Eight

It has been two weeks since Harper's birthday and everything had returned to the way it used to be.

Harper had gone back to his ways of groping and sleeping around, with anything that walks and has a vagina. He has an insatiable appetite, I swear. 

He has been ignoring me. I had no idea why, though. Before he was just oblivious to my existence, but now, he was avoiding me. He practically ran the other way whenever we happened to be in the same hallway.

I didn't miss the way he looked at me when he thought I wasn't aware he was around. Well, whenever his mouth wasn't attached to someone else's.

I had realized that Harper was not the man for me. Man-whore is not my type. I think I got upset at his birthday party because he took me for granted and while I was sure he felt nothing during the kisses we shared, I did feel something. The kiss was passionate and the best kiss I had ever had. 

But I was happy that things were back to the way they were. Uncomplicated and simple. 

I had started working at Monique's Bakery again. Monique had generously given me the first week of the senior year off, much to my opposition, to "get used to everything" as she put it. I had been in the same school for three years. I was already "used to everything". God bless that considerate woman.

Even Samantha and Natalie had been back to their normal selves and their weird behavior the other day about Harper's "rejection" was never mentioned again.

Because here we were again, debating over Harper's character at the end of the day while walking towards our cars. Good times!

"I mean, seriously I don't know why you even defend him. Just look at him. Can he even breathe without being attached to some girl?"

"So, he's a hormonal teenage boy, big deal. It's his life, isn't it? He can do whatever he wants with it." Samantha countered.

"You know, I clearly remember the two of you saying Harper will be a changed person after his birthday and will most likely settle down. I don't see anything like that happening anytime soon." I chuckled." Why do you even defend him?"

Natalie shrugged.

"You keep criticizing him and we will keep defending him."

I just shook my head at them and laughed. Some things never change. And honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way.

"You all remember that it's sleepover night at my house tonight, right? Because if you don't, I will drag you from your houses." Natalie said while looking both at me and Samantha.

"I will be there." Samantha piped up.

"I didn't forget about it. You don't need to drag me." I chuckled. I forgot about it.

Natalie raised her eyebrow." We all know you forgot, Zara."

Damn, they know me so well.

"So, I want you both at my house by 7."

"Yeah, sure," Samantha said.

"Uh, I can't. I have a shift at the bakery till 7." I checked my watch to see if I was already late. "And I am late for my shift. So, if you want me to be there by 8, I suggest you let me go."

Natalie pouted and Samantha gave a thumbs up before getting in her car.

I gave them a wave and got inside my car.

The best part about Monique's Bakery was that it was way closer to Cormack High and so, wasn't frequented by students from my school. I always felt more comfortable because of the fact.

Monique was of the same age as my grandmother. Monique's son was my dad's friend when they used to be in high school. So, she was more of a family friend. I had been exceptionally close to Monique and she was the one to offer me a job at her bakery. Even though I didn't need the money, I helped her. And she has been one of the closest people to me ever since.

Monique's Bakery was styled in a retro-modern theme. The bakery was big enough to have tables inside so people could sit in and a few of the tables were placed outside. 

Every item in the bakery was personally approved by Monique. She loved to bake and when both of her children moved out, she used her retirement money to open up a bakery. Even now, she used to cook half of the items displayed in our showcase. 

Me and the chef, Antonio always insisted she just rest and let us handle the bakery, but she never budged. She enjoyed baking and loved to see it all get sold. It wasn't a surprise that the bakery was a giant hit. 

The bell above the door dinged when I walked in. A few of the tables were occupied by the customers. I walked towards the display case and smiled at Amy, the cashier.

Amy was a sweet girl studying at Cormack High and had just started to work here. She was still learning the ropes but now, she could efficiently handle the light hours alone. It was in the rush hour that we needed two people working together, one as the waitress and another one as the cashier.

Amy was already in her uniform and apron and was busy billing the order of a middle-aged man. I waited for the man to take his order and then greeted Amy. 

"Hi, Zara." Amy chirped. That was another thing about Amy. She was way too lively for my taste.

"Hi, Amy. I am going to change in the back, okay? You think you can hold the fort for some time."

She just gave me a nod. I pushed the door which was only for us employees.

I quickly changed into my uniform and made my way to the very back of the bakery where the kitchen was. I just couldn't start my shift without greeting Monique and Antony.

Monique and Antony were both immersed in their work. Monique was baking pies while Antony was coating frostings on the pastries. They looked damn good. The pastries, I mean.

Monique looked up and gave me a warm smile. "Hello Zara. How was your first week at school?"

"Tiring. And full of drama." 

She laughed. “That’s the senior year for you."

