Anew

11

A week later, Scarlet went on another date with Gabriel.

To the forest.

“Where are we going?” Scarlet asked with a smile, ducking under a tree branch Gabriel had lifted for her. It was nearly dusk, the summer sky glowing orange and pink, as Scarlet followed Gabriel deeper into the woods outside of town.

“It’s a surprise,” Gabriel said with a secretive smile, adjusting one strap of the backpack he wore.

Still smiling, Scarlet rolled her eyes, “A surprise?”

“Yep.”

“Is the surprise the forty-five minute hike through the forest on a sticky summer day?”

He laughed. “Are you complaining?”

“Maybe. It depends on the surprise. And whether or not I get eaten by a bear. Or an army of mosquitoes.”

She wasn’t complaining at all. In fact, she was excited.

No boy had ever taken her on a surprise date before.

“I promise you, the surprise will be well worth the mosquito bites that you don’t have.” He smiled at her pointedly.

Scarlet had yet to be bitten by a mosquito. Or a bear.

The wind blew through the trees and swirled around them as they walked on. The day had been hot, but the setting sun was taking most of the mugginess with it and ushering in the cool breeze of night.

Ten minutes, and a brilliant purple sky later, they arrived at a cluster of trees and Gabriel stopped.

“Okay.” He turned to look at her with a smile. “This is your surprise.”

Scarlet eyed the trees before her. “A…wall of pine trees?”

“Yes.” He smiled. “I thought we’d get an early start on shopping for Christmas trees.”

Scarlet laughed. “What?”

He laughed and shook his head. “Close your eyes.”

Scarlet hesitated, biting back her smile.

“Come on…” Gabriel prompted.

“But what about the bears?”

Gabriel raised his eyebrows. “Did you coat yourself in honey before we left?”

“No, but I did roll around in sugar water.”

“Hmm.” Gabriel tried to sound serious. “Well, that explains the mosquitoes.”

Scarlet laughed.

“Come on.” Gabriel gently placed his hand over her eyes. “Close your eyes.”

Scarlet sighed with a smile and lowered her lids. “I’m trusting you.”

She felt him kiss her cheek. “You can always trust me.”

With a smile, Scarlet thought about how much she really did trust Gabriel, and how comfortable she was around him. She’d only known him for a short time but he just felt...right.

After she heard some shuffling, Scarlet felt Gabriel’s strong arms come behind her and guide her forward, weaving her through the wall of trees. A few yards later, they came to a stop.

Scarlet listened as a bird sang out the last song of day. Leaves rustled, the wind whistled softly, and somewhere nearby was the gentle slapping of…water?

“Okay,” came Gabriel’s musical voice from behind her. “Open your eyes.”

Scarlet opened her eyes and her lips parted.

She stood at the edge of a large lake, surrounded by the majestic trees of the forest swaying peacefully in the twilight sky. And on the horizon was the enormous Harvest Moon, hung low in the sky and glowing a rusty orange as it shone its soft light across the smooth surface of the lake.

It looked unreal.

“Do you like it?” Gabriel stood beside her, taking it in.

“It’s…breathtaking.”

From the corner of her eye, she saw Gabriel smile. “Surprise.”

The first stars of night began to peek out from the purple sky above as Scarlet said, “Totally worth the mosquito bites.”

Gabriel softly laughed. “Okay, now time for dinner.”

“Dinner?”

“Yep. Well, it’s really more like a picnic since, you know, we can’t get pizza delivered out here.” Gabriel swung his backpack off and unzipped it. He pulled out a large blanket, sandwiches, and bottled water. He spread the blanket out on the dry shore of the lake, smoothed out the wrinkles and motioned to Scarlet. “Dinner is served.”

Scarlet smiled widely. A picnic under the stars, against the giant moon, at the edge of a serene lake?

Best. Date. Ever.

The moonlight was bright and illuminated the forest around them as Scarlet sat down on the soft blanket and took the sandwich Gabriel handed her. He sat beside her, both of them facing the glorious moon.

