Before Sundown

2. Baker's Street [Fox]

[2] Baker's Street

Fox

unedited

The heat from the oven is already making me sweat.

Our hospitality and tourism class isn't ridiculously large. It consists of maybe fifteen people, give or take, and we all get pushed into a kitchen that is way too large for how few of us there are. The size of the kitchen is more fitting for the grade nine through eleven classes, which are significantly larger. It seems like a large portion of students lose interest in the class after taking it the first and second years.

Marco nudges me. "Please tell me Li is gonna let us pick our own partners for this project."

I shrug, smiling softly. "Doubt it. She never has before. And, I doubt that she's going to let us partner up again after what happened in ninth grade."

He groaned and knocked his head against the table. "Don't even remind me bro. That memory is buried so deep in my brain and I'm trying so hard to not remember it."

I laugh, leaning against the metal table. The bell is about to ring, and most of the students have already pooled in the room as we wait for Ms Li. This class has always been one of my favourites. It's a nice way to unwind after the stress of my other classes.

There is, however, one problem with the class.

"Taya! Stop it, that tickles!"

His eyes flit over to the scene. Mataya and Lydia are side by side, but Lydia is twisted away from the taller girl. They both have big smiles on their faces, and Mataya is reaching over to pinch Lydia's waist.

I scowl at the scene, turning away. I can't stand her. Her dark curls are pulled up into two high buns on the sides of her head, her curly bangs hanging down over her face. The sunflower yellow dress she's clothed in complements her mocha complexion perfectly. Her big, dark eyes are squinted slightly with her smile, which ties the whole look together and makes her look positively brilliant.

What a shame that she's a fraud. She's unreasonably pretty-- too bad the inside is absolutely rotten on the inside.

I can't pull my eyes away. I hate everything about her. The stupid sunflower clips in her hair, her stupid long eyelashes and her stupid, stupid smile. Bright and cheery and glows like the first beams of sunlight in the morning. It makes sense-- she's the resident sunshine girl. But, at the same time, Lydia and Marco are constantly calling me sunshine and yet I don't have the same radiance that she does (as much as I hate to admit it).

"You know, your face could get stuck like that."

My attention snaps over to my best friend, who has a teasing smile on his face. I roll my eyes at the expression. "Shut up."

"I'm serious! Gotta protect the face. Can't have my best bud having that bitter angry chihuahua look on his face."

I shoot him a flat look.

His grin widens. "Well, that's not a pretty face." He leans closer to me, his arms folded across his chest. "Why does she bother you so much anyway? What happened?"

Bitterness bubbles up in the centre of my chest as I recount the memories of my history with Mataya, The pain of our shared experiences and her betrayal still stings rather prominently. Like a papercut that never healed, and I don't know how long it will be before it heals. Especially when I never got a reasonable explanation for everything that happened.

I turn away, feeling my face heat with buried anger. I stuff my hands into my pockets, my lips twisting into a frown. I hate discussing this topic, which is unfortunately rather frequent. They're always pestering me about my rather complicated relationship with her.