Remembering

( Lucy's pov)

I'm at therapy. This is the most boring thing in the universe. Oh my goodness. I would rather be filling out papers for treaties right now. I have some of my memories back. Like the fact that I got shot. But I can't remember who was holding me. And I remember most things from when I was conscious, but faces are till a big struggle.I was in a coma for a month. That's longer than I've been queen. Wow. I'm also still getting used to that title. Queen Lucy. Or Queen Sherrin. I like Lucy better anyways. I've gotten to send more time with Clayton. Getting to know him better. Although, he already knows a lot about me, so I was the one asking most of the questions. I wonder what that one night I spent with him was like. I can't remember the details. But, I remember that I had a blast with him.

" Lucy!" That would be Cole. Can't wait for another lecture on making sure I go to therapy every single day. Ugh. Can I just get better already.

" Yeah? Im right here," I say as he enters my room and looks for me.

" There's going to be a royal ball tonight. Make sure you're ready."

" Who all is coming?"

" Just the visitors at the castle. Clayton asked to keep it small."

" Okay then, Should I dress fancily?"

" Definitely, I'm nearly certain you would like to impress that special friend of yours."

For some reason, I get aggravated when Cole mentions Alex that way. We only started courting a month ago. And I'm almost sure that the commoners call it, um, dating. That just sounds too immature. Especially for France.

I laugh to myself as I walk back to my room. Clayton passes by. A blush rises on my face, and I don't understand why. I don't even know why he is still here. Probably for the dance dummy, I tell myself.

" Lucy!" Wow. Alex again. He can be super clingy sometimes. But he tells me he loves me. And I say it back, I'm almost sure that I mean it. But I'm also confused on what I feel. What did I feel for him before.

" Hi!" I say as we embrace. Slowly and almost unnoticeably, I turn our hug so I can see where I came from. Clayton is at the end of the hallway. I want to run up to him and ask what happened, and why I feel this way. But if nothing happened between us, then I don't want to be embarrassed.

. . .

The dance looks beautiful, and Alex walks me in slowly. The dining hall looks stunning, blue light flooding the room, spotlights on the dance floor, food and punch on the sides. Absolutely stunning.

" I'll be back with punch," Alex says, after our first dance.

" Okay," I say, but he is already gone. As I move off to the side, someone grabs my hand. A memory comes flooding into my mind, of the day he came to France. He asked me where the garden was.

" May I have this dance?" He asks. Wow. Clayton is so charming.

" Sure," I say this, and slow music starts to play. This seems almost like a sign. That this is right. This feels so right. I want to kiss him, right here and now. That would be inappropriate. I am with someone. So I lay my head on his chest instead. His heart is beating fast. It assures me that I not the only one that feels this way.

After the dance, he takes me aside, " there is something I want to show you. Come with me?" I nod. He takes my hand and I follow him down a hallway and to a mostly empty room.

" There's a book on the table I want you to read."

I walk in the room, and see a round table with a little leather book on it. I pick it up and study the leather cover. High end, nice. Then, I open it and there is a bookmarked page. It reads:

Dear Lucy,

You don't remember me, but I remember you. You were my friend. Now you don't remember any of it. So here are some photographs to help you trigger the memories of us. I miss you. Come back to me. I love you...

Love,

Clay

So this is what he wants me to see. I flip the page, and photos fall out the bottom. I lean over to pick them up and study them. The first has a picture of Clayton and me sitting in the roses, talking. Funny. Another is a self taken picture. Or as most people used to call it, 'selfie'. The two of us are smiling, we look so happy. I take the pictures and stuff them into my pockets. I want to go back to my room now. I need to think.