One - Have a Great Day
"How can I help you today?" I smiled at the costumer that just stepped foot in the bakery.
The man frowned in surprise, "It's you."
"Excuse me- what?"
"You're the one who bumped into me earlier." He explained.
"Sorry but I have no idea who you are..."
He shrugged it off, even though he seemed just as confused as I was.
He started studying my, 5'3 figure. My hair went past my shoulders by 2-3 inches, it had dark shiny black color that can be mistaken easily for navy blue in different lightings. My skin, as per everyone says, is as fair as snow, just slightly darker. My eyes were a rare amber gold. My chest wasn't really big or small, I would probably say the average size.
I used it as time for me to study him in return. The man seemed not like the other men who tried to impress me, at least they looked like normal people. This guy was wearing a black cloak, black boots and black gloves. His skin seemed lightly tanned, he had dirty blond hair, that seemed to be slightly messy but neat at the same time, his eyes, were baby blue. I would be lying if I said he wasn't handsome.
I sighed. The man broke out of his trance, before a slight tilt in his lips confirmed what he was about to say.
"Good evening. I should probably introduce myself, I'm Ian Lakewood, and you may be?"
I knew exactly where this was heading, so I chose to play along.
"Evening to you too Sir Ian, I'm Abigail. How may I help you today?" I smiled as kindly as sickly possible.
"Well, for starters, I was looking for a birthday cake for my little sister, as a present. But seeing you, I think she would love to see you as my girlfriend." he smirked.
I, as always, went about a 90 degree angle, by saying, "Looking for a birthday cake, huh? We got plenty of those here!" I beamed, before I went inside to get three of the best cakes for him to choose from.
He on the other hand had a frown on his face by the way I avoided his offer. It didn't take long, for me to hear a chuckle coming from him, "Playing hard to get, huh?"
I held the tray with all three cakes on it and placed it carefully on the counter, to not ruin any of them.
The first one was vanilla in flavor and had a dark chocolate layer and three squares of white chocolate popped out. It had "Happy Birthday!" Written on it with white chocolate , and whipped cream on the edges. It tasted good, but I won't say it was the best I ever tasted.
The second one was a chocolate cake also covered in chocolate, the sides had white whipped cream on it. "Happy Birthday" was printed on it in golden letters. It looked so simple and basic but it had a unique and unforgettable savoriness to it.
The last one was a white sponge cake, with milk chocolate covering it from all edges, and sides. There was whipped cream on one side forming a pink flower. And on the other side, written with caramel, "Happy Birthday" . This cake is new, it just came in today by some of the baker's at the very back of the building, where it was forbidden for me to go there. I remember some of the baker's asking me to come to impress me with their cake art but I refuse everytime, I can't risk getting into trouble by the manager if he caught me. Still the cake looked good, I didn't have enough time to taste it and see how it tasted like though.
I looked at the man, "Which one do you want?" I asked.
He thought for a moment , "Which one would you choose?"
The question surprised me a little but I smiled, "Funny you should ask, because I'm not the one buying , it's you Mr. Ian." I pointed out.
He chuckled, "I wanted to know which was the best so I don't end up throwing it out. It'd be such a waste." he implied.
I breathe in deeply, "Well, in my opinion I would say this one." I said pointing at the simple chocolate cake.
He spoke without hesitation, "I'll buy it."
I nodded, I grabbed a take out box and took the cake carefully from the tray and placed it inside the box, closed it and did the math required.
Before I did my math asked him, "Do you need anything else sir?"
He shook his head.
I nodded and continued. "24$." I said.
He gave me the money, I did a quick calculation to see how much he gave me only to see he gave me fifty dollars instead.
I glance at him and was about to speak when he said, "Keep the change for you."
I rolled my eyes internally, what was he trying to prove? "Sorry sir, but I cannot accept."
"I insist, Miss Abigail." he said confidentially.
I took it and put it in the cashier, put the receipt in the plastic bag and pushed it to the other side of the counter towards him and said. "Come visit us again some other time, and have a great day!" I smiled as he took it.
He grabbed my arm,"By the way the offer still stands if you still want to be my girlfriend." he said leaning in.
Just as I was about to smile and decline the sound of a bell, indicating another customer has came in. I looked past Ian to see the familiar man I've been waiting for all day.
"Good afternoon Abigail, ready to go?" he smiled at me.
I met his forest green eyes, and smiled. His hair was slightly messy but every hair on his head had a place where it lay neatly on his head and his skin was tanned. He had a 6 ft tall figure and he was neatly built. I would say that he's 29.
Calvin Ebony smiled back at me. He took a glance at the man who was leaning on the counter and frowned. "What is going on?"
"Well, Mr. Ian here was just about to leave." I said in one simple sentence.
