Love Me Or Leave Me ✓

~03~

"Could you tell me where the candles are?"

Adelaide pointed to the right with her pencil, gesturing to an entire rack filled with colorful scented candles. The customer moved towards it without another word, but Adelaide didn't mind. Nothing affected her these days. With her head in her chin, and her eyes devoid of interest, she watched customers in the store come and go as they pleased. The store was unusually busy considering it was Christmas Day, but shoppers simply looked for last minute touches to their feasts or for minute items to add to their decorative schemes. There was a festive spirit calling out to everybody, an infectious but happy mood spreading over everybody, except Adelaide.

"That'd be $4.59." She spoke in a monotonous tone in front of her next door neighbor Ms. Gunther, who gave a sympathetic look which Adelaide hated. It was the same look everyone in her neighborhood had given her for the past three months, in lure of them finding out, or more like snooping like the nosy imbeciles they were, about the separation between Jason and Adelaide.

Naturally, it was very noticeable how in love the young ones were since their first meeting in middle school up until the very last days of high school. They were the married couple of the whole street. Everyone knew they'd end up together in the end. One was never present without the other, and none was happier than in the presence of the other.

It left everyone, including Adelaide and Jason themselves wondering, where were they now, and what went wrong?

It had been three weeks since Adelaide broke down in front of Jason, and she hadn't seen him since. She was wrong, he did follow her that day but the doorman stopped him, giving him the small and simple advice to let the girl breathe. Adelaide nearly screamed when she was told this. But she stopped herself from imagining what would've been said if they had spoken for a second time that day.

Adelaide let the day whizz past her slowly, her position behind the counter not changing as she served dozens of customers with the same monotonous face. Her co-workers looked on, worried and concerned but none of them felt as if it was their place to comment when the cause of her mood was obvious.

There wasn't a single shred of happiness left in Adelaide. Seeing Jason that day finally made her face reality. He wasn't hers anymore.

The bell chimed once more. Adelaide simply stared as Aurora walked in with a bright smile. "It's the most wonderful time of the year." She sang loudly as she twirled in between the chocolates and the energy drinks.

"Ho ho ho." Adelaide said as she scribbled on the countertop.

"You know," Aurora started to tease as she came to stand in front of Adelaide, "Once upon a time, I remember you loving Christmas."

Adelaide blinked, her lips pursed as she leaned into her hand.

Aurora frowned, "Is this your version of being an ice princess, Dela? You know this isn't what I meant when I said you need to toughen up. It's Christmas. You even refused to come to church with me and Jared today. You never refuse."

"I'm not being an ice princess; you're just on a high after being with that lovely city boyfriend of yours." Adelaide straightened herself in her seat as a customer came forward to purchase some potatoes. "And I doubt God is pleased with me right now."

Aurora rolled her eyes, gritting her teeth as she waited for Adelaide to be done before speaking up again. "You'd think having a breakdown in front of your ex would lighten the mood around here a little." Adelaide barely flinched, a marvelous feat if you asked her. "Jason was at church today as well."

"He didn't burn?"

"Funny." Aurora stated without smiling. "He tried to talk to me and Jared twice today."