Chapter 8: Amnesia
Sophie’s POV
I groan as I slowly gain consciousness. I feel nauseous and disoriented, my head throbbing.
“I think I’m going to throw up,” I utter suddenly, clutching my stomach.
“Well if you do, please don’t hurl here,” I recognise my sister’s sleepy voice.
“I’m thirsty.” I state, looking at her.
“Not my problem.”
I look around nervously, searching for a glass of water. I notice the surroundings aren’t familiar. At all.
“Anne?” I shake her shoulder.
“What do you want?” She mutters, digging her face into her pillow.
“Where are we?” I ask, eyes wide.
“In their god damn tour bus.”
“Who’s ‘their’?”
“Your five ‘saviours’,” My twin answers sourly. I can hear the disgust in her voice, and I can’t help questioning myself. Why would she dislike them if they’re my saviours?
“From what did they save me?”
“Or father apparently.”
“But Dad would never hurt me,” I frown. This doesn’t make sense.
“Sophie, are you okay?” It’s her turn to frown as she sits up in the bed. She stares at me.
“I think I’m fine... Apart from the fact I that I feel like throwing up,” I tell her, massaging my stomach softly.
“What happened to you yesterday?”
I pull a face. Thinking of yesterday gives me a headache. “I have no idea...I suppose I’m hangover,” I state, rubbing my temples.
“From what? Drinking? Drugs?” her tone wavers at the last word.
I shrug, having absolutely no idea.
“Oh no. He didn’t do what I think he did, did he?” she gasps.
“What are you talking about?”
She grabs my hands. “Sophie do you know who One Direction is?”
I feel goose bumps rising on my skin at their mention. My head throbs for a second as I try placing the name with faces. Something was nagging me at the back of my head. I somehow knew they we’re bad people, but I had no idea why.
“I think I have a faint idea... But I’m pretty sure they’re not the kind of people you want to hang out with.” That doesn’t make sense either? Since when would I assume something about people, without even knowing them?
“Something’s wrong,” She says, almost to herself. I nod.
“Yeah I agree,” I say, pursing my lips. “Why would I suppose they’re bad people without knowing them?” I continue, speaking my thoughts.
“I would’ve never thought they’d actually work...”
“What worked? What are you not telling me Anne?” I urge.
“Maybe you’ll remember who they are when you see them,” The blonde decides, slowly getting out of bed. She knows something I don’t, that’s for sure.
I suddenly recall information about One Direction.
“Are their names Harry, Niall, Louis, Liam and Zayn?” I probe, uncertain.
“Yeah!” Her face lights up. “You remember?!”
“I only have their names... No faces or idea of how they act... Yet I know they’re bad people.”
She huffs. “Come on. I’ll show you who they are.” She tugs me out of the bed, walking carefully to the door. She turns the handle and opens it a smidgen, peeking in the crack. She pulls back. “Look.”
I crouch and gaze through the gap. Five people were sat randomly around the room. None of their faces rang any bells, mostly because I couldn’t see them clearly. “That’s them?” I whisper, pulling away.
She nods rapidly.
“I’m sorry I don’t know who they are.”
“Oh that’s just great,” She groans, sitting on the bed as she takes her head in her hands. “They’re going to think I had something to do with your loss of memory. Harry’s going to kill me.”
I shudder. “Kill you?”
“Okay maybe not kill, but abuse. These lads are like that; you do something they don’t like, they punish you.”
I frown. What kind of person does that?!
“They don’t sound like a very sweet group of boys.”
“I believe so too, but you used to disagree.”
“Why?”
“Well―”
“Look who’s up!”
I jump as a curly-haired boy enters the room smiling. His name pops magically into my head. Harry? Yeah that’s Harry. He opens his arms and I take a step closer to Anne.
“Why is he opening his arms?” I murmur to her, fear creeping up.
“I think you two we’re like... umm... together,” She tells me awkwardly, looking between Harry and me worriedly. Together? I was dating a member of One Direction, a group of boys that punish a girl if she doesn’t obey? No. That doesn’t sound like me.
“How are ya love? I missed you so much,” He goes on, taking a step closer.
I back away.
“Please don’t come any closer... I don’t exactly know you,” I stutter, scared.
“Soph? It’s me.” He repeats, searching in my eyes for something I couldn’t give him. “Sophie stop messing around...”
“I’m not... I only know your name...” I say again nervously. “No, no, no! Please don’t come any closer or I’ll scream.”
His face changes from confused to hurt to angry in a fraction of a second. He glares beside me. “Anne?! What did you do?!”
