Chapter 3 The Night I Can't Remember

Layla's POV

Daniel's voice was different. There was no teasing in it, no annoying little laugh, just fear. I sat up straight from bed "so you know what happened?" He didn't answer. "Daniel."

"I think you should forget about that." I frowned , "forget about what?" "Prom." "How am I supposed to forget something you clearly know about."

"Layla just drop it." "You've been acting strange since yesterday. You knew about the red crayon. Now you're acting like you know something about my prom." He sighed, "it's not that simple." "Then make it simple." "I can't." "Why?" "Because I promised." My eyebrows pulled together "promised what?" "I promise I wouldn't tell you." Then he hung up on me.

I stared at my phone, he had actually hung up. I slowly lowered it onto my bed. For years, I thought Daniel was just an annoying boy who loved getting on my nerves. But this wasn't that Daniel. He wasn't teasing, laughing or trying to get a reaction out of me. He was scared and that even scared me more.

I barely slept that night. Everytime I closed my eyes, I kept remembering our conversation. By the time the sun came up, I was exhausted. I dragged myself out of bed, took a quick shower and put on the first clothes I could find. I didn't even look at myself in the mirror before leaving my room.

Sophie was already waiting in the common room when I walked in. She looked at me for a few seconds before raising an eyebrow "Girl, what happened to you?" "Nothing, I just didn't sleep well." She crossed her arms "was it because of Daniel?" I stopped walking. Sophie smiled "I knew it." "Can we please not talk about him this morning?" "Then tell me what happened."

I sighed and dropped my bag on the couch. There was no point trying to hide it from her. Sophie always knew when something was wrong with me. "Someone has been texting me." Her smile disappeared. "Who?" "I don't know." I pulled out my phone and showed her the messages. She read them carefully, and the longer she stared at the screen, the more concerned she became. "First grade? The crayon? High school?" I nodded. "And then they mentioned your prom." "Yes." Sophie looked at me "How does this person know all of that?"  "That's what I'm trying to figure out. Daniel knows something as well, but he refuses to tell me." "Do you remember snything strange about room night?"  "I remember everything at the beginning, I remember my dress, the music, taking pictures and dancing with you."

"And after that?"  I frowned as I tried to remember "that is the problem. There is a part of the night I cannot remember."  Her expression became serious "how can you not remember?" "I don't know, it feels like something is missing." She raved for my hand "then we need to find out what happened." I looked at my phone again, and a strange feeling settled in my stomach. For the first time, I realized that forgetting that night might not have been an accident.

I went to the art studio after lunch because I needed somewhere quiet where I could forget about the messages and everything Daniel had refused to tell me. Art had always been the one place where my mind felt calm, so I hoped painting would help.

I set my canvas on the table and began working on my semester project. I focused on the colors and shapes, allowing my thoughts to disappear into the painting. When I finally stepped back, I noticed something. A small red crayon was sitting in the corner of the painting. I had drawn it without even realizing it. "Your painting is beautiful." I turned and saw a girl standing behind me. "Thanks." She smiled, "I'm Ava, I've seen you around." "Layla."

Ava looked closely at my painting "Why did you draw the red crayon?" I stared at it "I honestly don't know." "You draw it often?" "Apparently."  She studied the painting for another moment before saying "maybe your hands remember something your mind doesn't."  I forced a small laugh, but her words stayed with me. As Ava walked away. I looked at the red crayon again, it suddenly felt less like a drawing and more like a memory trying to come back.

I was leaving the art studio when my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, expecting a message from Sophie but the number on the screen was the same unknown number.

Unknown: You shouldn't be asking questions. Some memories are buried for a reason.

Then a photograph appeared, I opened it immediately and felt my breath caught. It was a picture from my senior prom. I stared at the screen, recognizing the decoration, the crowded dance floor and the blue dress I had worn that night. Sophie stood beside me, smiling at the camera with several of our classmates gathered behind us.

Then I noticed Daniel, he was standing farther back, but unlike everyone else, he wasn't looking at the camera, his eyes were fixed directly on me. I zoomed in and noticed a hand beside him. Someone was standing just outside the frame, but their face was missing from the photograph. My fingers trembled as I turned the picture over. Four words were written across the back "Don't let Layla remember." I was unable to understand what I was seeing. Who had written those words? And why had nobody ever told me about this photograph.

I found Daniel waiting in the library when I arrived for our project meeting. I was still angry about the previous night, and seeing him only reminded me that he was keeping something from me.  "You could have told me the truth," I said as I sat across from him.  He sighed "I already told you I can't." "That is not an answer." "I know."

We spent the next few minutes arguing before finally forcing ourselves to focus on the project. Daniel surprised me by suggesting several ideas for turning my artwork into a small business. He explained how we could create an online portfolio, promote young artists and eventually organize an exhibition. I stared at him, "You have actually thought about this." He smiled, "I told you I was smart." "You never told me that." "You never asked."

I laughed before I could stop myself, and he laughed too. Everything felt normal, then I remembered the photograph. I pulled out my phone and placed it in front of him. His smile disappeared instantly. "You were there." I said. Daniel stared at the photograph without saying anything. Then he looked at me "where did you get this?" He was not afraid of my questions, he was afraid of the photograph. I didn't answer. "Nevermind," I snatched the photograph from him and left the library.

I went to the hockey arena after my meeting with Daniel because I needed answers from someone I trusted. I found Sean near the entrance and immediately asked him about my senior prom. "Why are you asking about that?," he asked. "Because something happened that night and everyone seems to know except me." Sean looked away, "Layla, leave the past alone."  I frowned "Why does everyone keep telling me that?"  Before he could answer, Daniel walked out with Noah, they both stopped when they heard the word prom.

Noah looked nervous while Daniel avoided my eyes. "You both know something too."  "Layla, go home," Sean said firmly. "No." "Please." "I'm not leaving until someone tells me the truth." Sean sighed but nobody answered. I looked between the three of them and finally understood that this was bigger than Daniel. Whatever happened that night was not only his secret.

I stepped closer to Daniel, refusing to let him avoid him again. "I want the truth" I said "what happened at my prom?" Daniel looked at Sean, then Noah before finally meeting my eyes. "You're not ready for what happened that night." My heart raced "what does that mean?" His phone buzzed, he looked at the screen and his became empty immediately.

"What does it say?" I asked. Daniel hesitated before turning the phone toward me. The message read: Unknown: She remembers the photograph.

Daniel looked terrified. As I was about to say something my own phone buzzed. I slowly pulled it from my pocket and opened the message.

Unknown:Ask Daniel who was holding your hand that night.

My eyes lifted toward Daniel. I wondered whether the person I thought I hated had actually been protecting me all along.