I don’t even want to think about the prom now. I don’t read Casper’s message. I get out of bed and move to the living room to watch TV. Something to keep my mind off Vincent. I stay up for the rest of the day and briefly talk with my mom when she gets home from work. I eat something other than chicken noodle soup and I stay with my parents a few hours longer watching TV until they go to bed. Mom advises me I should do the same.
I’m actually grateful for my illness because it masks my depression over Vincent so no one will ask what’s wrong. I shower and cry. Afterwards, I amble to my room. It’s the last place I want to be. I don’t check my phone because I fear the messages from Casper, and I don’t want to be let down when I don’t see Vincent’s name pop up. But I decide to woman up and send him a message, apologizing and asking to talk.
I eventually fall asleep, waiting for his text that never comes. In the dream, I weep for Vincent. I miss him and I have no idea what to do. I stay in the parlor and peer out the window, watching for their return. I attempt to read a book, but I can’t concentrate.
Florence enters and joins me at the table near the window. She flashes a beautiful smile. “You aren’t going to sit around all day pining for Vincent, are you?”
I open my mouth to answer, but she waves her hand.
“I won’t have it. Let’s go for a ride.” Her green eyes light up like a little girl on Christmas. “Sadie has missed you. No one’s ridden her in seven years since you…well, since they took you. But I’ve been keeping her company.”
It sounds better than sitting around. Florence leads me outside and across a large field to the stables. Horses quietly stand in their respective stalls, looking bored, eager to roam, or to be free like me. Florence opens their stalls and lets them out to roam freely in their enormous meadow. She begins harnessing a grey and white speckled horse. “This is Ginger,” she says. “In case you forgot.”
“I remember. I lost the last few years, but I can’t even recall Vincent proposing to me.”
She hands me a saddle and I walk up to the tall solid white horse. Her large brown eyes watch me. I tenderly place my hand on her cheek and soothe her. Moving my hand down her neck to her withers, I heave the saddle onto her back. I grab the harness and place it over her head. I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve ridden Sadie, but I missed her, and by the way she burrows her muzzle into me, I can tell she missed me too.
Florence steadies the beautiful Sadie, while I pull myself up onto her back.
Florence smiles. “I see you haven’t forgotten our secret way of riding.” She winks. My legs straddle the horse, like a man would ride. She hoists herself onto Ginger and leads the way. We move slowly at first, but soon we gallop through the woods, laughing and giggling the whole way. It’s a freeing experience. Invigorating. I feel my heart breaking free of the heartache and confusion. The cool air whips through my hair leaving me high.
We ride for hours and soon find a quiet place that overlooks a beautiful sea from high above. It seems like a familiar place.
“I wish you could remember something,” Florence says. “I want to know what it’s like with them.”
“Why should you care what it’s like? They tortured me, Florence.”
Florence wrinkles her face. “I don’t believe that.”
“Why?”
“I have never believed they were our enemies.”
“Why are you saying this?” I begin to feel wary of her. Unsure of what she will do to me.
“This is the only place we can truly tell each other what we’re thinking,” she says. “They’re constantly watching us.” I know this, but I never worried because I never did anything wrong. Her eyes gaze off into the direction of the distant palace and she bites her lip. “He didn’t kidnap you, Megan. He didn’t manipulate you. You willingly left with him.”
I gasp. “What? How dare you make up such stories? Why would you say such a thing? I thought we were friends.” I stand to leave.
“Vincent left, like he did now,” she raises her voice and there’s a hard look in her eyes. “The Elves came, posing as Sprites, and you fell in love with one of them.”
“No. That man charmed me into loving him.” I grab the reigns on Sadie.
“His name was Casper. You told me all of this before you left.”
I open my mouth to speak, but my mind clings to the name. Casper. My heart leaps at his name and my body freezes. How do I recognize that name? I have the same reaction that I did when I saw the blond color. Casper. I turn back to face her. “What did I tell you? What happened? Vincent told me you were with an Elf too, but he erased your memory.”
“I lied. I had to so Vincent and his men wouldn’t erase my memory of Edmond.”
Another name that I recognize. “What? Why would Vincent erase your memory?”
Florence presses her lips together. “Same reason I presume he erased yours. So, you won’t remember the truth. That you fell in love with Casper.”
Again, his name almost brings me to my knees, but I’m outraged by her allegations. “No.” I shake my head. “Vincent erased my memories of them because they tortured me. He would never
