The Death Of A Bachelor

The Hungry Boy

"I put the sugar cookies in the front today because we made too many."

Brendon nodded his approval. The nineteen year old girl he'd hired last week -Sarah, her name was- smiled. She was always doing something to try and impress him. Working overtime, cleaning up, baking more than necessary, even buying the leftovers.

"Make sure not to overwhelm the shelves with them though. Make them 40% off or something."

Sarah nodded and rushed to the back of the bakery.

Brendon stood in his usual spot behind the cash register. Watching the customers come in. Some of them were regulars. They'd come in everyday or every other day and order the same stuff. Some of them were faces he recognized but not often enough to know their taste or their names. Some of them were new. People who'd come in and look around. Get a feel of the place. Sometimes the new people would order something random. Sometimes they'd just look around and leave.

Brendon didn't let it offend him. He always pretended the people who just left were diabetic. That way they weren't allowed to come in and buy anything. It was them, not his food. Maybe he should start making diabetic friendly baked goods. He'd have Patrick look into that.

The door dinged as someone walked through it. Brendon glanced up to see who it was. It was a tall, thin man. Wearing a pair of cut up jeans and a shirt that looked two sizes too big on his small frame. It was showing off his colar bones and the top of his hairless chest. His shoes must have had some kind of heel on them because they clicked as he walked through the store.

He wasn't like the usual new customer. He didn't waste any time looking over the dessert menu or glancing at the snacks through the glass. He walked straight up to Brendon at the counter. Lifting his glasses from his eyes to rest in his full hair. His peircing brown eyes connected with Brendon's.

"Welcome to Brendon's Bakery. How can we satisfy your sweet tooth today?" It was their usual greeting, but Brendon didn't like saying it to this guy. The look he was giving him made him feel . . . uncomfortable.

"I want four double chocolate chip cookies, two M&M cookies, one strawberry and one sugar cookie."

"Will that be all, sir?"

He raised his eyebrows and rolled his eyes. "Uh, yeah. And can you put it on one of those really pretty plates?" He pointed to the eat-in plates beside the counter.

"You want to eat in?" Usually only the regulars did. There were only four small tables. Each table had two chairs. It was designed with the Alice in Wonderland theme.

"Uh, yeah." He put his glasses back on his face. "You're not too bright are you, Brendon?"

"How do you know my name?"

Ryan laughed and pointed to his shirt. Brendon followed his finger. Flushing in embarrassment when he remembered he was wearing a name tag. Every employee did. Now he would really think he was an idiot.

"I'll be sitting over there."

He walked to the table furthest away from the windows. Sitting down and immediately taking out his phone. Brendon shook his head as he placed the right cookies on the plate. That's what was wrong with society now. Too into technology to pay any attention to their surroundings.

He sat the cookies on top of the warming plate to make them feel as if they'd just come out of the oven. When they were nice and warm, he walked to where Sarah was and handed her the plate.

"This is for that guy sitting over there."

"All of them?"

"It's what he ordered."

"He's a hungry boy."

Brendon laughed. Sarah walked over to the rude man confidently. Swinging her hair and switching her hips as always. She sat the plate in front of him and the man smiled up at her. Sitting his phone down and placing his glasses on the table beside them.

Brendon couldn't hear what they were saying. But Sarah was constantly flipping her hair over her shoulder. Giggling at whatever he was talking about. The man was laughing too. She laughed loudly at something and placed her hand on his shoulder. Again, the man laughed with her. But at the same time, he gently moved her hand. Sarah didn't let it bother her.

Brendon wasn't sure how long they'd been talking. But eventually Sarah walked back to where Brendon was. All smiles and giggles.

"What was that about?" He asked. The man wasn't that nice to him. Quite the opposite, actually.

"Nothing. Ryan's just hilarious." She shrugged. Walking back into the kitchen area.