Page 30 of Don’t Forget Me

“Not really. What made you take an interest in old artifacts?”

“There was just something appealing to me about the way that I could hold onto something from the past. They have this value that most of the world doesn’t see. They are forgotten, discarded, but they are hidden, real treasures.”

We locked gazes once he finished. There seemed to be some sort of haunting emotion in his blue eyes. There’d been a distant haze in his expression, as if he’d been traveling to a far memory in the vault of his mind. I knew that look.

“Well, let’s hurry, shall we? The actors are waiting for us to let them in.”

“Of course,” I said, following after him.

It had been silent as he led me out of the storage room. We were now walking along a dim corridor. His black polished shoes clicked, syncing in unison with my shoes, which were already causing discomfort at the sides of my feet.

Perhaps it was a bad idea to wear new loafers on a day like this. I should’ve broken them in when I received them last week. I cursed myself.

Ezra smiled as we walked through and out of the hallway.

“I have to ask,” I began.

Ezra looked back at me but continued to stride.

“Why are you here? I thought the casting directors would be taking care of this portion of the production. Aren’t you just the bank account?”

He set a hand on his chest and chuckled.

“No offense,” I said.

“You offend me by thinking I serve as a simple wallet for your film,” he answered. I laughed. “I think it’s time for you to know that I’m also the director. I’ll be working very closely with the casting crew, screenwriters, and the marketers involved in your movie.”

My laughter immediately stopped. I knew I’d have to work near Ezra as the head of the production company, but I never thought I’d have to work with him as the director. He would oversee the entire film with me. He would be there during every scene, every decision, every moment. To think that he would be there with me every step of the way was a soothing thought, but also terrifying.

I didn’t understand why my heart raced every time I saw him. I couldn’t comprehend why my pulse beat faster when I thought of the time that we would spend together. It was the same feeling I had when we were in Blackthorn, before I knew the kind of person he truly was.

“You look funny,” he said.

“Ezra, that’s not something you say to a girl.”

“No, I mean, why do you look so distraught?” he questioned. “Is my presence so disturbing to you?”

Ezra stopped walking, and faced me. Sharing my thoughts was no longer an option. I could not explain how his company affected me in good and bad ways. Not after hiding the truth from me. Not after he broke my heart. And I hated how much the thought of that day still hurt me. I despised how I couldn’t look at him and enjoy the good memories we had together. All I could think about was finding out that he was with me as a joke, to prove himself to his friends.

Ezra’s warm hands rubbed my arms. “Hey.”

He towered over me, and it was then that I noticed how much taller he’d grown since the last time I saw him five years ago.

So much time.

1,827 days.

“What’s wrong?” he asked softly.

I shook my head, unable to speak. If I pronounced any word, he’d know how much of an effect he still had on me.

“I’m okay,” I whispered, lowering my eyes to his blue tie. It matched the color of his gaze. All these years, I couldn’t even bear to look at the hue that belonged to him. I shut my eyes.

“Hey,” he murmured before pulling me into his embrace.

A million times. That’s how long I had spent imagining this moment and dreaming up our reunion. I wanted to hug him; I wanted to remember the peace I had felt whenever I was in his arms. As if my place in this life was to be by his side.

“I waited so long for this,” he whispered, his cheek resting on my head. His hold around my frame tightened.