I Sold My Heart To Forget Them—Now They Beg Me To Remember novel Chapter 6

Theodore still switched seats with me.

Even though I kept telling him it was winter, the trash cans were emptied frequently, and there was no bad smell.

He still insisted I take the seat up front.

“You clearly like things clean, and you’re a good student. You can’t sit back there.”

Like he was dead set on earning his class president badge, he handled everything for me, the new girl–even my share of

the chores.

So when the teacher called us into the office and asked if I’d be willing to help him bring his grades up. I hesitated–ther

nodded.

School life was dull, but it was also fulfilling.

Drawing on memories from my past life. I’d already started quietly working through high school material

To minimize my time at home. I signed up for every extracurricular.

For breaks, I’d just find some camp overseas and ship myself off.

And when I wasn’t studying, I started to explore the world.

Eight a.m. to ten p.m. every day. I was more disciplined than any corporate drone.

At first, my parents came to school to see me every so often.

But once they saw how… flat I was with them, the visits tapered off.

The occasional phone call was mostly about how sweet and adorable their new little daughter was being

I didn’t take the bait. They’d sigh into the phone.

“Emma, we just want you two to get along. Sophie really misses you. Aren’t you coming home this week?

“No.” I kept my answers short. It made things awkward, but I didn’t care.

I couldn’t be bothered to make small talk, so I’d just hang up

They’d say things like, ‘Emma’s gotten so distant. Not as sweet as she used to be.”

But I knew it wasn’t about my personality.

Even in my past life, crying on cue, begging for scraps of attention–it never made them like me any more

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It was as if they were destined to dislike me.

To walk all over me while parading their love for Sophie.

Luckily, I no longer had the ability to love.

So no, I wouldn’t hurt because of them anymore.

Caleb came every day, without fail.

He’d show up with containers of home–cooked food, trekking back and forth between the elementary and middle school buildings.

Sometimes Sophie would come with him, her gaze was full of accusation.

“Emma, it’s so hard for Caleb! You should come be in our class too.”

“I didn’t ask him to come. And I sure as hell didn’t ask you.”

I took the food Caleb brought and sat down to eat by myself.

Sophie bit her lip, tears welling up as she looked at Caleb.

He just wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled warmly and generously, truly like a good brother.

“It’s no trouble, Emma. I’m not gonna ditch you just ‘cause I’m looking out for Sophie now.”

“You don’t wanna come home? Don’t. School food’s terrible anyway. I’ll bring you food every day. Promise.”

I ignored him, and he didn’t get upset.

Often, he and Dylan would stand quietly at the entrance of our class.

After I finished eating, he would grab the empty lunchbox and sprint back to the elementary school campus

Dylan spoke less.

He’d stopped trying to get a reaction out of me.

Instead, he’d just show up by the window every break, trying to play it cool, sneaking glances my way

I always pretended not to notice.

Days passed like this, one by one.

Until the day before my fourteenth birthday.

My parents appeared at school, unusually, accompanied by Caleb.

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The moment they saw me. they both seemed to freeze.

My mother’s hands trembled as she took my arm, her voice soft and muffled. “You’ve g

me now…”

“My sweet girl, it’s been so long since you’ve come home…”

Her eyes were a little red.

Even my father’s voice caught with emotion.

“Emma, sweetie, tomorrow’s your birthday! We’ve got everything ready–won’t you please come home?”

As if afraid I’d say no, Caleb quickly chimed in. “You can bring your friends, too! The more the merrier!”

“You… you didn’t come home last year. We waited up for you. All night.”

Last year…

Oh. Last year, on my birthday, Theodore had somehow found out.

He’d rounded up the usual gang of troublemakers from our class and insisted we all go horseback riding

“Hey, Emma… think you could, I don’t know, loosen up a little?”

I didn’t get it at first. I just looked at him, confused.

He pulled the corners of his mouth upward with his fingers.

“It is your birthday today. Relax a little and smile.”

He sat tall on this big chestnut horse, the sun hitting him just right as he tilted his head toward me

I tried to smile, but it probably looked awkward. The light in his eyes faded a little

“Emma… happy birthday.”

Thanks.” I sat on the horse, listening to the wind whistling past my ears

I realized, for the first time, that the weight I’d been carrying it felt a little lighter. Just a httle

It wasn’t until the next day that I saw the missed calls from my family

And the stack of gift boxes Caleb had brought to me

I was a little surprised.

Because I remembered, clear as day–my twelfth birthday was the last time I’d ever gotten a gift

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“Emma, please come home tomorrow, okay? Caleb was still trying

But when I turned around. I saw Dylan holding onto Sophie’s arm.

That memory, the ‘renaming ceremony“, hit me like a wave of nausea.

I couldn’t help but furrow my brow.

Dylan yanked his arm back like he’d been burned.

“Emma, I’ve been looking for you. Sophie said you were here–she brought me. I… I‘

“Don’t bother.” I cut him off, his excuse hanging in the air, thin and pathetic.

“I’m busy tomorrow. I’ve got plans. I’m not coming home.”

“Emma!”

I turned and walked back to class.

Behind me, I heard several voices of shock and grievance.

I thought I heard my mother crying.

And as I turned the corner, I heard it. A heavy sigh. “Honey… did we… did we mess up?”

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