Chapter Six

Madeline’s POV

Andrew exits my apartment with his hands in his pockets and a charming smile painted across his face.

He still wants to get to know me.

I subconsciously sigh into my palm.

He still cares about me.

I feel my pulse racing and my mind buzzing like never before. I’m used to my brain feeling fuzzy, but not like this. It feels like an electric sensation in my gut making me almost invincible. I hold onto that feeling for dear life and close the door to my apartment in an almost dream-like state. I turn around slowly, my knees weak and my heart soaring-

Oh right.

I face heaps of wreckage, broken picture frames, and ripped polaroids. Reaching out, I grasp the nearest artifact, smooth its wrinkles, and inspect it slowly.

Billions of stars and constellations decorate the scenery above us and luscious grass can be seen below. Andrew’s hand is wrapped around my arm, both of us pointing at the freckled sky. His gleaming green eyes stare at me lovingly whilst my own blue eyes admire the scenery in wonder. Below the picture, a caption reads, “March 1st, Our First Date” in messy handwriting.

I’m not sure how to feel about finding this. Should I be relieved to find evidence of us on such a wonderful date? Should I feel upset that I’m viewing the memory but don’t have any recollection of it? Or should I be confused as to why it’s crumpled and laying on the floor amongst broken glass?

Was I drunk when I left my apartment? What made me do this?

I stand up and lift each memory by hand, careful not to cut myself on the glass. I proceed to sweep up the shards and stash away each empty picture frame. Once I’m finished I explore the rest of my apartment. The bathroom, closet, the kitchen conjoined with the living room, and finally my bedroom.

Taking off my shoes, I feel the plush gray carpet below me and observe my navy blue bed. Bookshelves hold psychology, astronomy, and philosophy books, each carefully arranged in a color-coated order. Fairy lights hang from the walls and starry curtains sway from my window.

I spot a prussian blue hoodie sprawled across my carpet, with arms flailing out and hoodie strings tied in knots. I pick it up and hug it close to my chest before spying a plushie nearby. It’s a fluffy white teddy bear holding a bright red heart, the cliche kind people give their significant others.

To me, it looks like a tacky piece of cloth sewn to make an insignificant fabric object.

But it also seems like something Andrew worked hard for me to hold because it reminded him of me. The sweet significance of a gift and the lengths it took to reach it are so precious to me. I suppose it’s the caring symbolism and consideration that matters to me the most. And so, along with the hoodie, I grasp the fuzzy teddy bear close to my heart. These “unnecessary items” were part of my life before and still symbolize something important to me now. I feel my heart swell with bitter-sweet longing of a feeling I’ve never experienced.

I set the treasures atop my bedside table with care and scan around for more “clues” to my past. Lying on my bed, I feel a pointy object poke at my ribs beside me. I pick the phone up in wonder and click the home button to turn the device on.

A device that holds messages, conversations, posts, notes, and other vital information people rely on every day. What if I kept an electronic diary log? Maybe revealing texts or reminders? A calendar full of secrets, perhaps?

One device could tell a lot about a person…

This phone could possibly answer all my questions, I’ll finally find out who I was before the crash…

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Andrew’s POV

As soon as Madeline’s apartment door closes, I exhale with relief. The hard part of asking her out is done, now we just need to go on the date. I’ve already planned where to go and what to wear, now comes the tricky part. What to say, how to act, what I can do to make her like and trust me-

I freeze in place, stopping my next step halfway to my car.

All of these thoughts seem vaguely familiar, like a deja vu of some form…

*Flashback*

“Oh Andrew look! That one looks like the Cancer constellation even though everyone knows it’s nearly impossible to see with the naked eye. After all, you’d need some kind of telescope or-”

Madeline rambles on and on about the beautiful constellations surrounding us, little does she know, she shines brighter than any of the stars here.

We are laying on the soaking wet grass in the beginning of March, shivering at the slightest breeze, but blushing at each others’ company. Her beautiful blue eyes twinkle and light up each time she goes into depth about astronomy. I find it endearing.

Trees and bushes surround our secret spot in the park making it the perfect place for a picnic. I look around and notice our discarded picnic blanket laying next to a bench. It had been kicked to the side sometime during our stargazing break.

“-even binoculars. Did you know that Cancer is also a zodiac sign? Its symbol is the crab and it’s a water elemental. People who are born in June twenty-first through July twenty-two tend to be-”

She’s so intelligent that it’s breathtakingly beautiful. I watch as her cherry-pink lips move faster and faster, folding into a grin the more excited she gets. I love seeing her so absorbed and passionate about a topic.

I lean closer to her face, gently wrapping my hand around her wrist which is pointing to the sky. She turns around to face me before noticing how close we’ve become, her cheeks now as red as her lips.

I feel her sweet breath tickle my nose as her breath hitches. We stare into each other's eyes before leaning even closer and then-

“ACHOO!”

Madeline sneezes into my neck.

We look at each other in shock and disbelief before laughing loudly.

I notice her shiver in between heaps of laughter and I unzip my hoodie jacket. It’s a cool color of prussian blue, her favorite. Lightly, I shrug the garment off and wrap her arms and waist with its warmth.

Madeline giggles and boops my nose, “Andrewww” she whines playfully, dragging out the “w.”

“You’re so cliche, you know that?” She giggles and snuggles closer to me, tucking her head in the crook of my neck.

“Yeah, but that’s why you like me.” I murmur into the beautiful night sky, marveling at the magical view in front of me.

Her.

*End of flashback*

I smile at the memory but wince realizing that now I’m the only person in the entire universe who even knows that event happened.

I need to focus on the present Madeline, not the past. I need to learn to let go.

I parallel the two date locations, what attire and outfit I should wear and the mannerisms I must maintain. It’s as if I’m taking her on a first date all over again.

“You’re so cliche, you know that?”

“Yeah, but that’s why you like me.”

Alright then, it’s settled. I need to make this date as tooth-achingly sweet and cringingly cliche as our first…