by Amber Nicole
Fallen Memories
Forbidden Truths Duet
Amber Nicole
Contents
Introduction
Authors Note
1. Gracie
2. Ashton
3. Gracie
4. Ashton
5. Gracie
6. Gracie
7. Ashton
8. Gracie
9. Ashton
10. Gracie
11. Gracie
12. Gracie
13. Ashton
14. Gracie
15. Grayson
16. Gracie
17. Bianca
18. Gracie
19. Ashton
20. Gracie
21. Ashton
22. Gracie
23. Ashton
24. Gracie
25. Ashton
26. Ashton
27. Gracie
28. Gracie
29. Ashton
30. Gracie
31. Ashton
32. Gracie
33. Ashton
34. Ashton
35. Gracie
Epilogue
Anonymous
Acknowledgments
Coming Soon!!!!
About the Author
Copyright 2020 © Amber Nicole
All rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used to reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations for articles or reviews. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials.
Nicole, Amber
Fallen Memories
Editing: CB Editing Services
Cover artist: Bookish Author Services
Formatting: Bookish Author Services
Introduction
Gracie -
A year ago, I lost everything important to me. My boyfriend, my best friend, and my family. Now all I'm left with is a whole lot of questions, a diagnosis, people I don't recognize, and enough uncertainty to fill an ocean.
Since waking up all I've had are secrets, rumors, lies, and abuse from a guy who seems almost familiar to me.
Will I ever learn what really happened that night? Will I remember these fallen memories before it's too late? Only time will tell.
Ash -
Who does she think she is? How dare she walk around like nothing happened? Like she didn't rip out my heart, steal my sister, and plunge me into the darkest pits of hell.
I'm going to break her, bit by bit.
She may have been the love of my life, my soulmate, but that time is gone. How can I have a mate when I no longer have a soul?
Time to play, dollface.
18+ This is a dark high school bully romance with many triggers
Playlist:
“Wake Up” (A song from Julie and the Phantoms)
“Wave” (a song by Meghan Trainor)
“Don’t Lie” (a song by Black eyed Peas)
“People I don’t like” (a song by UPSAHL)
“You broke me first” (a song by Tate McRae)
“Wine, Beer, Whiskey” (a song by Little Big Town)
“Everything has changed” (a song by Taylor Swift & Ed Sheeran)
“Walkashame” (a song by Meghan Trainor)
“You should be sad” (a song by Halsey)
“Little Toy Guns” (a song by Carrie Underwood)
“Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger” (a song by Daft Punk)
“Bang” (a song by AJR)
“Heaven Sent” (a song by Keyisha Cole)
“Hot Girl Bummer” (a song by blackbear)
“Drinking Alone” (a song by Carrie Underwood)
“11 Minutes” (a song by Halsey)
“Lonely” (a song by Justin Beiber)
“Stuck With U” (a song by Ariana Grande & Justin Beiber)
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/6U5yZd6Rybnveo19LXJA78
Authors Note
18+ preferred
Hey family, friends, readers, and everyone who has taken a chance on this first-time author.
I just wanted to jump on here and say thank you so much for reading my book. It means the world to me. Now that said this book does have some adult content so 18+ preferred.
There is swearing along with some steamy scenes and has some triggers too.
I really want everyone to take a chance on my book, but mental health is important. That being said this is a dark high school bully romance. Such themes like miscarriage, abortion, and suicide are all within this story.
Thank you so much, I hope you enjoy Gracie, and Ash’s story.
Love you all,
Amber Nicole
To everyone who has supported me and believed in me jumping into this new adventure. This one's for all of you. I hope you all love Gracie, and Ash as much as I do.
And
To my husband Logan,
Thank you so much for all your help in making this book become a reality. Keeping the kids occupied so I could write, going out and purchasing me a new laptop so my thumbs could have a break from writing on my phone, and for helping me with all of Ash’s military scenes. I couldn't have done this without you.
I love you monkey.
“We don’t need more to be thankful for. We need to be more thankful.”
- Carlos Castaneda
1
Gracie
First day of high school. You can do this, I tell myself. The reflection staring back at me in the mirror is one I don’t remember. Eyes the color of a stormy sky, hair the color of the setting sun, and skin kissed by the snow. Snorting to myself, I wonder when I became so poetic. Maybe I was an English lover before the accident. Sighing I say aloud, “Just another question to add to my growing list.”
Stepping away from the mirror, I grab my bag and slowly head down the stairs. I move as quietly as possible because I don't know the people in the kitchen very well, even if they claim they are my family.
