"Seriously, I still can’t believe you ate that much pizza.” Cadence says, practically wiping tears from the corners of his eyes from laughing so hard. It’s been hours since we left the arcade, each of us going to finish tasks on Serenity’s checklist while Harp went to meet a few friends that had gifts for him.

“Hey, I won! So, there.” I stick my tongue out at him. I can’t believe I ate 14 slices of pizza either. But I beat Harp who nearly puked after his ninth piece. And since I won, I get to choose the movie we watch tonight.

I wish I actually remembered what I liked though. I know from some of the ones Harp had me watch that I had a wide range of interests. My favorites ranging from really awful horror films, to action movies, comedies and musicals, and a few obviously low budget fantasy movies. Surprisingly there wasn’t any romance in there. Harp said most romances bored me and I’d usually fall asleep during them.

“True, true, though if Alto was against you, then he would’ve won.” Cadence says.

“So… I met some people that knew me.” I say casually, changing the subject, as Cadence checks the little grocery list in his hands.

“Oh, really? Awesome. Hey, grab that bag of brown sugar, will you?” I pass him the brown sugar and he crosses it off. “We just need to grab the eggs and heavy whipping cream and then we’re done.” He walks off, pulling the buggy behind him.

“They mentioned that they were part of a theater company.” I add. Cadence is walking so fast I have to practically run to keep up.

“Oh, really?” Cadence asks as he makes a beeline for the milk section. “You and Evan were in theater club a few years back, must’ve been them.

“No, um, outside of school in some little community theater. So, I was really interested in acting?” Fishing isn’t working with Cadence at the moment, so I decide to go the direct route.

He plants a gallon of heavy whipping cream in the buggy and turns to stare at me. I can’t comprehend why we need that much heavy whipping cream, but I’m not planning on asking.

“Where’d that question come from?” Hello, wasn’t he listening?

“The people I met, they’re part of a community theater called The Rising Eclipse… they said I auditioned for a part. One of the leads.” Cadence nearly drops the eggs he’s now holding.

“I guess this is news to you, huh?” He places the eggs in the buggy without a word. We’re almost to the checkout register before he turns to look at me again.

“I guess… I mean I knew you liked to act. Like I said, you and Evan were in the theater club back in middle school. Heck, you met Darryl when we were in elementary school because of a play… but you never… you never told me about auditioning for the community theater... I didn’t… I didn’t know.” The look on his face almost makes me feel guilty, even though I have no idea why I would’ve hidden this from him

“Maybe I was planning on surprising everyone?” Cadence nods, his tense look decreasing a bit.

“That sounds like something you’d do. You know you used to be practically obsessed with trying to surprise people...”

He starts telling me about how I tried to plan surprise parties all the time with random themes like a moustache day and the paint party that nearly dyed the back-porch purple. I only half listen.

So, despite how close Cadence and I supposedly were, there were things that even he didn’t know about me. At least that means that the rest of the family probably isn’t hiding things from me. I’m not sure if I feel reassured by that thought or not.

Outside the ominous clouds that had been looming since morning have finally decided to unleash a torrent of rain.

“I’ll get the car, wait here.” Cadence says before dashing out into the downpour. I watch as he splashes across the parking lot, the rain is so heavy that he disappears from sight after a moment.

“Lyric? Lyric!?” A voice is yelling nearby. I turn to see a woman, most likely the twins age, heading towards me. When she’s under the awning she shakes out her umbrella and grins at me.

“It is you, I haven’t seen you in quite a while.” She says, giving her umbrella another shake. She’s got long auburn curls that trail halfway down her back and beautiful caramel colored skin. She looks like she could be a model. Everything about her is pristine from perfectly manicured hands to a dress that looks like it came straight from a catalogue. I’m about to do my whole amnesia spiel when she offers me a hand.

“My mistake, you do not remember me, correct? I had heard, you know, but it is still rather surprising in person.” I take her hand and she gives it a firm shake.

