What does he mean she doesn’t remember us? How can she not f**king remember us?

“She can’t remember us?” I look at him, dumbfounded.

“Oh boy.” Adella whispers. “Evelyn babe, where are you from?” she asks.

“I’m from here— California I mean, but we moved to Atlanta for the doctors when I was sixteen,” Evelyn whispers.

What? Doctors? What in the hell is she going on about?

“Drake, Tristan, Shawn and Kyle, clear out the groupies now,” Adella barks.

I sit down and say nothing. The love of my life is standing right in front of me. She doesn’t even f**king remember me? What the hell do you say to that shit? I spent three summers with her and she can’t remember me? She fidgets before sitting next to Adella. Adella wastes no time in wrapping her tightly in her arms. What the hell is going on?

I hear nothing. I don’t even realize it when the groupies are gone. I am stuck in a trance staring at Ev, my Ev.

Her beautiful chestnut eyes are clouded in a confused haze.

“Kyle, can you get us some strong-ass drinks please? Trust me we’re all going to need them.” Adella asks, and he nods in response as Evelyn whispers into her ear.

“Hi, I’m Evelyn.” She sticks her beautiful tanned hand out to shake mine. I am dumbfounded, at a loss for words. I mean, I just hit this girl in the head with a volleyball and she is being polite.

“Um, sorry about the volleyball. I’m Tristan.” I shake her hand in return and the air around us crackles and pops. I pull my hand back quickly. What the hell was that?

“Well, Tristan, next time try not hitting a girl in the head with the volleyball when you’re ogling her.” My mouth drops open. I am busted.

“I…I…I’m sorry.” I mean, what the f**k else is there to say?

“It’s all right.” She laughs and it is such a beautiful laugh.

“So how old are you Tristan? You look like you’re around seventeen.” She cocks her head to stare back at me.

“I’m…I’m fifteen,” I stammer out. What in the hell is wrong with me?

“Well, you look older. I’m fourteen. It was nice meeting you Tristan.” She points to a beach house. “That’s where I’m staying if you ever want to visit.” With that, she walks away, her beautiful long chocolate brown hair waving in the wind.

“Tristan—Trist,” Adella shakes me out of my memories.

“Hmm,” I say, never taking my eyes off Ev.

“What I’m about to help Evelyn explain might be difficult for you to hear, okay,” she whispers.

What the hell is going on? I want to drag Ev away and figure this shit out!

Kyle comes back with a bottle and some shot glasses. I rip my eyes away from the girl who broke my heart and give Kyle an evil look.

“What? Adella said we would need them and Adella does not take shit lightly.” He shrugs. And Kyle’s right. It is my bar, so I shrug right back.

Kyle pours us all shots of tequila. I notice Adella explaining to Ev what it is.

This is not my Evelyn; Ev could out drink us guys at the age of 16. “WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON?” I yell inside my head.

I feel like ripping my hair out in frustration. My heart is beating so fast it feels as if it will explode at any moment.

The girls slam the drinks back and Ev makes a face. She never made a face with alcohol before.

“Okay, so Evelyn wants me to start for her so I will. I still don’t know much, but I will help her all I can.” She wraps her arms tightly around Ev, taking her hand with a bracelet on it and setting her arm on the table.

“See this bracelet right here?” Adella points to the bracelet on Ev’s wrist.

All eyes at the table go to the bracelet and collective gasps start. I still do not get it. What in the hell am I missing?

“What’s so special about that bracelet? Looks like a regular silver chain bracelet to me.” I shrug.

Drake elbows me hard in the ribs.

“Look at the f**king symbol you idiot,” he hisses.

I glance down, pulling her hand to me. The air crackles and pops at the first touch of her skin against mine. It’s as if I can breathe again. Four years of air rush into my lungs at once, overwhelming me. I look closely at the symbol on the bracelet. I can’t breathe. This cannot be what I think it is. Tears are stinging my f**king eyes. This cannot be happening.

“This…this is a cancer survivor bracelet,” I whisper.

I look up into Ev's beautiful chestnut eyes and she nods, releasing my grip and lifting her hair as she tilts her head. Three long scars hide underneath her hair.

“Brain cancer. I had a tumor, and it came back three times. I can’t remember the years from when I was fourteen up until nineteen,” she whispers, letting her hair fall back down.

Drake and I gasp at the same time. This whole time I thought she left me, left us, and she was f**king dying of cancer. I cannot breathe. Someone needs to get me some f**king air. I eye the tequila, hesitating before I start downing it straight from the bottle. After I am satisfied, I let the bottle slip from my lips.

“So you can’t remember five years,” Drake croaks. I feel him because we had good years with this girl, my girl.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t. The doctors say I may never be able to remember them. In fact, it’s almost impossible,” she whispers and shrugs.

I’m hyperventilating. Why is it so hot in here?