A Promise Of Infinity

Today, Corale Vincent is trying as usual to carry out her duties as a waitress at her family's bakery. She carved a friendly smile while giving information on the best types of bread and which customers often ordered. She tried his best. But the smile on her lips was getting harder and harder to maintain the more her aqua blue eyes met silently with the sky blue eyes of the man who served as a waiter as well. Gael Fabian, her best friend, her first love, and also the important person who broke her heart now. Corale took a deep breath as she made her way into the kitchen. "Corale, are you all right?" A hoarse voice tinged with worried rang out. Corale looked at her stepfather Edwin's eyes intently before nodding weakly. "You can stop working if it's still hard for you to see Gael," Edwin suggested sadly, remembering what happened two weeks ago. Coral shook her head. There's no way she could stop working in a busy hour. She took a deep breath once more while reminding herself to stay for the sake of her family, "I'm fine. I can't hide from him forever," she mumbled weakly, her heart still aching from being betrayed to the point where she couldn't say Gael's name. "Okay, but remember Corale. You don't have to do this for sake of us," said Edwin softly, "remember, your Mom was worried about you." Mom ... During her work Corale was so busy moping and avoiding talking to Gael that she forgot that her mother, who also worked as a cashier, didn't get her attention. 'Mom will be even more worried about my behavior earlier. What I am thinking?' Corale slapped her cheeks, the way she usually did when she was tired from work, she did it to realize that her family was really worried about her. She must not bring them into the whirlpool of grief she is experiencing, especially her mother and father who are no longer young. She returned to the main room of the shop with a big smile on her lips that only lasted a few seconds because as soon as she was there, a shout of her name shattered her mask completely. "Corale~! Good afternoon~!" Corale's aqua blue eyes rounded with gasping breaths on the man standing in line at the checkout waving friendly hands at her. 'No. No. No. Don't be him. Not him.' Corale expressed a small hope that her eyes would see wrong, sadly no matter how many times she blinked, it was no use, the man with dark black hair in a hairstyle that was combed back leaving only a few strands covering his forehead began to walk towards her as soon as he finished paying for the bread he bought. "Corale? Are you all right?" Corale gasped the man's voice sounded very close even though the atmosphere of the shop was busy, she realized that he was in front of her complete with a big smile on the corners of his lips that looked very scary in the reflection of her eyes, "No!" she shouted without thinking, then returned to the kitchen to meet her stepfather. She couldn't do it. Corale couldn't hold back the pain in her heart anymore if she had to spend the rest of her work with another man who had also destroyed her dreams, she gonna lose it. "Dad?" "Corale?" "I want to go home. That's enough for me today." Edwin saw Corale's flushed face looked like she was holding back tears. He came closer to hug his daughter, giving strength, "Yes, of course you can." Corale hugged back just as tightly. The only man now she can trust is her stepfather, "Thank you, Dad ..." she muttered. *** Corale decided to still pick up her sister who was at school. Meeting the man who ruined her life did not lower her enthusiasm for other activities that she usually does. After all, staying at home would only fill her head with problems. Corale also chooses to walk instead of using the bus, so she can enjoy herself seeing beautiful houses built of wood a bit longer. Her sister's school, Agnes, is a bit far away. Her family lives a simple life but wants their children to have a good education so they can be successful in the future. Corale kicked the pebbles glumly. She also had a dream to become a Doctor, she had even planned to study in Paris, but her dream was shattered by the trust she gave to Gael, and what made her sicker was that he did it the same day she confessed her feelings. Remembering the beautiful memories that turned disgusted, Corale entered the city park, looking for a restroom to wash her mouth which was suddenly dirty by the memories of the kiss she had with Gael two weeks ago. Her first kiss. Corel did not want to remember it for long, she continued her light footsteps towards her sister's school. She checked the time on her cell phone, calculating whether she was late or not. 'I quit thirty minutes before I finished work.' She didn't have much time to spare, but Corale arrived just five minutes before her sister's clock rang. She leaned against the wall outside the school while waiting for Agnes to come out. She didn't play cell phones or games because always interrupted by a call from Gael. 'What is he doing? He was working ...!' Corale's hands were itching to want to contact her father, report about Gael so he can be punished, teach him a lesson so he can feel her suffering a little. But her heart resisted the urge, telling her there was no point in doing that. Her heart said that Gael was just a victim like her. Her heart begged her to forgive him, asking to continue the conversation that had been interrupted one week ago. How gentle he was to refuse to be the first for her before explaining his betrayal.