Chapter 186,Coolest Girl in Town
She snapped out of her thoughts and asked blearily, “Wait, is it time already?” “Another half-hour to go,” he replied. “Oh,” she muttered. “Then we should probably make our way over now.” They sauntered over to the backyard where the fireworks and firecrackers had been readied for the new year celebration. Alexander went about arranging them, laying down the lead-in wires as he said, “We’ll set them off as soon as the clock strikes midnight.” Elise hummed in response. Just then, seemingly by magic, Alexander produced a simple envelope and handed it to her, saying, “Here, it’s a gift for you.”
She stared at the envelope, which was bulging with what was presumably cash, and asked in astonishment, “F-For me?” With a trace of impatience, he shoved it into her hands. “Just take it, will you? I’ve never had to think about getting gifts for girls, and I won’t have you turning down my kind gesture.” She sputtered when she heard this, then caught herself and quickly accepted the envelope. She tested the weight of it and thought the amount was more than generous. “Haven’t you ever dated a girl before this?” she asked without thinking and instantly regretted it.
She wanted nothing more than to bite off her own tongue; the topic of exes was taboo in relationships, and she should have known better than to ask about it. Trying to save herself, she added, “Don’t get me wrong. I didn’t mean it that way.” To her surprise, Alexander answered nonchalantly, “Hmm… I did date a girl once, but that only lasted half a month.” He kept his reply brief and final. Judging from how unruffled he looked, it seemed as if his past relationship had no effect on him whatsoever. However, Elise could only dream of mirroring his calm demeanor.
He might be unaffected, but he’s my first love! She noted sourly how her inexperience put her at a disadvantage in their dynamics. “Oh, so what was she like? Was she pretty?” She did not notice how jealousy had worked its way into her tone when she asked this. Alexander, too, was surprisingly oblivious to how pointed her question came off. “I don’t really remember,” he confessed plainly. Elise was clearly pleased with his answer, and the spike of jealousy she had felt now receded.
“Okay, come on, we have to start lighting the fireworks.” He glanced at his watch and saw that there were two minutes left until midnight. “Okay, get ready,” he announced, then clicked the lighter and set the flame to the lead-in wire. In a matter of seconds, a loud crackling sound filled the backyard, after which came the thundering boom as the fireworks shot upward and lit up the night sky with glorious technicolor. Elise and Alexander stood side-by-side; there was a quiet togetherness to them as they tipped their heads up to watch the firework show. When the festive show came to an end, she glanced at Alexander and said with a small smile, “Happy New Year.”
He reached out and drew her into his arms, then muttered close to her ear, “Happy New Year.” After what felt like a long embrace, they released each other. “We should get some rest; plenty of visiting to do tomorrow.” With that, he took Elise by the hand and led her back into the house, whereupon they returned to their individual bedrooms. They slept soundly that night and had sweet dreams that lasted them until dawn. Elise woke up early the next morning.
It was a whole new year, and the morning air was thick with festive cheer. She donned a bright red coat and made her way downstairs, thereafter greeting the elders cheerily, “Happy New Year, Grandpa and Grandma!” Then, Stella came into the dining room with a tray of freshly made Berliners, which were doughnuts filled with sweet jam. “Miss Ellie, have a Berliner! They’re supposedly meant to bring in good luck for the new year.”
Elise had only just taken one and thanked Stella for it when her phone rang. She picked up the call and blanched when she heard what was said on the other line. Meanwhile, having just come downstairs, Alexander saw the look on her face and demanded urgently, “What’s wrong?” She put down her Berliner and immediately headed out of the door, throwing a hasty “Grandma, I have to get going now, and I won’t be back till late!” over her shoulder. At the sight of this, Alexander grew worried and chased after her.
“Where are you going, Elise?” It was only then that she said hurriedly, “Mikayla’s back, and I have to go see her.” Upon hearing this, he grabbed his car keys and offered, “I’ll drive you over; get in the car.” Not wanting to waste another minute, Elise got into the car as told, and Alexander sped toward Mikayla’s house. Presently, a crowd had gathered around Mikayla at her house, and one after another, they pestered her as delicately as they could. “Mikayla, have you no recollection of me at all? I’m Mom.”
“And I’m Dad! Don’t you remember?” Mikayla looked around at these people who claimed to be her family, but her mind continued to draw a blank as she shook her head, bewildered and frustrated. The crowd sighed in resignation, and Mikayla’s mother was the only one who took her hand tearfully. “It’s okay; it doesn’t matter if you don’t remember us, as long as you’re back home safe and sound.” Mikayla bristled at the crying woman holding her hand. For some reason, she was getting irritated by the waterworks, and she pulled away brusquely as she snapped, “Can you please just stop crying?”
She assessed the crowd dubiously and asked, “Are you all really my family?” However, the question had only just rolled off Mikayla’s tongue when Elise walked up to her. Having heard this, Elise felt her heart leap to her throat. She marched through the crowd and called out hesitantly, “Mikayla?” When Elise saw Mikayla standing unscathed before her, she became overwhelmed with relief. She rushed forward and pulled the other girl into her arms, murmuring, “You’re finally home, Mikayla.”
Her enthusiasm was met with a stiff and somewhat helpless reaction on Mikayla’s part. “I… I don’t actually know who you are, so could you let go of me for a bit?” Stunned, Elise untangled her arms slowly and gaped at Mikayla, dumbfoundedly. “What did you just say, Mikayla? What do you mean you don’t know me?”
The surrounding family heaved long sighs, and Elise was dumbfounded. Mikayla’s mother, on the other hand, could no longer hold back her tears. The droplets rolled down her cheeks, and she quickly reached for a tissue, clearly upset with her daughter’s condition. Elise was completely astounded by how unexpected this all was. With her gaze fixed on Mikayla, she asked somberly, “Mikayla, do you really not know anyone here?”
The other girl nodded. “All I know is that I got sent here for some reason. These people are telling me they’re my family, but I don’t recall ever seeing them at all.” The concept of amnesia was not foreign to Elise, but this was the first time she had seen someone close to her become a victim of it. Did Mikayla suffer some kind of brain injury from the avalanche? Is that why she lost her memory?
