Who's your favorite viner?
I love King Bach and Lele Pons!

As I walked from the podium to where Nigato sat, I threw Valerie a dirty look and stood in front of her with my arms crossed.

"I'm really starting to question your friendship, Valerie," I said. "Just because I have amnesia doesn't mean you should take advantage of me."

She merely rolled her eyes before she stood up and stormed off. I watched her go and shook my head disbelievingly. Were we even best friends as she claimed? How had I ended up being close with the number one snob of Avan State High? My mind was really baffled.

I needed to get my memories back. As soon as possible.

"Sorry for that," said Nigato who had seen the whole thing. I turned to him and smiled appreciatively. At least he seemed like a genuine person. His skater boy charm made me immediately relax as I sat down next to him.

"Wanna go out for ice-cream after this and shop for our costumes?" he offered.

"Yeah, sure," I beamed at him. "We can also catch up. Literally."

He chuckled and I couldn't help but like his bubbly self. Even though Valerie did not seem to like him, I did. My instincts told me that he was a good friend. If only I could remember the memories we shared.

The spirit can challenge began which was led by the cheerleaders. One of the junior cheers came to me and asked if I would lead but I politely refused, and he seemed to nod in understanding.

"You can take my place," I had told him and he had broken out into a surprised gasp.

To be honest, I wasn't really up for taking charge of something that I didn't remember being a part of. I just wanted to sit down and watch and enjoy the pep rally without questioning my every move and feeling self-conscious when people looked at me. I'd had enough of that today and I needed a break.

"A-Are you sure?" the junior cheer, who I later learned was called Danny, looked nervous.

"You can do it. I believe in you." I assured him.

And he did impress me. The cheers were confused at first when they saw Danny at the front leading the routine, with what looked an infuriated Valerie next to him, but the dance was executed flawlessly that led into a standing ovation from everyone. I felt my chest swell with pride.

During the spirit can challenge, it was clear that the opposite side of the Rec Hall from where I was seated, the students would win. The jocks had a hand in their yells and were the loudest, so it wasn't at all surprising.

After the challenge, school was out early and Nigato and I waited by the parking lot for my brother.

"You should have seen everyone on that day," Nigato was recounting the day when I got my car.

It felt so peculiar that he was referring to me. It was as though I was intruding on another girl's life.

"So where were you that day?" I couldn't help but smile at his exaggerated hand gestures as he told the story.

"I was in the parking lot gaping with everyone else, of course," he said. "Then you took everyone by surprise when you shouted my name and told me to hop in."

"What?!" That was a twist I did not see coming.

"I felt like the president, honestly," he said while smiling.

Just then, a loud beep was heard. My brother arrived. We got in the backseat of his silver Aston Martin, which I was still not used to its sleek leather seats.

"Hey, Cliff," I said as I buckled up. "Could you drop us off at Brickle's Diner?"

"Sure," my brother replied. "'Sup Nigato."

"'Sup."

During the ride, I noticed how Cliff remained silent and stiff while driving. Nigato and I continued with our small banter when I asked him to update me on the TV shows that I was obsessed with, but Cliff's silence unsettled me. It never used to be like this. I was positive he would butt in and comment with his silly jokes at some point but he was quiet till he dropped us off. My heart sank.

"Stay safe, Red," he called out before driving off.

We stood in front of Brickle's Diner, and from across the road, I saw the Auto Shop.

"You can go check out its progress," said Nigato. "I'll wait for you inside."

I nodded as I watched him go. Taking a deep breath, I gathered myself and crossed the road.

Things will be fine, I told myself as I walked. A bunch of nerves knotted in my stomach as I thought of all the scenarios that might play out once I was in the Auto Shop. Did I know those people? Would I recognize my car if they didn't tell me? Had it already been paid for?

I sighed as I stepped into the shop which looked more like an oversized garage. The smell of grease and battery oil and engine smoke filled the air. Sounds of metal clinking and different kinds of scraping were heard too.

The first person that I noticed was a burly man whose arms were riddled with snaking tattoos all over. Some even peeped through on his neck under the tight stained muscle shirt that defined his body. He was inspecting the engine of a blue car.

