Don't Forget

*August 2002*

Mia woke up to an alarm she had set the night before. The sun had barely risen and it was Saturday, so the house was quiet. She went to shower and brush her teeth before thinking carefully about what she would wear. It had to be special. She decided on a cotton yellow spaghetti-string sundress. The same dress she’d worn the first time they met months before. After getting dressed she stared at her make up kit and jewelry box. Nothing seemed to be right for the occasion so she decided to skip that step of the beautification process.

She went down to the kitchen and fixed herself breakfast. She stayed away from anything that might leave an offensive odor and even remembered to brush her teeth after just in case. She crept out of the house and rode her bike down the dirt path to Connor’s front yard. The sun was beginning to rise and the air felt thick with humidity as she skidded to a stop before his garage. The light was on signaling her that he was up early also.

“Getting an early start?” She asked. She heard the clunk of his head hitting his trunk door, “Sorry.”

“No it’s fine.” He said rubbing the back of his head, “I was doing some last minute packing. Don’t want to forget anything you know.”

“Well it’s not like you’re never coming back.” Mia said laughing a little. Her throat felt like something thick had been stuffed there. A sign that tears might start. She coughed a little to try to fight the tears back.

“That’s right.” He came around the car to meet her. Connor was taller than Mia by a head and he wore a black T-shirt with a golden Tri-force on it. The shirt Mia had bought him in the dealer’s room at Sac Anime, their last Anime convention together. He also wore jean shorts that frayed at the bottom. He must have cut his hair the night before because his usual short hair was even closer to his scalp, “I’ll be back for holidays.”

“And to do laundry for cheap.” Mia’s face was beginning to hurt from holding her smile for so long. Actually being in his presence made everything harder. Connor pulled Mia into a hug and Mia couldn't hold it any more. The tears flowed into his Tri-force T-shirt.

“It’s not like I’m leaving the country.” Connor laughed a little into Mia’s hair. Mia hugged him tighter.

She thought of her mother. Her mother promised that she would call every week after Mia’s big move and she did. Every Monday before school, Mia would look forward to hearing her mother’s voice wishing her to have a good day. After a month the calls came less. Her father said that it was because her mother was busy. Mia felt forgotten.

“Here,” Connor pulled away and Mia reluctantly let go sniffling. He led her to the open trunk of his car. He pulled out a shoe-box. Inside the shoe-box was a digital watch. He wrapped it around her wrist and set it to match his, “Now every day at the top of every hour you’ll hear this.” He pressed a button and the chime for when Link solves a puzzle in a temple rang in both, “We’ll think of each other.”

Mia looked to him and smiled, “I’ll never take it off.”

“I hope you do,” Connor said, “It’s not waterproof.”

“Shut up,” Mia said nudging him. She laughed.

“So no more tears ok?” Connor touched her face. Mia felt her face get hot. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in. This might be the last time they would ever be this close and she needed to take it in as much as she could. If she took a step closer they would be close enough to kiss. Just the thought of it made her shiver slightly.

He backed away from the trunk and closed it. He sat on the back of his car and Mia sat next to him, “I mean, do you really have to go to college?”

“Yes I do and you will too.” Connor said.

They both fell silent and watched the sun slowly fill the garage with light. At the end of August the summer heat still hadn’t died down. Soon the garage would be unbearable. Mia stared at the shadows the both of them cast on the opposite wall. She scooted closer to Connor and leaned her head on the curve of his neck. Mia liked the silence; the longer they stayed here the more time she would have tell him what she had been meaning to tell him for the last few weeks; the longer he’d stay the same Connor. Her Connor. The same Connor who tickled her until tears came to her eyes. The same Connor who talked to her late at night to make her forget her nightmares. The same Connor who made her heart flutter whenever he said her name, or walked into a room.

Now was the time to tell him. It was now or never. Mia lifted her head and turned to him. Connor turned to her. Their faces were inches apart. His icy-blue eyes gazed at her, as always open to whatever she had for him. Mia opened her mouth and said, “I-It all seems so empty now.”

Mia turned away cursing her cowardice. She looked around. She was right. Connor’s weights were gone, so were his posters from the wall. It was as if he had never been there in the first place.

“Yeah,” Connor looked too, “They said they’ll turn it into a library or something.” Connor scratched the back of his head. He hopped off the trunk of his car and helped Mia to her feet too, “I should get going.”

“No,” Mia blurted without thinking at first, then she quickly thought of something to add, “Shouldn’t you say goodbye to your family?”

“I said my goodbyes last night.” Connor shrugged, “One set is enough.”

Mia thought of how Connor’s mom could find random things to talk about when someone was pressed for time and nodded, “You’re right.”

She felt her throat get thick again, but this time she clutched her wrist with the watch and closed her eyes. The feeling subsided enough for her to speak again, “Drive safely.”

Connor smirked and nodded before getting in the car and starting it. Mia took a few steps back to watch Connor grip his steering wheel until his knuckles were white for a few seconds before turning off the car. He got out and soon he was standing before Mia again.

“What did you forget?” Mia laughed a little.

“Promise me you won’t forget me.”

“What?”

“I know you’re starting school and things are going to get busy for you. Right now you miss me but that’s just right now and those feelings will fade. You’ll get used to me being away and inaccessible. You may even think because I’m away I won’t understand what’s going on here so, I need you to promise me you won’t forget.” Connor said. He took Mia’s hand, “Promise me, Mia.”

Mia felt her face get hot again. She nodded, “I promise.”

Connor sighed and his shoulders relaxed a little, “Okay then I’m really leaving.”

Mia nodded and clutched her wrist, “Okay.”

Connor got back in the car and started it. Mia watched it round the corner before picking up her bike and following it. She was a fair distance behind him, but the only thing on the road, so she knew if he glanced in one of his rear view mirrors he would see her on her bike. She could easily say that she was simply on her way home and not seeking one more goodbye. She stopped at her turn off and watched as his car disappeared around the corner onto the main road, she clutched the watch again, “I promise.”