The Bakery

Part 9 - Party Time

" How much longer until we reach his house? I thought you said that Brian's house was two blocks down from yours?" I ask Aubrey as she takes a left onto another street.

" Well, there was a change of plans. Jackson is going to the party but he got his car totaled the other day, so we're taking a small detour to pick him up. It shouldn't be a problem should it?"

I sigh, looking away from Aubrey and resting my chin on my hand that was propped up on the car door, watching as the other giant and fancy houses in Aubrey's neighborhood quickly disappear from my vision and new ones appearing after them. As I watch them, I let my mind roam.

I've barely ever spoken a word to Jackson, but from what I've gotten from small conversations is that he didn't really seem to be quite interested in anything about Aubrey. Sure he always nods and smiles when she's talking but I could see him giving glances to other girls in the hallway. He doesn't seem like a great person in my opinion. Aubrey deserves so much better, but of course, I'll never tell Aubrey that, she'd ignore me for weeks if I had said anything about her beloved Jackson, the second most popular boy in our school of course.

" So I was thinking," Aubrey starts. Oh no, this couldn't be good. Every time Aubrey says 'so I was thinking...' it's never good. Usually, it means that she has an idea that could go horribly wrong or alright, but most of the time it doesn't turn out well.

" No. No. No. Not again." I say turn towards her.

" But it's a good one! I promise."

I sigh, " What is it?"

" So Jackson has this friend. He's super cute, definitely your type-"

" No."

" But-"

" Didn't we just talk about this earlier this week?"

" Yes but it's just one date. Please. Besides, it would be a double date with Jackson, his friend and I."

" Fine."

" Really? You'll do it?" Her voice was starting to sound hopeful as if I might be interested in going. Spoiler alert, I'm not.

" Yes, but it better be worth it or else you owe me big time."

" Deal!" she squeals dancing in her seat, " I'm so excited!"

" I wish I could say the same," I say under my breath.

" What was that?"

" Nothing!" I chirp.

●●●●

" We have arrived. Sorry, it took so long for us to get here but at least we made it right?" Aubrey says turning back to me from the front seat. As soon as Jackson arrived I was demoted to the back seat. That motherfucker.

" Sorry, that was my fault babe. My parents said that I could get a new car, so probably by next week you won't have to drive me around." Jackson says and smirks. I roll my eyes in response, annoyed with how fake he is.

Stay calm Chloe, just ignore him. I think to myself, and it actually kind of worked. For the rest of the car ride, I began to zone off into a new dimension as I like to think of it.

Aubrey's car comes to a stop and I blink, looking up at the huge mansion in front of us that had teenagers and red solo cups scattered across the lawn. I was not excited nor happy with coming to this party, but it's my duty as the best friend of Aubrey Gray to accompany her to these parties even if it means being the third wheel, which I would rather be than have another person- a boyfriend -to worry about.

I was the last one to get out of the car but to no surprise, Aubrey and Jackson were already walking to the house when I had just closed my door behind me, but I understood that they were just in a hurry to get to the party. No big deal.

I start walking up to them but then remember, I left my phone in the car. Fantastic, I think to myself and turn back around to the car. Thankfully Aubrey didn't lock it, although she probably should've, so I open the car door to find that it wasn't in my seat. Maybe it's on the floor? I think and crouch down, shuffling through the tones of shopping bags Aubrey forgot about on her floor. I swear if it wasn't for her rich family that girl would die.

" Chloe?" I hear from behind me.

I feel a cold metal like thing in one of Aubrey's bags and pull it out. It was indeed my phone. Turning my head around I see Eli standing behind me.

" Eli? What are you doing here?" I ask the blue-eyed boy in front of me.

" Brian had invited me. He said that it would be a 'welcome home party' or whatever. Why are you here? I didn't think you liked parties like these."

I shake my head, " I don't but Aubrey asked me to go and so I said I would."

I shut the car door behind me and wait for Eli to say something, but it doesn't seem like he was going to say anything, " Did you like Eleanor's?" I ask.

" You mean your bakery? Yeah, I thought it was awesome. It had kind of that homie feel to it ya know? But as for your food....you better just gave Jasper clean the dishes."

I give a soft laugh and nod " Noted."

Eli looks back at the house and then back at me, " Wanna go inside?" He asks pointing towards the house.

" Sure," I say and we start heading towards the mansion, but then Eli comes to a halt, so I stop as well.

" Wait. Did you say that Aubrey was here?" He asks.

I nod, " Yeah. Why?"

" Could you not mention that you saw me?"

" Alright.....but why?"

" Its a secret." He says and winks.

I scoff and stick out my tongue which he does back and starts running towards Brian's place. Sighing, I then say " Hey wait up! I can't run in heels!" And start holling ass to try and catch up to Eli.

" Excuses excuses!"

" You're mean," I say when I caught up to him.

" And you're meanier."

" Whatever." I walk onto the porch and open the door.

" Ready?" Eli asks me.

" Nope."

"Too bad."