He looked up all of a sudden as if he had sensed me watching him. I froze in place as his eyes met mine.

Crap. What do I say? What do I do? I couldn't just stand there like a lost woman (even though I was feeling like that at the moment).

"Oh, Dee," he began and a sigh of relief washed over me. "You've come for your car?"

I nodded. The burly man spared me the effort of asking where it was by pointing to the other side of the Auto Shop. I nodded gratefully and walked to that direction.

I passed by many cars and mechanics, who seemed to know me judging by how they threw smiles my way. It made me uncomfortable, yes, until one lady mechanic stopped me.

"Oh, Dee!" she exclaimed. "How are you? Did you get well? That was one nasty accident."

I put my newfound mantra into use-play it cool-and just nodded and smiled while pretending to know this woman.

"That's good, that's good," she said. "You've come for your car." It sounded like a question but it came out more like a knowing statement.

"Yes, where is it?"

She pointed to her left. In the distance, a black shiny Lambo stood in the midst of other few repaired cars.

I went to it, feeling less on edge and hoping it really was my car and not an identical one when I bumped into—

"Clark?"

My eyes widened at the sight of him. He was here. Like, standing in front of me in the flesh here, and not just a product of my imagination.

I scanned him and saw that he was wearing a navy blue overall, with one side hanging limply as he exposed his arm-muscled biceps with few charcoal stains.

"You work here?!"

Clark merely rolled his eyes. I was once again taken aback by the blueness of his eyes and that strange ring of feathery gray around his pupils that I didn't quite recall.

"So you're still at it with your amnesia," said Clark in a bored voice.

I would have had a go at him for not believing that I had memory loss but his presence surprised me and I couldn't find the words to lash at him.

"I came for my car," I said as if it wasn't obvious.

"I know," he sidestepped me but I grabbed his elbow and stopped him.

I couldn't take it anymore with this stupid fog in my mind. I couldn't keep pretending that it didn't bother me we were no longer friends. It hurt me greatly. Even if it happened a long time ago, I still found solace when I looked into his eyes.

He was my best friend. We still should be best friends.

"Clark, please." I plead with him. As much as I apparently left him behind, I didn't want him to walk away. He was the only one my instincts remember fully trusting.

I needed to know what exactly happened between us, but instead of asking for an explanation, I apologize.

"I'm so sorry," I said, hoping he would hear the sincerity in my voice.

I didn't even know what I was saying sorry for but I needed Clark back. My mind needed him back because it just felt like yesterday when we promised each other we would be best friends no matter what.

My heart yearned for Clark's presence as he was the only one I ever really bonded with over miscellaneous things. It ached to think that he was distant and I didn't know what I did, but I apologized in a bid to show him that I was willing to make things right, even with my memory gap.

"I know I'm the worst," I said and I felt my eyes growing hot. "I shouldn't have left you. It was stupid of me to do so. What do you need me to do so that we can go back to the way things were?"

Clark stared down at where I had grabbed his arm and I quickly let go. He ran a hand through his hair before sighing.

"Just prove it," he shrugged.

I frowned in confusion. "Prove what exactly?"

"Prove that you want to be my friend," he said.

I nodded as I felt a slight weight lift off of me. At least he was giving me a chance.

"Okay, I'll do that."

Clark dug into his dirtied overall pockets and threw a key at me. My eyes widened as I caught it.

"You were the one fixing my car?"

"Yeah," he began walking to the direction where my car was located and I followed. "It was strictly official if you don't remember."

The way he added his last statement seemed kinda mocking. I didn't want to overthink it though. It was clear he wasn't buying my state of being an amnesiac.

Once we reached my car, I looked at it and felt intimidated by its sleekness. Did I ride this thing? I didn't even know how to drive. (Okay, yeah, well, I did, but you get my point)

"What was wrong with it?" I recalled Nigato telling me I had been in the accident with it but I wanted to know if there was a malfunction that caused the accident.

Clark gave me a grim look and said, "I think we should have a serious talk about this."

***