Love in the Key of Cupcakes

Chapter 1

When I said I was moving my mom sobbed. I recently finished culinary school and decided to finally move from my hometown. In New York, I found a job as a pastry chef. By that restaurant, I found an apartment. The landlord said that someone else was there and that I could split the rent with them. Of course, as a 20-year-old with barely any money, this was a great deal. Now as I'm driving with my mom I'm rethinking this whole moving in with a stranger. What if they're a creep? What if they won't split the rent? What if they don't like me? My mom breaks my train of thought.

"I'm going to miss you so much. Why do you have to move so far?" My mom complains, tears forming in her eyes.

"Mom, I told you it's just an hour away. I promise I'll call you every day." I say.

"Why can't you stay in town though? It's so much safer."

"I want to turn over a new leaf. This is my best chance at becoming a pastry chef and getting my name out there."

I want her to understand I'm trying to follow my dream of becoming a big pastry chef. I'm not trying to hurt her feelings. It's just I can't make my dream happen where I am.

"Okay. You better call me every night and update me on everything that's happening." She says.

I can tell she means it. My mom is an open book. I guess that's where I get it from. My friends always tell me about how they can tell everything that I'm feeling just by looking at me. I can't wait to see how that works out at my new place.
"We're here!" I say, turning onto my street.
I find a parking spot and get out of the car. Mom helps me open my trunk and get out my 3 luggage. I'm usually an overpacker so 3 bags is a win. Since someone else is living with me it's already furnished which is good. Although sometime this month I'll have to get things for my room.

I let my mom help me bring my things to the door and we both start getting teary eyed and I quickly wipe it away. I knock on the door first to make sure that I'm not walking in on my roommate. There's no answer so I grab my key and open the door. I check the first of 2 rooms and notice that it has a bed, an empty guitar stand, some posters, and a desk. I then walk to the next room with my mom and see that it's empty with only a mattress in sight.

"You're going to live in this room?" My mom says with skepticism.

"Yeah? What's wrong with it, I'm going to go after my paycheck to buy furniture."

She looks around with worry and bends down, she proceeds to wipe her finger on the ground to check the dust.

"What if you get sick? What if you get mold poisoning?"

"I promise I'll also buy cleaning supplies. I'm sure they have stuff already though. Remember that no one was in this room before and why would there be mold?" I say, trying to reassure her.

We also share another trait which is that we worry too much except I don't worry about myself as much as she worries for me.

"Want me to take you to the airport?" I say, trying to change the subject. Before she can answer me I start walking to the door. She follows, looking slightly annoyed. When we're both out of the door I lock it and I head to the car with her.

"Want any food?" I say, looking at my phone.

It's 5:13 and luckily her flight isn't until 6:45. As I start the car she chooses a place and punches the direction into the car. It's only a few miles away so we make it there fairly quickly, not factoring in the traffic. When we get our food I park in the parking lot and we eat together, making plans about what I could do for my room.

"You could paint the walls." My mom says.

"It's a rented place. I can't do that, but I can buy a nice bookshelf and put cookbooks on it." I say.

"Or you can move to a different place. I know one of our neighbors is selling their house. You can find a nice husband and start a family right next to us. No more airports or long drives." My mom says.

"I'll think about it," I say, trying to smile.

She wants me to move back. I would but at home, I can't do what I love. Baking is my passion and if I don't have my passion what else do I have? Sure I can go and get married but would I be happy? Right now I want to focus on my baking and then I'll think about other things.

When we finish I start driving to the airport. When we get there we both get out and hug for a long time.

"I'm going to miss you." My mom says, getting teary-eyed.

"I'll miss you too. Call me when you get home, okay?"

"Okay. See you soon. Think about what I said."

My mom says as she heads toward the door.
When I see her make it inside I head back into the car. Since I have some time to kill before going home and unpacking, I decide to head to the local coffee shop since I need a pick-me-up. I found a spot to park and walked in. The aroma of coffee hit me and it was one of the best smells of today. I ordered a small americano and sat at a small table.

A guy was playing with a guitar. He sang pretty well and was kind of cute. He was playing a song I didn't recognize. When he finished the group of people around the shop clapped and I joined them in clapping. I finished my coffee and decided to stay for one more song. This time he played a song I recognized but forgot the name too.

When he finished I clapped, then I gathered my belongings and headed back to my car. It was getting cold but not cold enough that I needed a jacket. When I got back to the car I decided to look up the guy who was singing's Instagram. He had it on a sign by him to promote his singing and I was somehow smart enough to take a photo of it. His Instagram had photos of him and his friends and some others of his singing gigs. It was interesting to look at.

He has a nice smile.

What am I thinking? I just saw him and I'm sitting in my car stalking his Instagram. How much worse can I get? To get my mind off whoever he is I decided to head home. On the drive home, I passed by a bakery that I wanted to visit soon. It would be cool to own a bakery.
When I got home I unlocked the door and got unpacked. I put my picture frame of my mom and me on the ground by my bed and folded my clothes into piles on the opposite wall. I put my luggage into a corner and got ready for bed. When I got onto my bed I grabbed a blanket from my bag and was out once I hit the bed.