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 Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2015 1:27 pm
Arias was upstairs in the shower getting ready for a date. He had told Carlee to stay downstairs and she was more than welcome to help herself to any leftover cookies or cupcakes from the day…but the shop was to remain closed.
So naturally the moment she had heard his upstairs door lock, the closed sign on the door was flipped right to open instead.
This was no time to waste just because Arias wasn’t there. Surely she could make a few sales…she sold girl scout cookies every year for goodness sake. This was no different.
The teenager sat behind the bakery counter, eyes on the door.
Customers had to come in. She had to make at least one sale before Arias came down…or else she was pretty sure she was going to get yelled at. But if she made a sale, she could prove that she was good for this place, and clearly she needed to be given a job.
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Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2015 2:19 pm
For a while, no one came in. For a while, a young man hesitated outside the door and seemed to be fidgeting with his phone. He was furiously texting something—stooped over a bit and clutching the device in two hands as his thumbs slid across the screen. He stood still even as people walked around him and didn't seem like he had any intent of going into the store while he texted. Once, he glanced up get an idea where he was, and then looked to the sky just as lightning flashed.
When thunder seemed to reverberate through the air a moment later, his texting slowed and he seemed a bit shaken. He glanced down to his phone, waited another moment, and then just seemed sort of helpless. After another full minute of staring at it, he slowly put it into his jacket pocket and then seemed at a loss for what to do.
So, he offered one last look around and then settled on the Bakery. He didn't seem eager to run inside, so sort of slowly meandered towards the front door and walked in.
He seemed a bit out of place, almost wide-eyed (in his apparently sleepy state), as he glanced around. He didn't seem to believe that Carlee was really working behind the counter and seemed hesitant to speak with her as his eyes roamed over all the baked good still on display. Standing in front of her, he kept his hands tucked deep in his jacket pockets and chewed on his lower lip.
"…Hi," he said, almost too softly to be heard.
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Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2015 2:58 pm
The guy from outside finally came in after that awful thunder and he seemed to be almost confused when he saw her…just because she was young didn’t mean she didn’t know what she was doing. That was just the bad side of having such a baby face.
“Hello!” He finally spoke so she had to return the greeting. “Welcome to A and H Bakery! My name is Carlee, can I interest you in one of our fresh baked cupcakes today?”
Oh she was so good at this. Arias would have to hire her. After all, she would be fourteen in less than a month, that was legal working age for the super markets at the very least…she could do this.
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Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2015 3:03 pm
He seemed to be debating on if this might have been some sort of trick, but finally nodded. "…That sounds good. I don't really have a preference," he said, skimming over the cupcakes he saw displayed. "…I'll take anything, if it's warm. Please," he added, fishing around in his pockets to find his credit card. His hand settled on his phone, and he could have sworn he heard it buzz. Overeagerly, he pulled it out but he seemed to instantly deflate when he realized there wasn't a new message.
He didn't even bother to hide it and just set his card on the table as he shoved his phone back into his pocket.
He wasn't speaking with much volume, and his voice seemed a bit raspy. He didn't look Carlee in the eye but just kept looking over the goods sitting out. "Do you guys sell meat pies or anything? Or is it all just sweets and breads? —I mean, homemade, not frozen, or anything."
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Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2015 3:38 pm
Carlee nodded, sliding off of her stool and grabbing a big chocolate cupcake from the display case, putting it in front of the customer. “I’m afraid we don’t have any meat pies…but…I can make you something warm!”
This was the reason that Arias got that fancy coffee and hot chocolate machine, and thankfully she had figured out how to use it by watching him…for two reasons really. One, because she liked making herself fancy hot chocolate, and two because of moments like this!
The teen stood on tiptoe to reach a new sleeve of to go mugs and after opening them, she placed one under the spigot of the machine and thought for a moment before pressing a few buttons. A few seconds later, rich dark hot chocolate was pouring out, steam rising up from the cup.
Carlee looked around, trying to figure out what the best topping for this would be, finally grinning and reaching into the case, pulling out one of the big, homemade marshmallows. Normally this wasn’t something they would put into hot chocolate…but the customer looked really sad…and she just wanted to cheer him up.
When the drink was done, she plopped the sweet square into it and passed it over. “Here. This should warm you up. Is everything okay? You look real sad.”
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Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2015 4:07 pm
Evan watched her while she wasn't looking but managed to avert his gaze when she turned around. For a split second he looked up from the glass case to meet her gaze and then replied with a tired, practiced response. "I'm fine."
But he seemed to be debating it, and then leaned against the glass counter.
"I had a date. Sort of. My friend has been really busy and promised we were going to hang out. But."
He looked down at his phone again, chewed the inside of his cheek, and then just sighed.
"…Something must have happened, because they didn't show up. So I was just worried, because, none of my calls are getting answered, or my texts, and I'm sure it's…something must have happened. Or they forgot," he said, murmuring the last bit almost too quietly to hear.
He seemed to dismiss the thought and reached out to hold the cup.
"…But it's not a big deal, really. I just. Forget I said anything—how much is it?"
He didn't seem to feel relieved that he'd shared the information, and instead squirmed as though he ought to have felt guilty for saying anything at all.
