The Bakery

Part 4 - You Seem Fishy

" So, why did you decide to accept my invitation in the first place?" I ask Jasper. We were now at a small diner about twenty minutes away from school and had already seen down and ordered our food. If I'm being honest it was a bit awkward but surprisingly Jasper was easy to talk to if I didn't know any better he was up to something and that something wasn't good.

" The lunch food sucks at school and I really didn't want to be at school right now."

" So you only came for free food?"

" Exactly."

" But even so, I thought you hated me."

" Hate you? No. It is my job as the brother of your best friend to annoy and mess the fuck out of you."

Never once in my life have I ever heard this. When Harley and I were friends, her older brother always treated me as if I was his little sister, jest like Harley was. This was just an excuse for him to annoy me even more.

Harley's older brother, Leo, was almost exactly like Harley, except for the fact that Harley wasn't a loud person, Leo was. He wasn't homeschooled for most of his life like Harley, he actually went to public school all through middle school and high school. After that, he went to college and I haven't seen him in a while. I do miss him, but if he found out what happened to Harley.....

" Wow I'm so honored," I say dryly.

" You should be, I'm literally the king of our high school." He says proudly and I scoff.

" Hey, I'm not that unpopular."

" Maybe, but I would rather not be popular than some bitches sidekick."

" Hey! That's your sister you're talking about!"

" And like her brother, I know her the best. She's evil I tell you."

" I think it's the other way around."

" Hey, I know I'm a prick. She just doesn't want to admit she is. You really don't believe that Aubrey can be a bitch sometimes? Why do you even hang out with her anyway? In all honesty, you could do better. "

" Well...."

" Ha! Admit it! You think that Aubrey-"

" I think that you're being a dick not only towards your sister but to me as well. You're not even one of my friends, so why are you judging who I call my friend and who I don't?

••••

" I'm still hungry. " Jasper groans putting his head on his steering wheel when I enter the truck. I wasn't really surprised since whenever I'm at Gray's house for dinner, he eats like a dog in a sausage factory so say the least.

It was around two o'clock and I really didn't feel like going back to school now since I had been out of it for most of the day already, and Jasper's company wasn't all go bad I guess.

" How are you still? You ate a burger, fries, chips, three slices of pizza, shrimp......and you're still not full. You are insane." I tell him. Jasper shrugs and starting the car, and then pulls out of the parking lot.

"So, Aubrey told me that you run Eleanor's now," Jasper says, trying to start a conversation.

Eleanor's was starting to be sort of a touchy subject when it came to talking about it with any of my classmates, especially with the Aubrey since her family owns the other bakery. Their bakery was more successful and prettier, and everything my bakery wasn't. On top of that who wouldn't want to pass up a chance to have a vacation at a beach resort, and for free at that matter.

Anyway, whatever it was Jasper wanted to talk about evolving my bakery couldn't be good, he probably works there and now he's trying to talk me into sharing whatever secrets I have on Eleanor's or trying to blackmail me into giving it up, or.....I dunno, he just seems fishy.

" What about my bakery?" I ask.

" Nothing, it's just that after your um grandpa....passed, I didn't know what had happened to it, but then Aubrey had told me that you had taken it over and I'll admit, I was kind of surprised to know that a seventeen-year-old would be running the bakery on her own.

" I'm not exactly going it on my own, I have help," I state, propping my feet onto the dash. Jasper's raises a brow but doesn't say anything, and I grin. I was happy that we were getting along even if Jasper had something behind this 'hangout'.

" From who? Your grandma?"

" Yeah. Her an a couple of their employees."

" How many is a couple?"

" Why do you want to know so badly?" I ask changing the subject as I turn towards him. He gives me a curious smile, but simply shrugs me off as if that question didn't matter. It did matter to me, for all I know he could be some secret agent from the Gray's bakery trying to get all my grandpa's recipes.

I sigh and shake my head " Jasper why are you so interested in my bakery?" I ask. Jasper chuckles and shakes his head ad if saying, how are you so clueless?

" Jasper, I can't read minds."

" I'm just thinking that you really need some help with that bakery. Coming from one baker to another."

" I didn't know you knew how to bake. I thought that you just worked the cash register at your family's bakery. "

" Oh yeah, I can totally put a frozen waffle in the toaster and wait for it to warm up." He says with a hint of sarcasm.

" Har har very funny," I say dryly and Jasper chuckles.

" I try. Also, I actually don't work at my family's bakery. Aubrey does, but I don't."

" But then where do you work?"

" I used to work at a small surf shop by the ocean, but it shit down a long time ago."

" So you're jobless?"

" Well, I was hoping that since you run the bakery now...." My eyebrows shoot up at this, not only was I surprised but I was petrified. The Jasper Gray, my best friend's brother who a couple of hours ago I thought hated me is asking for a job at my bakery.

" You don't even know how to bake!"

" I can learn."

" Why?"

" I need money?"

" Why not ask your parents as Aubrey does?"

" Look can I have the job or not. I don't need to go into detail on my family and me and our life."

" Sorry, jeez. Who shoved sick up your ass and let it stay there?" I mumble.

" What was that?"

" Nothing!" I sing and Jasper sighs running his hands through jus hair as he looks at the road.

" Can you please think about it? Trust me you weren't my first choice, but I still wouldn't be asking you for the job if I wasn't desperate."

I shrug and say with a smirk " We'll see."