Not Alone

He runs his hands through his jet black hair, which is slightly damp with sweat from running all the way here. He is wearing a grey sweater that fits him just nice and I remember how I used to wear it all the time and how it reached my knees and it always smelled just like his cologne, just like him.

I can't help myself and I start sobbing uncontrollably, my face scrunching up and my breath coming in shallow pants and I rush over to him and bury my face in his chest, tears staining the familiar fabric of his grey sweater. He puts his arms around me and I can feel his heart racing and we're both holding onto each other like our lives depended on it and oh it feels so good, so good to finally be in his arms again, so good to be with my other half although I never knew that I ever gave my heart away to this boy who's standing right in front of me. This boy who smells sweet and strong at the same time. This boy who has dark eyes that make me feel like I'm the only thing that matters when he looks at me. This boy who is gentle and kind and loving and everything in between. I start remembering everything I love about him. The adorable way he squints his eyes when he gets excited. How his smile lines quirk up in a smirk whenever he catches me staring at him in class, how the rough, hard patches of his guitar-playing fingers feel in my hand, how his lips feel on mine.

We finally let go of each other and I see that his sweater is now wet with my tears and I choke back a laugh. I look up into his eyes and realize that he's crying too, we're both crying and everyone is staring but I don't fucking care because we have our memories back and that's all that matters.

"W-When?" is the first thing he says and I already know what he means.

"It started two weeks ago... More memories keep coming back every day."

~

We ended up skipping class and going to the library to talk things out. He started getting all his memories back about a week ago. "I was freaking out at first, I didn't know what was happening to me. Then this morning I remembered you and convinced myself that there's no way this is all happening in my head. I can't make this shit up," He says. "Do you have any theories? Is someone messing with us?" I ask back. He says he's sure that all the memories are real but has no idea why we are the only ones remembering everything about our past world. The world we used to live in.

I'm so lost in thought that I didn't even hear the bell ring. "We better get going. I've got Biology now. See you in English." Anton says, and I awaken from my reverie. We quickly bid our farewells and walk to our respective classes.

I take my seat at the back of my history class, still thinking of all the endless possibilities as to why Anton and I are the only ones remembering modern civilization as the teacher, Mr. Robert calls out our names for attendance.

"Nicole?"

"Here," I mutter as Beatrice takes her seat next to me. We're friendly, but we don't know each other well so I just say a quick hello and turn my attention to Mr. Robert. He says that we are going to learn about World War two today.

I shake my head in disbelief as he starts talking about how Hitler was an advocate for equal rights and everything he did to help Jews, who were being oppressed in Germany. I remember having the same lesson on World War two what felt like a lifetime ago, except back then everyone knew how evil Hitler was.

"Why did you shake your head?" Beatrice asks abruptly.

"What?"

"You shook your head, as if you didn't agree with what Mr. Robert was saying."

"Oh, it's nothing, I was just daydreaming." I reply, though she doesn't look convinced.

When the two period history class is finally over, I gather all my things and make my way out the door, heading to my locker, but I hear someone call out my name.

"Nicole, wait!" It's Beatrice again, fast walking towards me with a look of pure determination on her face. "Do you know something I don't?" She asks me and I tell her I don't know what she's talking about and that I need to get to class.

I turn around and start to continue walking to my locker when she grabs hold of my wrist, making me stop in my tracks. Before I even get to express my irritation, she says "The memories, you've been getting them back too, haven't you?" Right when she said those words it was like the world froze in time. Like the Earth stopped making its orbit around the Sun and the blood in my veins stopped flowing through my body. The feeling of hope was unlike anything else, another person who is getting back these memories, I now know Anton and I are not alone. That I am not alone.