"Max,"
I open my room's door and see that my dog is in pain. He's getting his epileptic attack again, "MAX! Cypher! Get the car out!"

Memories haunt me. Memories that I didn't even know existed. But memories that are imagined cause a very real pain indeed.

I pick him up and put him in the car. Cypher is driving in the dark,
"Max! Don't worry, we're almost there. You're my strong boy, right?"
'You're my strong girl, right? Then, you'd let me go. If you love me, you'd let me go,'

Why can't good things stay?
Cypher and I sit outside the doctor's office and I got tears running down my face.
"Please don't go, Max. Please. No one has ever made me so happy before."
Cypher looked at me and patted my shoulder, "He'll be okay,"

The doctor came out of the room and I ran towards him, "How's Max?"
"He's under medication so he won't be conscious for a while. You can take him home now,"
I looked at Max, laying on his silk pillow. I was sitting beside him, gently patting his head as he slept. "You should get him some treats,"
"I should," I smiled at Cypher and off we went towards the convenience store with Max laying on the backseat. I got off the car while Cypher decided to stay in. Watch over Max.

I entered the store and I looked around. I grabbed a bag of treats but on my way back, I saw a rack of chips. It was not the store where I met that stranger, but it reminded me of him. I remembered I still had his hoodie.

"Oops," Max spilled some coffee on the room's floor and I looked around for a mop. Then, I found that black hoodie in the basket. I looked at it for a while and pressed my face on it, it smelled like him. It felt as if he was standing before me, and remembering his smile felt comforting. It had only been three days, yet he felt like an old acquittance. Three days felt like thirty years. And this cologne, it felt like a familiar scent.

"Yo Deppy," Cypher walked into my room and I threw the hoodie down on the floor and covered it over the coffee.
"..What are you doing?"
"Cleaning my floor!" I rubbed it over the coffee, "See?"

"Yeah. By the way, can you not come home early tomorrow?"
"Why?"
"Well," He leaned on the wall, "My girlfriend is coming to the flat tomorrow,"
I gave him an ugly look, "Look, a man got needs!" He explained himself, "I promise that if you get a boy over, I'd fuck off. We are helping each other out! Okay?"

"Fine. Who would I even get home?"
"Knowing you, probably a girl,"
"Fuck off, Cypher," I look at Max, "Next time he says this, bite his ass,"
"Man, stop controlling your dog's thought process,"

"Which reminds me, I haven't gotten him a collar. Maybe, I should buy one while returning from college today,"
"Maybe, when is your last lecture?"
"At five. I need to start getting ready. The first lecture starts in thirty minutes,"
"Yeah, I'll follow two hours later. Get me something to eat on your way home,"

I wore an A-line skirt, a white Tommy Hilfinger shirt and long socks with white sneakers. I walked out of my apartment, with Max still clinging to my leg. Cypher holds him back while I close the door. I'm ready for college when I remember his black hoodie laying in the laundry basket.

And now I remember him too.

-To be continued