Ruined (completed) ✔️

21.

Taking a couple of deep breaths I start pacing the room a couple of times, trying to get rid of the frustration of having Casey's little errand boy checking up on me.

He had no rights showing up on my doorstep at the crack of dawn, just to catch Eliza in bed with me. I hope she got home safely.

Walking over to the nightstand I grab my phone from the counter and send a message to her.

Me: I missed waking up next to you this morning. It's a good thing you disappeared when you did because Ronnie and Nina showed up at the crack of dawn. They were hoping to find you with me and that didn't happen.

This time it didn't.

Turning the TV on I flip through the channels until I find something worthy to watch. I settle on Suits and complain about things that are happening on the show.

It doesn't take too long before a message comes through and I look at the phone and see that Eliza has replied. A smile spreads across my face as I read it.

Eliza: I'm sorry for leaving you. I didn't want them to find us together and give them ammunition for... she leaves the last part off and I finish it for her.

Me: Telling my girlfriend. Well, my soon to be ex. I'm breaking up with her today. I should have done that before I took this month off to see my parents.

Eliza: Do you mean that?

Me: Yes, when it comes to you I don't want to lie.

Turning the TV off, I stand up and grab the keys off the nightstand. I exit the room and lock it before heading out. I walk down the corridor and press the button for the lift.

A guy is leaning against the wall as I wait for the lift. He's wearing black jeans and a t-shirt. His arms are folded across his chest. "I know you." He starts clicking his fingers trying to remember who I am. "That's right, you're Austin Wilde. The most successful man in our class. Damn, I wish you were there last night to receive that award."

This guy has my attention now. I wonder what else Eliza and I missed out on while we were at the lake, screwing each other.

"Why's that? Did something else go down while I wasn't there?" Looking at him I wait for an answer.

The lift door opens and I step inside. The guy follows me inside. "Someone came up with a new award for our class and that's a townie award. One that your high school sweetheart, got. There were even photos from the graduation party put on the screen and Eliza looked drunk and Ronnie was all over her."

Grabbing his shirt I throw him against the wall. "What the fuck did you say about, Eliza?" I hold my arm against his chest, making it harder for him to breathe. "During the night of the party, she went to a room with Ronnie. Everyone knows she's doing the dirty with him and rumour has it she got pregnant with his child. If you're dating her, you should know about a kid being attached to the relationship."

Bullshit, there's no way she would do anything like that. That's also the night that her mother had a stroke, but there was a couple of hours where I didn't see her because I was busy talking to friends and enjoying myself.

"That's not true. She would never do that to me and there's no I'm going to believe something that a stranger tells me. Who the hell are you, anyway?"

"I'm Timothy O'Toole. I was in you're homeroom."

Letting him go I exit the lift and head out of the hotel. As I walk through town I watch as some of the stores start to open for trading. When I get close to my favourite café I make sure to visit.

The door to Locke Café opens and the bell above the door rings. A familiar older woman opens the door. Smiling she holds the door open for me. "Hello, Austin. It's been a while since you've been back in town. How are you?"

"I'm good, Mrs Locke. I thought you would have sold this place already." Looking across the street there's construction happening and I doubt the regulars would be coming down here to drink coffee while all this noise is happening."

She shakes her head. "My husband and I are holding off. We're waiting for a better offer on the land we occupy."

Who the hell told her she could get a better offer?

In the city, if they had problems with shops they would rescind the offer and bulldoze the company after they had an evictee notice. Here it's a lot different.

"Can I ask you who told you not to sell the business and wait for a better offer?"

She closes the door behind me and says. "We've been getting information from Eliza Donoghue. She's got friends in high places and they're giving her the information she needs to help us get more money. The people knocking down these buildings and redeveloping this town should be held accountable for ripping us off and letting a mall be built here with other extravagant places. This town was great the way it was. Did you know a lot of people are moving away from here because it's doesn't have its own identity anymore?"

"Did the town ever have an identity?" I ask her. To me, the town was full of shops and bars. They were filled all the time with locals and there were enough jobs for those who lived here.

In the last couple of years, I heard that the development started taking work away from here and locals started to move to the City and they preferred the life they were getting there because there was more work and more money to be earnt there, then here.

"Yes," she playfully slaps my arm. "You know this town had its own identity. You used to walk through these streets and see kids playing on them. The lake is starting to lose water as well because of this development. As soon as Eliza gives us the heads up with the payment we're taking it and moving closer to my daughter. She's set up a nice place near Chicago."

A smile spreads across my face as a memory of Aimee enters my mind.

Eliza and I walked through the front door of Locke Café when Aimee ran into me and spilled the coffee she had in her hand on us both. Her face turned red and she said. "I'm so sorry, Austin. I didn't mean to do that."

Placing my hand on her arm I say. "That's alright, Aimee. Accidents happen. I'm going to the restroom to get cleaned up." Turning towards Eliza I say. "Can you order me my usual and get the booth we use all the time." My lips crash onto hers before I walk across the room to the bathroom.

Mrs Locke looks closely at me and says. "We're you thinking about my daughter?"

"Yes, I was remembering the first time she was on the floor and she spilt coffee all over me. It was a disaster first day for her and she seemed flustered the entire shift. Do you think it had anything to do with me?"

She laughs. "Of course it did. Aimee had a crush on you. A lot of girls did, but you only had eyes for Eliza. I think you still do. We all heard about the tryst you two had last night.

This is why I hate small towns. They love to gossip too much.