CHAPTER 4: PUZZLE OF MEMORIES
PART 1
As if the noise in the room had been sucked away and everyone had vanished, the two young people stared at each other without breaking eye contact for even a millimeter. The moment was frozen in time and space.
“You... my necklace… How did you manage to complete it?” Diana stammered, her eyes fixed on the chain hanging from her companion’s hand.
“How is it possible that you don’t remember me? I know we were just kids back then, but…”
“Andrew... I...” she tried to explain as she limped toward him.
Though Andrew was only a few inches away, Diana’s shock caused her to stumble. Seeing her fall, Andrew rushed to catch her, resulting in Diana’s entire body ending up on top of him.
They were still soaked and sticky from the water, able to feel each other’s rapid heartbeat and labored breathing.
“This isn’t the time for explanations; the others are waiting for us,” Andrew said, kneeling on the ground and slipping his arms behind her back, indicating she should climb onto his back.
Hesitant, Diana agreed to be carried piggyback by the young man. In an awkward silence, the two made their way to the entrance, where their worried friends were waiting.
“How are you?” Emily asked as soon as she saw them arrive.
“It’s nothing, just a small bump,” Diana replied from her spot on Andrew’s back. “Andrew, you can put me down now.”
“It’s better if I carry you until we reach the car,” he insisted, not letting her go as he began to walk.
Mike, observing everything from a distance, noticed the strange behavior of his companions, particularly how Diana blushed and tried to hide her face behind Andrew’s back.
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The day had been exhausting, and night was falling. Andrew knew he was soaked from head to toe, and that if he lay down on his Italian leather sofa, he’d end up having to call the dry cleaner to pick it up. But he was utterly drained. The only thing he craved more than a good shower was to lie down and relax his body. Without a second thought, he flopped onto the large gray sofa, gazing at the magnificent view of the city.
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As he shifted slightly, he pulled Diana's necklace from his pocket, still attached to his earring, and gazed at it tenderly.
“I should take a shower,” he muttered, realizing he smelled like dampness, before tucking the pendant back into his pocket.
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Mike arrived home to find, as usual, all the lights in the apartment were off. Who knew where his father was at that moment, but all Mike wanted was to get rid of the heavy makeup he had on and the uncomfortable clothes he was wearing.
With background music playing and a tutorial video on, Mike was going through a routine he never thought he’d be doing. As he carefully removed the makeup from his face, his thoughts kept drifting back to everything that had happened at the park. He was gradually growing closer to Diana, reflecting on Andrew’s rescue and the strange behavior between his best friend and the girl he liked afterward. However, those thoughts began to fade, replaced by a more pressing concern—wondering if Diana was okay.
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"I'm home!" Diana called out as she entered the house.
"Sis!" Zedd shouted excitedly, running toward her, but his excitement quickly turned to concern when he saw the state she was in. "What happened to you?"
"Just a silly accident."
"A silly accident?" he echoed, his worry deepening as he pointed to her bandaged ankle and noticed how soaked she was. "Mom! Mom!"
From the end of the hallway came the sound of hurried footsteps—Diana and Zedd’s mother. She was a woman whose past beauty was still evident despite the premature aging brought on by life's hardships. Even with the wrinkles that marked her face, she remained a striking figure.
Wearing a white apron with red polka dots, she placed one hand on her hip and pointed a spatula at Diana.
"What happened to your ankle?"
"I hurt it when I was on the roller coaster," Diana replied before starting to cough.
"But you're soaking wet, sweetheart," Dalia said with concern, stepping closer to place a hand on Diana's forehead.
"It's a long story," Diana said, covering her mouth as she coughed again.
"You're burning up. Go take a nice, hot shower before you catch a cold," her mother instructed, guiding her daughter into the house while Zedd grabbed her shoes to hang them outside to dry.
Steam filled the bathroom, fogging up the mirrors. The sound of water droplets hitting the floor was the only noise that filled the room. The ebony-skinned young woman stood under the hot stream, letting the water run over her body as memories of Andrew flooded her mind. A thousand questions surged within her, questions she longed to ask him about their past together. But the more she thought of Andrew, a sudden, sharp pain pierced through her head. The pain was so intense that it forced her to clutch her skull, curling up in agony on the shower floor as the water continued to pour down. Now, only the sound of droplets hitting the floor and Diana's muffled whimpers of pain filled the room as she bit down on her fist to silence her cries.
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