Hypnotic || H.S

twenty-two

"How about this cake?" My mother smiled, pointing through the glass window at a two-layered white cake with neon pink flowers outlining the shape of the cake. I hesitated, covering my mouth as I pretended to hold back from puking earning a laugh from Joseph.

The market was cold, and we spent an unnecessary amount of time here looking for a cake. "Lexers doesn't care." Joseph groaned walking away towards the bread displayed in baskets.

I turned back at the cakes, walking closer to my mother. "It doesn't matter. We are just going to eat it." I shared.

My mother stayed silent, her eyes still studying the cake. I huffed to look at Joseph, he was grabbing a loaf of bread. I heard my mother hymn, "I really like this cake, Lexi." I glanced back. Her index finger pointing to the same cake. It was too much pink for me, but I didn't protest after she insisted on buying it for a celebration. In my opinion, she was jinxing my recovery, I also wasn't going to tell her that. "Should we buy cupcakes too for the girls?" she asked with a kind smile.

I slowly released my breath with a faint smile. "No, they'd look it at as if I was rubbing in my victory." I couldn't draw more attention to me, I already had Daisy as an Enemy.

My mother frowned, walking to the register. "Hello, I'd like a white cake with pink flowers." She told the man behind the counter.

His hair was slicked back covered with a hair net. His dark brown eyes flickered to her, then to me. "You got it." He exclaimed with a friendly smile, he put his gloves on, and opened the glass, carefully grabbing the cake. "Any writing?" He asked, arching his eyebrow.

Joseph made his way back to us, holding the loaf of bread with one hand. "That looks like a baby shower cake." He joked. I felt my face heat up with Embarrassment from Joseph's dumb joke.

My mother held her purse close to her chest, in deep thought. Her back to us, as we waited patiently. "Congrats Lexi?" She suggested.

My eyes were focused on the cake was the baker twirled it on top of the cake spinner. I felt Joseph nudge me from behind, making me shake my head. "Sorry?" I stuttered.

"Lexi or Lexers?" My mother asked.

"Lexers." Joseph sighed heavily, growing annoyed with our insignificant choices. "Let's get going now."

"Oh, hush Joseph." My mother raised her voice slightly, making my eyes widen from the tension. "Go pay for the bread, I am not paying for it." She waved him off, turning back to the man.

Our eyes briefly met then he flashed a toothless smile. "Lexers it is." He said, grabbing a pack of icing and began to write in the middle of the cake slowly.

"It's beautiful." My mother complimented earning another smile from him.

He blushed shaking his head trying to control himself. "Thank you, ma'am." I watched his hands tightly squeeze the icing out, he leaned down to get a better angle of the cake.

My mother leaned over to me. "Ma'am? I like him for you." She whispered, covering her mouth.

I stepped away embarrassed. "Mother-" my phone began to ring in my back pocket. I pulled it out, the letter H showed. "I have to take this," I informed her walking away.

"Missed me already?" I blushed answering it.

Harry chuckled on the side of the line. "Don't be a narcissist, that's my thing."

"That is definitely true." I smiled widely biting down on my bottom lip wondering away.

He let go of a deep breath. "What are you doing?" I began to imagine him in the office, with his feet kicked up on his desk leaning back in his chair.