Twenty-two

“Hey,” I cheerfully said once I saw Rowena. I was in the backyard, enjoying the beautiful weather. I hadn't seen her since the stormy night. “I never got to thank you for helping me out.”

“Oh, it's nothing.” She smiled at me. “I was downstairs watching tv and fell asleep. When I passed by your room, I heard you sobbing. I got worried, so I walked in and found you all balled up and crying,” she continued.

“Oh… I remembered something that night. Another unpleasant memory.” I hugged myself as I spoke.

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked and I did. I told her everything. I told her how I felt and how confused I was. I told her about my decision to live as Priya and stop searching for the one I used to be because there was something about her that frightened me. The glimpses of memory I got of her were horrible, causing me to cringe away from whatever life she