HALF A HEART
Chapter 33
Harry’s POV
“When is Lou comin El?” I asked her as we watched E!
“He’ll be here any minute now.” I nodded and settled back against my uncomfortable hospital bed. I’m so sick of being here… My shoulders perked when I heard the door click open and shuffle across the carpeted floor.
“Harreh!” He greeted enthusiastically and pulled a chair up next to my bed before giving me a one armed hug. “How you doin mate?”
“I mean I feel fine physically to be quite honest. It sucks that I can’t seem to remember a lot of the past five or six months though. I can’t remember them at all actually. I don’t remember what I did for Christmas,” I paused, “And what did we do for your birthday mate?”
“We went to Nandos for both of course Harry. Like we do every year.” He chuckled.
I nodded and rolled my eyes, “I must be losing my mind then.”
“Don’t worry man, we’ll get it back. You just need a refresher is all. Trust me.”
I nodded again. “Alright well…tell me about Annie. I know she wouldn’t lie to me and Eleanor seems to know her really well so I’m not sure how I couldn’t know Annie…”
Louis looked at Eleanor for a prolonged moment and I could see the unsaid conversation that they were having. El nodded quickly and got up from her chair and said she was going to get something to eat from the cafeteria downstairs. When the door had clicked behind her, Louis grabbed the TV remote from the foot of my bed and turned the TV off before bringing his chair to face me better.
“Okay, so you don’t remember a single thing about her? You don’t even recognize her?” His voice was quiet as he diagnosed how bad the issue actually was.
I shook my head, “Lou, I feel like I met her yesterday; I feel like she was just one of Eleanor’s friends that tagged along but I had never actually seen before. I mean… It felt like maybe I’d passed by her in the school hallways once in my life but had never actually registered who she was.”
He nodded his head slowly as he eyes met the floor. “How much do you want me to tell you?”
“Everything Lou. I need my life back.”
“Alright mate,” He situated himself so he was more comfortable in the chair. I could tell that this was going to be a long story… How much do I not remember? “So you met Annie in October like I’m sure Eleanor told you. Uh, you told me that you saw her come of the main office and she was looking around really confused like she had no idea where she was,” He paused and looked me straight in the eye, “You told me that she was the most beautiful sight you had ever seen in your life.”
I hung my head. I wish I could just remember who she is. She seems like the most amazing person, yet I have no recollection of meeting her and actually developing strong feelings for her…
“So you went to Carter’s party and saw her there. She was pissed at you because she saw you beat up Nick—“
“Well Nick deserved it.” I said without thinking. I shot my head back up… Where the hell did that come from…
I looked back at Lou and he was looking at me wide eyed. “Do you remember Harry? Is it starting to come back?”
“No, I don’t even know why I said that! I don’t even remember beating Nick up though is sounds like something I would do! That bastard!”
“Okay well…what you said a second ago was EXACTLY what you told me that night so I think you’re brain still has the memories, you’re just having difficulty accessing them.” He put his hands up, “But that’s okay. We’re already making progress.” I nodded my head, my throat all of a sudden feeling as dry as a desert. “Anyway, where were we?”
“Annie was mad at me because I beat up Nick?”
“Right right! So basically she was upset because during school she had thought you were charming or something and then she saw you beat up Nick so she called you two-faced or something like that and you got mad. Then you saw her with Celine—“
“Celine!” I yelled, “Now that’s a fine girl there. Why hasn’t she come to see me yet?”
“Harry…”
“What?”
“Remember… You and Celine hate each other now.” He said it simply but it felt like daggers. How could this be true? We were so strong together…
“You’re gonna have to remind me of what happened there too…” I said and began to rub my temples as I tried to release the tension building in my head.
“No problem mate. Anyway so you saw her with Celine and got pissed because you knew that Celine was affecting how Annie was talking to you. So you to speak to her again that night but she told you to leave you alone and you just left.” I nodded along to his words trying desperately to remember everything instance that he was describing, making my headache pound painfully. “The next day you saw her on the bench that you guys always go to and I don’t really remember the conversation you had but you guys made out I suppose and then you walked her back to her house. Still keeping up mate?”
“Not really but keep going.”
He nodded. “So then you’re stepdad was having dinner at his new employee’s house and made you go with him. Little did you know that you were going to Annie’s house. Anyway so you were being super freaking flirtatious and you went up to her room—“
My head shot up, “Please tell me we didn’t!” I yelled, my heart beginning to race.
He chuckled, “No mate you just made out again but then she told you that she needed to wait before anything serious happened. And you agreed willingly. You were falling incredibly hard for her at this point mate. You even talked to me about it. Anyway so she came to a movie night at Eleanor’s house and that’s when the gang met her. And we loved her from the beginning mate let me tell you. It was like we’d known her for years. Anyway so you two became INCREDIBLY good friends. Such good friends that you even went over to her house every morning to make her breakfast.”
