2 CHAPTER 2: Memories

6 YEARS AGO

It is a nice cool October night, the sheets underneath me are soft and silky the way my grandma loves her sheets. On the left side of the bed is Briana, in the middle is my grandma, and I was on the right. Grandma is telling us some stories from her past about how she met grandpa and Briana´s grandparents and their friend group. Grandma's stories are always the best. She goes into so much detail, from the smell of the rooms to the feeling of hugs or the way the food tasted it makes it feel like you are there in the story. I could spend hours and hours listening to her stories. They were some of my favorite days, but I couldn't help but feel that her stories had too much detail to be fake. She always had a nostalgic feel whenever she talked about them, the feeling of longing and loss, something I could never understand when I was younger.

PRESENT DAY

I got up out of my bed having to get ready for the day, as I opened my closet doors as I shuffled through all of the clothes I had hung up, I saw it. An old photo book sitting at the top of the closet, I stood up on my tiptoes trying to reach the book, my fingertips just barely grazing it.

I sighed and grabbed my chair that sat in front of my desk, I stood on the chair able to finally reach the book I smirked victoriously when I held the book in my hands. I put the chair back and sat down on my bed book in my lap as I turned to the first page. Inside the book held picture of my grandma and Briana´s grandma with a couple of other people, one other woman and two men. The woman had brilliant blue eyes that sparkled like diamonds even through the picture you could practically feel her warm smile and happy gaze. She also had dark auburn hair that looked like flames dancing in the wind.

The man beside her had piercing forest green eyes and messy black hair that seemed to stick up everywhere, His smile was a very happy one. You could tell they were all having a good time, which reminded me of those men I had seen at Oliver's funeral.

And lastly there was Oliver's grandfather. Oliver was almost a spitting image of his grandfather, the same sandy blonde hair that couldn´t be tamed with a brush and dazzling silver eyes. Looking at the photo made me miss Oliver terribly. He was an amazing friend, his smile and laughter could light up any room and his kindness could never be forgotten.

I flipped through the pages before deciding it was time to get up, I placed the book in my bedside table before going back over to my closet trying to decide what to wear today. I bit my lip in concentration and pulled out a soft baggy light brown sweater and a pair of my leather pants. I pulled on my clothes, tucking a little bit of the front of my sweater into my pants and pulling on a

belt. I pulled on some black ankle socks and black doc martens before doing my hair and making and heading downstairs to go out for the day.

When I get downstairs I see Briana sitting on the kitchen counter wearing a white shirt tucked into skinny jeans with a black belt and baggy flannel shirt, with some white shoes to match.

¨Good morning.¨ I told her, opening the fridge to see nothing in it, I remembered I had to go grocery shopping.

¨Morning and you have to go grocery shopping.¨ She replied, smiling at me and handing me my keys.

¨We, we have to go grocery shopping." I said smiling as she groaned and hopped off the counter.

Once we had finished grocery shopping we headed home, when we pulled into the driveway we noticed two men at the front door about to knock. James and Austin, why were they at our door? I wondered. Briana and I got out of the car and got the groceries out of the back before walking up to the front door where they were.

¨Uhh, hello?¨ I asked rather than said, still confused on how they knew where we lived.

¨Oh hey.¨ James said as he spun around to look at us, I just smiled and stepped in front of them unlocking the door and inviting them in.

Once we were all inside I shut the door behind us Briana and I headed to the kitchen with the boys following us.

¨So what are you doing here?¨ Briana asked them confused as to why they were here.

¨We just came to visit, James thought Elizabeth was pretty.¨ Austin said, glancing my way before smiling at Briana.

¨Just call me Lizzy or Liz.¨ I told them a red tint slightly dusting my cheeks as James glared at his brother lightly punching his arm.

I started to put the groceries away while Briana poured herself a glass of milk and sat on the counter. I quickly finished putting the groceries away, turning back to the brothers. They were looking around as if looking for something.

Next thing I know I heard a crash, I look over to see Briana´s glass on the floor and Austin

catching her as she falls, I look back at James and suddenly see black.

DREAM

I open my eyes to see my grandma's old bedroom. I sit up looking around confused as to how I got here. I look over to see my grandma sitting beside me.

¨Grandma?¨ I asked her, reaching out to touch her to see if she was real.

¨Hi bumblebee.¨ She replied, stroking my hair like she always used to do when I was a child.

¨Is this real?¨ I whispered out to her, scared to close my eyes in case she disappeared.

¨Yes bumblebee, this is very real.¨ She assured me by touching my cheek as I leaned in to hug her.

We sat there talking for a bit, Grandma telling me all about the challenges I was going to face and what I had to overcome. She grabbed something from around her neck moving to clip it around my neck. I looked down to see what it was, It was my Grandma's necklace. It was a tiny key that had the initials, M.F.B.

¨I´m so sorry, bumblebee.¨ She faltered, kissing the top of my head, before I had time to question her everything turned white and my eyes shot open.