Page 41 of Autumn Secrets

“I can’t wait. This is going to be so much fun,” Lexi replied.

As we finished our lunch, I knew that Adrian had left the cafeteria. That intense feeling that consumed me wasn’t there anymore, and I couldn’t help but feel a sting of disappointment. Was that how you felt when you had a crush on someone? I had no idea how chemistry worked. What I did know was, it was definitely there.

I didn’t see Adrian or Julian for the rest of the day, and in a way, I was quite relieved. One encounter was enough for me for one day. Lexi had training after school, and I decided to go home and distract myself with homework again. As I drove along the narrow road up to the house, I saw Mr Peters mowing our lawn. I beeped as I passed, and he turned and waved back to me. Even though they worked here, I hardly saw them. I pulled over and got out of the car.

“Mr Peters.” I waved and walked towards him. “Do you need a hand with anything?”

“Aurora.” Mr Peters smiled. “No, I’m about to finish. How are you? Did you have a good day at school?”

I nodded. “Yep, it was good.” An image of Adrian flashed by, and I shook my head lightly. Why did I have to think about him, like, every second? “My friends and I are talking about going away for a weekend.”

“Really? Is your friend Lexi one of them?”

“Yes of course. She’s my best friend around here.”

Mr Peters smiled. “Good. Lexi is a great girl.”

“You know her family, right?”

He nodded. “I know them very well – her parents and her grandparents.”

“Are they in Angel Falls too?”

“No, they live about an hour from here.”

I thought of the conversation I’d tried to have with Mum a couple of weeks ago, when I’d questioned why I couldn’t remember Lexi or her family from when I was younger. I realised that this was a perfect opportunity to try and get some answers. If there were any answers to be found, Mr Peters seemed to know the Dawsons very well.

“Lexi and I were actually just talking about how weird it is that we can’t remember each other from when we were younger. Quite odd, don’t you think?”

Mr Peters looked at me without a word, like he was deliberating how to proceed with the conversation. “Well…” he started. “It was a long time ago… You were both little.”

“I wasn’t that little,” I interrupted him. “I remember so many other things from here, people I’ve met, but I have no memory of Lexi at all.”

“Well…” Mr Peters looked at me. It was like he was trying to choose his words carefully. “I don’t know what to say. Maybe you should talk to your mum about it?” he suggested kindly.

“Okay, maybe I will.”

Was I looking to find something that wasn’t even there? I mean, what did I think I would find out? That someone had erased my memory? It almost made me laugh. What was up with me and all these weird theories?

“Well, my dear Aurora, I’m going to finish this before it gets dark, but if you go inside, you’ll find my wife’s famous cinnamon buns in the kitchen. She was baking today.”

“Really? I love those! I’ll go inside then. See you later, Mr Peters.”

“See you later, Aurora.”

As soon as I opened the front door, the smell of cinnamon moved my feet automatically towards the kitchen. Maybe Mrs Peters had some more information about the Dawsons? I still had no idea what I was really looking for. It was more of a hunch or a feeling. Except for Mum’s phone call I’d overheard the first night here. That was definitely real. Could it be related somehow?

“Hi, Mrs Peters.” I strolled into the kitchen, my mouth watering.

“Hi, Aurora, you’re home early. I’m just about to finish up in here.”

“It smells delicious.”

“Would you like to try one with a cup of tea?” she asked.

“Only if you join me.” I smiled.

I made us some tea, while Mrs Peters took out her last batch from the oven.