Make Me Forget (It's Kind of Personal #1) - Anna Brooks Page 0,1
had been waiting years to get a position as the Dean of Students. Every summer since we have moved, we come back to Wisconsin and my parents rent a house on Lake Michigan for us to stay in. We got in last night, and I haven’t seen any of my other family yet. My cousin, Meara, is having a high school graduation party with some friends down by the lake. She’s really more like a sister… at least she has been since Caroline died.
I park and run my hands down the front of my jeans before pocketing the key. I call my dad to tell him that I’m here, and walk toward the party.
There’s a bonfire, music playing, people throwing a football, and some are even in the water. I spot my cousin right away, jumping around, and I walk a little faster. She’s always been loud and outgoing — the opposite of my shy, quiet personality.
“Ahh!” she yells when she sees me. “Char, you made it! I can’t believe Uncle Sean let you come.”
I nod in agreement. “I’m so happy to see you again! It’s been way too freaking long.” We hug each other, and I look around for my other cousins, Meara’s brothers. “Where are Pierce and Declan?”
“Oh, Pierce is around here somewhere, and Dec couldn’t get leave. Come on.” She yanks my hand and pulls me through a crowd of people.
I recognize most of them immediately. Meara and I had a lot of the same friends before I moved, so I’m not surprised to see them here. Everyone looks so different, so grown-up —including myself. A lot can change in a year, especially when growing out of the awkward teenage stage of zits and braces.
I spend the next hour catching up with old friends and telling stories about living in Texas. Of course, the girls ask if everything is bigger there. I laugh along with them but really don’t know. I’ve kissed a couple of boys but have been too scared to go any further. After a while, I decide to take a break and go for a walk to my favorite place in the world.
“I’m gonna go for a walk. I’ll be back in a bit,” I tell Meara. She nods and falls into her boyfriend Liam’s lap in front of the fire.
I loved growing up by the lake. The sound of the waves crashing and the steady rhythm of the water always relaxed me and made me feel at peace. Aside from my family, it’s what I miss most about home.
I find my usual place faraway, hop up, and sit down on the large flat rock that I’ve claimed as ‘my spot’. It’s where I’ve always been able to go and clear my head. It also makes me feel close to my sister because we came here a lot together as kids. I lean back on my hands and close my eyes, enjoying the smell of the water. A thud and swearing interrupt the quiet.
I look over and see a guy stumbling back and forth. He finally plops down on the sand a few feet from me right before he lies down and throws his arm over his eyes. Tattoos peek out from the sleeve of his t-shirt on his right arm down to his wrist. Since the only light is from the full moon, I can't see the design clearly.
“Umm, are you okay?” I ask as I sit up on the hard stone.
He removes his arm and rolls his head to look at me. “Shit. Yeah. Didn’t see you sitting here, sorry.” He tries to get up, but after several failed attempts he lies back down in defeat, cursing under his breath.
“It’s okay. Stay there. Can I go get someone or something? Do you need help?”
He laughs. “Sweetheart, I’m beyond help.”
“Well, you can’t even stand. Are you sure you don’t want me to—”
“No, I don’t want you to do anything. I’m fine, alright?” he snaps and turns his head to signify the end of the conversation.
I don't say anything else or get up to leave. I can’t, in good conscience, leave this guy alone. The slight frown on his lips is so… sad. Besides, he can’t even stand, so there’s no way he could physically hurt me. I move closer to him, and we sit in silence for a while before he starts talking.
“She’d be about three years old.” My heart cracks when I see his bottom lip quivering.