Begin Again

12 - Lure

The next day, while Elle was at home and settling back into normal life (actually so far just watching Hawaii 5-O with Granny and planning what to cook for the both of them), her parents flew in so they could celebrate her recovery and de-hospitalization together as a family. This time, to her surprise, her older sister Liz was with them.

After happy hugs and kisses of reunion, they went for sushi because Liz craved Japanese food. Elle was just really hungry.

"Aren't you watching your calories? 'Cause I would love some more California rolls and would be happy to help you in your quest to be super healthy and maintain your weight." Liz put on a sly grin, her chopsticks hovering over Elle's sushi.
"Go on, I'm stuffed now anyways." Elle replied and pushed it to Liz.

Liz continued contentedly, "I've had a stomach virus last year and it made me lose a lot of pounds. Gained it back though." You could tell by her tone of voice that Liz obviously didn't care for calorie counting. She tried it before and loathed every second, before finally deciding to just enjoy eating what she wants to eat.

"Yeah, me too. Wherever I was when I went missing, I lost weight there. But I didn't lose that much anyway. Hunter, my friend kept bringing me food and drinks that were just irresistible. Like for the whole time I was admitted." she said and took a bite out of a piece of grilled salmon. As she chewed, she saw that Liz was staring at her in anger.

Clink. Liz put her shiny metal chopsticks down.
"Hunter, as in, that Hunter?" her mouth shaped into a scowl that made her whole face a hundred times bitch-ier.
"Yeah, what about him?"
"Okay, ew. That's what's up."

"Ahh, exactly what I wanted to ask you about. Why do people dislike the guy? He seems fine. Well, not everyone, but people I know I guess."
"Well it should be everyone, girl. He is revolting."
Elle started to get annoyed and felt like she needed to defend him. "Why? What did he do that's so bad?"
Liz's eye roll could flatten mountains.

"Are we seriously having this conversation right now? You're dumb. I know you have after-trauma memory loss but didn't know you lost brain cells too." Fully-pissed Elizabeth mode activated. 100% dissing potential reached.

This made Elle confused, she couldn't wrap her head around Hunter. Was there some deception she failed to see? In any case, she had to let Liz cool down first.

"I'll tell you more later. So any things to tell you, dude. Let me just grab a drink first. Want anything?" Elle asked Liz, getting up. Her mouth started watering. Mmm, an icy matcha soy smoothie would be great right now.
"Ugh, you're walking away in the middle of a conversation! I haven't even asked you what the cops said yet! Get me bobba." said Liz.

Elle walked to a stall called Ochado, where she bought roasted almond milk tea bobba. When she reached her favourite matcha icy soy cage (which actually sold puddings and all sorts of healthy buns too, though she never tried the other things) at the other end of the plaza, she was faced with a sign.

Moving to a bigger, better cafe at City Mall! Contact us at 555-7823-350 for information or catering/delivery.

She took out her phone and took a photo to add to her Instagram Story. "Goddamn-you-business-expansion." She said aloud as she recorded the sign.

"There are worst things then being successful enough to expand your business. It could've said 'Closed; Run out of business' on the sign."

A familiar voice that could only be described as Billy Joe's from Green Day was heard and it caused a warm bubbly feeling in her stomach.
"Gem!" she said enthusiastically, she turned and opened up her arms. It was an automatic thing. He hugged her tight.
"So what are you doing here?" asked Elle.

"Running some errands, getting early gifts for Christmas. What are you doing here?"
"Oh, I just came from having lunch with the family at the sushi place. And of course," she lifted Lizzy's bobba in a plastic bag. "Getting drinks. And that's when this happened." she gestured towards The Bean cafe. How had they expanded so fast anyway? They just opened up a couple of years ago.

"Well, that's too bad. Say, do you like fruit juice and/or smoothies?"
"Yeah, of course. Why?"
"I can show you a place where you can grab a drink."
"I'd love to."

"You sure? Can't promise it'll be as good as a.." He looked at the old posters still stuck on the walls around the cafe front.
"..an Icy Soy. Whatever that is."

"Meh. Worth a shot. I'll get Liz and we can go together."

Eric's grin showed his uniform white teeth. Elle felt the warmth again as she walked with him to get Liz.