Chapter 9
"You have no idea what just happened while you were gone." Lizzie whisper-yelled, pulling me into the kitchen as I tried my best not to sneeze and contaminate the ingredients.
I've been out from work for the past two days due to an extremely bad cold and fever, which I probably got from the rain that came pouring down when I was on my bike home.
"What the hell are you talking about, Liz?" I sniffed, taking a seat on one of those wooden stools.
She runs a hand through her hair in the attempt to bottle up her excitement.
"Okay the other day remember you told Calum to tell Maura that you can't come to work because you're sick? It was the afternoon after your date with Ashton-"
"It wasn't a date-"
"Shut up, I'm not finished. Do you wanna listen to this or not?" She snaps and I pretend to zip my mouth. "Good. Okay, so after my shift in the water park, I came here like the usual to hang out with Cal. But the moment I came in, Ashton was leaning against the counter and talking to Maura."
"So?"
She raises one finger in the air and I shut my mouth again. "He probably didn't feel my presence so I tiptoed behind him to eavesdrop on what they could be talking about. All I heard was that he's reserving a velvet cake for his pal who's coming to visit- today is friday- yeah tomorrow. Saturday."
"And why do I have to be interested in this-"
"Did you tell her yet?" Calum comes straight towards us, both his arms covered in white flour that he probably carried from the back.
"I was about to but you cut me off."
"Oh sorry, please continue. I wanna see her reaction."
Arching my eyebrows at the two of them, my nose scrunches up and I release another sneeze.
Lizzie moves her gaze back to me. "Where was I- oh right the velvet cake. Okay so what I wasn't expecting to hear was your name."
My name?
"Yes, your name." She answers, as if reading my thoughts. "He was looking for you, Eleanor. And when Maura said you aren't coming in, he frowns and shakes his head like he was so disappointed. And well, that's the time he saw me, opening his mouth to speak but before he could say a word, I've already proceeded to the kitchen-"
"Lizzie you should've waited a few minutes! What if he was going to tell you something important or-"
"I won." Calum does a victory dance as Lizzie takes out a 20 dollar bill out of her wallet.
It was only then when I realized how I just burst into an unexpected reaction that I probably didn't have any control over.
Calum slips the money in his back pocket, a proud smile on his face. "You can tell her the rest, Liz."
She rolled her eyes, making my stomach turn up a bit as my mind processed that she isn't done yet.
I had to sneeze again because of that.
"God bless you,El."
"Yeah, thanks Cal. Better keep hold of that money in your pocket. It'll be gone before you know it."
"Then I might as well spend it right now." Before I could say something, he slips through the kitchen's back door and disappears.
I turn to my other bestfriend who was now fiddling with her phone. "You made a bet, Liz?"
"It was his idea!" She shrugs, sounding a lot more defensive. "Can't believe he won though. So is it true? You actually like him now?"
"I didn't say that."
"Yeah but you're implying it."
As much as I wanted to agree to her statement, I chose to let it go and continue denying whatever I'm starting to feel.
"Can you just go on and tell me the rest?"
A proud smirk appears on Lizzie's face as she shakes her head slowly. "Yesterday at the water park, he didn't swim."
"That's because he doesn't know how to-"
"But he was in his trunks and he just sat on the pool ledge all day until I was out. And there was certainly one thing I noticed.." She pauses for a while and leans in closer. "I gotta tell you, honey, he's a biggie-"
"Oh God, shut up! You're disgusting! How dare you- why were you looking way down his-"
"Because it was so obvious! His trunks were too tight-"
"Ew- shut up, Liz- shut up-"
"I took a picture of it on my phone-"
"Don't you dare show that to me!" My hands fly to her sides as she tries her best to dig in her pocket to get her device. "Lizzie- stop!"
"Relax, El." My bestfriend giggles, grabbing both my hands and placing it behind my back as she pushes me against the door dividing the kitchen and the front area of the bakery. "I was only kidding. Though I know how much you wanted to see it-"
"You-"
"Ashton- glad to see you again." Maura's voice echoes and my heartbeat stops. "You're here because..?"
"Hi Mrs. Clifford. Well I was kinda hoping I could get my usual."
"Your usual? The cassava cake?"
"Yup! And the brewed coffee you served me yesterday."
Yesterday? I move my gaze towards Lizzie and she looks at me while holding back a smile.
"He was here yesterday too. And I have a gut feeling he was waiting for you or something."
Ashton was waiting for me? But- yeah. And there goes the butterflies in my stomach yet again.
"Wait- Eleanor's back and I swear she makes an even better coffee than me. Stay here sweetie-"
The doors swing open and Maura looks at me with her motherly smile as if she knows something that I don't.
Actually, it seems like everybody knows a lot of things that I don-t.
"One special brewed coffee please."
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This is a crappy update i know im sorry. i just got over with prelims so im hoping i could make a better chapter tomoro :]
vote plus comment please? thanks :*
