April POV

Ahh. Cafe Toro. The Halloween decorations get more elaborate every year. I didn’t realize there were so many shades of orange. Wait- is that Kristine? OMG she works here now? I smiled as I saw my best friend for the first time in two years as I walked into the cafe with my brother.

“Welcome to Cafe Toro. What can I get you?”

You don’t recognize me Kristine? It’s only been 2 years and I don’t think I’ve changed that much… Maybe she just didn’t get a chance to see my face properly. I gave her my order and took a seat with Alex.

“Here you go.” I looked up to see Kristine placing two drinks on the table. “This one’s the green tea chai latte.” I took it from her and she placed the macchiato in front of Alex and he chose that moment to look up from his phone.

    “Kristine! Is that you?” he said as he recognized her face.

    “I’m sorry, have we met?”

    “You haven’t changed in those 2 years we were gone.” Alex said laughing thinking she was joking, but I could see the truth in her eyes and a nagging feeling appeared in my stomach.

    “I’m sorry, I really don’t remember you. I’m sorry if I’m offending you. I’ve been forgetting a lot lately.”

    “What do you-” I cut my brother off, not fully understanding the situation, but knowing that I couldn’t let Alex hurt Kris in any way. I saw the genuinity in her eyes and believed her when she said she didn’t remember him. What happened when we were gone? Krissy, I missed you.

    “Well then allow us to introduce ourselves to you again. I’m April and this is my older brother Alex. We’ve been in Boston for two years on an exchange program and just got back home a few days ago.”

    “I see. I’m sorry but do you mind telling me what kind of relationship we had? I can’t remember much from before the accident.” What accident? What happened? Why doesn’t she remember me?

    “We were best friends,” I said trying not to cry as I realized that one of my greatest nightmares had come true. Kristine, my Kris, my Krissy, had no clue who I was and that broke my heart.

    “Oh.” Kris became quiet for a while. “I’m sorry I don’t remember you. I have to get back to work now. Have a happy Halloween.” she sent me a thin smile and looked genuinely sorry. I smiled back as well as I could.

    “What was that about?” Alex asked confused. “Are you crying?” his voice was suddenly filled with worry as I felt tears run down my cheeks.

    “She told me to have a happy Halloween. She really doesn’t remember. I can’t have a happy Halloween this year. Maybe never again.” I said sniffing in between words as tears continued to spill out of my eyes.

    “Here let’s get you outside.” Alex said, coaxing me out of the cafe and to the park across the street. “Take a deep breath.”

    “She doesn’t remember me. She doesn’t remember me or what Halloween means to us.” I’m never going to have a happy Halloween again. Halloween. It never was a happy day. Mom’s death anniversary. October 31. It’s the worst day of the year for me. When Kristine came into my life, I had my first happy Halloween ever. She cheered me up with cookies, jokes, and Disney movies and has distracted me then gone with me to pay my respects every year. That’s gone now. Halloween’s going to be that day again. The tears streamed down my cheeks and I understood that nothing is forever. I’d learned that when mom passed and I forgot the lesson when I became happy again hanging out with Kris and now I was paying the price. There was a reason I pushed everyone away. How’d I let Krissy get so close? I should’ve known that it would just cause me more pain in the end. I should’ve known better than anyone that everything gets taken away at some point and when you’re more attached, it’s more painful when it’s finally gone. Being attached means more pain. I brought this on myself. Kris doesn’t even remember me. She doesn’t feel this pain. I wish I could be her.

Kristine POV

As soon as my shift ended, I headed home. Who was that girl? She said she was my best friend. Why can’t I remember her? Why did I have to get into that freaking accident? I slammed my hands onto the table in frustration. I looked up to see my eyes level with the calendar. 2 days until Halloween. The day of my memory was declared gone. Everything I know is from after that date last year. A sigh escaped my lips and I couldn’t help wish for a normal life once again.

That girl’s lucky. She looked sad that I didn’t know her, but at least she still has the memories. I would give anything to know who I am. She probably knows me better than I do. I’d give almost anything to get my memories back. I have no freaking sense of identity. All I know about myself comes from my hospital records and grades and pictures around the house. It kills me inside when I find a picture and I don’t know who the picture is of and why I have it. I don’t know who the heck I am and I have to live like that. When I go somewhere I see people who recognize me and they seem like they expect something from me but I don’t know what. I don’t even know most of those people. What wouldn’t I give up for a handful of my memories. Have I ever been to Paris? Did I have a good relationship with my parents that passed in the accident? Was I a good student? Was I nice? Funny? Sarcastic? Did I like the library or the park better? All of these little things that I would give almost anything to know, I bet she knows them. I wish I was her.