I moved closer to her and planted a kiss on her cheek. Then, I moved closer to Antony and kissed him. He had his earphones plugged in and so didn't even see me coming.

Antony was a nice guy and a great friend of mine. If only he wasn't gay. He gave me a peck in return and went back to frosting without taking out his headphones. He wasn't a man of many words and I learned it a lot early in our relationship. 

I went back to the front of the shop and took up the job of the waitress.

Hours passed by waiting tables and taking orders, when I noticed it was 6 in the evening. One more hour to go and I would be off work and on my way to Natalie's house. I sighed relieved.

The bakery was still half full and it didn't close till ten at night. That was when Stephanie started her shift. She was responsible for maintaining the extreme hours of the bakery, in the morning and night. Stephanie was a bitch and I think that was why Monique arranged our work hours so that we didn't have to talk to each other.

The doorbell dinged, signaling the arrival of customers. I looked up to see a couple of guys walk in. Each boy looked a little familiar and I figured that they were all from my school. I took a fleeting look at them and let them settle down on a table.

I walked to the table the guys chose took out my notepad and pen and then looked up at them.

On the table were Harper, Aiden, and a few other boys from the football team whose names I didn't know. I gulped nervously.

The whole point of taking the job at Monique's was the advantage that nobody from Ridgeback came here because they didn't know about it. The plan worked fine for three years.

I smiled at them remembering my role as a waitress. “HI, I am Zara. I will be your waitress today. What can I get you?"

They looked up from their menus and then looked at each other for a few seconds, making the situation completely awkward.

Aiden smirked. “I will take whatever's your favorite."

Ever since the night of Harper's party, me and Aden had gotten close. He never missed a chance to flirt with me, though it was harmless.

I could see Harper roll his eyes from the corner of my eye. What the hell is his problem?!

I smiled at Aiden and then looked at every guy on the table. Except Harper. "Okay, I will make you guys a deal. If you can name my favorite item on the menu, I will bring it to the house for you."

"Oooooh challenge accepted." One of the guys said in an excited voice. I couldn't help but chuckle.

"So, I will come back after five minutes and I will give you the time to think about it. Can I get some drinks for you meanwhile?"

Everybody ordered their respective drinks and got back to their menus with so much concentration. I didn't know they were that competitive. I laughed inwardly.

After placing all their drinks on a tray, I walked to them and placed all of them in front of the guys who ordered them. I took out my notepad again. "So did you guys decide which one is my favorite item on the menu?"

"Key Lime pie." One guy piped up.

"Apple crumble Cake." The other said with so much concentration I had to hold a back smile

"Pineapple upside down cake." The overly enthusiastic guy said, who had accepted the bet in the first place.

"Rhubarb." The last guy said.

I looked at the four boys whose names I didn't know and just shook my head, telling them that all of them were wrong.

"Aiden? What about you?"

"Blueberry muffin?" He looked like a cute, little puppy when he skimmed over the menu in the hope of finding my favorite item.

I let a small smile slip but shook my head. "That's my second favorite." I chuckled at his crestfallen expression and bit the end of my pen to refrain from laughing.

"Dark chocolate cupcake."

I whipped my head to look at Harper. I opened my mouth to say something because I had never thought out of all the people, he would be able to name my favorite item.

"Correct." I looked at him and he had the same expression of longing and regret in his eyes back from when he talked to me in the girl's washroom. 

"So, I guess you are getting the cupcake for free. Damn. What a lucky guess!" The guy who had been excited earlier said.

It was just a lucky guess, wasn't it? It was. It was.

"Um, I will get back with all of your orders with a dark chocolate cupcake on the house." I smiled at them and then scurried away from the table. Particularly from Harper and his strong and overwhelming stares. They made my skin crawl excitingly and I was not sure if I liked that.

I walked behind the counter to take my place as the cashier as Amy changed into her casual clothes because her shift ended before me. Stephanie usually came around seven to take over the job.

After some time, the boys got up from their table and headed towards me to pay their bill.

Aiden came forward and paid everyone's bill. "If I had known, you worked here, I would have come here before." He gave a suggestive wink at me and followed the boys out of the bakery.

My eyes then landed on the boy standing alone in front of me, on the other side of the counter. I raised my eyebrow, silently asking him why he was still here.

He folded a hundred-dollar bill and dropped it in the tip jar.

Shit! A hundred-dollar tip? That wasn't even worth all their orders.

"What are you doing? A hundred bucks is way too much." I looked at Harper.

"Dark Chocolate muffin." He said the words as if he were checking how they were rolling off of his tongue. “Contrary to what you believe, it wasn't just a lucky guess." 

With a suggestive wink, he walked out of the bakery.

And he left me there with my jaw open.