Cruel Boundaries by Michelle Horst Read Free Book Online Page B

best friend.  I should remember her of all people, shouldn’t I? I should remember the person I chose out of everyone to be my best friend!
    I keep staring at the ocean, a thousand thoughts running through my mind.
    Every day I feel a little more lost than the day before.
    ~*~
    Sitting through dinner with this family is hard. They pretend to be happy, talk about moments from the past, moments they all remember with fondness, moments that are as foreign to me as these people are.
    My mom brings out pie and I just can’t pretend to be hungry anymore. I get up and excuse myself, running from the house, the family inside … and into the dark night.
    ~*~

Chapter Twenty-Three
     
    Noah~
    “It’s her favorite,” Aunt Kris murmurs, each word drenched in sorrow. “It’s like living with the ghost of my daughter!” She drops the pie on the table and leaves the room with quiet sobs wracking at her hunched shoulders.
    Uncle Garrett stands, and I can see he’s not sure who to go after, so I get up, too. “I’ll check on Amy.”
    He gives me a look, one that warns me not to fuck up again. “I’ll make sure she’s okay,” I promise.
    When I walk out the front door, I spot Amy’s dark frame down on the beach. I walk slowly towards her, not sure what to say once I get to her. This is all just awkward. It’s weird being nice to her. I always used to try and think up things to say to her, things that would hit the target – now I’m trying to come up with ways to say sorry for what Brad did to her.
    I stop slightly behind her and whisper, “I miss fighting with you.” It’s all I can think to say, because shit, I really miss fighting with her! It was our thing.
    Amy stands still for a while and then she slowly turns around. She has a really weird look on her face, her eyes wide. She lifts her hand and her fingers press hard into the side of her head. A pain filled look tightens her features.
    “I remember,” she whispers.
    Those two words slam into me. I grab hold of her arm, stepping closer. “All of it?”
    She shakes her head and the hope I had for a split second fades as she says, “I remember you saying those exact words,” her voice sounds distant. I can see it’s taking a lot from her to focus. “I can’t remember when it was, only that they filled me with hope, that I could trust you?” Her eyes meet mine and she breathes, “I remember you, Noah.”
    She throws her arms around my neck and hugs me tightly. “I remember you.” It’s a broken whisper and as I wrap my arms around her, I feel her tremble against me.
    She remembers me!
    But she only remembers a good moment we had, none of what happened, of how I practically handed her to Brad to be tortured.
    I feel torn in two. Part of me wants her to remember so we can get back to how things were, so we can fight again. The other part of me is so scared that she’ll remember and hate me, and that we’ll never get to fight again.
    ~*~
     

Chapter Twenty-Four
     
    Amy~
    I remember Noah and those words he said to me. I remember the hope they made feel. They made me feel safe, and I’m clinging to that like a drowning person gripping a lifejacket!
    I don’t remember where we were, or what led to him saying that to me, and I don’t care. I just care about the feelings. It’s the first good thing I’ve felt since I woke up.
    I don’t care if I look as crazy as I feel, I throw my arms around Noah, hugging him, and then the tears come. “I remember you,” I whisper as the tears roll down my cheeks.
    His arms go around me, pulling me closer and it feels so good. I don’t want this moment to end. I want to stay locked in this embrace where I feel safe.
    I don’t know how long he holds me, allowing me to cry into his chest. After a long while he whispers, “This is the first time we’re hugging.”
    I start to pull away thinking it must be weird for him. After all, he said all we ever did was fight, and now I’m clinging to him. “I’m sorry for