The Bakery

Part 5 - Mike The Homeless Man

" Hey, Chloe! " I hear Harley say almost making me drop my icing. Jasper dropped me off at Eleanor's after our little chit chat about him working here, and now all I was doing was making a simple double chocolate cake with chocolate icing and hopefully, we still have some of the strawberries from a couple of days ago to put on it.

I turn around to find Harley still in her school uniform, but it hurt me to even look at her. The uniform looks as if someone just barfed their whole lunch on her.... which in a way they kind of did. She still seemed to be happy, she didn't really seem phased by the little welcome gift my friends had given her which was a relief, but I still was filled with guilt for even letting my friends do that to her. My excuse? My reputation was at stake. If I didn't want to end up like my friend I was going to have to play along with the 'popular kids' and deal with this sickening guilt that filled me.

" Oh hey, Harley....what happened to you?" I ask her, forcing a smile on my face.

" Nothing really...I didn't see you at lunch. Did you go somewhere before lunch? I didn't see you after class. I was going to wait for you and all but I saw that you were bust with your friends and I didn't-"

" I'm back!" I hear the most annoying voice in the world say and groan in response. Walking out of the kitchen, I see Jasper waiting at the counter with his same goofy smile but wasn't wearing his uniform anymore. He was just wearing black ripped Jean's and a white T-shirt, his usual outfit he wears when I see him out of school.

" Who's he?" Harley asks. Jasper over at Harley and smiles, showing off his bright white teeth. Harley didn't seem phased by the lovely boy's charm and immediately turns back to me.

" Can we talk later?" She asks and I nod. I didn't want to talk to her because I already knew what was going to happen. Harley was going to confront me about not doing anything about the little incident in the lunchroom and then quit her job. I didn't want her to quit her job, she's the best baker we have. I can't lose her.

Harley gives me a small smile and then turns her heel to walk away towards the kitchen. I focus my attention towards Jasper who was now leaning against the counter with an amused look on his face.

" What's worrying you Chlo?" He asks nonchalantly.

" Nothing. What are you doing here anyway? I told you I would think about it."

" Don't worry I'm not here for that. I was actually wondering if I could get one strawberry cupcake."

I raise a brow, curious as to why he wouldn't just go to his family's bakery down the street. Their cupcakes are probably way better than ours with way more decoration and toppings on them, but I nod and quickly fold up a small box and carefully get out the cupcake and put it inside the box.

Speaking of which, it was almost time to give Mike the homeless man his cupcake as well. Poor guy, he barely gets any money to help him, but Harley and I always try to help him by giving him his favorite strawberry cupcake.

" Here you go." I say and hand him the box " That'll be $4.50."

" Thanks." He says and then proceeds to hands me the money.

" Have a nice day." I wave to him.

" See you later Chlo." He says waving back and smiles, before walking out of the bakery. Leaving me once again with Harley who was in there probably baking more cupcakes as I speak.

" I'm back. " I chirp when I walk into the kitchen. Harley was now putting in what seems to be more bread in the oven to bake.

" Thank God. I was starting to think you were ditching me for that guy. Does he go to our school too?" Harley asks.