Chapter 032: Name

With the windows of the Arctic Truck opened, Lucas was taking in the wind as he thought about the changes inherent to the recent baptism and how they fit with those of the previous one.

He did notice that he had some white traces on his skin and if his memory served him right, there were some scars on their place previously. He seemed heavier too but would need to check that properly once back to the other side of the ocean. And last but not least, looking into the rear view, his hair, while still very short like usual, was given a new look. It was now white.

'Tch. F*cking snow. And thinking back, I found the snowmobile lighter when I was pushing it. Just need to confirm how different my strength now is.'

After driving for a good while, he looked at his passenger and saw her still unconscious. Frowning, he put a finger beneath her nose and felt her breath.

'Strange, she shouldn't have been out so much longer than me. I used myself as the medium for her so her burden should not have been much. What's going on?'

Unconvinced, he went to put his hand on her throat, with his fingers feeling her pulse. As he was concentrating on that, he suddenly felt weird. Raising his eyes, he met dark ones that were a pool of calmness.

He froze a bit, feeling awkward all of the sudden. With a stiff smile, he retracted his hand and asked to diverge the attention:

"Hello. How are you feeling?"

"Who are you?"

Becoming chatty for reasons he might be able to put forward or not, he fell back on his more fun personality:

"That was not the answer I was expecting but, well, I'm Lucas. And you?"

"Even if I don't remember much, I know that a full name needs more than one word."

"Alright, you can call me Lucas Specter. I hope it doesn't bother you."

"Why would your name bother me?"

With her calmness since waking up, he was having trouble discerning her fluctuations. Like right now, he didn't know if she really was confused about why she could have been bothered by his name or if she was indifferent to it.

"It's good then. So, you were talking about having forgotten things. What do remember?"

She turned her gaze to the snow world outside before she answered:

"Not much. Why am I in your car and what are we doing in this place? Where is this?"

'Not that I have seen many amnesiac patients but I bet she is breaking a record with how calm she is.'

"I saved you. We are in the south pole and I don't know what you came to do here. I was on my way to take care of a business of mine when I met you wounded but clinging to life so I took you in. You really don't remember anything? Not even your name?"

"I don't remember my name. I don't feel any wounds either."

'At least what happened to her will not prevent her mind from being stable for now. Healing will come later.'

"Haha... What I came here for was quite extraordinary so it helped me take care of the wounds for you. You didn't even get a scar."

Silence descended into the car as they each retreated into their thoughts. Soon however, Lucas broke it:

"Hey, you know what? You remind me of a movie I saw when I was little. You know what a movie is, right?"

He could swear that her calm gaze at him was screaming its ridicule at him. Thankfully, she showed curiosity for what he was saying.

*Cough*"So, it was a movie about a carpenter that lied about being the boyfriend of an obnoxious rich woman that fell into the sea and lost her memory. He wanted her to get a feel of his poverty as a revenge for when she treated him like sh*t when he went to do a job at her place."

"Are you saying that I was obnoxious?"

Her question gave Lucas the feeling of having a fish bone stuck in the throat. After a moment:

"No... Anyway, how about we choose a name for you? I don't want to be calling you"hey", "miss", "woman" or others of the same kind. And, I don't know how your life was but maybe you can give yourself a new beginning."

She seemed to think about it as soon after she said in a small voice, like a whisper:

"Okay."

Lucas smiled and thought a bit before saying:

"When I met you, you were in a miserable condition."

Concentrated as he was on recollecting, he didn't see the small frown that immediately disappeared from his passenger face.

"Despite that however, you refused to let your life go out. And from what I saw, you had been like that for many hours, maybe a day. So, how about Estrella, like a star, so that you can burn forever? I know it is not Asian but I thought it fits you and I can't translate it into any language from there and I don't know how it will sound and-"

"It's good enough, I like the meaning."

Despite the interruption, he was relieved that he stopped making a fool out of himself because of nervousness and happy that she liked it.

"Alright. So for the second, I have thought about Helen."

"And do I need two?"

"Don't worry. Helen is a beautiful name and I think it fits you with your beautiful dark hair. Also, one day, you will remember some sh*tty parts of your life. Just like the meaning of the name, try to look for warmth and don't be depressed."

Even Lucas was becoming embarrassed. How can he, a strong and manly man talk like that?

"Okay."

'Who wants to be a strong male? That little smile that flashed by was beautiful.'

With a stupid smile on his face, Lucas kept his gaze on the wide road.

As the scenery stayed the same for the next few minutes, he was abruptly distracted from the road.

"Lucas, wasn't that woman given a surname in that movie of yours?"

'She has a beautiful voice.'

"I don't quite remember. You want one?"

After being ignored, he continued:

"I don't really know what to give you. You can take mine if you want, I gave it to myself so I won't need anyone's permission to let you use it."

"Estrella Helen Specter. It's not bad."

With a teasing smile:

"Usually, only married couples have one take the other's surname, you know?"

"Why did you give yourself a surname?"

'She has too much talent at changing the subject.'

After gritting his teeth internally, he replied:

"I don't trust my life not to bring troubles to those dear to me so, when I got the opportunity I faked my death. Can't have the same surname, too big of a loophole. Even the name should be changed but I don't want to."

"Your parents?"

"Huh?" She made him confused.

"Those dear to you. Are you talking about your parents?"

"Ohh. Yes. And my ex-girlfriend."

With that, they kept silent once more as the car continued to race with the wind to get to the coast, its two passengers, one reliving a new version of teenage crush and the other, masking with the perpetual calmness the little bit of imperceptible complication brought by the lingering attachment felt from that least answer.