“Harry calm down. I didn’t do anything,” My blonde twin stammers.
“The fuck you didn’t?!” Harry explodes. “She practically has amnesia!”
Out of the blue, I recall my father acting like a total stranger last night. A complete asshole more precisely. My blood runs cold. He has something to do with this I’m sure.
Harry advances angrily towards my shaking sister. “Anne I swear―”
I hastily stand in front of my sister protectively. “Don’t blame her for what my father did to me.” I state firmly, my heated gaze locking with his.
Pain flashes in his eyes, and he takes a step back, taking a deep breath.
“Your father?” The green-eyed boy questions softly.
I nod. “He did something to me. I know he did.” But I can’t remember what.
“I’m going to go kill him,” he declares calmly.
I have to rerun the phrase twice in my head. On the contrary, Anne reacts faster than me, clutching his arm as he turns to leave.
“No!” She tugs on his arms pointlessly. The older boy drags her effortlessly out of the room, his eyes veiled with red. “You can’t do that! He’s all I have!” She continues.
“Let. Go. Of. Me.” Harry says, separating his words carefully. Anne let’s go.
“Harry please.”
I follow them quietly as they get out the room, listening to their conversation. I stop in the small hallway, watching them as they argued.
“Her state isn’t permanent,” I hear my sister say. “She’s remembering stuff quickly. The drugs my father gave her might’ve worked completely if he had given her regular dosage, but he didn’t.”
“He would’ve if we hadn’t saved her!”
“You can’t be sure!”
“Sophie?”
A hand softly brushes mine, making me whirl around quickly. My eyes meet blue eyes I immediately recognise. Niall.
“Sophie I’m sorry for over-reacting last time,” He mumbles, taking me by surprise as he hugs me tightly. “I wasn’t taking my meds and I just lost it you know? And I know you didn’t actually want to hurt me. And that you thought you we’re doing me good... But you really weren’t. Sophie please I need another chance. I need you. Give me a second chance, just like you gave Harry. Please?” The blonde rambles, nuzzling into my neck as his hold around my waist tightens. “Please Sophie I love you.”
I stay frozen, unable to do anything. Whoa. What is he talking about? Why is he squeezing the life out of me?
“Please.... Let go,” I stammer. He obliges almost immediately. I step away from him, eyeing him up and down. “Niall? I’m sorry but I don’t rem―”
“Sophie.”
I turn around as I hear my name again, only to come face to face with a dark boy. Zayn. I’m certain I’ve seen those ochre eyes sometime in my sleep.
“Sophie!” Another voice speaks, as familiar but unknown as the others. Louis.
“Sophie!” Liam.
I’m going crazy.
“Stop!” I holler, holding my head. “All of you! Stop saying my name!” I shout, panting as I look at them madly. “You’re driving me nuts! I don’t even fucking know you guys!” I state, breathing rapidly. “I don’t remember anything except your names!”
They all look at each other, confused.
“Remember? As in you lost your memory?” Liam frowns.
“Lost? It’s not like it fucking went hiding and I couldn’t find it. I was drugged.” I snap.
“Her dad is the one that drugged her,” Harry supplies, voice dark.
“May I ask why she doesn’t get a warning for swearing?” Anne grunts breaking the silence, crossing her arms over her chest as she took a seat on the sofa.
“Because.”
“Like that fucking answered the question,” She retorts.
“Anne,” Zayn warns. “Don’t test your luck.”
“Because I’ll gladly take care of that dirty mouth of yours,” Louis winks at my sister. She shoots him a nauseous look, but doesn’t add anything.
“Sophie... What do you remember exactly?” Niall asks, touching my arm gently. I recoil.
“Your names. So please, don’t touch me. I don’t trust any of you right now, apart from my sister, and she doesn’t seem too fond of you so I don’t know why I should: you don’t seem like the type of people others like to hang out with.”
“Honey, we’re in a boy band. A worldwide famous boy band. People would pay to hang out with us,” Louis chuckles.
“Anne, would you happen to know how to reverse the drug’s effects?” Zayn demands.
“And what if I did? She’s way more fun like that... not crying about how she wants to be with you and all. She’s actually listening to my advice for once.”
“Well here’s my advice: you’re going to listen to us, or Liam will teach you one or two things about defiance.”
I watch her stiffen almost immediately.
“Take her down memory lane. Maybe some strong memories or feelings can bring her memory back to normal.”
“Padgett,” Harry and I whisper at the same time. Our eyes meet, and a weird feeling grows inside my chest.
