Friends?

The following day couldn't have been more eventful for Ella as she was still overcoming from previous night's repercussions. If that wasn't enough her mother was giving her curious looks in between their breakfast. Normally, it was Ella to always make her mother uncomfortable, by asking various questions, but now all she wanted was to rush out of the house.

Something told her, her mother knew exactly what happened last night. She dragged herself to the shop and started her routine activities from opening the shop to cleaning and dusting away the glass objects, wiping the photo frames clean. As it was a weekend now, she had extra work to deal with. While cleaning the frames, she would come across the different life scenarios of her owner. The photos of Mrs. Willow's youth were captured in a black-white background, which ascended to have a picture of her parents with Helen in between them. The photos became colorful from there on when she was married to when she had her son. Thinking about her son, Ella wondered whether he ever came back since he was sent to the boarding school. As the photos were paused until when the couple had their son.

Sighing softly, Ella went on to clean the cupboards. After finishing it, she heard the jingle of the door, while she was placing the mop and bucket inside the cupboard below, she said, "Welcome to 'The Treats'. What may I ge- Nick!", exclaimed Ella as she glanced at the person who entered the shop?

She looked at her watch and wondered what was he doing so early as 9 in the morning. As though in a trance, she kept on staring at his appearance, as it seemed like he got up from his bed and came straight here. She went on to ask him out of concern, "Would you like to have something? Coffee, perhaps?"

"That would be great Ella. Thanks," smiled Nick while looking at her. But he didn't stop there, he went on to bring the chair close to where she stood, from where it was situated in the opposite side.

"Did something happen?" asked Ella concernedly after serving him the coffee.

"Why do you think that", it felt more of a statement than a question, as though Nick was stating that it had something to do with her.

"It's evident on your face."

She didn't know whether she said something wrong, but it seemed that Nick drew himself away saying, "Sorry to bother you Ella. I'll just go." The way he said it coldly broke her internally. She didn't know what transpired for him to behave like that, but before she could ask about that he had already left after shoving some bills out of his pocket. He didn't even glance back at her, unlike the last night when he waved at her even when he was out of the shop.

The whole day went with plastic smiles and thoughts of Nick lingering in Ella's mind. During the lunch time Ella was quiet, where she helped Mrs. Willow in her cooking.

By the time night landed, Ella was exhausted. It, being the weekend, the shop had more customers, which involved most of the youngsters and teens looking for treats to enjoy with. The items were almost completely sold out, save for some cakes. She knew she would have to get them restocked; hence she headed the market for getting the ingredients. The market was not too far from the shop which would take 7-8 minutes of walk.

While heading back from the market and availing necessary items, she was glancing across the other shops and streets, when she came across the bar located in the same line as the bakery shop with four or so other shops in the middle. But that was not what picked her attention, it was the sight she was encountered with having Nick in a drunk state along with many empty glasses surrounding him. She would have left him to where he was, but he seemed he was going to pass out. She sighed and entered the bar. She hoped no one asked her ID as she wasn't legally aged yet to be intoxicated. But no one questioned her while she stepped in, must be because of her stance and way of walking, which might make anyone feel like she was an adult, thought Ella.

Ella headed to Nick's table, which wasn't far from the entrance. She dropped her bag on the adjacent chair and sat opposite to Nick. "Nick?" He seemed to be almost in a drowsy state. "Hey, hey, it's me, Ella." That made him open his eyes and look at her. The look changed from glance, to recognition, desire and then fury. Ella wasn't unaware about reading a person. She saw it all, which confirmed that Nick was behaving like this, because of her. What she didn't know was why? She went through all the events that occurred yesterday and today. She didn't find any flaw or any reason for him to be acting so strange.

She was going to ask him, when he said, "Why are you here? Go away, Ella." He was looking sideways with unmistakable anger.

Ella the asked directly, "Nick? What is it? I mean we became friends just yesterday and now you are behaving like this, for no reason! Did I do something or say something to you? Stop this, if you can't bear it then at least I deserve to know why you are angry at me."

"You want to listen! Why don't you start with it?" Nick answered her mockingly. She was genuinely confused now. Nick continued this time slowly and clearly emphasizing every word, "Why don't you start from yourself, Ella Kingsly." Ella froze. Time seemed to stop when she was acknowledging her family name. Since she had been here in Denver, she had avoided letting anyone know about it, like a plague.

"Not going to speak?" Nick scoffed. He continued,

"How about the lie you told that you never have been to London. The sole heir of the mighty corporation around the globe, seems to only use people for her own benefits!" The way Nick said it, seemed like he was hurting so much from within. Of course, he was, considering he thought of having her in his future. But what he disliked was lies. And that's what happened here, from the very first day. He continued to speak, this time leaning closer to Ella, "You know, no relationship lasts long, based on a lie. Not even friendship. And I wanted more than that Ella. I wanted to start something better with you. And I felt that, the moment I saw you." He was watching her face, her eyes, her hair, her lips, as though picturing her for the last time before he would go away from here and her.

Ella was into her thoughts the moment he said her name, that rest of the world was left in the background.

"I expected more than this from you, Ella. If you can't tell me, then it's best for us to part our ways. What I don't like is lies Ella, which you could have known if you would have spent more time with me. But I guess that is it," Nick was heading out of the bar while leaving a still Ella behind.

As Nick was going to open the door her voice stopped him, "You're right. We should part our ways. And I won't explain to you anything because you don't deserve it. For someone so narrow-minded as you, who looks over the world in black and white phase, I should have expected it that you won't listen, rather you would pass your own judgment." Nick didn't want to admit but the cold tone of her voice caused goose bumps on the back of his neck. It seemed that Ella was showing her true face to him, ferocity included. Ella got up from the seat with her bag and left without another word to him.