Notes to Self Read Online Free PDF Page B

to ages ago when we played Warcraft after school. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jeans and looked at me.
    “Yeah, it was kind of bad,” I nodded. It pleased me that he was shaken up. He got this crease between his eyebrows when he was really freaked out. I wanted to reach out and smooth it down for him.
    “She said it might help if I came over, but I can leave if you want. If you’d rather sleep or be alone or whatever, I’ll just go.” Reno talked fast when he was nervous. I only caught the end part of what he’d said.
    “Yeah, um, please stay,” I blinked. It was really decent of him to show up to visit me. I didn’t deserve it. I wondered if I would have gone to him if he’d been the one who’d gotten hurt. I doubted it, which made me feel itchy. “Thanks for coming,” I added in a whisper. I licked my lips and shut my computer. “I know it’s been awhile since we, um…”
    He nodded. Reno was one of those people who didn’t make a big deal out of anything. It was either a relief or kind of annoying, depending on your mood. “Does your head hurt now? Did they drill a hole in your skull?”
    “Yeah, but I’m on drugs. If I say something ridic, it’s the pills.” I turned so he could see the fresh bandage on the back of my head. “I can’t remember what happened the night we fell.”
    “At all?”
    “At all. But if you bust out the Memento references, I will punch you in the neck.” Reno was a huge Christopher Nolan fan and I really didn’t want to hear about it. “My memory’s not gone. It’s just that night that’s missing. I don’t know. There are, like, gaps, and all this weird visual stuff is happening to me. I fell.”
    He pushed up his glasses and nodded. “I know you fell, Rob.” His eyes were very wide, as if he’d only just grasped how serious my injury was. “I’ve read about this. You’re like a football player who took an illegal tackle and got sent back into the game too soon, and pretty soon he’s telling you it’s 2006 and throwing up on your shoes.”
    “I guess. I have been super nauseous.” I paused, trying to figure out what I wanted to ask. “Listen, do you know why we went to Fun Towne that night? Was Emily…do you know…” I felt my eyes tear up; I looked down quickly and wiped them with my fingers. I didn’t want to cry again. “There’s this thing I know I have to remember, something important, but I just can’t.” Did that make sense? Am I using the right words? I’d felt pretty good when they released me from the hospital, but now I was getting confused again.
    “I have no clue, Robin. The last time we talked was, like, summer. Have you checked your e-mail? Phone? Facebook?” There was nothing interesting in my e-mail except for one message from Josie Palomino, this girl I’d never particularly liked even though we were technically friends. All it said was “Why aren’t you answering your phone? Call me. J.” I didn’t know where my phone was; I’d have to ask my mom if the paramedics had found it.
    “My phone’s gone. I’m supposed to sleep all the time, and that’s all I want to do, but Emily’s in a coma and I’m losing it. I threw a box of Kleenex at my mom yesterday.” I noticed my foot was tapping like crazy. I stopped. Does everyone who hits their head feel like kicking holes in the drywall, or am I just special?
    “Okay, okay. Wow. I’ll, uh…I’ll do some Googling around about triggering memories. I’ll figure something out.” Reno pulled out his phone and started thumbing it. “I don’t really see how you can help her if she’s in a coma, though.”
    Tears spilled out of my eyes and Reno looked up. He seemed to shrink a little behind his glasses when he saw my face. “Sorry. Uh, I should probably go…or do you want me to…? Do you, um, need anything else?”
    “I’ll be fine. I’m just going to get some sleep, I think. I fell.” I gestured toward the closet and he nodded. He stood up and moved