"Gracelyn is that you sweetie?"
It would be rude to keep walking. Sighing, I hesitate for a few more seconds before I turn and walk into the kitchen.
"Um hi—I mean good morning. Wow this is really awkward," I say quietly hoping she didn't hear that horrid attempt at a conversation over the grinding of the coffee beans.
I will admit one thing about this lady, well I guess my mom, she knows how to make the house smell like a coffee shop. As I think that, all of a sudden, snippets of a past memory start playing like a movie reel inside my mind.
I’m walking down a street, holding someone's hand. I don't know who it is. His face is blurry. The sun is shining in my eyes, making me squint. He's laughing, I like the sound of it, almost like a tiger's growl, but with a melodic note to it. He stops suddenly in front of a building, opening the door to the most magical place in town—Willow's Books and Bakery. The aroma is a heavenly mixture of exotic coffee beans, baked goods, and a hint of ink from the shelves filled with books. I feel safe, happy, loved. I want to stay here, but all too soon it fades away as quickly as it appeared.
It's funny how some things seem to trigger memories while others stay trapped in the darkness that's now my mind.
"Grac
elyn are you okay baby?" The lady in the kitchen asks.
Mom, my mom I'm going to have to remember to stop calling her lady. She seems nice. I don't want to see her cry again. "Yes, sorry I had a short flashback. I didn't mean to space out, I'm sorry."
"Oh sweetie, are you sure you're up for school today? Your father and I talked, and if you would like to take some more time we can enroll you into online courses?"
"No ma'am, I mean Mom. According to you I'm already having to repeat half of my junior classes." I'm still not one hundred percent sure why I'm not repeating the whole year, but I guess this way I will be with friends.
"Gracie, I know this has been hard since waking from the coma, and all the months of therapy. But baby, you don't need to rush things. How about we try tomorrow, and today we can have a girls’ day? I'm thinking mani, pedis, and maybe lunch at your favorite restaurant Bennies?"
Not sure what restaurant she's talking about, but that does sound nice ...
"I need to move on Mom, but maybe we can do that this weekend?"
"Sure baby, that sounds like a plan." She looks away from me as soon as that last word is spoken. I know she's trying to hide it but I saw the flash of worry in her eyes.
"I need to leave or I'm going to be late. I'll see you after school okay?" I know that's not the most reassuring thing I could say, and she's probably expecting a hug goodbye, but she's still a stranger to me. I turn quickly and head out the front door. Free at last.
Taking a moment to just breathe in the morning air and let the rising sun warm my face, I feel the tension and anxiety slowly slip away changing to nerves and excitement. School. I don't know if I liked it before but I'm happy to be out on my own. Months—it's been months since I woke from that coma.
It’s dark, but I hear voices. Where are they coming from? “Mom we need to tell her. I don’t believe what everyone is saying. You know Gracie, Mia was her best friend. Whatever happened that night had to have been just an accident. When she wakes up, and she will wake up, we will learn the truth.” It’s a man's voice but I don't know whose.
“Gray, baby come sit down. You really need to go home to Anna. She's worried about you and you know what? So am I. Gracie wouldn't want to see you like this. She knows you love her, and I’ll call you as soon as she wakes up. Honey it’s been two months. I’m upset to say this but she may never wake up.” I hear a woman reply, then start to sob. Drifting back to the oblivion I feel safe.
The next time I feel consciousness returning I open my eyes to a room full of people I don't know. So many voices shouting in excitement at the same time terrifies me and I start to scream.
“Gracie baby it’s okay, it’s okay calm down sweetie. You’re safe, and you’re okay,” a woman I don’t know says besides me in a tear-filled voice.
“Who are you?” I croak out from a throat so dry.
“Gracie honey it’s Mom. Don’t you recognize me? Grant go and get the doctor now!” she shouts in a panicked voice, freaking me out even more. I hear the monitors I’m attached to start to go crazy, and my chest getting tighter making it harder to breathe.
“Wh—I—” I gasp “—ca—brea—he—”
A man grasps my cheeks, forcing me to look him in the eyes.
“Gracie, look at me. Breathe. Everything is okay. Feel the cold from my hands on your cheeks. Don’t look at anyone but me. Listen to my voice. That's it. Just breathe, sis. We’ll get the doctor in here and he can explain things okay? Just breathe Gracie. That's my girl. I've missed you so much,” he says with tears in his eyes. I'm not sure who he is, but whatever he just did worked.
I've been having panic attacks since I woke from the coma according to my parents. I never had them pre-accident.
