Jane could see outlines of a face. It was a foggy memory. She was opposite this young man as they were strolling the beach.
"Funny how things turn out. It is quite impossible to prepare and anticipate the torrents of life." It was the voice of a young man. His tone, despondent as if losing a loved one.
"Right, Jane?" Just as the young man asked. Jane felt a pang of pain on her head as her consciousness spiraled into the darkness.
Thump. Jane fell.
Ouch! She patted her head trying to console the pain. She quickly stood up and was even met with more pain from the head rush. Seeming to lose his balance, she dropped back to the bed. After the pain subsided, she tried to recollect what happened.
She woke up in her own body but in a different more mature and older version. She met this guy named Brian who was quite familiar and charming.
Then she remembered the last moment before she passed out and she felt a mix of embarrassment and flutter.
He must have been pretty bummed that I asked him who he was. She thought. She remembered how fast his heart was beating as she laid down on her. She remembered the warmth.
Jane stood up and paced back and forth trying to remember what other things happened last night before she arrived in the apartment but she could not reminisce an iota. Trying to be logical, she decided to find some information about who she was.
Jane was pumping herself up when suddenly her stomach grumbled. There was no point trying to think on an empty stomach so she got his purse and went out of the room. She went to the living room and found a note on the table.
"Be back this afternoon. Don't leave. I got something to tell you." It was a handwritten note from Brian. The sweet thought delighted Jane but she had to go eat something. She did not want to get something from the fridge since that would be stealing so she decided to go outside hoping to trigger a memory.
As Jane was leaving the unit and entered the elevator, she was met with a tall guy in a suit at his late twenties. "Hey, you must be Jane. I'm John." He offered to shake hands. The casual gesture terrified Jane but she could not refuse the honest smile of the amiable guy.
"Hello. Umm how do you know me?" Jane's softly asked trying to hide her fear and pretend it's a normal conversation.
Seeming to understand Jane's reluctant tone, John added, "Sorry for the creepy introduction but I'm Brian's neighbor. He thought you were gonna wake up and so asked me to look out for you and help you."
"That was awfully thoughtful of him." Jane exclaimed.
"It was a first really. But glad I could help. So, anything you need?" John asked.
"Well, do you know of a good place to eat? I'm famished." Jane shyly said.
"No worries. I know a good brunch place down two blocks. Me and my friends eat there sometime." John answered. He was just going to work at that moment and was planning to go out to brunch so for him, eating with company seemed advantageous.
They entered the elevator and rode down towards first floor. There was an awkward silence which John hated. This prompted him to think of ways to break the tension. Ultimately he asked, "How was last night?"
Jane was looking at her watch. It was 11am. Hearing John's question, Jane did not answer immediately but thinking that it was probably his attempt of small talk, she decided it would be nice to just answer honestly.
"Honestly, I cannot seem to remember a thing about last night." Jane phrased it as honestly as she could however John just laughed.
"It was that intense, huh? Brian, what a man!" John smugly commented. Jane was embarrassed and quickly defended, "I don't think something like that happened." Jane was not sure something happened. Deep down, she hoped nothing happened because he was not a fan of one-night stand but something about Brian's warm persona made her hope a little bit.
John quickly realized that did not want to pursue this awkward direction the conversation was taking. He did not want to put Jane off and make her feel creeped out. He was about to change the topic when Jane suddenly asked, "How did you know I was Jane?"
Jane's curious eyes was glued for a response. John could not help but let out a chuckle.
"It was the sexy outfit. But honestly, I took a gamble." John jokingly said. Jane laughed. "I guess you got lucky." Jane said with a smile. It was a just a natural smile but John could not help but stare. He then remembered what Brian said when he asked her about Jane.
Oh, she has this smile.
John remembered laughing at how cheesy Brian was saying that line but in hindsight, the joke was on him because that smile was now in front of him. And it deserved all the cheesiness.
John stared at Jane for a few seconds before the elevator opened on the first floor.
"So, where is this brunch place?" Jane's question snapped John back to reality. "Oh, sorry. It's this way." Walking side by side with a girl who might have had a one-night stand with his neighbor, John could not help but think of the encounter as slightly ridiculous.