As she spoke, she kept looking at him, hoping to see some spark of recognition on his face, some sign that he remembered even just a little bit. It hurt her that he had to go back to his family, who she knew to act more indifferent than not. How would that help him at all now? Still, she went on to speak until she did get to the story of their first kiss and he touched her, he stopped by that tree and touched her. And for a moment the flame of hope flickered only to be blown out almost immediately. Still, he wiped her cheeks and instead of feeling something like love, it felt more like a brother wiping away her tears.

"It's not your fault," she said quietly. Because truly it wasn't. And she didn't know who to blame or what to say. She felt as lost as he did except she had the benefit of knowing her family, of having a support system. She tried to remind herself as she felt herself slipping into a feeling of hopelessness. "You don't need to apologize," she replied as she started them back towards his house, her heart sinking and breaking with every step. "That's my house." She pointed to a house across the street, a star in the window hanging proudly, centered.