The only people I've been around are my family. My mom, dad, and brother, Grayson. They seem nice if not a tad overbearing. Gray, which he asked me to call him instead of Grayson, is older, married, and has a baby on the way. I'm going to be an aunt, which I’m kinda excited about.
Walking down the street, I pass a playground. I can remember loving kids and doing a lot of babysitting. I always wanted to be a mom. Being an aunt will give me sufficient practice until it's my time. I'm hoping once the baby arrives Gray will spend more time at the house. He doesn't seem to be around much. He recently graduated college and is working at our family’s law firm. Pretty much only visiting for Sunday dinners. I've yet to meet his wife, but from what I've heard she seems sweet. Maybe once her second trimester hits and she's no longer suffering from morning sickness, I'll get to meet her.
I think I’m looking forward to this weekend's girls’ day with my mom. Since Mia passed I've been in a deep depression. The doctors say it's a side effect of my injury, but I think it's just grief. Mia was my person and I miss her so much. I hope it won't be too awkward.
The cool breeze blowing makes me feel even more relaxed than my nightly baking. I'm some type of miracle they claim. No one will tell me what happened to cause all this, but if the whispered snippets of conversation I've come across have any indication it was bad, really really bad.
I survived; Mia didn't.
Mia, my best friend—no more like my sister—and the only person from my supposed life that I can remember. Gone in a horrific, tragic way that no one wants to talk about. All they've told me is I was the last person to see her alive.
I shake my head of those thoughts and continue to walk the short distance to school. I wish I could drive. The weather is nice right now, but in Willow Creek it can change with the snap of your fingers.
The cool breeze blowing makes me rethink the dress I wore today. My closet was full of options but I decided not to dig very far and just grabbed something hanging in the front.
I got ready as fast as possible before I could talk myself out of going.
I've been so nervous about today. I may be a senior this year but I can't remember much of my previous years besides a few memories with Mia. I really hope I find some people to talk to or hang out with. Being the new kid at school, even though technically I've been with my classmates since preschool, is so nerve wracking.
Supposedly I'm popular and was co-captain of the cheerleading squad, but that doesn't mean much to me without Mia there. I can't really remember much about cheering, but I do remember watching football games and practices with her by my side.
It's going to be so hard doing this alone. That may make me selfish but I don't care. I wish she were here. She was always the outgoing one, she would help pull me out of my comfort zone while I would rather hang back and let her shine.
Every time I’m out in public the back of my neck prickles as if I’m being watched. I’m sick of all the questions and attention. I know I survived a traumatic accident and my best friend didn’t but now I'm the biggest gossip since Sanders joined the NFL. Hopefully in the next few months I will be able to drive, but you know with a brain injury they don't suggest it since it can cause further damage and yada yada yada.
Once again lost in my rambling thoughts, I don't seem to notice a car is slowing down behind me. It’s an expensive vehicle with a really attractive man sitting behind the wheel. I stop walking, assuming he wants to speak with me, not thinking he would rev the gas and purposely try to jump the curb to hit me.
"What the hell!" I scream, moving out of the way just in the nick of time. Slowly pulling myself up off the ground with a grumble making sure I'm not hurt, I storm towards his car to give him a piece of my mind.
He shakes his head with what looks to be tears blurring his vision. Startled by the strong emotion showing in his eyes, I slow my steps, giving him the time to snap out of whatever was playing in his mind and speed off. I have no clue where, but I pray it's far away from me.
2
Ashton
"What is wrong with me?" I say to myself. Seeing her just walking without a care in the world while Mia is gone, I snapped. The sun shining off her rose-gold hair, her long legs exposed for anyone to see. What made her decide to wear a shor
t summer dress in October I don't know. But I do know this is going to be torture. I hate her—no I despise her. I should not be missing her.
Glancing at the clock I see that there is still fifteen minutes until first bell. Perfect. Just enough time for a distraction to get me through this day. I think of my choices before hitting the bluetooth button on my wheel.
"Call Bianca.” Waiting a few seconds, she answers in a breathy voice. She probably thinks it’s sexy, while I just think she sounds desperate. Nevertheless, hearing her voice causes me to remember Gracie.
I wipe my sweaty palms on my pants legs. There she is. She is so pretty and sweet; she always smells like a vanilla cupcake. Why am I so nervous? She's been my friend since Mia and I moved here in the beginning of 6th grade over six months ago. You can do this Ashton. The worst she could do is say no. Okay here we go.
“Hey Gracie, you have a minute?”