As we approached the group of people eagerly calling my name, a sense of unease washed over me, causing my stomach to tighten. The crowd seemed to blur together, and I strained to find a familiar face or any hint of recognition. My heart pounded in my chest, and a wave of anxiety threatened to engulf me entirely.
“Hey, Amelia! Join us for lunch!” one of them exclaimed, motioning towards an empty seat with an inviting smile.
I mustered a feeble smile in return, attempting to conceal my confusion as I joined the group. Deep down, however, a gnawing feeling persisted, whispering that something was amiss. The conversations swirled around me, melding into a chaotic symphony of voices, making it increasingly difficult to focus. I yearned to regain my bearings, to make sense of this bewildering situation.
Laila, perceptive as ever, took notice of my discomfort and slid down beside me, nudging me gently. “Are you okay, Amelia? You seem a little off today,” she whispered, her voice filled with genuine concern.
I hesitated, grappling with the daunting task of explaining my confusion without sounding like a madwoman. “I… I’m not entirely sure. Everything feels… foreign, somehow,” I confessed, the words tumbling out hesitantly.
Her eyes softened with empathy, conveying a deep understanding. “Well, you did have a long break, and things might have changed around here. But don’t worry, you’ll catch up soon. Just take it one step at a time,” she reassured me, her voice soothing amidst the chaos.
Grateful for her understanding, I nodded, silently vowing to follow her advice. As I observed the people surrounding me, I strained to glean any subtle clues or fragments of memory that could assist me in piecing together my fragmented past. Faces and names merged into a blurry haze, leaving me increasingly frustrated and disoriented. Yet, amidst the sea of unfamiliarity, one person managed to capture my attention, stirring a flicker of recognition within me.
Interrupting the lively atmosphere, Laila stood up, her voice commanding attention. “Okay, guys, I have something important to share with all of you,” she announced, her words slicing through the background chatter.
A mischievous, yet endearing, guy with an irreverent smile quipped, “What did you overhear this time, Laila? Gossiping again, are we?” His lighthearted tone betrayed the sense that he didn’t quite expect anything substantial from Laila.
Rolling her eyes playfully, Laila retorted, “Don’t interrupt me, Mike. What I’m about to say is truly significant.” Their banter unfolded for a few minutes, drawing the attention of everyone present, including myself.
Whispering to the guy sitting next to me, I couldn’t help but inquire, “Do they always fight like this? Or is it just today?”
He chuckled, breaking the silence a bit too loudly, causing heads to turn in our direction. “Why are you acting like you’ve lost your memory, Amelia? This is their usual banter. Mike and Laila are always at each other’s throats,” he revealed, his tone tinged with amusement.
I let out a nervous laugh, cursing silently at the guy next to me, while stealing glances at the others, concerned about their perception of me.
Laila’s next words hit me like a thunderbolt, sending shockwaves through my mind. “This is what I wanted to tell you all. I overheard the boss talking on the phone, and he mentioned that Amelia has lost her memory,” she declared, her voice carrying a heavy weight that seemed to reverberate through the air. The room fell into a stunned silence, and I could feel the collective gasps and exchanged glances as the weight of the revelation settled upon everyone present.
“Heh… hi,” I stammered, my hand timidly rising in a hesitant wave, unsure of how to navigate this new territory.
The group responded with a mixture of relief and apprehension, each person raising their hand in a wave back, their gazes fixed on me, their expressions a blend of curiosity and concern.
Now, it was their turn to feel nervous, their uncertainty mirroring my own.
Questions flooded the space, overlapping one another as the group sought to make sense of the situation.
“How did this happen?”
“Could it be related to your accident?”
“How are you feeling?”
“Wait, are you dating the boss?”
The barrage of inquiries bombarded my senses, leaving me momentarily overwhelmed. While I could answer their questions one by one, there was something amiss about the last one. The assumption that there was a romantic relationship between myself and Liam, our boss, sparked a flicker of confusion within me. I was certain I didn’t have a boyfriend-or at least, not that I could recall.
Taking a deep breath, I mustered the courage to address their inquiries, my voice quivering slightly with a mix of uncertainty and determination. “I… I’m not sure how it happened. The accident, yes, it might be connected, but I don’t have clear memories of that either. As for how I’m feeling… it’s a whirlwind of emotions right now, to be honest.”
Pausing for a moment, I let my gaze sweep across the concerned faces before me, attempting to find solace in their supportive presence. “And as for Liam… I honestly don’t remember anything that would suggest we’re dating. But maybe that’s a part of my memory that hasn’t resurfaced yet.”
The group’s expressions softened, their concern deepening as they absorbed my words. Laila, ever the anchor in tumultuous times, leaned in closer, her voice filled with compassion. “Amelia, it’s okay. We’re here for you, no matter what. We’ll help you piece things together and make sense of it all.”
Her words washed over me like a soothing balm, providing a glimmer of hope amidst the confusion. Tears welled up in my eyes as gratitude swelled within me, grateful to have a support system in these bewildering circumstances.
