Emma

Prologue

Hi, my name is Emma. I just moved to this small prison town in California because my parents found a place to open up their new bakery there. Because most of the said population of this town is actually prisoners that can't come to their bakery, I'm not sure how well it'll do here. But Mom and Dad are confident, so I'll believe in their judgement.

Anyway, we just moved here this summer, the summer before my junior year in high school, and I don't really have any friends here yet. I mostly just helped Mom and Dad set up their coffee shop. They opened it a week before school started, so I'll just start there. When I was working for them while they looked for new employees.

It was exactly a week before school started and I was working the register while mom baked the sweets and dad interviewed potential employees. Business was still rather slow, so I sat there at the counter reading my book.

"Hey, I'd like to buy a cupcake please," said a voice. I hadn't even heard anyone come in. I looked up and saw the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. She had silky blonde hair and a sweet smile that complimented her bright blue eyes very well. If she wasn't buying a cupcake, I'd have instantly guessed she was a model.

"Oh, yeah, of course. Sorry, I didn't hear you come in," I said, setting my book down and walking over to the glass case where we kept the cupcakes. "What kind do you want?"

"Chocolate. It's that kind of day," she said, sighing in exasperation.

I laughed and gave her a chocolate cupcake with chocolate frosting and a strawberry on top. "Well, how about I give you a hot chocolate on the house then," I suggested.

"Are you sure you're allowed to do that?" she asked, handing me a five dollar bill for the cupcake.

"Well, it's not like they can fire me. I'm the cheapest employee they've got. Mom and Dad can't fire me," I said, smirking.

"Oh, your parents own this place?" she asked. I nodded and handed her her change, which she told me to keep. "Well, then I should spread the word about it. I have quite the influence here."

"I'm not sure if we can take it yet. There's no one really interested in working here yet," I sighed, and handed her a hot chocolate.

"Then I'll work here! You guys will have another employee and I can give this place some publicity. It really is a cute place." She took a sip of her hot chocolate and then winced and stuck her tongue out. "Whoa, that's hot!"

"That could work," I said, then realized something. "Hey, I don't even know your name."

"My name is Amber Goulding," she said and stuck her hand out for me to shake.

"Emma Wilson," I said, shaking her hand.

My parents decided to accept her offer and within the next day, the place was completely packed and dad had already hired three more employees. Amber and I became pretty great friends over that week and when it came time to go to school, I was somehow already pretty popular. Not just with Amber's friends, but with everyone in the school. But that's just how it all started.