Chapter 43
Aurora’s P.o.v
One Week Later
I had somehow managed to survive the week. Not only was I baking things on my own, Beth let me
create some new desserts myself. I experimented with puff pastry, sugar icing, and fresh fruit. Some
things turned out better than others, but Beth had a knack for selling. Jake was supportive as always
with his sarcasticmentary, but the moment he had tasted the chocte croissants I made, he was
hooked.
While Beth had known my actual name for an entire week, she never pushed me to give anything
more. Jake had taken my abrupt name change with little more than a shrug, shing his lop-sided grin
as he told me he liked the name Aurora more than Amber. While at first, I had listened to the two of
them joke and bicker, I was now joining in. Each night I left the store, I smelled like roasted cinnamon
and freshly baked puff pastry. I couldn’t imagine a better smell–well, I could name one but I refused to
think about my life before this little town.
Countless nights I had dreamed of the twin’s, the two of them searching frantically for me. Each
morning I’d wake with a new pain in my chest, and just another thing to spend the day ignoring.
Good on her promise, I hadn’t heard from Thalia since the day I left. Not that I’d ever admit this to her,
but I was beginning to miss the annoying voice in my head. She felt like an extension of myself. Some
days when I was feeling particrly down, I’d try and reach out to her. I’d let my fingers fumble through
the dark recesses of my mind, searching for any trace of Thalia. It felt as though she were just out of
reach, avoiding my outstretched hand as I searched for her.
On myst day in the Motel, Beth had managed to find me a little house to rent. She was familiar with
the owner, a big burly guy by the name of Bret. The house was practically falling apart, but I couldn’t
argue with the price of rent. Three hundred dors a month for a house on itsst legs, fit with withered
boards, cobwebs in every corner of the house, and a kitchen big enough for one person. The house
had minimal furniture, a bed and a couch older than my Grandma, but it was mine to do with what I
pleased. Even with the horrible state of the house, I loved that I coulde and go as I pleased
without fear. I didn’t have to worry about drunk step-dad’s or insane ex-girlfriends.
The bakery was open Monday through Friday, as Beth and Jake were both in college. Beth had just
turned neen, while Jake had turned twenty-one a couple months ago. Their parents owned many
stores in town and got Beth her own bakery as a birthday present. While their parents were often busy,
they treated Jake and Beth kindly. I hadn’t met them, but Beth had told me enough.
“C**p, Aurora I need a huge favor.” Beth sighed, tossing down the bag of cannoli filling onto the prep
table. Her phone was pressed against her ear, her white apron covered in a healthy spattering of
cinnamon and nutmeg.
“What’s wrong?” I called out, pulling a tray of miniature cherry pies from the oven and cing them on
a table to cool.
“I just got ast-minute order from Sherry at the nursing home.” Beth groaned, pulling her apron off and
tossing it on an empty prep table. “I’m not going to make it back for close. If you need any help Jake
can walk you through what to do.”
Sherry managed the small but fancy nursing home in town, and I had learned of her three days into
working at the bakery. She’d often cerge orders for the employee’s and elderly in the nursing
home. She was often forgetful and cedst minute orders, ones Beth and I had to scramble to
complete.
“I don’t mind.” I shrugged, giving her a genuine smile. “I’ve helped you close enough times to
remember.”
“Just don’t turn the freezer off.” Beth sighed, patting the flour off her dark jeans. “Thest time Jake
closed, we had toe in at two in the morning to rece all of the melted cakes.”
“It was one time, Beth!” Jake yelled from the register, “One time!”
“Yeah, and I learned my lesson.” Beth snapped, then mumbled to herself. “Can’t trust him with anything
important.”
“Don’t worry.” I chuckled, grabbing the piping back from the table to continue filling the cannoli shells.
“Everything will be just fine.”
“Alright.” Beth sighed, giving me a reassuring smile. I continued where Beth had left of as she piled
assorted pastries into arge cake box. When she finally finished, she called out to Jake before leaving
the shop with a wave.
“Take Aurora home tonight, Jake!” Beth called out, the door jingling as it closed.
Jake and I spent the next hour dealing with the dwindling crowd. As soon as the sun began to set, the
crowd walking the streets would thin out. After cing many trays of tarts, cookies, and little cakes into
the refrigerator, I tossed my apron onto an empty prep table. While Jake counted the till, I wiped down
the tables and booths.
Just ten minutes before Jake and I prepared to leave, a girl walked through the door. Jake had long
ago flipped the open sign to closed, but he seemed to recognize the girl. Long chocte hair and deep
honey highlights, the girl looked around his and Beth’s age. The smile on her face was light and
contagious, her hazel eyes ringed with a deep green.
“Jake!” The girl grinned wildly as she caught Jake’s eye. “Already forget about me?”
“Actually, I did.” Jake chuckled, “Let me finish counting the till really quick. Taylor meet Aurora, Beth’s
new pastry minion.”
I rolled my eyes at Jake and gave Taylor a small smile. Once Jake finished counting the till, he slipped
his jacket over his shoulders and walked over to Taylor and I.
“You forgot about our date, didn’t you?” Taylor raised her eyebrow at Jake, but seemed unsurprised at
his forgetfulness.
“I did.” Jake grinned sheepishly, making Taylor chuckle. “I just got to take Aurora home first.”
“Our movie starts in ten minutes.” Taylor frowned.
“Don’t worry about it.” I shook my head and gave the two of them a reassuring smile, “It’s a ten-minute
walk at best, nothing I haven’t done before.”
“Are you sure, Rory?” Jake frowned, using the stupid nickname he called me by.
“I’m sure.” I chuckled, “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.”
“Don’t tell Beth.” Jake called out, a pleading grin on his face. “She’ll k**l me if she finds out I let youThis material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.
walk.”
“Your secret is safe with me.” I smirked, “Don’t forget to lock the door.”
“You’re just as bad as she is!”
I left the bakery with a smile on my face, wondering how Beth managed to be younger yet more mature
than Jake. I had always found Jake attractive, with his sun-kissed hair and dimples that appeared
whenever he smiled. There had been plenty of customers that caught my eye, but none seemed to
evoke a response within me. My hands would no longer sweat and my stomach would no longer erupt
in butterflies.
The street was nearly deserted as I walked past the darkened shops. A few stragglers lingered on the
streets, most likely walking back to one of the Motel’s down the block. This town seemed quite the
tourist attraction during the day, butcked any kind of nightlife. The air was crisp and thick with
humidity, making little beads of sweat form at the back of my neck.
I walked past the darkened shops; the bright colors washed out from the darkness. I hadn’t noticed the
heavy footsteps behind me until I turned the corner and walked a couple more feet. Not wanting to fully
turn around, I tilted my head and nced out the corner of my eye.
Two figures- much toorge to be women, were walking behind me. I told myself not to be worried, that
there were still a few stragglers walking down the road and that they could be headed anywhere. There
were a couple Motel’s and gas stations by the little shack I lived in, they could be heading there.
My stomach dropped as another dark figure turned the corner farther ahead of me, walking in my
direction. Normally this wouldn’t have phased me, but all three were dressed exactly the same. Each
wore dark colored jeans and thick boots. A dark sweatshirt covered their torso’s, the hood pulled up
around their heads. Each of them walked with purpose, unlike the tourists that meandered from shop to
shop. Not only were they dressed the same, their scents were nearly identical.
Male muskbined with something…different.
‘S**t, Aurora run!’ Thalia’s voice echoed in my head for the first time since I had left.