Someone To Love

12. friendship.

"Aaah this is so fucking amazing, tell me one thing, which day was it when you were born?"

"Umm what,?" the teenager just raised her eyebrows, confusion evident on her face after hearing the question. Steve took another bite of the pastry and shut his eyes again, the chocolate melting in his mouth to make way for the single strawberry piece in the middle. By the time the strawberry taste lost its trace, the cheese and cookie teased his taste buds as he went into a zone which he calls a foodgasm.

"My dearest, this is one of the best cheesecakes I have had. Tell me the day you were born and I'll include it in the dessert menu on that day from now.!"

"Really,?" She asked fresh tears in her eyes. Steve did not understand what made her cry, but he simply nodded, assuring her with soft words, words which she exactly needed to hear.

Growing up with Divya has made him learn the subtle art of comforting crying girls and assuring them, without crossing any lines.

"I'll pay you for this too." He smiled at her, glad at the newest addition to his menu.

"My family always says I'll go nowhere with baking. My father wants me to do an MBA and get a job, but I cannot think of anything apart from opening my cake and pasty shop someday. This," she sniffled. "This is the beginning of my confidence journey, Thank you so much."

Steve smiled. He knew how much this meant to her, for there was a time he needed someone to believe in him too. If Divya had not convinced him to trust himself and open up the cafe, he would not be doing this today. She believed in him even when he did not believe in himself, and he is humbled that he got a chance to do that to someone else too. He called his manager, Gina D'sa, a 50-year-old charming woman who walked with her head high like she owned the world and filled in all the details about the new addition to the menu. Gina Aunty was a kind woman who was Steve's neighbour. She had agreed to help him manage the cafe when he began, and he had practically requested her to take over the manager position once he grew.

She was also the one to suggest the name Meraki, knowing how well the meaning matches with the purpose of the cafe.

The teenager got busy with Gina aunty while Steve sat back on one of the tables, thinking about what to name the pastry. A knock on the table lifted his head above, his eyes meeting the familiar ones ahead.

"Umm, is this seat taken?" The question made him smile, which he quickly hid.

"I will throw anyone sitting in front of and around me if it means to make a place for you. Anyone except of course Bradley Cooper, and David Beckham."

His sass evoked a chuckle from his lips, and Alex smiled sitting down. Steve took a portion of the pastry on a spoon and brought it close to Alex's lips. It took him a moment to understand and when he did, he opened his mouth to let the sweet dish in.

"Jesus, you know what you are doing. This is amazing. Can I preorder this to be delivered every day to my house for the rest of my life?"

Steve choked. He glared at Alex and took a big pause before answering. "Firstly, I did not make this. This is a special edition. I only deliver orders to people who are special and of course which are made by me."

"So I ain't special?"

"I met you a couple of months ago," Steve smiled and Alex frowned. He knew how close Alex was to Divya and he was grateful she had someone like him in her life.

"Well, I do not meet my fans here in my cafe. So yaa, you may be special." Steve grinned, making the world around Alex pause for a moment.