Crystalized

Farewell the Sea

"That was the scene last night, where a vengestone smuggling operation was thwarted by a group of heroes calling themselves the 'New Ninja.'"

I grabbed the tv remote from under the counter at Chen's Noodles and flipped the channel. I couldn't stand Gayle Gossip's news stories. Sure, she was great reporter, but she was kinda rude in real life. Besides, I didn't want to be reminded how my job had been stolen or listen Gayle belittle the ninja.

I returned to absent-mindedly wiping tables, unable to block out the flood of memories the news story had unknowingly brought up. I had left the monastery in the middle of the night months ago after a confrontation with Cole. I needed to be alone, and I couldn't stand the memories that place held. Since then, I had moved back in with Skylor and resumed working in the noodle shop during the day. At night, I snuck out as a masked vigilante and did my own private crime fighting. No one would ever know it was me, and I liked it that way. At least that's what I had been doing until the "New Ninja" moved in.

The tinkling of the doorbell signaled a new customer, yanking me back to reality. Before I had time to turn to greet them, their footsteps gave them away. My heart skipped a beat, and I quickly slipped back to the kitchen and closed the door behind me.

"Celine, I just heard the door. Can you handle that?" Skylor asked from her place by the stove where she was working on a pan of stir fry.

"I can't."

"Why not?"

I sighed heavily, "It's Cole. I don't think I can handle talking to him."

"Can you watch this? I'll go then," Skylor motioned for me to take over the cooking, which I did gladly. However, I still wanted to know why he was here. As Skylor left the kitchen, I slunk to the door and pressed my ear against it, anxious to hear the conversation.

"Cole? What are you doing here?" Skylor asked as she approached the register.

"Just looking for a friendly face," he offered.

"You'll always find one here."

She rang him up at the register and pointed him towards an empty booth.

"Skylor... You know why I'm really here, right?"

"No," she fibbed.

"Celine's working here, isn't she?"

"It's my policy never to disclose personal information about my employees."

"I need to speak with her. It's important."

"I don't think she wants to do that. She came here to get away from everything and everyone."

"Can you at least talk to her?" he pleaded.

Sighing, Skylor responded, "I'll try."

I returned to the stove as Skylor reentered the kitchen.

"He wants to talk with you."

"Figures."

"Celine, I know you don't want to hear this, but I think you two need to just have it out. You either need to set your boundaries in stone so he knows where you stand, or figure something else out," Skylor reasoned.

"Fine," I conceded, and stepped out of the kitchen, catching sight of Cole immediately. I took a deep breath and walked over to his table.

He looked up as I approached. "Celine," he smiled warmly.

I tried to return the gesture, but I felt myself falling apart inside. Without a word, he stood up and wrapped me in a hug.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I shouldn't have let you go."