"What an asshole!" I slurred. "Who wouldn't want to meet me? I'm awesome!"

Rokim nodded exasperatedly. "Yes, you are awesome," he echoed.

"I'm a . . . a pleasure to be around! I brighten the lives of alllll those I grace with my presence!"

Rokim rolled his eyes. "I know."

"I'm God's gift to the earth!" I insisted.

"You're so right."

"I'm practically an angel! But without the wings. Wings are weird."

"I feel so blessed."

I flopped back into my seat, nearly spilling my drink. "Hey, careful!" Rokim protested. "Look, I know it's the night before your first day back, but don't overdo it."

I groaned, setting the cup down on the bar and digging my hands into my hair. "Sorry, sorry. I just can't believe he didn't *hiccup* merember!"

"It's 'remember'."

"Thas what I said. Keep up, Kimmy."

Rokim sighed and patted me on the back. "I know, Han. But I told you he'd be different. Didn't I say he probably changed a lot?"

"Yeah, but . . . you know, I wasn't really listening."

"Of course you weren't." He pouted and started to retract his hand, but I grabbed it. "No no no, I'm sorry." I gave him my best puppy-dog eyes. "Please don't leave me. I love youuuu, Kimmy!" 

Someone coughed loudly in the background. I frowned—it sounded a bit familiar—but I shrugged it off and took another swig from my glass. Rokim chuckled. "Alright, alright—just calm down with the PDA, okay?"

I laughed and leaned into the seat. My head lolled back, my eyes falling on the stained ceiling of the crowded bar we were in. I felt my mirth slowly disappear, and winced at a stabbing pain in my side. "I just don't get it!" I exclaimed, feeling my anger rear its head. "Three years . . . three years isn't long enough to completely forget everything, is it? You sure it was him?"

"Yeah . . . I'm sure." Rokim pinched the bridge of his nose. "But honestly, can you blame him? After everything that happened, I wouldn't mind a little amnesia either."

"That's . . . that's bullshit!"

I slammed my drink down on the table, feeling heat rush to my cheeks.

"You can't just . . . just bottle that crap up! It's not healthy! And I bet he hasn't talked to aaaaanyone else about it either. Isn't he getting his degree in psychology? He should know this stuff, the dumbass!"

I closed my eyes, feeling my energy leaving me. I rubbed my temples in defeat. The buzzing in my ears was getting louder. Even if he didn't remember me, I'd be damned if I let him ruin himself.

"He didn't deserve it, Rokim," I slurred brokenly. "I should have. . . it was my fault. . ."

"Hey," Rokim interjected softly. "It was no one's fault. Not yours, and not Rian's. Don't go beating yourself up over it."

I clenched my fists, saying nothing, before taking another gulp of my drink. I savoured the burn as it slid down my throat, and ignored another sharp pain in my chest. 

Rokim stared at me, then sighed again. "You're drunk. Come on, let's get you home."

He grabbed my arm and pulled me off the bar stool. I stumbled along after him, too tipsy to really pay attention to where I was going.

I guess you can call that mistake number two.

My drunken self slammed directly into someone on my way out the door. I felt Rokim's grip on my arm slip away as the bar got even more swamped for last call.

"Hanna!" I heard Rokim yelling for me, but it sounded distant. All I could hear was that same buzzing in my ears. My fingertips tingled as I realized what was going on.

"So it's happening again, huh?" I muttered bitterly. The crowd seemed to thicken around me, and Rokim's calls got further and further away. "Damn, I thought I'd gotten over it . . ." I said as my vision started to go dark.

I felt around for anything to grab onto, or lean against, but there was nothing. Pain wracked my body, and I gripped the right side of my ribcage. I was suddenly grateful I was drunk—it probably would have felt a lot worse if I wasn't intoxicated.

I stumbled outside, through the side exit. I tried to measure my breaths, like I was told, but it wasn't working. The pain just kept getting worse, and I couldn't hear Rokim at all.

"Three years . . ." I gasped. "Three years didn't change a damn thing, did it?" I laughed derisively, but it was quickly taken over by a series of coughs. My vision was growing worse, and I made my way to the wall, where I collapsed into a heaving mess. My fingernails dug into my palms as I tried to regain control, to no avail. At this rate, I was going to pass out.

I felt a hand on my shoulder. I tried to shake the person off, but my ribs were on fire. I slumped against the wall in defeat. I felt my legs leave the ground as someone picked me up, bridal style, and started walking away. Kimmy . . . ? 

No. This wasn't Rokim.

My lips tugged into a languid smile. "I know these hands . . ." I mumbled, delirious.

Then everything went black.

♛

I woke up to a dimly lit room. "Ugh," I grunted as I sat up. I was lying in my bed, but I didn't remember coming back to my apartment last night. 

A shooting pain went through my head. I definitely drank too much. 

"Why am I like this? Why did you make me an idiot, God, why?" I lamented, groaning as I heard the door creak open. I pulled my pillow over my head and continued to curse myself silently as someone approached.

"Hey, get up. It's your own fault for getting shitfaced on a school night." Rokim's voice floated above my head, totally unsympathetic. 

"Rokim," I whined, my voice muffled by the pillow. "Why did you let me do this to myself? You know I can't be trusted with a bottle."

Rokim scoffed and pulled the pillow off my head. "You're so mean," I pouted as I reluctantly got up. 

"You'll thank me later," he replied. "Here, water." He handed me a glass and watched me drink thirstily. 

He studied my face as I set the empty glass on the side table. "Do you . . . remember anything from last night?" he asked cautiously.

I squinted and scratched my head. "Uhh . . . kind of? After I went to Rian's place and was brutally rejected, I came back here and we went to Mac's for drinks. You listened to me rant."

Rokim watched me carefully. "Yeah. And?"

 "And . . ." I lowered my eyes. "I had another episode." I tilted my head and let my hair shield me from Rokim's gaze. "After that, I don't remember anything. You brought me home, right? Did you sleep over?"

I stared at my hands, waiting for his response. He was silent for a while. "Yeah," he said finally. "That's exactly what happened."

I sighed, and turned to face him. "I'm just glad you were there. Thanks."

He shook his head. "I thought you'd gotten over them," he said frustratedly. "What would have happened if you were alone?"

I grinned and waved noncommittally. "But I wasn't, so it's fine." I swung my legs over the side of the bed and got up. I slung an arm over Rokim's shoulder, standing up on my tiptoes to reach him. "As long as I've got my trusty sidekick, things will be okay."

He stared at me for a moment longer before sighing and rolling his eyes. "Which one of us is the sidekick here?" he said through a smile.

"You, of course," I said cheekily.

"Aren't superheroes usually over five feet tall?" he taunted.

"Shut up. I'm five foot two."

"Like hell you are. Look at you, you're tiny. Except for your head. It's the size of a cantaloupe." He snickered as I stared daggers at him. 

"The cantaloupe is a respectable melon!" I protested, feeling my cheeks flame. My head was not that big.

"At least other superheroes have cool powers, like flying and stuff. Cantaloupes can't fly," he continued with a smirk.

"Ugh, you're making my hangover worse!" I groaned, grabbing my head. "Whatever, be mean. I'm gonna go shower. There's thai food in the fridge." I shambled over to the washroom, throwing one last glare over my shoulder.

As I left the room, I heard him sigh and mumble under his breath. "That bastard."

I frowned. Was that directed towards me?

"Ah, whatever." I shrugged. I went to go get ready. Today was a very important day. It was the first day back. 

From here on out, the real work began.