This Time

Four

FOUR: CAKE FOR TWO

JULY 24, 2009 1:43 PM

Patrick is the last person I've been expecting to see. Well, I haven't thought about the people I'm about to see anyway. I haven't seen him in ages, and to see him again, in this past form is just messing with my mind. And my organs. I think my heart is beating in a very abnormal fashion, it feels like it's about to explode any minute. My lungs are failing me.

Before I knew it he's passing by the window again, back to his classroom. This is senior year, so Patrick's room is the first one beside the stairs. I studied him as he made his way back. I marveled at that same tall and lean built. He still has his hands on his pocket and he's walking as if he has all the time in the world. He's always been so chill, relaxed in a very cool way. I can't explain but it's like everything he does is so effortless. I've always liked that about him.

I have been wandering for quite some time that I didn't realize it's already time to pass the papers. Damn it, Kyle Patrick Rodriguez! I hurriedly submitted mine and went out of the room where Jane was waiting for me.

"Hey weirdo. Again, I'm really sorry if I can't come over for your birthday."

Suddenly, I remembered senior year. Jane wasn't able to attend my birthday because of his incoming tournament. She is an amazing tennis player and a part of our school's team. Their tournament is a week from now and Coach Carl is killing them with practice.

"It's okay, weirdo. I don't have anything planned anyway. My mom won't be home until 6 today so I guess I'll just go home and get comfy under the sheets. I need to be with my bed right now." I yawned.

"Dude, no. NO. It's your birthday for crying out loud! Go out! Buy a cake and eat it alone. It should be fun." She paused as if thinking about it."Or, I could miss practice if you want."

This time I was the one disagreeing. "No way. You're not missing practice for me. Alright, I'll go buy a cake. But I'm not eating it alone, that's very tragic. I'll find company. Whoever. Your replacement as the best-est friend, probably."

"Yeah, but she won't give you this!" She handed me a present carefully wrapped in blue special paper, Jane style. I carefully removed the wrapper and squealed when my hands met a silver necklace with a moon pendant. 

"You can wear it when you remove that ugly thing you're wearing." She said jokingly.

Wait.. What? I checked and surprisingly, there was a necklace around my neck. It was the necklace Jane gave me last night. How did that get here with me? Maybe it was here with me all along. I just didn't notice it because of my time-travelling shock.

And Jane just called it ugly. If she only knew she gave this to me. Ha ha ha. I gave her a shrug and said, "You're right it is ugly."

She laughed and hugged me goodbye. "Alright bye, I will see you tomorrow."

"See you, too. Go show Coach Carl what he's missing."

She blushed. And of course I know why.

I went home and tried to take a nap. After an hour of lying on the bed without progress, I decided I'll just follow Jane's advice to get a cake. I went to this bakery called "Get Caked". It's one of the only three we have in town and the one that specializes in cakes.

I looked at the goodies on the glass stand and swooned. This is cake heaven. I think I can stand here for hours and not mind looking at these beautiful, perfect cakes. Dulce de Leche. Yum. Red Velvet. Yes. Chocolate Infinity. Drool. Chocolate Espresso. Wow. Ube Taisan. Ugh. I hate that one. I was shaking my head when I saw someone's reflection on the glass staring at the cakes, too.