“I kept him after you left... I’ll go get him,” Harry continues, rapidly.
“Will someone care to tell me what a stuffed turtle has to do with this?” Louis frowns.
“I don’t know... But he’s the answer that’s certain,” I tell him.
The bus stops and we all turn to look outside. What the―
“Shit we’ve arrived at the hotel,” Liam curses, standing up brusquely. “Girls, go to your room. The managers will come in any second now to check if we’re all awake. They can’t see you.”
“Now!” Louis presses.
Anne and I look at each other, unmoving.
“Stubborn pair,” Niall huffs, grabbing us. His jumper sleeve slides, and I only just see scars similar to mine climbing up his wrist. I realize I could clearly picture us in his room a couple months ago. I was pleading him to stop.
“Niall your wrists,” I state, shocked. “That was my fault.” I recall.
“Not right now Soph,” He shakes his head, urging Anne and I back into the room we we’re in just a few minutes ago.
“How did I do that to him?” I ask myself, thoughts running wild in my head. He self-harmed because of me... But why? What did I do?
“Hey Soph... Do you, by any chance, know that cat? It’s been staying in the room,” Anne says, pulling me out of my dilemma. I look at where her finger was pointing, to see a ginger cat.
“Fate!” I squeal, the name coming out of my lips without hesitation. I take her in my arms. “God you’ve grown fur ball,” I coo, scratching her back. I kiss her head.
“So you know the cat?”
“Yeah. They gave it to me.” I shrug, a vivid picture of Harry handing me the kitten popping in my mind. “I had six ducklings too... I don’t know where they’re gone though,” I frown, thinking particularly of my little Karma.
“Wow. Your memory really is returning fast.”
“Girls we’re getting off the bus,” Zayn informs, opening the door. “Something about the bus not being ‛fan-proof’. So Anne you’re rooming with Louis and Sophie you’ll be with Harry. You’ll be wearing these until we get inside the hotel and out of the pap’s view,” The dark-haired boy explains, handing us two hoodies.
“No please I don’t want to be with Louis,” Anne stammers.
“Then who? Niall? Liam? Me?”
“You.”
Zayn looks at my sister longly before nodding. “Fine. Now put the jumpers on and make sure we don’t see your face properly when we leave.”
I groan as I slowly gain consciousness. I feel nauseous and disoriented, my head throbbing.
“I think I’m going to throw up,” I utter suddenly, clutching my stomach.
“Well if you do, please don’t hurl here,” I recognise my sister’s sleepy voice.
“I’m thirsty.” I state, looking at her.
“Not my problem.”
I look around nervously, searching for a glass of water. I notice the surroundings aren’t familiar. At all.
“Anne?” I shake her shoulder.
“What do you want?” She mutters, digging her face into her pillow.
“Where are we?” I ask, eyes wide.
“In their god damn tour bus.”
“Who’s ‘their’?”
“Your five ‘saviours’,” My twin answers sourly. I can hear the disgust in her voice, and I can’t help questioning myself. Why would she dislike them if they’re my saviours?
“From what did they save me?”
“Or father apparently.”
“But Dad would never hurt me,” I frown. This doesn’t make sense.
“Sophie, are you okay?” It’s her turn to frown as she sits up in the bed. She stares at me.
“I think I’m fine... Apart from the fact I that I feel like throwing up,” I tell her, massaging my stomach softly.
“What happened to you yesterday?”
I pull a face. Thinking of yesterday gives me a headache. “I have no idea...I suppose I’m hangover,” I state, rubbing my temples.
“From what? Drinking? Drugs?” her tone wavers at the last word.
I shrug, having absolutely no idea.
“Oh no. He didn’t do what I think he did, did he?” she gasps.
“What are you talking about?”
She grabs my hands. “Sophie do you know who One Direction is?”
I feel goose bumps rising on my skin at their mention. My head throbs for a second as I try placing the name with faces. Something was nagging me at the back of my head. I somehow knew they we’re bad people, but I had no idea why.
“I think I have a faint idea... But I’m pretty sure they’re not the kind of people you want to hang out with.” That doesn’t make sense either? Since when would I assume something about people, without even knowing them?
“Something’s wrong,” She says, almost to herself. I nod.
“Yeah I agree,” I say, pursing my lips. “Why would I suppose they’re bad people without knowing them?” I continue, speaking my thoughts.
“I would’ve never thought they’d actually work...”
“What worked? What are you not telling me Anne?” I urge.