Calvin, glanced at how close Ian was, and his hand on my arm. "Oh I apologize, I think I disturbed your departure."
Ian on the other hand seemed irritated.
Just as the man left Calvin sighed, "You'd better know how to handle these guys, I can't come every day like this."
I smiled at him, "I can handle them quite well actually, anyway what brings you here?"
He frowned, "Don't tell me you forgot about your 5- 9pm shift at the restaurant."
My eyes widened, "God, I really did forget." I said as I glanced at the clock by the wall.
I turned to the room inside telling whoever that was taking over the shift after me that my shift was done and I will be leaving now. I took off the apron and hanged it on the hanging board before I wore my brown jacket over the bakery's uniform.
I picked up my purse and left the bakery closing the door behind me.
"I came here to give you a lift there. Come on." Calvin said as he opened his car's passenger door.
"No thank you, I have a bike, waiting to be riden." I responded as I got on the bike.
Calvin frowned, "You still ride that old thing?"
"Yep, and it not old. I got it three years ago and it still works fine." I retorted.
"Aww, come on, come with me just this once." He begged.
I glanced at the puppy face he was making and groaned, "Fine! But I swear that I won't ride with you again."
Calvin chuckled, "We'll see about that, princess."
"And stop calling me that, I'm no princess, and the first person I could punish if I were, would be you." I complained, as I got down the bike.
"But to me you are a princess, princess." He spoke as he took the bike and stuffed it in the trunk.
"Calvin Ebony, you do something I dislike and I'll go on foot." I stated irritated. "And I can see that you plan on breaking my poor bike!"
"Fine, just get in the car, before it gets warm in there, after all the work my air conditioner has done to make it cool enough to have a girl inside."
...he can't be serious.
I rolled my eyes as I sat inside and closed the door. Calvin was one of the many chefs, at the restaurant, he had enrolled in the restaurant about seven years ago, he knows every in and out of that place. He even had multiple chances to become one of the main chefs there, yet he declined every single one, he says that he would rather stick to one shift a day, if he becomes one of the main chefs he'll lose his freedom.
At least that's what he says.
You'd be surprised if I said that we weren't in a relationship. Even though he begs me to reconsider, I consider him as my closest friend. I have others but they aren't as close as Calvin is. But I can tell you that he as a friend is overly protective of me, just like that one time he nearly sent a guy to the hospital for trying to get close to me.
Calvin shut the driver's door as he sat down, and started driving, down the main road.
"So what were you thinking about earlier, it looked like it was something serious." He asked as he glanced at me then back at the road.
"Quite the contrary, I was just thinking about some nagging dumbass that wouldn't allow me to ride my bike." I said quite bluntly.
I could tell that he was trying to hold back his laughter.
"So, what's Hailey Baldwin up to?" He asked after a moment of silence.
"He's doing just fine, actually he was, until I left him with my neighbor. You know, that nice old lady, named Claire. He hates her because she gives him cat food instead of the usual. Though I don't blame her, she doesn't know what he eats and with all her cats." I paused, "I tried giving her his food but when she looks for it her cats end up emptying the cans."
We laughed, "Poor Hailey." Spoke Calvin sarcastically. "Though he deserves it."
"And why's that?" I frowned.
"Remember that day when I came over , he literally did his thing in my shoe."
"You deserved it. Hailey only responds with how I feel, if he can tell that I don't like you, then he doesn't like you." I jumped up to face him.
"So you don't like me?" He asked looking me straight in the eye as he stopped the car in a traffic light.
"As a friend, nothing more." I stated.
"Come on, but then how come did Hailey do that?"
"Maybe he just hates you." I guessed.
Silence.
"Anyway, I'll be dropping by to say hi to him tomorrow at 9." Calvin said.
"Do as you like, and don't come complaining to me if he does it again."
Calvin took a sharp right taking me by surprise, as my face slammed into the head board, despite the seatbelt I had strapped.
Calvin turned off the car engine. I opened the door and rushed inside, I needed to get changed into the restaurant's uniform, and fast, the place looked packed. Just as I entered inside, all eyes fell on me. Some of the waiters and waitresses smiled and waved at me. A few customers looked stunned if it's their first time here.
Calvin came inside behind me, just soon as he came in one of the waiters came up to him, "Chef Calvin, you're needed in the kitchen." Calvin nodded and as he walked away, he sent me a wave.
I walked inside to the staff room and quickly got changed.
The restaurant's uniform was quite unusual, but in return I get rewarded handsomely if I wore it. With the tight black pants, and a white button-up shirt under a tight grey corset tied to the side of my waist with gold colored buttons. In addition a black ribbon tied at the collar to leave many loose ends. To finish the look a pair of black gloves and earrings. I tied the front loose ends of my hair back, leaving the back open.
