Page 68 of Don’t Forget Me

“You already know everything about me,” I said.

“It’s been five years. You’ve lived a whole life without me. I would like to know what you’ve been doing all this time.”

She was right. There was so much I didn’t know about her too. I wanted to know about her victories, her sorrows, everything. But I had to earn that gift once again.

I breathed in. “I didn’t do much.”

“Don’t lie. I’ve seen the interviews and articles.”

I grinned. So perhaps she had seen the clues I left for her.

“Fine, fine. I graduated from Blackthorn House Academy. Afterward, I worked in finance with my father. From there, I moved to real estate.”

Lysandra hissed. “That must’ve been miserable for you.”

I chuckled. I was glad she remembered our encounter in the library when I mentioned what I wished to work in once I had graduated from school. “It was. But I never forgot about what I wanted to do, which was to work in films. Finance helped me fund the production company, and real estate helped me explore lots of land and areas that could serve as potential sets.”

Not even for one second did she break her gaze from me.

“How did you get into directing?”

She was curious about me. We were getting somewhere. “One day I went to see how the production was going for one of our films, and I couldn’t help but want to be a part of the process. Most producers aren’t as involved in their films as I wished to be, so I began going to as many film productions as possible. I worked with other great directors who took a chance on me and taught me their best techniques. Some of them recommended some great courses over at the University of Edinburgh.”

“You went to the university?”

“Yeah, I took a one-year course for certification.”

“How come I never saw you?”

If she had seen me, would it have changed anything?

“It was mostly online. I needed that freedom, anyway, since I was traveling a lot with my father.”

“I heard about his…” she trailed off, almost too scared to admit it. I nodded, giving her the approval to finish her thought. “About his heart attack.”

“Yeah, it wrecked my mum.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that. I probably should’ve reached out when it happened, I just⁠—”

He didn’t deserve anyone’s pity. If anything, I had been more than relieved to be freed of his presence. The only grief I had was for the relationship I didn’t have with him, rather than the fact that I would never see him again. My mother would never have to bear wounds inflicted by him, and my sister wouldn’t have to worry about coming home ever again.

I shook my head. “Thank you, but you don’t need to apologize for that.”

She remained pensive for a few moments as she examined me. “Well, then. I’m glad that you’re doing what you love. One of the greatest fulfillments in life is making your imagination become a reality.”

I was half expecting her to make fun of me for using my father’s business to my advantage. Perhaps that was something that would be left in our bygones. I hoped. It always made my achievements feel worthless.

“What about you?” I asked.

“After we—” Lysandra began, then cleared her throat. “After the incident, I moved to Lachlan Prep. Camille transferred with me, and convinced them to let us be roommates there too.”

“Tell me that you are joking,” I chuckled.

“She is a force of nature, that girl. She made petitions, sent emails, and organized protests to be able to get the same dorm as me. When we graduated, we moved to the University of Edinburgh. In the meantime, I had begun to write a few interesting stories, and she received an internship at a publishing house here in Edinburgh. Eventually, she made some connections and became an assistant at a literary agency. She pitched my book to the agents there, and they loved my manuscript. Then, she was promoted to literary agent, and here we are now.”

I analyzed the way her stare seemed to be following her memories. She spoke in a sweet, yet nostalgic manner.

“Seems like I’m not the only one who has used nepotism to their advantage,” I chuckled, nudging her elbow.