I started rubbing my head again. This is too much information… I can’t keep up with all of this. NOTHING is sounding familiar…
“So it took a month.”
“What did?” I asked not removing my fingers from my throbbing temples.
“For her to be ready to date you.”
I looked up at that. “I waited for an entire month?”
He nodded, “She was and is incredibly grateful that you did that for her and I’m pretty sure that’s half of the reason why she fell in love with you.”
“In love?” I felt my eyes grow wide and my eyebrows rise.
“Oh Harry. Your relationship with Annie is the type of relationship that EVERYONE wishes for. You guys were best friends and were honestly the most adorable couple in the history of the world. You guys had the most unconditional love for each other.”
I felt tears prick my eyes as I tried desperately to remember the feeling. “Louis, I can’t remember any of this.” I whimpered.
“You WILL Harry! Give it time!”
“Louis, I—Don’t—Remember—Annie!” Guilt ignited in my gut when I saw him flinch. I didn’t mean to be that stern… He’s trying to help me…But this is the most frustrating feeling in the world: being told your life but not being able to recall a single memory that you were being told. “I’m sorry…” I mumbled.
“Hey, it’s okay Haz. I can only imagine how hard this must be for you. I’ll let you rest now and we can talk more about it later.” He gave me another one-armed hug before collecting his jacket and car keys and walking out of the hospital room.
As soon as I heard the door click behind him, I buried my face in my hands. I let my tears stream out of my eyes. I feel like I fell asleep and woke up a different person and I couldn’t remember who my old self was. I had a pounding headache and could only guess that my head injury was a contribution to the pain.
Why couldn’t I remember a SINGLE thing about her…Surely I’d be able to remember her wild golden curls…. Her STUNNING ocean blue eyes… and the light that radiated off of her personality… But I just don’t…. The things I’ve just said are only observations that I took note of yesterday… I don’t actually remember who she is…
Who are you Annie Richards?
Who are you?
“When is Lou comin El?” I asked her as we watched E!
“He’ll be here any minute now.” I nodded and settled back against my uncomfortable hospital bed. I’m so sick of being here… My shoulders perked when I heard the door click open and shuffle across the carpeted floor.
“Harreh!” He greeted enthusiastically and pulled a chair up next to my bed before giving me a one armed hug. “How you doin mate?”
“I mean I feel fine physically to be quite honest. It sucks that I can’t seem to remember a lot of the past five or six months though. I can’t remember them at all actually. I don’t remember what I did for Christmas,” I paused, “And what did we do for your birthday mate?”
“We went to Nandos for both of course Harry. Like we do every year.” He chuckled.
I nodded and rolled my eyes, “I must be losing my mind then.”
“Don’t worry man, we’ll get it back. You just need a refresher is all. Trust me.”
I nodded again. “Alright well…tell me about Annie. I know she wouldn’t lie to me and Eleanor seems to know her really well so I’m not sure how I couldn’t know Annie…”
Louis looked at Eleanor for a prolonged moment and I could see the unsaid conversation that they were having. El nodded quickly and got up from her chair and said she was going to get something to eat from the cafeteria downstairs. When the door had clicked behind her, Louis grabbed the TV remote from the foot of my bed and turned the TV off before bringing his chair to face me better.
“Okay, so you don’t remember a single thing about her? You don’t even recognize her?” His voice was quiet as he diagnosed how bad the issue actually was.
I shook my head, “Lou, I feel like I met her yesterday; I feel like she was just one of Eleanor’s friends that tagged along but I had never actually seen before. I mean… It felt like maybe I’d passed by her in the school hallways once in my life but had never actually registered who she was.”
He nodded his head slowly as he eyes met the floor. “How much do you want me to tell you?”
“Everything Lou. I need my life back.”
“Alright mate,” He situated himself so he was more comfortable in the chair. I could tell that this was going to be a long story… How much do I not remember? “So you met Annie in October like I’m sure Eleanor told you. Uh, you told me that you saw her come of the main office and she was looking around really confused like she had no idea where she was,” He paused and looked me straight in the eye, “You told me that she was the most beautiful sight you had ever seen in your life.”
I hung my head. I wish I could just remember who she is. She seems like the most amazing person, yet I have no recollection of meeting her and actually developing strong feelings for her…
“So you went to Carter’s party and saw her there. She was pissed at you because she saw you beat up Nick—“
“Well Nick deserved it.” I said without thinking. I shot my head back up… Where the hell did that come from…
I looked back at Lou and he was looking at me wide eyed. “Do you remember Harry? Is it starting to come back?”
“No, I don’t even know why I said that! I don’t even remember beating Nick up though is sounds like something I would do! That bastard!”
“Okay well…what you said a second ago was EXACTLY what you told me that night so I think you’re brain still has the memories, you’re just having difficulty accessing them.” He put his hands up, “But that’s okay. We’re already making progress.” I nodded my head, my throat all of a sudden feeling as dry as a desert. “Anyway, where were we?”
