Aap Koun Hai? PT 1

A Not So Welcome Customer👺

The traffic thankfully budged , as exasperating it was to wait, but after that Amara resumed how she drove. But a bit faster. Okay-A Lot faster after I mentioned where I wanted to go.

After the hectic drive, we finally droned to a halt on a narrow street, children iplaying ball, taxi drivers hoping to find someone to take on, ladies popping in and out of shops with heavy bags . The traffic and number of vehicles diminishes but the beeping is still prevalent.

But that's just home.

Amara parks her car and we walk on the red and yellow brick sidewalk, past the rows of all sorts of colorful shops, the ting of the bell audible as people go in and out

We stand before the bright distinguishable pink shop, and above it is written in cursive turquoise: Sana cakes and sweets.

It's around 4 and I am 30 minutes late for my shift, I gulp pitying Tam and Sam .

We barge through the glass doors meeting,Sam and Tam dressed in their white uniform and black aprons, with long silly chef hats on both their heads. They stand behind the long counter of sweets, sealed with a glass dome, but the place is dead empty excluding the rest of us.

Their dull, miserable eyes light up when they see us. In a breath they take off their hat, apron and uniform, revealing their t-shirt and jeans, practically racing around the corner to reach us .When they do, Sam exclaims his voice bubbling with excitement "Thank god you are here! What took you so long?"

Before I have time to even blink he shoves the uniform in my hands, wiping his palms on his jeans.

Then Tam does the same and grins "Anyway, wish you the best. We'll take your leave now"

They rush to leave, but it suddenly clicks in me before they can escape. "Wait!" I turn to them right before they reach the door.

They crack their fingers into fist, clearly annoyed, but I continue either way "I need someone to help me.One of you has to stay back with me. I can't do this alone."

Sam spin around taking a hesitant step back,

'Well...I have a lot of homework to do didi," Sam's eyes light up "but it's okay , you have Amara. "

"What?" Amara jerks forward.

I groan "Amara doesn't work here you do. Tam bhai please"

Tam sucks in his teeth , scratching the back of his head as he turns around and I already know he is going to give an excuse.

Tam speaks "Well, you have to understand Payal. I am an adult now, I have a job. I can't spend my entire time here, my boss will be furious"

"Anyway" Sam adds with a laugh "you can ask your Vihaan to help. You know,  make it up to you for what he did, but we are out"

What? Vihaan? How does he know-?

But with that, they dash out

" you told me you took a leave today Tam" I call behind, but it's not like they would come running back.

I turn around biting my lip, my face twitching with rage.

"Mmm" Amara say leaning over the counter peering at the variety of sweets we have, as I put on one of the uniforms and shove the oher in the back room.

When I come back out I catch my reflection in the cracked glass-I look like an idiot.

"I'll be your first customer," Amara jumps.

I hesitated, I knew what she was trying to do , and said a firm no but she pleaded with me like a child would, and eventually I succumbed.

And she was the only customer I had that day. Amara had ordered a dozen kaju katlis and a dozen cupcakes for god knows who, but no one else came. Of Course she tried to give me twice the amount she was supposed to pay, and it took a hefty argument and scuffle to settle it at the right price. This is why I am uncomfortable when Amara tries to buy from us . She always tries to pay extra and I don't like it when she offers me money like that. She is my friend, not my donor and I am not her charity.