As the lunch break continued, the group shifted gears, guiding me through conversations that would trigger memories, sharing stories of our past adventures and inside jokes, all with the intention of helping me reconnect with the person I used to be.
“Okay, there is no way I did all that.” I let out a small chuckle before turning to see their serious faces.
“Did I?” I shuddered as they all slightly nodded.
“Not to worry, girl. It wasn’t your fault because Claudia is difficult,” Laila tells me with a light pat on my back.
I couldn’t help but agree with her words. There was something off about this Claudia girl, and the attitude she showed me earlier only proved her to be who Laila said she was.
“But I don’t really think I will ever hit anyone,” I express my dissatisfaction with violence.
“Well, let me take you down memory lane,” Laila said while gazing at the sky. I looked up to see what she was looking at, along with everyone else.
“It all started on a beautiful morning when Claudia decided to ruin it. We were all so happy to have you back in the office,” Laila started as I tried to visualize her story.
Months ago…
“Amelia!” She breathed out in front of her, trying to catch her breath.
“What’s wrong?” Amelia questioned her.
“Are… you… okay?” Laila stutters, still trying to catch her breath.
“I’m good. Why don’t you drink some water here?” She hands her a bottle of water.
Laila grabs it from her and gulps it down as if her life depended on it.
“Thanks, dear. You are a lifesaver,” Laila thanked her, feeling much better. Amelia nodded.
“So why did you run so much?” She asked, making Laila remember why she was running.
“I was looking for you,” she stated, making Amelia raise her eyebrows in confusion.
“Why were you looking for me?” Amelia calmly asked.
“Well, I saw you and Claudia leaving the office,” Laila declared. Amelia nodded, agreeing with what she saw.
“So?” Amelia urged her to go on.
“Well, everyone knows Claudia can’t be trusted. Did she do anything to you?” Laila suspiciously asked.
Claudia’s words replayed in Amelia’s head, making her frown a little. Laila noticed her change in mood.
“I’m going to teach that woman a lesson. Where is she?” Laila yelled, searching for Claudia.
She saw Claudia entering the office and shouted her name, making Claudia stop in her tracks. Laila ran to Claudia and gave her a round kick, making Amelia and the rest of the staff members gasp.
“What was that for, you…!” Claudia snapped at Laila from the ground.
“What the hell did you do to Amelia, huh?” Laila barked at her before dragging her hair, causing Claudia to yelp in pain.
Amelia saw the situation and immediately rushed towards them. She stretched her hand out to help Claudia up, but Claudia pushed her hand away and stood up by herself.
“I don’t need your help!” Claudia snapped at Amelia.
“I don’t know why you’re helping this woman, Amelia,” Laila declared, glaring at Claudia, whose gaze was already on her.
“Did you think I would let you go scot-free for what you just did to me?” Claudia scoffed before slapping Laila hard. Amelia covered her mouth in shock.
Laila held her face, looked at Claudia with a murderous look, and punched her in the gut.
“Stop it, guys!” Amelia yelled at them, but they ignored her as they continued to drag each other’s hair.
Mike ran to stop them from fighting but was pushed to the ground in the process. Amelia helped him up, wondering what to do.
“What should we do?” Amelia asked Mike, who was rubbing his butt in pain.
“What do you mean ‘we’? You saw when I tried to stop them, but they pushed me away,” Mike pointed out.
“We can’t just leave them to kill each other!” Amelia exclaimed.
“They were meant to kill each other,” Mike jokingly uttered.
“This isn’t the time for jokes, Mike!” Amelia snapped at him before going to intervene.
“Let go of me! This is all your fault!” Claudia yelled at Amelia like a madwoman before slapping her cheek hard.
Everyone’s attention was fully on them as Mike gasped at Claudia slapping Amelia. Amelia slowly looked up to meet Claudia’s glare as she breathed heavily.
“Die, bitch!” Amelia yelled before throwing a punch at Claudia’s face.
Back to the present…
“Now that I’m actually hearing the story from the beginning, Claudia isn’t the one at fault, but Laila,” Mike said, and I couldn’t agree more.
I mean, she did charge at Claudia first. I’m just happy I didn’t let her treat me anyhow. I mean, Amelia… I don’t even know.
“Oh, please, I only wanted to defend Amelia,” Laila justified her actions.
“And where did it lead? Her being fired,” Mike scoffed.
“You!” Laila wanted to attack Mike, but she was held back by a girl before she could.
“Calm down, Laila. It’s all in the past, okay?” the girl uttered.
“Yeah, Nina is right,” I unconsciously agreed, knowing the girl’s name for some reason.
“Wait, did you just say my name?” she asked, realizing that she was indeed called Nina.
Everyone turned their gaze to me, waiting patiently for an answer.
“I… I…” I stuttered, not knowing what to say as their gaze remained glued to me, which made me uncomfortable.