Down the road of memories

Closer

Elle POV

When I arrived in LA a few weeks ago after my stay in Europe, I felt like my life was so unstable. I spent my first week as an emergency room doctor, then Noah came back into my life, we started a new relationship together and then I left for a week to live in Boston with him. Since my return from Boston, I have the impression that my life is stabilizing, which is quite paradoxical. It's more that the emotional roller coaster I've been experiencing since that famous moment at the top of that hill when Noah chose to end our relationship has finally ended. Today, I'm back in a long-distance relationship with Noah for a few weeks before he comes back to live in LA permanently. We were back to texting and calling each other every day, easily returning to the routine we had when he was at Harvard. It was often difficult between my shifts, Noah's extra time and the time difference, but we were able to do the best with the time we had.

Professionally, I started to get my bearings at the hospital. Working in the emergency room is rewarding but also exhausting. One day when we had a quiet day in the emergency room, the receptionist called me to give me a message from the head physiotherapist. I was wondering what a physical therapist wanted from me until I saw his name : Skylar Leighton. I then understood that he probably didn't want to talk to me about a patient...

Flashback LA, two months after the breakup

It's hard to believe how much your life can change in such a short time! Between my breakup with Noah and Lee leaving for college, I was completely overwhelmed. Yes, I had been admitted to video game design but only for the second semester. So I decided to try pre-med. I felt like my life was on hold. I also admit that I was grieving my relationship with Noah. I was disgusted at the time with how it ended. Love stories sounded very pathetic to my ears.

I was walking aimlessly on this Wednesday afternoon coming out of the dunes on Santa Monica beach. Since most of my high school colleagues had gone away to college, I felt very alone. Without meaning to, tears of loneliness rolled down my cheeks. I was busy wiping my eyes with my hand when, with my usual clumsiness, I stepped into a hole and lay down full length in the sand.
- Nothing broken ? " asked a male voice behind me.
Only my pride, I told myself while I was still lying on the ground.
- No, but I'm a little stunned." I said, trying to get up.
- I will help you ! " The stranger said to me, helping me to get up.

With his help, I managed to get back on my feet and started shaking off the sand of my clothes before looking up at the stranger.
- Thank you for your help ! I was preoccupied and I wasn't really watching where I was walking.
- It's important to watch where you're going to avoid injury." The guy told me, laughing.

I looked up at him. He was probably around the same age as me. He was shirtless with a red swinsuit, probably a lifeguard. He had brown hair and muscular chest and arms. The kind of guy who could turn every girl's head. But in my current state, I didn't really notice it.
- So what was worrying you that you weren't looking ahead? " Asked the handsome stranger.
- I was contemplating how much my life had changed since finishing high school. The departure of my best friend, all my high school friends and my ex." I answered him.

I didn't think I would tell this guy about my feelings, but there was a way of talking to me that made me feel like we had a connection, him and I.
- So, are you experiencing heartbreak? " He asked me.
- I don't really want to talk about it." I replied, passing my hand over my eyes to catch a tear that wanted to escape.
- I have a hard time understanding how a guy could get tired of your eyes.