Scarlet took a bite. “Mmm. Peanut butter and jelly. My favorite.”

Gabriel smiled and took a bite of his own sandwich.

The purple forest was happily quiet but for the soft ripples of water hitting the shore and the hidden crickets.

“So.” Gabriel swallowed. “Tell me something real.”

Scarlet swallowed as well. “Something real?”

He nodded with a crooked smile. “Tell me something that’s not empty. Something honest and Scarlet-specific.”

“I’m guessing my favorite color probably won’t suffice?” Scarlet raised a teasing eyebrow.

“Nope. It has to be meaningful.” Gabriel’s eyes sparkled. “And besides, you’re favorite color is blue.”

“Lucky guess.” Scarlet smiled. “Okay…something meaningful….”

Should she just go for it and tell him everything? Give him the whole I’m-a-weirdo-amnesiac story?

She trusted him, she felt safe around him, and he seemed mature enough to handle it.

Probably.

Gabriel looked at her pleasantly, waiting.

Scarlet cleared her throat. “Well. I have amnesia.”

There. She’d thrown it out there.

There was no going back. He was either going to sit and listen to her story, or run away from her screaming.

Oh man, I hope he doesn’t run away. Mostly because I have no idea how to get out of these woods and it’s now nighttime and I will for sure be eaten by a bear if I’m left out here alone.

“Amnesia?” He still looked pleasant.

Scarlet nodded. “Yup. I can’t remember anything prior to two years ago.”

“Huh. And how’s that going?”

Scarlet thought about it. “Better. At first it was really confusing and frightening. But now…well, now I’ve kinda just accepted that I might not ever recover my memories.”

Genuine sympathy came across his face. “That seems…unfair.”

Scarlet nodded again, then shrugged. “Maybe, but I’m okay with it now. At first I was scared. Then I was angry. And then I was just plain curious. I wanted to remember who I was, you know?”

He stopped eating and looked at her intensely, his eyes searching hers. He cleared his throat. “Who are you now?”

Scarlet chewed and swallowed another bite. “What do you mean?”

Gabriel twitched his lips. “Who you were is never as important as who you are. So…who are you?” He smiled.

Scarlet tucked in a smile and bit her lip, thinking about it. “I’m…Scarlet Jacobs. I get good grades and blend in with the crowd. I have a crazy best friend who makes me laugh and doesn’t let me sulk—ever. I have an unnatural fear of bears,” Scarlet smiled at him, “and no fashion sense whatsoever. But I’m surprisingly good at making coffee.”

Scarlet paused, looking up at the moon. She shrugged. “Sometimes I feel out of place when other kids talk about their childhoods, but I’m not bitter. I’m just…different. I’m lucky, though, because I have Laura, who loves me, and a lot people live their whole life without being loved, you know?” She looked back at Gabriel, whose sweet eyes were fixed on her.

He nodded. “You are very loved, indeed.” A slow smile spread across his face, showing off his dimples. “I like you, Scarlet Jacobs, just the way you are. Life isn’t about the past, it’s about the future. Life is about looking forward. Our pasts,” he shrugged, “are just that: history. The past doesn’t define us, you know?”

Scarlet nodded, her eyes locked on his.

“Your life will be beautiful,” he continued. “With or without your memories, your life will be incredible.”

And just like that, Gabriel Archer won over her heart.

Scarlet slanted her eyes at the handsome boy beside her. “Thanks for not freaking out.”

“About what?”

“My amnesia. I figured you’d run away screaming once I told you.”

“Who me?” Gabriel shook his head with a teasing smile. “Never. And besides, if I ran away, who would protect you from the bears?”

Scarlet tried not to smile as she nudged him. “Shut up.”

Gabriel scooted closer and took her hand in his as they both looked back up at the moon while they ate their sandwiches.

Fireflies lit up the night like flickering stars and gentle water rocked against the lakeshore.

Scarlet couldn’t remember ever feeling so happy.

Suddenly, her past was history.

And her future looked bright.