Me i don’t know

Hiding behind a building, I could feel blood trickling down from a cut on my head, my hair tied back in a messy ponytail. My heart raced when I spotted a familiar figure in the distance—him. It was the same man I’d seen earlier. “Shawn!” I called out, my voice barely escaping my throat. But he didn’t hear me. My eyes shifted to another man nearby, his gaze locked on Shawn, his gun raised and aimed.

Panic surged through me. I had to warn him, to save him. I broke into a run, darting out into the road. Then—impact. A car hit me with such force that I was thrown against a wall, my head slamming hard. Sound faded into a muffled haze. Dizzy and hurting, I struggled to stand but kept pushing forward, staggering toward Shawn.

He had seen me by then and was running in my direction, his face twisted with fear. Just as he got close, a gunshot cracked through the air. Pain tore through me, and I collapsed. Shawn caught me, holding me close as I faded in and out, his face blurred with tears. Strangely, I couldn’t remember why he mattered, who he was… or even who I was.

When I finally woke up, I was drenched in sweat, my body shaking uncontrollably. Shawn was sitting beside me, holding my hand with a look of deep concern. Despite everything, I couldn’t help but notice how striking he looked, even when worried.

“What happened?” he asked, his voice gentle but anxious. “Are you okay? Is your head still hurting?”

“I… I’m fine,” I managed to say, though I wasn’t sure I believed it. Then something strange slipped out: “Are you… Shawn?”

His eyes widened. “You remember my name?”

“No,” I admitted. “I just… had this flash, a memory, maybe. I called you Shawn in it.”

A flicker of hope crossed his face. “That’s good. It means you’re starting to remember.” He squeezed my hand. “I should get the doctor.”

Before he could leave, I gripped his hand tighter. “No, don’t go. Let’s talk. I need answers. I don’t remember anything… not even my own name.” I searched his face, desperate for something certain, something real. “Can you tell me? What is my name?”

A shadow passed over him, and he looked down. “I… I don’t know.”

The words hit me like another blow. “You don’t know my name? How… why?”

He took my face in his hands, his eyes filled with unspoken sorrow. “I know you have a thousand questions, and I’ll give you answers as best I can. But right now, please… focus on recovering. Trying to remember too much could make things worse.”

He gave my hand a final squeeze and stood up, lingering at the door. Just before leaving, he turned back, his expression etched with sadness and frustration. I watched him go, every part of me wanting to believe him. No, I thought, every part of me already does.

After a week in the hospital, I was finally being discharged. Shawn was now seen as my only family and guardian, and I couldn’t help but feel excited to leave this place at last. I’d been diagnosed with post-traumatic amnesia, caused by a head injury and severe emotional shock. I didn’t remember how it happened exactly, though from the flashes of memory I’d had, I could only guess it was connected to something terrible.

Lost in my thoughts, I suddenly felt a pair of familiar eyes on me. “Shawn?” I murmured, surprised. “When did you get here?” I hadn’t noticed the door open or close.

He smiled. “What were you thinking about that you didn’t even notice me walk in?”

“Oh, um…nothing,” I stammered, caught off guard.

He chuckled, his laughter soft and reassuring. “Don’t worry. I’m here to take you home. My home is your home now, and I want you to feel comfortable there. I’ll fill you in on everything that’s been going on. But please, don’t try to force yourself to remember anything; it could make things worse. Just let me know if anything comes back to you naturally,” he said, his words coming quickly, almost as if he’d practiced them.

I nodded. Then, after a pause, he looked at me seriously. “Can I ask you a question? And a favor?”

“Yes,” I said, curious.

“Can you trust me?” His question took me by surprise, and I blinked, momentarily unsure. But then I nodded.

“And for the favor,” he continued, “you might hear things, or meet people who will tell you things…probably about me. I just need you to trust me, no matter what.” He looked at me deeply, his eyes filled with hope and maybe a little vulnerability. I nodded again, knowing that right now, trust was all I had.

He patted my head lightly, smiling that familiar smile of his that always seemed to reach something inside me. I got lost for a moment, just staring at him, when he whispered, “Let’s go. And for the record, I was staring because you looked stunning and beautiful.”

My cheeks flushed with surprise and warmth. The entire drive home was quiet, each of us wrapped in our own thoughts, yet comforted by each other’s presence.