“Maybe you’ll remember who they are when you see them,” The blonde decides, slowly getting out of bed. She knows something I don’t, that’s for sure.
I suddenly recall information about One Direction.
“Are their names Harry, Niall, Louis, Liam and Zayn?” I probe, uncertain.
“Yeah!” Her face lights up. “You remember?!”
“I only have their names... No faces or idea of how they act... Yet I know they’re bad people.”
She huffs. “Come on. I’ll show you who they are.” She tugs me out of the bed, walking carefully to the door. She turns the handle and opens it a smidgen, peeking in the crack. She pulls back. “Look.”
I crouch and gaze through the gap. Five people were sat randomly around the room. None of their faces rang any bells, mostly because I couldn’t see them clearly. “That’s them?” I whisper, pulling away.
She nods rapidly.
“I’m sorry I don’t know who they are.”
“Oh that’s just great,” She groans, sitting on the bed as she takes her head in her hands. “They’re going to think I had something to do with your loss of memory. Harry’s going to kill me.”
I shudder. “Kill you?”
“Okay maybe not kill, but abuse. These lads are like that; you do something they don’t like, they punish you.”
I frown. What kind of person does that?!
“They don’t sound like a very sweet group of boys.”
“I believe so too, but you used to disagree.”
“Why?”
“Well―”
“Look who’s up!”
I jump as a curly-haired boy enters the room smiling. His name pops magically into my head. Harry? Yeah that’s Harry. He opens his arms and I take a step closer to Anne.
“Why is he opening his arms?” I murmur to her, fear creeping up.
“I think you two we’re like... umm... together,” She tells me awkwardly, looking between Harry and me worriedly. Together? I was dating a member of One Direction, a group of boys that punish a girl if she doesn’t obey? No. That doesn’t sound like me.
“How are ya love? I missed you so much,” He goes on, taking a step closer.
I back away.
“Please don’t come any closer... I don’t exactly know you,” I stutter, scared.
“Soph? It’s me.” He repeats, searching in my eyes for something I couldn’t give him. “Sophie stop messing around...”
“I’m not... I only know your name...” I say again nervously. “No, no, no! Please don’t come any closer or I’ll scream.”
His face changes from confused to hurt to angry in a fraction of a second. He glares beside me. “Anne?! What did you do?!”
“Harry calm down. I didn’t do anything,” My blonde twin stammers.
“The fuck you didn’t?!” Harry explodes. “She practically has amnesia!”
Out of the blue, I recall my father acting like a total stranger last night. A complete asshole more precisely. My blood runs cold. He has something to do with this I’m sure.
Harry advances angrily towards my shaking sister. “Anne I swear―”
I hastily stand in front of my sister protectively. “Don’t blame her for what my father did to me.” I state firmly, my heated gaze locking with his.
Pain flashes in his eyes, and he takes a step back, taking a deep breath.
“Your father?” The green-eyed boy questions softly.
I nod. “He did something to me. I know he did.” But I can’t remember what.
“I’m going to go kill him,” he declares calmly.
I have to rerun the phrase twice in my head. On the contrary, Anne reacts faster than me, clutching his arm as he turns to leave.
“No!” She tugs on his arms pointlessly. The older boy drags her effortlessly out of the room, his eyes veiled with red. “You can’t do that! He’s all I have!” She continues.
“Let. Go. Of. Me.” Harry says, separating his words carefully. Anne let’s go.
“Harry please.”
I follow them quietly as they get out the room, listening to their conversation. I stop in the small hallway, watching them as they argued.
“Her state isn’t permanent,” I hear my sister say. “She’s remembering stuff quickly. The drugs my father gave her might’ve worked completely if he had given her regular dosage, but he didn’t.”
“He would’ve if we hadn’t saved her!”
“You can’t be sure!”
“Sophie?”
A hand softly brushes mine, making me whirl around quickly. My eyes meet blue eyes I immediately recognise. Niall.
“Sophie I’m sorry for over-reacting last time,” He mumbles, taking me by surprise as he hugs me tightly. “I wasn’t taking my meds and I just lost it you know? And I know you didn’t actually want to hurt me. And that you thought you we’re doing me good... But you really weren’t. Sophie please I need another chance. I need you. Give me a second chance, just like you gave Harry. Please?” The blonde rambles, nuzzling into my neck as his hold around my waist tightens. “Please Sophie I love you.”
I stay frozen, unable to do anything. Whoa. What is he talking about? Why is he squeezing the life out of me?
