As they walked her mind cleared even more. Memories James and of Siobhan both surfacing and then settling into her mind, into her memory. She found she could remember more. Siobhan went to the same high school James did. She competed in indoor volleyball, the only volleyball offered in high school. And swimming. She remembered meeting Simone at a national-level swim meet. She remembered how during the whole event they were bitter rivals. She could almost feel the hatred she felt then for Simone.
Simone had won the meet, Siobhan got second. After it was real sportsmanlike. Respectful acknowledgment for each other's talents.
They exchanged phone numbers but didn't text much after a couple of weeks after the swim meet. But then something happened. Siobhan couldn't remember why but she had called her at some point, months later. They had joked and laughed into the early hours of the morning.
After that, they were fast friends. Siobhan got Simone into gaming, well sort of. If Simone couldn't play with Siobhan she usually didn't play. She still did though. A couple of hours a week alone. Or much more when they both had lulls in their AP classes and time to waste.
Siobhan or James' remembrance had to come to an end as Simone let go of her hand. HER HAND. They had been holding hands for the whole walk! James felt a familiar but different warm flutter in her chest.
James taking a quick glance at Simone's sporty shorts, and the slightly enhanced ass underneath, James stepped into an unfamiliar classroom.
