“Your…” he whispered barely, “alive….”

I raised an eyebrow. “Do I know you?” I asked even though I was sure I did. Or at least had.

He shook his head slowly. “No. Not anymore.”

Okay even though I felt I knew him before, he was still acting weird. And maybe I was too. My sister was probably right, there was something wrong with my brain.

“Um…I got to go.”

I tried to go around him but he quickly stepped in my way. “Wait!”

I stopped, giving him my full attention.

“Um…” he seemed to not know what to say. “It was nice…seeing you.”

I blinked in confusion. What stranger said it was nice SEEING you?

“Yeah ah…you too.”

“I’m Nioren.” He said quickly before I tried to leave again.

I gasped slightly and unexpectedly. Nioren. Nioren. I knew that name. I knew I did! There was no way I was imagining this.

“Nioren.” I mumbled testing the way it felt on my tongue. I couldn’t seem to remember exactly where it was from, but my body seemed to recognize it. “I’m Remi.”

Nioren gaze lingered on me until he nodded slowly. “How did you….” He shook his head. “Never mind. I got to go.” He quickly walked past me.

I stood there confused. But finally shrugged it off and started to walk towards where Cincila was, to realize she was already coming my way.

She stopped in front of me, arms folded and frowning. “I was going for that guy next. Quit copycatting.”

“What do you mean-“ Oh. Wait she thought I was trying to get Nioren to like me like she had been with all the Elathenes. “I wasn’t trying to flirt with him. We just bumped into each other. He’s all your’s if you want.”

“Did you guys meet?”

“Meet…?”

“Like did you talk.”

“Yeah.”

“Then you should introduce me.” She said sternly.

“Wait what. No I JUST ment him. I barely even know his name.”

“You know his name?!? Yeah then you’re definitely introducing me.”

I groaned. “Cincila why! Why not go flirt with the other ones.”

“Cause. He’s cute. I want him.” She said like a spoiled child. “Now can you go introduce me? Remember when I brought you those peaches?”

I wanted to say, remember when I did your chores, did your hair, carried your things, helped pay for your dress, acted as your minion, and took care of your bunny?

But I bite my tongue and grumbled, “Fine.”

She squealed and grabbed my wrist pulling me towards where Nioren was, standing there talking to a seller.

She pulled me to him so quickly I nearly hit into him again.

He turned from the seller and his jaw dropped slightly when he saw me as if he had just seen me since forever.

“Ah…”

Cincila jabbed me with her elbow slightly telling me that this was not the time to stutter.

“Um this is my sister Cincila. I thought you should meet her.”

Cincila smiled kindly. “Hi. I told my sister it would be silly to introduce me to someone she just ment, but she insisted.”

I had to use all my strength to keep from rolling my eyes.

Now I just looked dumb in front of him.

“Maybe she’s not silly though, and it was just fate.” Cincila winked.

Nioren just starred at her blankly until he finally said, “It was nice meeting you. But I really shouldn’t be talking to you…” he glanced at me as if he hadn’t ment Cincila.

“No but wait we just ment.” Cincila said quickly.

“I know but…” Nioren looked behind him and then quickly back groaning. “Great.” He mumbled. He then turned to Cincila. “You’re right we did just meet. Let’s go talk somewhere else though.”

He grabbed Cincila’s wrist and took my hand intwining our fingers and suddenly pulling us both forward dragging us through the crowd. I could barely keep up because of how fast he was walking.

Cincila seemed pleased that he wanted to talk to her alone, until she realized he was pulling me too and that our fingers were intertwined. She frowned sending me a glare but I couldn’t have pulled away even if I wanted to.

Nioren pulled us away from the market and behind a house that blocked us from seeing the market. Nioren kept hold of my hand, but let go of Cincila’s wrist as he peered behind the house and towards the market as if he was making sure we hadn’t been followed.

He let out a sigh of relief turning back to us.

Cincila was smiling even though I could see the angry through her eyes as she glanced at me and our hands.

“So…” Cincila said leaning closer taking Nioren’s hand and batting her eyelashes. “What do want to talk to me about?”

Nioren blinked as if he had just realized that Cincila liked him.

“Um…” he took a step back from her cleaning his throat. “What I wanted to talk to you about….oh yeah right. Um I just wanted to know more about your family. Like your parents and siblings…” he glanced at me and for some reason his look made me squirm and my heart beat quicker. Cause I was very aware that he was holding my hand.

Cincila beamed thinking that he wanted to know who her family is because he wanted to date her or something. But then she frowned again when she saw our hands.

“Yeah of course but first…you do realize you’re still holding Remi’s hand….”

I blushed expecting him to suddenly be embarrassed after realizing he was.

But he just slowly turned and looked at me. “Right.” He slowly let go of my hand pulling it away. “Sorry.” He mumbled but didn’t look embarrassed.

I starred at him in surprise and he starred back.

Cincila coughed turning our attention back to her.

She smiled thinly. “Anyway. My dad and mom are the one selling the fruit and a bit of jewelry. There stand is by the bakery stand. And I got one sibling. He’s 15. And Remi here is just an orphan.”

I frowned. “I hated when she called me that. I would rather just be called adopted instead.

“Ah so you don’t think that’s your real family.” Nioren said turning to me.

I raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean…?”

“Nothing.” Nioren said quickly turning towards Cincila again. “What do you mean she’s an orphan.”

Cincila didn’t look to happy that we were talking about me but she said, “My parents found her past out. And when she woke up she had no memories. So that basically makes her an orphan.”

I scoffed folding my arms. “Well I don’t have necessarily NO memories. I remember…small things.”

Cincila rolled her eyes. “Oh boy. Here we go again.” She turned to Nioren. “She can be pretty silly sometimes. She thinks she gots these memories though you can tell she’s making it up because they’re all pretty dumb.”

I glared at her. “They’re not dumb! They’re the only thing I got left Cincila.”

Cincila rolled her eyes again. “Stop being so dramatic.”

“Actually,” Nioren said, “I would love to hear your memories.”

Cincila jaw dropped slightly, looking offended. “But they’re all made up.”

“Well they already sound interesting.” He turned to me nodding.

“Well…I barely remember anything. And some of them are….personal nightmares. But I remember…” I strained slightly. “I remember…tripping over blue berries and-“

Nioren burst out laughing and I jumped slightly at how familiar his laughter sounded.

Cincila starred at him weirdly and I just starred not knowing what to think.

“Sorry, sorry.” Nioren said his laughter fading. “Just I can’t believe you still remember THAT.”

My eyes lit up. “What do you mean? Are you saying that you were they? Do you know my past? Do you know who I was? Please. Tell me! I have to know.”

Nioren hesitated. “I…I…” He looked like he was about to tell me something until he looked down at the ground mumbling, “I’m sorry. I…just ment you. I never knew you before.”

Cincila laughed a little. “Remi you’re so funny. You’re so dramatic.”

I frowned feeling like storming away getting more frustrated by the second. But I decided not to make a scene in front of a stranger.

So I sighed mumbling, “I should probably go back home. I…got things to do.”

I turned to walk around the house back towards where the market was since that was the way back to my house.

“Wait.” Nioren said quickly seizing my wrist stopping me.

I looked back raising an eyebrow.

“Be safe.” He mumbled looking into my eyes.

I was confused but slowly nodded.

Nioren let go of my hand and I turned back towards the market as Cincila started rambling about other stuff.