“Please.... Let go,” I stammer. He obliges almost immediately. I step away from him, eyeing him up and down. “Niall? I’m sorry but I don’t rem―”
“Sophie.”
I turn around as I hear my name again, only to come face to face with a dark boy. Zayn. I’m certain I’ve seen those ochre eyes sometime in my sleep.
“Sophie!” Another voice speaks, as familiar but unknown as the others. Louis.
“Sophie!” Liam.
I’m going crazy.
“Stop!” I holler, holding my head. “All of you! Stop saying my name!” I shout, panting as I look at them madly. “You’re driving me nuts! I don’t even fucking know you guys!” I state, breathing rapidly. “I don’t remember anything except your names!”
They all look at each other, confused.
“Remember? As in you lost your memory?” Liam frowns.
“Lost? It’s not like it fucking went hiding and I couldn’t find it. I was drugged.” I snap.
“Her dad is the one that drugged her,” Harry supplies, voice dark.
“May I ask why she doesn’t get a warning for swearing?” Anne grunts breaking the silence, crossing her arms over her chest as she took a seat on the sofa.
“Because.”
“Like that fucking answered the question,” She retorts.
“Anne,” Zayn warns. “Don’t test your luck.”
“Because I’ll gladly take care of that dirty mouth of yours,” Louis winks at my sister. She shoots him a nauseous look, but doesn’t add anything.
“Sophie... What do you remember exactly?” Niall asks, touching my arm gently. I recoil.
“Your names. So please, don’t touch me. I don’t trust any of you right now, apart from my sister, and she doesn’t seem too fond of you so I don’t know why I should: you don’t seem like the type of people others like to hang out with.”
“Honey, we’re in a boy band. A worldwide famous boy band. People would pay to hang out with us,” Louis chuckles.
“Anne, would you happen to know how to reverse the drug’s effects?” Zayn demands.
“And what if I did? She’s way more fun like that... not crying about how she wants to be with you and all. She’s actually listening to my advice for once.”
“Well here’s my advice: you’re going to listen to us, or Liam will teach you one or two things about defiance.”
I watch her stiffen almost immediately.
“Take her down memory lane. Maybe some strong memories or feelings can bring her memory back to normal.”
“Padgett,” Harry and I whisper at the same time. Our eyes meet, and a weird feeling grows inside my chest.
“I kept him after you left... I’ll go get him,” Harry continues, rapidly.
“Will someone care to tell me what a stuffed turtle has to do with this?” Louis frowns.
“I don’t know... But he’s the answer that’s certain,” I tell him.
The bus stops and we all turn to look outside. What the―
“Shit we’ve arrived at the hotel,” Liam curses, standing up brusquely. “Girls, go to your room. The managers will come in any second now to check if we’re all awake. They can’t see you.”
“Now!” Louis presses.
Anne and I look at each other, unmoving.
“Stubborn pair,” Niall huffs, grabbing us. His jumper sleeve slides, and I only just see scars similar to mine climbing up his wrist. I realize I could clearly picture us in his room a couple months ago. I was pleading him to stop.
“Niall your wrists,” I state, shocked. “That was my fault.” I recall.
“Not right now Soph,” He shakes his head, urging Anne and I back into the room we we’re in just a few minutes ago.
“How did I do that to him?” I ask myself, thoughts running wild in my head. He self-harmed because of me... But why? What did I do?
“Hey Soph... Do you, by any chance, know that cat? It’s been staying in the room,” Anne says, pulling me out of my dilemma. I look at where her finger was pointing, to see a ginger cat.
“Fate!” I squeal, the name coming out of my lips without hesitation. I take her in my arms. “God you’ve grown fur ball,” I coo, scratching her back. I kiss her head.
“So you know the cat?”
“Yeah. They gave it to me.” I shrug, a vivid picture of Harry handing me the kitten popping in my mind. “I had six ducklings too... I don’t know where they’re gone though,” I frown, thinking particularly of my little Karma.
“Wow. Your memory really is returning fast.”
“Girls we’re getting off the bus,” Zayn informs, opening the door. “Something about the bus not being ‛fan-proof’. So Anne you’re rooming with Louis and Sophie you’ll be with Harry. You’ll be wearing these until we get inside the hotel and out of the pap’s view,” The dark-haired boy explains, handing us two hoodies.
“No please I don’t want to be with Louis,” Anne stammers.
“Then who? Niall? Liam? Me?”
“You.”
Zayn looks at my sister longly before nodding. “Fine. Now put the jumpers on and make sure we don’t see your face properly when we leave.”