Chapter 384: Shared Past

’…I was too young to get involved in the incident, but I remember that it was a big mess. In the end, the adults got you back,’

I recalled the words that he said when he told me about the kidnapping incident that happened when I was a very young child. How come I didn’t remember anything about it until recently?

It was hard to believe but it seemed like the recent kidnapping worked to somehow trigger my memory about that unpleasant incident from the past.

"I have no idea what you’re talking about," Hayden replied once again with an unreadable expression on his face.

Great. He’s completely denying it and I have no proof that I’m right. Maybe I’m the only one going crazy here after all. Regardless, I’ve come this far so…

"You called me Lisa…When you came to save me, you called me Lisa…" I told him with such desperation in my voice that I was shocked at myself.

"Did I?" he asked as if he had no clue what I was talking about.

"…You did," I replied with a firm nod of my head.

I was scared and I was shocked, but I remembered it very clearly. When Hayden came for me, he called me ’Lisa’ instead of Malissa like how he used to call me. I noticed it then, but I didn’t have the time to think about it and so much went on during our time in the hospital and after that that I never got around to contemplate it until recently.

However, I was certain that he did call me Lisa and then I had that disturbing dream while I was sleeping in the hospital.

That boy in my dream, he called me ’Lisa’ so clearly and so many times…

There’s no mistaking it. He called me Lisa.

If Hayden knew anything about what I was talking about or alluding to, he did not show it. I can’t read him at all. This might just be a groundless speculation based on a dream that I didn’t even want to see but…

"Back when I was younger, when I was kidnapped…did you save me then too?" I asked as I stared deeply into his blue eyes.

When Hayden looked away from me, I knew that I was right. Even if he won’t admit it, I was quite certain now that I was right. That scene that kept replaying in my dreams over and over again until it robbed me of any decent sleep, really took place. Hayden saved me.

Why didn’t he tell me anything before this? Why did he have to keep it a secret and how come I couldn’t recall anything at all before this?

"What’s the use of telling you or bringing up something that happened so long ago. You didn’t even remember that it happened," Hayden replied solemnly.

"You should have told me. Why did you lie and say that you didn’t know anything about it? Like…you had nothing to do with it…" I demanded to know as my eyes searched his.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"I just told you. There’s no point in bringing it up. You were better the way you were before. You were happier. There’s no need for you to remember something so haunting," Hayden replied calmly.

"You should have told me. I keep on seeing it. I keep on seeing you, when you were younger…when you came to save me…" I said before my lower lip started quivering.

I bit hard on it to stop it from shaking while I felt tears sting the back of my eyes. It all happened in the past, so why am I feeling so emotional about it now?

"You remember?" Hayden asked with pure concern on his face.

"I don’t know…I don’t know…" I confessed.

"It doesn’t matter. You’re safe now and that is all that matters. Let’s go back inside," Hayden said curtly to put an end to the conversation.

He got up from the bench and offered me his hand, but I hesitated to take it. Why can’t he just admit it and tell me what happened? If he does, the nightmare will go away, right?

"Hayden, this might sound very stupid but…I have a feeling that the nightmare that’s been haunting me won’t go away if you don’t tell me what happened," I murmured as I stared up into his face.

After staring at each other’s eyes for a moment, Hayden sighed as he seemed to give in. He sat back down next to me on the bench with a depressed look on his face.

"Just tell me. It’s not that hard, right? I didn’t remember anything before but now I’m having nightmares about it…" I said before smiling encouragingly at him.

Hayden did not look impressed by my smile at all as he shook his head slowly from side to side.

"There’s not much to tell. I went looking for you. I found you and then the adults came to help you. That’s all there is to it," Hayden summarized in a very rushed way.

Maybe not remembering the details would be better for me. That seemed to be the way that Hayden saw it as well.

"Why didn’t you tell me before?" I asked.

He didn’t just not tell me. He went as far as the erase his entire involvement in the whole thing when he told me.

"I’m not looking to take any credit for what I did. That’s why I didn’t tell you. I would have preferred if you didn’t recall any bad memories from the past," he replied before grinning a little my way.

"I see…" I mumbled.

"That’s it. Happy now? Let’s head back," Hayden said and once again he got up from the bench and offered a hand towards me.

I reached out my hand and grabbed his, but I refused to get up from the bench.

"What is it now?" Hayden asked with slight annoyance in his tone.

I looked up into his face before I smiled a little at him.

"Thank you…for saving me…twice…" I murmured a little shyly.

--To be continued…