I smile. “Just the ladies room. Remember, you promised.” I point out, reminding him that he was supposed to be getting me drunk.

I reach the bathroom and place my hands on the counter, breathing in a deeply.

Who the hell knew he attracted so much attention? I don’t know if I can do this. I am supposed to be living carefree. Why would he want me to fall for him again if he can have whomever he wants? I hear the bathroom door swing open and use the mirror to look. I roll my eyes— it is the waitress.

“So you’re the treat for the night,” the waitress hisses at me.

“I guess so.” I push past her walking out of the bathroom. I do not need this shit. I need to pull a little further away.

I see the rest of the band, Adella, and a few groupies at the table when I walk up. Yeah, I think to myself, I cannot do this all the time.

“Ev!” Adella screeches.

“A-del-la,” I laughingly drag out her name.

I sit back down next to Tristan, who has a scowl on his beautiful face.

“What’s wrong?” he whispers loud enough so I can hear over the music.

How does he know something is wrong?

“Nothing.” I fake a smile. “Is this for me?” I point to a mixed drink.

“Yes, but I still know something is wrong Ev. You’re wearing that look,” he says, dragging his hand up his face, aggravated.

“It’s just you’ve got to remember I’ve been cooped up for years Tristan, and all of them,” I gesture with my hand towards the groupies, “are a lot to take in.” I sip my drink.

“Bullshit Ev. That may bother you, but that isn’t the only thing.”

What is he, a mind reader?

I lean back in the booth. “The waitress who took our order? She cornered me in the bathroom. I come back out here and the table is already full. Let’s not forget to mention Jenelle at your condo earlier. Tristan, this is too much for me. I am still healing. I can’t do all this, especially when I’m trying to get my memories back.”

Dragging in a breath, I force myself to look him straight in the face. I am not prepared for what I see. It is a look of pure hatred. I gasp loudly.

“You’re not prepared for me and everything that comes with me? Well, let me tell you something Evelyn Beaumont. I wasn’t prepared for you to walk back into my f**king life. I was finally coming to grips with you being gone; finally filling the gaping hole you left in my heart. You know, I wish I had never f**king made that promise to you when I was sixteen,” and with that he slams his fist to the table. I jump. He scoots out of the booth. Everyone has gone silent now as I watch him walk away.

I grab my chest.

Why does my heart hurt? What just happened? I can’t breathe. Why can’t I breathe? What promise did he make?

“Drake,” I whisper and look up at him. “What promise did he make me?”

“Sunshine,” he groans, “I can’t tell you that. That’s not one of our memories.”

“I think I’m going to go home,” I mumble, getting up from the table.

“I’ll walk you Ev.” Adella jumps up.

“No Adella, I’m going home…so I can take a breather. It’s been a strange few days.” I hug her.

“I’ll see ya.” I wave to them.

“Sunshine!” Drake hollers, but I keep walking. “Damn it Ev! You can’t f**king leave again!” he yells.

That is when I start feeling my blood boil. I flip around, standing firm.

“I don’t get to leave?” I yell. “I’m sorry; I didn’t know I had a choice when I was sixteen. Excuse the hell out of me for getting brain cancer and forgetting everybody I knew and loved. Excuse me for feeling alone, because I was Drake. I was so f**king alone. I don’t even know who I am. I don’t know who I was. Do you have any idea how that feels? Yeah, I’m glad I survived, but this is horrible, this feeling of emptiness.” I wipe the tears from my eyes. “This feeling of emptiness, I wouldn’t wish it on the worst kind of evil.” I dry my eyes with the back of my hand like a child would. Drake just stands there, looking at me. “Bye Drake.” I hug him stiffly and walk away.

“He’s your home, you know, just like you’re his home!” Drake yells.

I don’t know how to respond to that so I just keep on walking until I make it back to my dorm room. I quickly pack a suitcase, throw in my phone charger, and finally grab the keys to my car. I don’t know why I feel like I have to run. I just feel like I need to leave.

I climb into my Mustang and head straight to Laguna, where my family’s vacation house is. I must drive past the speed limit, because I make a two hour drive in an hour and half.

I stop and look at the ‘memory loss’ house. It holds memories inside it that I can’t even remember and it eats me up.

It is a beautiful beach home, built entirely out of wood, giving it the feel of a cabin. There are double glass doors at the front and its two stories high, but I can’t remember the five years of my life when I spent time here. I park in the driveway and drag my suitcase to the door.

My memories are here! I start struggling with my keys, finally managing to get the door open. I drop my bag in the doorway to retrieve my boxes of memories. I drag all the boxes to the family room and notice I left the front door open. I walk over, shutting it.

Wine…that is exactly what I need; wine or some kind of alcohol. I kick off my shoes and head to the kitchen. I spot the wine fridge first thing and thankfully, it is full of what I am looking for. I open the door, grab the first bottle my fingers touch, and slam the door shut. I snag a wine glass hanging upside down next to the fridge. I open drawer after drawer until I find a corkscrew.