I got ready and dressed in the next fifteen minutes before I met Celeste downstairs to have breakfast. My parents had gone back to France and I was here alone again.
The bright side was that I could easily keep the fact that I've gotten back my memories from them this way
"Are you both ready?", Victor asked walking into the kitchen where I sat at the kitchen island chewing on a piece of bacon.
"Uh yeah", Celeste answered for us both and Victor nodded before handing over a small case to me.
My eyes widened immediately as I hurriedly took it from his hands, "No way my glasses are here?".
Without wasting a beat, I quickly ran up to my room and took out my uncomfortable contacts and replaced them with the thick rimmed rectangular framed glasses.
I missed these.
Within the next few minutes after leaving the house, I was standing inside the school halls with both Victor and Celeste flanking my sides.
The whispers that raised the moment they all saw me had me second guessing this whole coming back to school thing but I had to ignore it. I've been doing that for the past two years so I can definitely make it through one more day.
Right?
Luckily I didn't have to worry about anything else when the warning bell rings and everyone in the halls begins to scurry off to class.
There had been a lot of chatter and gossip about my accident but I had expected as much. I don't think they even realized that I could hear them clearly, and that's basically how it's been going all morning from the moment I entered parking lot came up the steps and even walked straight inside. They kept whispering about me. That's if you can even call that whispering.
'I heard he still hasn't gotten back his memories.'
'He looks back to his usual nerdy self though.'
'At least Lewis is still suspended he totally deserved it for what he did to Ferd.'
'I heard from Sal who heard from Don whose mom works at the hospital that he doesn't remember anyone. His memory is completely gone!'
'Wait, how is he gonna do his schoolwork without his memories?'
That last comment was the one that amused me the most. But my whole plan to keep people at school from finding out about the gaps I had in my memory has totally gone out the window. All thanks to Sal, Don and Don's mom who works at the hospital.
I'm glad that no one's hating on me for once though. I was always Ferd the nerd to these guys. I was never liked that much by my peers but also never bullied due to my dutiful bodyguards.
Speaking of...
Victor looked at me as the halls began to empty out.
"It's okay man I'm totally fine", I say easily, "you go ahead; besides we don't have the same morning classes".
For a second he seemed to hesitate. Then with a single nod he leaves and I only then realized that Celeste had disappeared also. In under two minutes the hallways are empty and I'm the only person left standing there. I look around me then hurry down the hall and enter a staircase that definitely does not lead to my first period class.
I hurry down the stairs unnoticed. This is an exit that leads to the parking lot at the back of the school usually reserved for teachers. Just as I'm about to open the doors at the exit and make my escape I run into Nicole.
"Solace hey!", She seems startled but quickly covers it up, "you got your glasses back!"
She's wearing a tan loose dress with her regular glasses and easy smile. Her dark brown hair is up in a bun and she is holding a stack of papers in her hands.
"Hey Nicole", I smile at her and her eyes widened.
"You remember me", she blurts out with raised brows.
Okay...
My puzzled expression prompts her to respond again.
"I'm sorry", she apologized immediately after noticing my confusion, "it's just that I heard what happened to you and I'm really sorry, Lewis can be a major douche. The students here are saying that you lost your memories so I was surprised that you remembered me".
Placing my hand on her shoulder a small chuckle leaves my mouth, "Calm down Nic I haven't forgotten you. How could I? Besides I'm just trying to get passed all what happened with Lewis so…"
"Of course," she nods and I offer her a smile only now noticing the blush creeping up her cheeks, "I wanted to come and visit you but I don't know where you live and your phone wasn't working".
"That's okay", I waved it off.
"What are you doing here anyways?", She asks. "Only the Administration staff is allowed to use this staircase".
"I could ask you the same thing", I cocked an eyebrow at her and she chuckles while motioning to the stacks of papers she was holding in her hands.
"Ms. McDonald left these papers in her car and asked me to get them," she explained.
My phone pinged that minute and a text lit up the screen, I quickly read it before glancing back at Nicole and masking my panicked expression.
"I've got to go! see you around", I said hastily and reached for the doorknob.
"Solace", she called as I was a about to close the door behind me, "about that dance on Friday. I was wondering if, you know", she paused when the blaring ring tone of my phone cut her off.
I looked down at the iPhone 11 in my hand. Lewis had damaged mine when he'd pushed me so he was forced to replace it with his savings.
I glanced at the contact's name.
Crap! I'm late.
"Look Nicole I have to take this, I'll see you at lunch", closing the door behind me I walked into the teachers parking lot and answer the call.
"Where are you? Are you still coming or did the plan change?".
"Relax dude", I rolled my eyes, "I'm on my way I just ran into someone".
"Sorry sir", there was a silent pause, "I mean Solace".
"Much better", I laughed as I snuck around the empty parking lot and walked towards a blue Camaro at the end.
Definitely not belonging to a teacher.
"Relax I see the car", I hang up as I approached the car and knock on the window.
The door opens immediately and I jump into the front passenger seat. He doesn't wait for me to say anything else before we are on our way heading off the campus.
"Are you sure no one knows you left", he checks the rearview mirror and I sigh as I relax into my seat.
Sneaking out of school was a lot more nerve wracking than I thought it would be. I just hope I don't get caught, but with my luck, I'm as good as dead. Nevertheless I can't go back now I just hope Victor doesn't try to look for me before lunch or else I'm screwed.
"Calm down Jason we are in the clear", I scold as I close my eyes and lean further into my seat. When truthfully I'm just as panicked as he is.
"Look Julian I really am sorry about what happened", Jason has his eyes on the road but his expression is serious, "it was my job to keep you safe. I'm your bodyguard for peace's sake. Your dad was right to fire me. I deserved it because I failed you".
Peaking open an eye I gaze at him from where I'm currently nestled without moving much, "Are you done?", I ask casually.
He glances at me and looks back on the road without saying anything else. I close my eyes again and rest my head against the window as we drive.
"It wasn't your fault Jason. Lewis is the only one to be blamed because he is a major tool. You couldn't have predicted that he would've pushed me. And I wouldn't have let my dad fire you if that accident hadn't messed with my memories. The second I recovered I rehired you didn't I? At least that should indicate that I don't blame you for what happened. Besides if you hadn't acted immediately and got me to the hospital the situation could've been worse".
Neither of us says anything after that, we drive in silence for the next fifteen minutes until we pull up outside our destination.
The hotel valet takes Jason's keys as we head into the lobby. The person we're meeting already informed the front desk to send us right up so Jason and I head to the elevator and to the upper floor as instructed.
Less than a minute later we are standing outside room 135 and Jason nods at me before doing the honor of knocking.
Almost immediately the door opens revealing the beautiful woman I was supposed to meet up with on the day that I had my accident.
Her dark brown hair is up in a bun and she is dressed casually in jeans and a back camisole.
"Julian", Hydel smiles at me before enveloping me in a hug, "it's nice to see you're doing better. I wanted to visit you at the hospital but I doubt your dad would've liked that very much".
I can't help but to laugh happy to see her after all this time. And simultaneously imagining Hydel and my dad running into one another.
"It's nice to see you too Hydel", I chose to say instead and she glances at Jason over my shoulder before a knowing look crosses over her face,
"Oh, you must be the new bodyguard. My replacement".