"Hi," I breathed closing the door behind me.

Rai sat on the floor with his legs crossed and feet bare. He looked so at home. Maybe I should've stayed out. He holds up my picture and smiles.

"Audrie."

I nod shrugging out of my jacket and hanging it on the door knob. I shuffled through the bags Mrs. Pickney made me take home. "They're going to expire soon, and no one will buy them. I insist. Take them home and cook them tonight." she says. Thank God for her generosity, now I had one less thing to worry about.

"Where is it?" I murmured looking for the bag of croutons.

"What?"

"These." I say finally finding them. I hold the bag up. "are what croutons look like."

He nods. "I see."

Making salad was my favorite dish to prepare. Partly because it didn't require too much energy. I was working on the tomatoes when Rai walked into the kitchen.

He grabbed a piece of tomato and ate it before I can protest.

I wondered if he was able to cook anything. Probably not.

"I want you to see the room. It looks great."

"You're finished?" I asked surprised.

He shakes his head and then the sadness returns to his eyes reminding me of something that completely passed my mind. The digital camera I picked up earlier that day.

"I have something to show you." I smile at him.

"What?"

I shake my head. "After dinner."

"Ok."

I finished chopping the ingredients and dumped them into a bowl. The croutons went in next. I cut a lemon in half and squeezed the juice onto the salad.

"I need some more things. For my room."

I gave him a nod. "Tomorrow."

"Why can't we get them today?"

I slump my shoulders and look up in time to see the desperate expression on his face.

"Because I'm exhausted. I'm even too tired to eat."

"So why are you eating?"

"So we can sit together for once."

He didn't say anything else. Grabbing the food we placed them on the living room floor and ate. It was a silent dinner. Rai didn't have much to say, and I was afraid of saying anything because of how he might react to anything that comes out of my mouth.

Every now and then I studied his features. He wasn't taking care of himself the way he used to in Detroit. He was a few days away from a full beard, and it was difficult to tell whether or not his hair grew or was always as long as it was now. Not to mention his clothes. A white V-neck and faded jeans that fit him loosely.

He caught my stares before I could look away. We both stopped eating and watched each other for what felt like hours.

"I'm done." I say lamely trying to lessen the increasing tension in the room.

Under different circumstances I would've initiated what any two people would've done a long time ago when living and eating so close together. But everything I feel towards Rai is a mute sexual obsession and a very loud cry for assistance. I have to help him remember. I can't begin something with him knowing that he'll never remember me. That will destroy me, right? It should.

Not to mention the fact that I'll feel as though I'm taking advantage of him. Sick sick girl. I cleared my throat and stood carrying my plate with me. Rai followed suit and made sure to clean everything else that I missed. He placed the dishes in the sink and washed his hands. 

"You said you wanted to show me something." 

"Ofcourse. Follow me." I say leading Rai to my room. 

I pushed my bedroom door open and went straight to my closet to retrieve the old shopping bag. The camera was a used one because I certainly couldn't afford a newer one and this was much cheaper. Especially considering everyone has gone too high tech and the seller wanted to get rid of this at any price. 

"A camcorder. You record videos with it." 

"I know what it is." 

I opened my mouth to say something but I didn't know how to respond to his response. His short term memory was gone, not his brain. Stupid, stupid assumptions. 

"So, what I want you to do is record yourself every night. You have to make sure that you record everything. Every last detail is important." 

"Why?" 

"So you can watch it tomorrow morning and that way you can remember. It's living having a memory but not necessarily in your head." I smiled at him very proud of my idea. 

Rai didn't seem as enthusiastic about it as I was. He wasn't shy about hiding his discomfort either. 

"What?" I asked. 

"Are you going to watch it too?" 

"What? No ofcourse not. Not if you don't want me to." 

"Promise?" 

I nod and begin to set the camera up when he takes it from my hand. The tips of his fingers softly brush across my knuckles. 

"I can do it." 

I feel my face warm up from the breif contact. Compose yourself, Audrie. I clear my throat and nod in agreement with his request. Rai stood and walked out of my room without another glance back in my direction. It was obvious that all his attention was on the device now that he had it. 

Just as I thought he was in his room already recording his first vlog, he returns and stands in the doorway. 

"Will you remind me?" 

"Ofcourse." I murmur softly

He nods and walks out again. I don't see him for the rest of the night. Or hear him. Maybe he's waiting for me to fall asleep I wondered. Before retiring to bed I check out Rai's project taking note of everything he'll need to buy tomorrow. There was no way I can afford it all with the rest of the money Eddie had given me earlier that week. Maybe I can meet Meric again and ask him for more? 

Too risky. I'll just have to figure something else out. Maybe visit a few junkyards first thing tomorrow morning.

"Because nothing says goodmorning like scavenger hunting in other people's trash," I groan sliding under the covers exhausted, cold, and lonely.