Lila's pov
We finished breakfast, and Alex suggested we go out for a walk in the park. It was one of those rare days when he wasn't saving the world, and it felt strange. Normally, he'd be busy flying off to stop some disaster or helping people in need. But today, he was here, with me. I should've felt happy, but that odd feeling of something being off just wouldn't go away.
As we walked through the park, Alex held my hand. The sun was bright, the sky clear, and the park was full of people enjoying their day. He kept talking, telling me stories, and cracking jokes. I smiled and laughed when I could, but my mind was elsewhere I kept trying to remember something—anything—but it was like there was a wall in my head, blocking me from what had happened.
"You're quiet," Alex said, glancing at me. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah," I lied. "Just tired."
He squeezed my hand. "That's why today's for you. No work, no stress, just us."
I nodded, but inside, I still felt uneasy. We walked around the park for a while, stopping by a small pond where ducks swam lazily in the water. Normally, I'd enjoy this. Alex and I rarely had days like this together.
After the park, we went to a café nearby. Alex ordered us drinks—coffee for him, tea for me—and we sat outside, watching people pass by. He was doing everything right, being sweet and attentive, but I could tell he was worried too. I could see it in the way he looked at me when he thought I wasn't noticing.
"You seem… distracted," he said, carefully choosing his words. "If something's bothering you, you can tell me."
I shook my head. "It's nothing. I just feel a bit off today."
He reached across the table and took my hand. "You've been through a lot. Maybe it's just the stress catching up."
"Maybe," I said softly, not fully believing it.
The day continued, and Alex kept trying to make it special. We went to a small bookstore that I loved, and he watched as I browsed the shelves, picking up books and flipping through pages. Normally, I could spend hours in there, getting lost in the stories. But today, I couldn't focus.
My mind kept drifting back to the hole in my memory. I couldn't remember anything about our anniversary dinner. I couldn't remember fainting or him bringing me home. And that made everything feel wrong.
"You're not buying any books today?" Alex asked, surprised.
"I'm not really in the mood," I admitted, putting the last book back on the shelf.
He gave me a soft smile, trying to keep the mood light. "How about we go for ice cream? I know that always makes you feel better."
I smiled at that. Ice cream had been our thing for a while. Whenever one of us had a bad day, we'd go out and get a cone, sit on a bench, and talk. I agreed, hoping that maybe it would help me relax.
We walked to the ice cream shop and got our usual orders. I took a bite of my cone and let the cool sweetness melt in my mouth. For a moment, I felt a little better, like maybe things were normal. Alex sat beside me, talking about nothing in particular, trying to make me laugh. But even as I smiled at his jokes, I couldn't shake that nagging feeling in the back of my mind.
"Do you remember the first time we came here?" Alex asked, his eyes soft as he looked at me.
I nodded. "Yeah, we sat at that same bench over there."
He smiled, clearly happy that I remembered something. "You were so mad that day because I was late."
"I was," I said with a small laugh. "I thought you were going to ditch me."
"I'd never do that," he said, his voice sincere. "I love you, Lila. You know that, right?"
I looked at him, seeing the love in his eyes. I knew he meant it, and I loved him too. But there was something else behind his gaze—something I couldn't quite put my finger on. I wanted to believe that everything was okay, but the more I tried to push the unease away, the stronger it got.
"I love you too," I said, but the words felt heavy on my tongue. Something wasn't right, but I didn't know what.
We spent the rest of the day together, doing all the things we used to love—visiting the art gallery, having lunch at our favorite spot, and ending the evening with a quiet movie at home. Alex held me close on the couch, his arm around me as we watched the screen. It was supposed to feel perfect, but it didn't. The whole day, I had been trying to pretend like everything was fine, but I couldn't anymore.
As we sat there, the unease in my chest grew stronger. I wanted to ask Alex again, to press him about what really happened, but I was afraid. Afraid of what he might say, and even more afraid of what I might find out.
So, I stayed silent, resting my head against his chest, listening to the sound of his heartbeat. But even then, I knew. Something was missing. Something wasn't right. And no matter how hard I tried to ignore it, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was forgetting something important—something I needed to know.