Adam looked at Dawn closely and then at Ava… the tension in the room didn't even shift, it just sat there like heavy smoke. Everyone was waiting, hoping that he'd say something else. Something that would change everything.
"She was at the hospital… who is she?" Adam asked, voice soft, curious even. Like a man asking about a stranger he bumped into by mistake.
Dawn's heart just… dropped. Again. The tiny hope she had left? crushed. Completely. Ava felt the sting too even though there was this small relief inside her but she still felt bad for Dawn, honestly.
"She… she's my friend… she just came to visit," Ava said, her eyes going straight to Dawn's broken face.
Dawn nodded, even though nothing made sense, and walked out of the room. Jason and Leslie followed behind her quickly. They all had an apartment waiting for them but Dawn didn't even know how to enter it anymore. How do you live when the one person who healed you suddenly doesn't know your name? Adam was her world after everything, and she kept wishing this whole thing was just some stupid dream. Meanwhile Ava was blaming herself over and over.
"You don't really remember her?" Ava asked Adam again, quietly, like she wished the answer would change.
"I know you've told me about your friends, but you didn't introduce me to any," Adam said. He wasn't being harsh. Just honest. And technically, he was right. When Ava met him, she had professors, classmates… not real friends. Not really.
Daphne came home exhausted from work, looking stressed but still warm like always. She walked up to them and smiled.
"Adam, how are you today?" Daphne asked.
"You told me not to work just to go stress yourself out? Mom I'm fine, I can handle the company." Adam snapped a bit, more worried than angry.
"I'm the M.D. of the Manchester company so I have to handle it, okay?" Daphne answered.
"Mom has a point, Adam. You need rest," Ava added.
"Fine, I need," he muttered, and Daphne laughed while Ava smiled.
"Who's hungry?" Ava said, standing.
"Don't tell me you wanna cook. Ava please, you and your husband are too stubborn. You need rest too," Daphne complained.
"Me? Why? I'm fine I'm not sick," Ava defended but Adam burst out laughing.
"You told me I need rest and now Mom is telling you, but you're arguing," Adam said still laughing at her.
"You need to grow up, Adam, you know that?" Ava teased.
"Not today," he shot back.
"Keep arguing while I go prepare something," Daphne said and walked to the kitchen.
"Mom needs more rest tho," Ava murmured.
"You wanna go tell her that?" Adam asked, and Ava instantly picked a pillow and started whacking him with it while they both laughed.
* * * * * *
Alex cooked and dished out the food for everyone. Then she carried Dawn's own to her. But Dawn didn't even speak, her mouth just trembling. She couldn't eat. She couldn't even sit straight. She was thinking and thinking until her brain hurt.
"Dawn, I don't even know what to say… but please just eat something," Alex said, sitting beside her with worry all over her face.
Dawn just cried harder.
"Let it out, Dawn. I know it hurts, so just let it come out," Alex whispered, hugging her.
"I… I wish Adam could see me and remember me," Dawn choked out between tears.
"I know, but it's not that easy. He needs time to heal," Alex said, rubbing her shoulders.
"Adam loved me more than anything. Even more than Ava. But now… now he looks at me like I'm a total stranger," Dawn whispered, crying again.
"It's gonna be okay. One day you'll wake up and he'll remember you again," Alex murmured, even though she wasn't sure.
Upstairs, Jason and Leslie were discussing graduation and how everything was supposed to be perfect with Dawn smiling and Adam cheering them from the front row… instead everything was upside down.
"Why is it so hard to stay happy for long? The moment we get happiness, something just tears it apart," Leslie said quietly.
"Don't worry… Dawn is still with us," Jason replied.
"She needs us right now. I was so stupid talking to her the way I did," Leslie said, voice guilty.
"It's not late," Jason told her and nodded toward the stairs.
Leslie went down and saw Dawn still crying on Alex's shoulder. She gestured that she wanted to talk, so Alex patted Dawn and left.
"Hey sis… how are you holding up?" Leslie asked softly. Dawn didn't answer.
"You have every right to be angry with me, but I can't keep going like this. It hurts me that you're mad at me and you don't talk to me anymore. I can't… I can't do it," Leslie said, voice shaky.
"It's fine. You're just being a teen… like Adam says," Dawn said, pulling her into a hug.
Leslie hugged her tightly. "Everything will be okay," she whispered, even though Dawn didn't believe anything anymore until she sees it with her own eyes.
* * * * * *
The sun was being dramatic on graduation day, blasting heat everywhere. Chairs were squeezed too close together, kids running, loudspeaker misbehaving. Total chaos.
Dawn and Alex slipped into their seats looking tired. Dawn looked calm but she felt like she was made of paper.
"You okay?" Alex whispered.
Dawn nodded. "Yeah… I'm okay."
But she wasn't.
Graduation started. Jason almost tripped, Leslie pretended not to care. Everything was normal…
Then the noise behind them shifted.
People whispering.
"Wait—is that Adam Manchester?"
Dawn didn't turn. She was focusing on the stage. But something felt off. The air changed.
She finally turned…
And her whole world just froze.
Adam was walking in with Ava holding his arm gently. Ava looked good—too good—and she was smiling at the twins who haven't seen her yet. Adam looked calm, scanning the crowd like he was trying to remember something but couldn't.
Dawn felt this weird mix in her chest like happiness and sadness fighting inside her at the same time.
Yeah, Adam came to see the twins graduate… that part made her heart jump a little. But seeing him walk in with Ava holding his arm, smiling… it suddenly didn't feel so simple anymore.
She wasn't even sure if he really came for them… or if he just came because Ava told him to.
And that thought hurt more than she expected.
He didn't remember anything so he definitely came because Ava said so.
Her stomach twisted but her heart still raced like a fool.
Alex sighed. "He didn't come for the twins. Ava made him."
Dawn swallowed. "Doesn't matter… he's here, right?" she whispered shakily.
Jason's name was called.
"Jason Collins!"
Dawn clapped but her hands were weak. Her eyes kept drifting to Adam who wasn't looking at her at all.
"Leslie Collins!"
Leslie smiled big, spotted Dawn, then saw Adam and Ava behind. Her smile dropped a little, but she tried to hold it up.
After graduation, the whole place exploded into chaos. Jason and Leslie ran to Dawn excited.
"You saw us??" Jason yelled.
"You better have recorded it," Leslie said.
Dawn hugged them tight. "I'm proud of you guys."
But behind them… Adam stood staring at the field, confused, like he was trying to remember something but couldn't.
Ava touched him. "Let's go congratulate them."
Dawn's chest tightened again.
Alex whispered, "We can leave if you want."
"No… I won't run."
The twins exchanged looks.
"This is so awkward," Leslie muttered.
"Life hates peace," Jason said.
Adam and Ava came closer.
"Congrats you two!" Ava said smiling.
Jason and Leslie hugged her tightly. "Thank you for coming!"
And Adam…
He smiled at the twins. "Congrats. Both of you."
Then his eyes passed over Dawn…
No recognition.
Nothing.
Just confusion.
Like he saw a stranger.
Ava nodded politely at Dawn and Alex before leading Adam away.
And Dawn felt her heart break again… quietly, painfully.