“Analise Tisby, it is a pleasure to see you again Lyric.” She has this formal way of talking that makes me think that English isn’t her first language and she pronounces her name with a particular flourish, drawing out the syllables so it sounds more like, ‘On-uh-lease Tiz-bee.’

“So, uh how do you know me?” The more I meet strangers that know me the less polite I’ve started to become.

“Your accident… how are you doing darling?” She asks instead of answering.

“I guess I’m as good as I can be. So, who are you again?”

“Oh, you haven’t heard about me, have you? That is understandable, well the simplest explanation is that I—”

There’s a honk as Cadence pulls the car up and then he’s jumping out of the car.

“What the heck are you doing here?” He says pushing in between Analise and me. It only takes a moment for me to realize he’s not talking to me.

“It is a public store, is it not?” Analise says, not the least bit flustered. She inspects her nails as if she’s suddenly bored with being here.

Cadence, on the other hand, looks crazed. His face is bright red, his hair plastered to his forehead, drops of water trickle from his clothes.

“Yes, right, it’s plenty public.” He spits out. He turns to me. “Lyric, get in the car, I’ll put the bags up.”

“We were just talking. She said she knows me.”

Cadence turns back to Analise. “You’ve done enough, haven’t you? Why can’t you just leave our family alone?”

“I was simply introducing myself to your sister, since she does not remember me anymore, I cannot even make small talk with her now?” She arches a brow at him. “We used to be friends after all.”

Cadence’s fists ball up at his sides. So, I’m guessing something happened between them?

“No, not after what you did. So, leave us alone. Lyric. Get. In. The. Car.” I’ve never seen him so angry, then again, I only remember the worrier of the past few months that’s been doing everything in his power to make me happy, in an effort to bring back my memories.

That Cadence hovers behind me like a shadow, constantly bringing me snacks and offering to drive me around with no destination in mind. This Cadence… is something else.

“Cadence… I-I think you should calm down.” I reach for his hand, but he shrugs me off. His fists are clenched so tight the knuckles are white.

“So, no one mentioned me at all? That’s hurtful Cadence, very hurtful. After all I was a big part of the family.” She was?

“Not anymore, so leave us the heck alone. Don’t come near any of us again, and don’t talk to Lyric again. Lyric. Car. Now.”

“You’re not even going to tell her who I am are you?” She asks.

She’s riling him up. Instead of just turning and leaving she’s trying to get a reaction out of him. I wonder why.

“Lyric! Car.” Cadence says through his teeth. Some sort of gut feeling tells me I shouldn’t leave just yet, Cadence is pissed, and Analise is enjoying it.

“Cadence...” I reach for him again and this time he lets me grab his hand, some of the tension leaves his shoulders. He’s staring at the ground now, as if even looking at Analise is too much for him.

“Yes Cadence, perhaps you should calm down for your sister’s sake, she’s been through quite the ordeal, has she not?”

I’m not sure what’s going on, but that comment gets to me. There’s venom in it. Before Cadence can react, I step forward.

“That’s enough!” I have to stop myself from slapping her and I’m not really sure why. “Don’t you talk to him like that.”

Her eyes widen a bit as if I’ve shocked her for some reason.

“I see the two of you are as close as ever, memory or no. Fine, I can take a hint,” she spins so fast her hair whips out behind her in a flurry of curls. She stops at the door, twirling her umbrella in her hands. “Oh, Cadence, do be a dear and send Clef my love.”

With that she sashays out of sight.

“That witch.” Cadence spits out. “She hasn’t changed a bit.”

“Ok, there, Mr. Hyde, care to explain?”

He shakes his head. Slowly uncurls his fists and points to the buggy.

“You know that’s your favorite movie.” He says with a sigh. I only know that because Harp had me watch it.

When I don’t respond, Cadence let’s out another sigh, running his hand through his wet hair.

“Not yet. Get in the car, please.”