Secret Ingredient

Flowers

Venus's' words came out sharp “ Don't play that card with me! You know why! I asked if you needed help. I asked you to hang up flyers. When she walked in it was perfect.” Each word is weighted. It goes silent for a few moments. My dream self was frozen.

I looked around. I wasn't at the bakery. “I had it under control. I just needed a bit of time. She still could have had a normal life.” eros gritted out. I think I'm in eros grandmother's house. There's lily decor everywhere. It has bubble gum pink tips and a white center. A vase on the table filled with the flowers. A black small couch and a chair stick out. They have black throw blankets with the same flowers.

“Why does it matter!” Venus screams. I see myself flinching. There's a piece of paper in my hand. Did I need to bring something to them and stumble into a fight? “ I warned you.” I have never heard her sound so vicious.

“ This is why they left, isn't it?” Eros whispered. It was like ice went over my skin when he said it. I notice my face listening to them. I'm terrified, but too intrigued to move. As if something snaps me back into motion I grab the doorknob.

“ Hey guys I have a plan!” I rush through the door. I ended whatever they were talking about. Then I woke up. Three am. House dead silent. Cat on the bed. What the hell? I hardly ever wake up for no reason. I move slightly to get out of bed. That rewards me with a slightly pissed Meow. “Sorry,” I whispered petting the cat. He purred his forgiveness as long as I kept petting. Unfortunately, I did stop. I got up to check the room. I grabbed my phone to flip it on. I was greeted with an alert.

MOTION DETECTED: Backyard sensor.
My heart races as I open the feed. Is it a thief or worse? Do they know we're just two girls living here? Then my mind stops when I see them. Nope, it's just a moron. Erickson is setting up vases of roses. I grab my taser as I head to the patio. He has his back turned to me as I approach him. When he turns back he screams and drops a vase on the ground. “ God damn Ana you scared the shit out of me!”

“ Ironic because this is my yard!” I was going to cause a scene. This moron has come over to my house without permission again. He leans down to pick up the vase, setting it up as though nothing just happened. “ What are you doing?” I'm honestly flabbergasted that he's still here.

“Apologizing. She must just want me to apologize. So I got her favorite flowers” He smiled to himself feeling proud.

“One: I'd like to state this is considered trespassing. I have stated multiple times I don't want you on my property. Two: those aren't her favorite. She hates roses.” It was the truth. She hated them. Said the smell was just too weird for her.

“ I think I know her. We were meant to be” He was straight-up delusional now.

“Meant to be on a restraining order form! Now GET OFF MY PROPERTY!” I flipped the switch on my Taser. Right then my neighbor flipped on their lights.

“ Miss. Loveless, is everything alright? It's three-thirty” my elderly neighbor asked.

“ Yes it will be Mrs.Moth when he leaves” I see her squint at Erickson. I look back at him as he picks up the vases. He heads to the fence door. I can feel Mrs. Moth staring at us. “ Don't come back or I'll press charges on you. Mrs.Moth also has an arm on her. She won't hesitate to throw a soup can.” He looked at me as if I said something completely out of pocket. Then I slammed the gate in his face. Making sure to lock it this time.

I went back in the house. I locked the door behind me and then went to the front window to make sure he was leaving. I stare as he backs out of my driveway. You claim you're meant to be with her. You don't even know her favorite flower is a lotus. I never liked him. I thought it was just because he was egotistical. That he was a rich kid who liked to spend his father's money. We have never seen eye to eye. Should Megan know?

No. It might scare her. She has so many things on her plate. He doesn't deserve a speck of attention. Lord knows he'll take a glance as her wanting to get back together. I made my way back to my room. I closed the door but didn't move. I stare at the room again.

Well to my disappointment I know I won't be falling back asleep. I make my way towards my desk in my room. I have a project that needs to be done. We cleaned every spot we could find. A new front door was installed. I lied last time to Eros telling him I was thinking about chairs. I should focus on those. I found padded L-shaped bar stools. Then I could set up a counter setting near the windows. Two pink, blue, purple, and green. Four on each side. That's just the window seating. What am I going to do for the tables? I combed through dozens of styles till I heard a beeping.

Oh God, it's already eight am. I've been staring at this computer for hours! I have to work in an hour. I change out of the shorts and into my black ripped jeans. I quickly changed into a Coraline button key tank top. I rummage through the fridge to find something for breakfast. Bagel and cream cheese it is. I pop the bagel in the toaster and then rush to get my shoes on. I have a minute before it pops up with its squeaky springs waking Megan. She told me last time she was stressed ‘one squeak from throwing it out a window’. I stop it just before it pops up.

Yes! I snatch it out of the toaster. Now I just need to get to the bus stop in twenty minutes. I finish making my breakfast and then head for the door. I open the door to a bunch of beautiful gray clouds. I step forward and kick something in the process. It's a vase of yellow roses. Fortunately, I only cracked the vase. I pick it up to take it to the bin. “Still not giving up I see” I huffed. I then see Eros' car sitting in my driveway.

He rolls down the window “figured you might want a ride” he says with a goofy grin. Then it slips a little “Who got you those?” I completely forgot about the flowers for a moment.

“ They're Megan's. Her ex came by to drop them off. I know she hates the smell of roses. He didn't seem to know that thought.” I walked over tossing them in the trash. After that, I slid into the passenger side.

“ That makes sense, you don't seem like a rose's girl” He put it in reverse.

“If I'm not a rose's girl, then what am I?” I poke fun at him. I mean he's right. I don't really care for them. They are pretty. He leans over and smells me for a minute.

“lilac or lavender?” He says with a smile. I'm frozen. This weirdo just smelled me to guess my favorite flower. The worst part is he's right. “So which is it? You always smell like one, but I can never remember which. You also had them plated outside your house.” He was all smiles without a care in the world.

“You weirdo did you just sniff me? I'm not telling you anyway.” I laugh at him.

“Am I close? You usually have a strong scent of it, So I noticed it at some point.” Eros was a block away from the bakery. I rolled my eyes. “Fine, don't tell me. We have tons of stuff we need to do anyway.” He peeked out the corner of his eye. He's trying to use reverse psychology.

“Great! Can't wait to get started.” I put some enthusiasm into it. He let out a huff when his plan didn't work. I wonder if they're going to teach me how to bake stuff today. I want to be able to make an awesome cake for Megan. I had to get her stuff early so it wasn't a bunch of holiday stuff.

“Alright, here we are. You are ready to start baking today. Today we have to try a bunch of cupcakes.” He was getting out of the car before I could answer.

“Wait, today I get paid to eat? I mean, of course, we have to make it, but the other half of my shift is just eating cupcakes?” I was right on his heels as he unlocked the door.

“ Yeah, And register if people come in but that's it.” He shrugged. Yes! Score! Serving one or two people a day was getting so boring.

“Let's Get Started!” I was excited.