The Bakery

Elliot is fascinated by things that are happening left and right after meeting Nellie. He hopes he can see her again.

I squirmed around in bed before getting up. I looked over at the clock, rubbing my eyes to remove all the gunk that built up between them. It was already mid afternoon. I remembered that it was Friday, so I was automatically tempted to return to my rock state of sleep. Then I remembered I had that class today. What was it…English, Math or Art? I shook the thought. It didn’t matter what class it was. I slipped on a pair of jeans; my shirt then grabbed my swim bag and headed out the door. Just as the time before I was late again to class. Standing in front of the door my head began to ache and I remembered being in a one sided fight with the door. I opened the door and everyone looked at me, but soon returned to sleeping, twirling their pencils or picking their noses. Unlike last time they did not stare, which surprised my slightly. Sitting in the classroom I looked around and noticed practically no one except Ellie and a few other students actually paying attention. If people come to class to just sit around and drool over themselves, why come to class to begin with? The room filled with sighs as Mr. what’s his name announced we had a pop quiz on a section of the text book. I chuckled slightly knowing I was going to fail. After spending fifteen minutes of bullshitting the paper, it was collected. The man sat silently at his desk and scribbled with red marker the grades we were stuck with. Just as the bell was about to ring he passed out the quizzes and stopped and looked at me. He seemed to be curious about me.

“Not bad for b.s.ing the whole thing.”

He dropped the paper on my desk and a big B was written on it. I felt a few eyes look at me. The edge of a paper his my arm and I looked to see a folded sheet of paper on my desk. I opened it up:

You must be pretty smart after I hit you with that door. To thank me you should come to my book club. It’s afterschool in the library. Since you probably don’t know what or where it is, meet me here around 4 and I’ll walk with you.

-Ellie

I closed the note and turned my head to give her a look. She smiled at me and I slightly rolled my eyes. There was nothing of more importance than swimming, especially a stupid sharing circle. A part of me wondered why she would invite me but the other part didn’t want to be involved with a group of people again. With people it seemed to be like a day of work, there was drama, love, hate, friendship. It just all seemed to tire me out and I didn’t want any part in it.

 

 

After I was done swimming I just sat by the edge of the pool and let my feet get pruned in the water. I pulled out my watch from my bag and saw the time was 3 o clock. My stomach began to grumble like the waves that beat against the pool barriers. I got up, put on my shoes and went to satisfy my sweet tooth. I thought of the bakery near the park, away from the campus and since it was Sunday we could leave freely. The thought of standing Ellie up made me feel bad, but I didn’t want any friends and wasn’t going to make the effort for it. In a sense this would do me some good. If I hurt her feelings now I don’t have to worry about hurting them later. I trudged outside into the burning heat with my hair still wet. I knew I was going to get sick if I kept walking around like this. Eventually after a long, long walk because I didn’t have any cash on me I reached the bakery. There was a small sign in the window that read: Closed on Sundays.

I sighed feeling my fantasies of pastries, cakes and pies drift away from me. I decided to sit at the table in front of the bakery, shaded by their pavilion. I closed my eyes for a moment and then felt the wind picked up. I opened my eyes and noticed Nellie in front of me. I could hear her giggle to herself.

“It seems that you enjoy following me.”

“Nope, you’re just good at hide and seek,” she answered, which made no sense to me.

We both sat there quietly for a moment before she began to speak again.

“Why do you look sad?”

“I’m not sad. I’m tired…” I answered.

“Tired from what?” She asked.

I could feel the warning signs in my brain telling me this was going to be one of those typical kid conversations where they ask all the stupid questions.

“I just haven’t been sleeping well,” I lied to her.

I felt bad lying to a kid but I figured she wouldn’t be able to tell anyway.

“You’ve got a secret.”

Nellie scooted closer to me and stared at me with wide eyes.

“I don’t hold secrets,” I lied again.

“Why do you keep lying?”

I was caught off guard by her question.

“How can you tell?” I asked trying to smile.

“I can see it in your eyes.”

Nellie scooted back to her original spot and looked around.

“A lot of people hold a lot of different secrets.”

“Why, Elliot? Can’t everyone just share secrets?”

“Then it wouldn’t be a secret anymore,” I answered.

A few hours passed as I sat there talking to Nellie. She always asked me to make up stories for her about fairy princesses and as much as it pained me to do it, I always did. I began wondering about Nellie and all the secrets she held but I figured it would be best to keep those thoughts to myself.

“Nellie?” I asked.

“Yup?”

“Never mind,” I said, forgetting what I was going to say.

There was a pause.

“Elliot?”

“Yes?” I answered.

“I’m glad I have you,” She said.

I turned to look at her and noticed something strange. Why it didn’t catch my eye before I wasn’t sure, but sitting there on her arm looked like a burn mark. I knew that mark. Looking at it sent chills up my spine. The day after Anna died my parents used to get a kick out of burning their cigarette buds on my arm. I couldn’t imagine people doing that to a sweet little girl, so just as fast as the day flew by I let that thought fly with it.

“I have to go,” I heard her say.

“Bye,” I said noticing she was already gone.

I smiled at the thought that she always just seemed to disappear.

The following day I headed to class, which was particularly uncomfortable with Ellie continuously staring at me.

“Your face will freeze like that,” I eventually whispered to her.

She kept the same expression but turned to listen to the last bits of the lecture. After class was over I watched as she raced to the door. Since I was usually the last one out she wasn’t holding anyone up by blocking the doorway.

“I waited for you!”

I tried to move her but she wouldn’t budge.

“You owe me, so please come to the club,” She said looking down.

I felt like she was trying to make me feel bad but I wasn’t going to fall for it.

“Sorry but I have something to do,” I said after she finally let me through the doorway.

“Just give it a try!” She yelled to me as I walked away.

I waved my hand with my back towards her. I had a feeling this girl would not give up.