Tears of our Ruins

Just Strangers with Memories

CORA

"I know it's bad for business, but I'm enjoying the quiet bakery. It's the perfect place for me to edit these pictures," Ava says. It's raining. We never get a lot of foot traffic when it rains this hard, so it's been a pretty slow day. Ava is editing her pictures from France. They are amazing and it makes me want to visit even more. I will, but I need to remove the romantic aspect from my fantasies. Romance in France won't be happening.

I wipe down the countertop at the bakery for the umpteenth time today. It's so boring here without customers and time is just creeping by. Liz is busy working on a wedding cake and I really have nothing to do. I'm thankful I have Ava here to keep me company though.

"Looks like you're about to get a crowd," Ava says as she glances out the window while stretching. I follow her gaze and see a group of boys sprinting towards the entrance. I stand up and take my place behind the counter.

Their noise breaks the silence as they pile in, a bundle of loud energy. They're wearing Football practice jerseys for the University of Glasgow. I roll my eyes. Great. College boys. I don't need reminded right now of where I should be. My life sucks. They dump their practice stuff in a back booth and my eyes lock on strawberry blonde hair. No! It can't be! He turns slightly to laugh at one of his friends and I take in his sparkling blue eyes and strong, chiseled jaw. I'm staring in shock at the adult version of my childhood best friend. How? Why? I look towards Ava with panic before I drop to the floor. Elliot? My Elliot? The boy I grew up with? The boy who gave me my first heartbreak? Why is he here? This can't be happening! I quickly crawl into the back room and sit against the wall, hiding.

Liz looks at me with confusion. "Problem, Cora?" I can only nod my head yes. My voice has completely left me. She peeks out front. "What? You don't want to wait on a bunch of hot guys?" She winks.

"No. I can't," I whisper out. Elliot. That was totally Elliot. My Elliot. There's no way I'd ever forget his face, even after all these years. Memories from that forgotten summer are filtering through my mind. I thought I buried all these memories away; memories from my first heartbreak. Even when grandma brought him up, I was able to avoid them. I guess seeing Elliot in the flesh, opens up the tightly locked door I had on our memories together.

**** Flashback.

"Cora! Check this out!" I watch as Elliot's dive into the pool turns into a bellyflop instead." I cheer him on, even though he failed.

"You did it wrong, dweeb," Aria laughs at him.

Defeated, Elliot flops down next to me, grumbling. "Ignore her. She's just mad that those boys aren't checking out her teeny bopper body." Aria glares at me, but I'm right. To my dad's frustration, Aria and I are both boy crazy. Though my boy craziness is currently centered on a certain best friend of mine. I can't help it. Elliot has always been in my life. We grew up together and I can't imagine a life without him. When I look at him now, I can't help but hope we'll be more than friends someday. I have a huge crush on him. It's clear he doesn't return it though.

"I enjoy your teeny bopper body," Elliot blushes as he looks at Aria's barely there boobs. My heart crashes some.

"Gross you gremlin. You're like 12. I only date older boys."

Faye giggles and shakes her head. "You date nobody because dad doesn't let us."

"That's about to change. We're 14 now and daddy dearest isn't around much this summer." Faye and I both roll our eyes at her. She's crazy if she thinks dad doesn't have eyes on us here. The man knows absolutely everything. It's freaky. A different country isn't going to stop him from knowing what we're doing.