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Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2015 4:43 pm
Oh…Carlee frowned, watching the guy. He really was sad…that was awful…being stood up for a date…if this had been Arias, she would have found his boyfriend and gone in, fists swinging…it might not have done much, but for some reason this guy was bringing out the same feelings in her. “Well…Maybe they just…maybe they got a cold…or fell asleep or have a fever, why don’t you go to their house and see what’s up? Maybe they dropped their phone and it’s broken beyond repair?”
She sighed. “Don’t worry about paying. Chocolate helps the soul, as my brother would say, so…I just hope it makes you feel better. Why don’t you call another friend to hang out with? You could go to the movies or go get ice cream or just do something!”
Thunder cracked again, following a bright burst of lightening, and the teens hands gripped the counter tightly once more, shuddering.
“The storm could be messing with the phone signal too, did you think of that? I know it’s messing with my brave signal” Carlee shuddered again, then grabbed a cupcake for herself, chewing thoughtfully. “Maybe they got the date wrong too, that might be it!”
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Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2015 4:49 pm
Evan flashed a quick grin, but it was neither convincing nor withstanding. "Yeah," he said after a second. "It's probably one of those things. It wouldn't make sense otherwise. Something silly probably happened. Maybe the storm is really bad across town and they don't have cell reception and couldn’t make it there on time." There was a doubt in his voice, but his false optimism almost made it sound like it was a lie he could believe.
"I'll just call someone else to hang out, it's not a big deal. That's a good idea. And I've got plenty of friends, so it's not like I'll wind up going home alone, anyway." He laughed, almost mirthless, and bit into the cupcake.
Evan did not have a sweet tooth, but biting into it, his whole face changed. He froze, and savored the flavor on his tongue for a long moment before he closed his eyes and just relished it. It took a few seconds of silence before he finished chewing and swallowing. "…This is really good, are you sure you don't want me to pay? Are…" He faltered, not wanting to seem rude. "…Are your parents going to be okay with that? I don't want to get you in trouble or anything…"
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Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2015 4:55 pm
She laughed, really enjoying how happy his face looked. That was what was so great about Arias’s bakery. It just made everyone so happy. And she loved when people were happy. “I’m sure you don’t have to pay, this shop doesn’t belong to my parents, it belongs to my brother who’s supposed to be getting ready for a date…and if he gets mad at me, I’ll just tease him about his boyfriend and he’ll forgive me for anything. Especially if I give him the big pouty eyes.”
Carlee wiped a hand on her pants, getting some of the chocolate crumbs off of it and held it out to Evan. “I’m Carlee, and please come in whenever you want to, I know my brother won’t mind, and I won’t either because then he’ll be happy that I got people to come in here…I’m hoping to start working here soon, I think I’d do a pretty good job.”
She thought for a second. “Well…I mean, not the giving food away, but this is a special case. Really I’m not even supposed to have let you in, but I wanted to surprise him by making a sale and…well…whoops.” The teenager grinned, shrugging and taking another big bite out of the cupcake, frosting going all over her freckled face. “Good food should be shared, and we were closed anyway…and he said I could eat all I wanted…”
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Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2015 5:17 pm
Evan blinked and then slowly nodded. "—Oh, so should I—should I be stepping out? I don't want you to…I don't want to make anything weird." He brushed his own hand off and held it out for her. "I'm Evan. It's nice to meet you. Thank you for the cupcake. And the hot chocolate. I'll come back."
Even as he held out his hand to shake, he lifted the cupcake with his free hand to examine it. "How many calories are in these things? …On second thought, don't tell me. If you do, I won't be able to come back. But this…was really nice. Please give my compliments to whoever baked them. I don't usually like food other people have made, but I don't…bake so well. This was nice."
When thunder rattled again, he closed his eyes and looked like he was flinching from the loudness. .
"…I should probably head home before that pours on me. I'm not going to make it," he noted, "It'll probably start pouring as soon as I step out that door, but I don't want to get you in trouble, too. Uhm. But this was nice. You're nice. And I really appreciate it, Carlee. I, uhm. I think this will put me in a better mood."
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Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2015 5:37 pm
Carlee nodded. “Oh! If you think it’s going to rain…” She moved out from behind the counter and went to the umbrella stand that was by the door, pulling out a green umbrella. “Here, this one’s mine! See, now you have to come back to bring this back, I don’t want you getting sick, and Arias can just drive me home so I don’t have to worry about the rain right now.”
She sighed and waved. “I really hope you have a good night, I really do. I hope your date comes through and the sun comes out for you tonight…” Pausing, Glancing at the clock, the teen made a face. “Well…it’s too late for the sun, so the moon, then. I hope the moon comes out and the stars twinkle and all that happy stuff happens.”
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Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2015 5:48 pm
Evan didn't just think it was going to rain, he knew it. You could practically drown in the humidity from the oncoming storm. He initially wanted to refuse her offer, but the thought of walking home, sopping wet…
Well, it was the perfect end to an awful day, and…maybe if things were a little different, this wouldn't end so badly.
"All right," he said hesitantly. "You seem like a nice girl, Carlee. I think you make a good saleswoman, so I hope you get a job here soon. I'll drop by some time when it's a little more dry outside," he promised, and carefully collected the cupcake and the hot chocolate and the umbrella.
The wind looked like it was picking up outside, and if he hurried…
Maybe he could make it home before the storm really broke.
But that meant he didn't have time to chat or to wonder if it was all right to take this girl's umbrella. He gave her a little nod and smile and then hastened out the front door.
He'd be back, and she'd done a good job of making sure of it.
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