It seemed impossible for things to go back to normal after a day like today. She knew there would be more questions in the morning. She would have to explain to Jordan what had happened, or as much as she could, anyway. They would probably argue some more, but it was more important for Wendy to explain herself and to keep Jordan as her best friend than to be “right” or the winner of the conversation.

There would be moving on after this. The summer would be over soon, and she would be starting college. A new life and a new path.

Wendy gazed up at the stars, and the stars gazed back.

Epilogue

“Ugh!” Jordan dramatically threw her hands into the air and collapsed back onto the grass. “Why did I let you talk me into taking this class?” she demanded, shouting at the sky.

“I didn’t make you do anything,” Wendy told her, chuckling as she neatly tucked her organic chemistry textbook into her backpack. She and Jordan had a tradition of eating lunch on the sprawling lawn between classes when the weather was nice. “We’re taking the class because it’s required for premed.” Wendy fixed her with a stern look, her eyebrow cocked at a critical angle. “Remember?”

Jordan muttered darkly under her breath.

Their first year of college had passed by in a blur. Wendy and Jordan had been placed in the health sciences dorm, right down the hall from each other. It had only taken Wendy one week of classes before she’d gone to the registrar’s office and signed up for premed. Jordan had whooped and hollered behind her as she filled out the paperwork at the front desk. It was embarrassing and wonderful.

It was mind-blowing, the difference a year could make.

The university had a great clinic onsite, and her student health insurance included counseling sessions. She’d been seeing the same psychologist all school year, twice a week, and she was slowly learning how to work through her anxiety disorder. After getting her memories back, Wendy had experienced a whole new set of challenges. Nightmares, flashbacks, and insomnia. She got a prescription to ease her anxiety and help her sleep, but some days were worse than others. It was hard. Sometimes it felt impossible, but she had help. She had her parents, she had Jordan, and she had her goals to focus on and pull her through. She was going to graduate with her bachelor’s degree, go on to med school, and become a doctor. A pediatrician, specifically.

“I gotta head to my next class,” Jordan grumped, stuffing papers haphazardly into her bag. She stretched her hands up over her head, fingers reaching toward the sunshine. “Are we still on to swim laps tomorrow morning?”