you had to go. Wrong timing!"

I couldn't deny that I felt hurt by what she did. Coren was my childhood friend, but when I was hospitalized, she left the country. It was just bad timing. But I understood her as I knew I wasn't her responsibility, and she had her own life to live. She didn't even make a single call.

"I'm so sorry, Amaris... But I came back for you... Maybe we're soulmates. Look! We both stopped for one year," she said, laughing.

She told me she had always planned to migrate and study abroad, but she had a hard time adjusting to the new environment. That was the reason why she came back.

"I'M HUNGRY, COREN. Can we eat first at the cafeteria? We can hang out there too," I suggested while looking at the cafeteria from afar. We had just finished our second subject.

"Sure!" Coren replied, nodding. "What do you want? I'll treat you to make up for everything."

I grinned from ear to ear. It felt so good to have someone treat me! "I want tapsilog or anything, really."

"Oh, right. You don't like snacks."

I'm just not used to eating sweet snacks like biscuits. I prefer salty foods, so I usually go for a full meal.

The cafeteria was packed with people eating and hanging out. I had noticed that it felt like someone was watching me. I couldn't tell who or where, but I shrugged it off. Maybe I was just being paranoid.

Coren left and insisted on ordering our food while I looked for an empty seat. All the two-person tables were taken, so I decided to approach a guy sitting at a four-person table. I gently tapped his shoulder to get his attention.

Not long after, he looked at me and smiled.

I instinctively touched the back of my neck because I was embarrassed. "Hi!" I greeted, waving my hand. "Are you with anyone? Would it be okay if my friend and I sit here?"

He smiled. His eyes gleamed as we locked eyes.

Is he attracted to me?

He tilted his head, composed himself, and cleared his throat. "I'm not with anyone. Feel free to sit."

In fairness, he is handsome.

"You can sit here. I'm available," he added, pointing to the seat beside him.

My brows furrowed. "Huh?"

"Huh?" he replied, smirking. He returned my question as if he had no idea what he had just said.

I just shrugged and shook my head. I figured he might not have eaten yet. I sat down in the seat opposite him. I looked away. It was awkward.

There was a long silence between us until I heard him clear his throat. "I'm Lev Aziel," he introduced himself, extending his hand.

I shook his hand. "Amaris. Nice to meet you, Lev," I replied.

He just smiled and looked at me. I couldn't hold his gaze for long, it felt too intense.

But I couldn't stand the silence, so I decided to speak. "You're cute," I said. The surprise was clear on his face. I couldn't help but laugh at his reaction. "You look like a puppy looking at its owner."

"Should I be offended by that or not?" He smirked. His glinting eyes never faded.

"Up to you." I shrugged.

"I should take that as a compliment then."