“Annie was mad at me because I beat up Nick?”
“Right right! So basically she was upset because during school she had thought you were charming or something and then she saw you beat up Nick so she called you two-faced or something like that and you got mad. Then you saw her with Celine—“
“Celine!” I yelled, “Now that’s a fine girl there. Why hasn’t she come to see me yet?”
“Harry…”
“What?”
“Remember… You and Celine hate each other now.” He said it simply but it felt like daggers. How could this be true? We were so strong together…
“You’re gonna have to remind me of what happened there too…” I said and began to rub my temples as I tried to release the tension building in my head.
“No problem mate. Anyway so you saw her with Celine and got pissed because you knew that Celine was affecting how Annie was talking to you. So you to speak to her again that night but she told you to leave you alone and you just left.” I nodded along to his words trying desperately to remember everything instance that he was describing, making my headache pound painfully. “The next day you saw her on the bench that you guys always go to and I don’t really remember the conversation you had but you guys made out I suppose and then you walked her back to her house. Still keeping up mate?”
“Not really but keep going.”
He nodded. “So then you’re stepdad was having dinner at his new employee’s house and made you go with him. Little did you know that you were going to Annie’s house. Anyway so you were being super freaking flirtatious and you went up to her room—“
My head shot up, “Please tell me we didn’t!” I yelled, my heart beginning to race.
He chuckled, “No mate you just made out again but then she told you that she needed to wait before anything serious happened. And you agreed willingly. You were falling incredibly hard for her at this point mate. You even talked to me about it. Anyway so she came to a movie night at Eleanor’s house and that’s when the gang met her. And we loved her from the beginning mate let me tell you. It was like we’d known her for years. Anyway so you two became INCREDIBLY good friends. Such good friends that you even went over to her house every morning to make her breakfast.”
I started rubbing my head again. This is too much information… I can’t keep up with all of this. NOTHING is sounding familiar…
“So it took a month.”
“What did?” I asked not removing my fingers from my throbbing temples.
“For her to be ready to date you.”
I looked up at that. “I waited for an entire month?”
He nodded, “She was and is incredibly grateful that you did that for her and I’m pretty sure that’s half of the reason why she fell in love with you.”
“In love?” I felt my eyes grow wide and my eyebrows rise.
“Oh Harry. Your relationship with Annie is the type of relationship that EVERYONE wishes for. You guys were best friends and were honestly the most adorable couple in the history of the world. You guys had the most unconditional love for each other.”
I felt tears prick my eyes as I tried desperately to remember the feeling. “Louis, I can’t remember any of this.” I whimpered.
“You WILL Harry! Give it time!”
“Louis, I—Don’t—Remember—Annie!” Guilt ignited in my gut when I saw him flinch. I didn’t mean to be that stern… He’s trying to help me…But this is the most frustrating feeling in the world: being told your life but not being able to recall a single memory that you were being told. “I’m sorry…” I mumbled.
“Hey, it’s okay Haz. I can only imagine how hard this must be for you. I’ll let you rest now and we can talk more about it later.” He gave me another one-armed hug before collecting his jacket and car keys and walking out of the hospital room.
As soon as I heard the door click behind him, I buried my face in my hands. I let my tears stream out of my eyes. I feel like I fell asleep and woke up a different person and I couldn’t remember who my old self was. I had a pounding headache and could only guess that my head injury was a contribution to the pain.
Why couldn’t I remember a SINGLE thing about her…Surely I’d be able to remember her wild golden curls…. Her STUNNING ocean blue eyes… and the light that radiated off of her personality… But I just don’t…. The things I’ve just said are only observations that I took note of yesterday… I don’t actually remember who she is…
Who are you Annie Richards?
Who are you?
Notes
Hey guys!!! Sorry it took me so long to update today :( I had tons of homework to make up from going to Chicago yesterday and I hadn't even started the chapter yet!
Thank you SO SO SO SO SO much to everyone that has been commenting, voting and subscribing. I don't know if you guys know this... But Half a Heart is on the TOP of the SECOND page in the popular section and I actually SCREAMED when I saw that today(: I am soooo freaking happpyyyyy!!!!
So would it maybe be possible to get it to the FIRST PAGE?!?! OMG THAT MAKES ME SO EXCITED JUST THINKING ABOUT IT!!! :D But you guys are incredible thank you so much for all that you've done for this story. I truly never thought that it would be this successful :')
***COMMENT RATE AND SUBSCRIBE***
Questions:
Will Harry remember Annie?
What will Annie do to try to get him to remember her?
Inspirational Quote: "You come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by seeing an imperfect person perfectly." <3
LOVE YOU GUYSSS
~JoseyWhite
Chapter 22 is my fav chapter!!
11/9/16