I - New End: Danielle ✔️

Part 1 - Lemon and mint

Dannii/ Leaving the familiar smell of Cinnamon and freshly baked Cupcakes behind in the kitchen. I efficiently pick up the tray full of creatively decorated sweets with one hand while rubbing my other hand clean on my apron. Pushing myself through the swing door towards the shop I wipe away the ticklish string of hair that's been annoying me for the past five minutes with the back of my hand. Not noticing the leftover flower chooses to stick onto my face instead of my apron.

"You haven't answered? How did you know you loved him?" Jackie asks as if she hasn't heard the story about a trillion times.

"I just knew, when I looked into his blue eyes." I sigh dreamingly looking outside at the dark clouds gathering dangerously above New End Town.

"Emerald green..." I freeze in place, avoiding Jackie's curious frown while I duck down behind the countertop. Taking my time to refill the vanilla flavored banana cupcakes in the back row, she continues. "You mean green eyes right?" Why is she choosing this moment to be tentative? Half of the time she's in her own world ignoring me, not listening to my private thoughts which I can't seem to keep from saying out loud. But no, not today, Noooooo!

"What?" I hit my head against the cabinet door. "Auw... of course!" Rubbing the throbbing space above my ear, I desperately search my brain for an explanation. What did I say? "I said green!"

"No you d..." She insists.

"Nevermind! So, about my question earlier?" I wave the disaster away.

Now Jackie avoids my question again. "It's going to snow. I feel these things you know!" She doesn't! But she thinks, I'll forget that I asked if I can stay with her by changing the subject once again. She was the one who started talking about her brother and how I knew I was in love with him, to avoid my question in the first place.

Cole! The one with the green eyes!!!

"So do you think I can stay with you guys, only for a week or two, maybe three? I can't stay at my mom's Inn. It's packed during the holidays, except for our Christmas Day tradition, then I'll go and stay there of course." I whimper my eyelashes at my best friend. "Maybe I can stay in Cole's old room?"

Please say yes, you can't refuse my baby blues.

"Ok fine." She huffs.

"Yessss!" I jump into her arms and keep jumping. Making my best friend's long blond curls and my black satin hair bounce together.

"Only for the holidays! So you make sure those working men..." Pointing her finger at me and then up to the ceiling. "...keep on working." She adds with a serious face, brushing her hair out of her face. The working men she's referring to are my brother Nick and his coworkers, who are currently remodeling my apartment above 'The Cake Shop'. My Cake Shop, the shop I still can't believe I have of my own. My subconscious does an inner dance.

"Nick promised me it will be finished by January 6th." I reassure. "Besides, it will be great. You, George and me. Watching old movies, slumber parties..." I give her a cupcake to change the subject and look over the counter to see Jackie's baby George is sleeping peacefully in his stroller. "Caramel. Your favorite!" I smile with my most angelic face and it works like a charm, Jackie is a real sweet tooth. She simply can't resist caramel flavored anything.

Moving on to clear the tables as the last customer Miss Weatherly leaves, the bell above the entrance keeps ringing. I guess the old lady didn't close it properly. When I turn around to close the door I'm startled by the figure that walks in and drop the empty tray I'm holding.

"Benjamin?" I instantly gasp for air. Jackie's older brother Ben is standing in the doorway and he hasn't changed one bit since I last saw him. Two years ago. I notice his hair has grown a bit since then, as he runs his hand through the blond strands. The light stubble is new too. He usually doesn't leave the house without shaving. The duffel bag on his shoulder ignites a flood of memories crashing down on me. The way he looked so troubled as he wanted to say something before he left that day but got interrupted by Jackie. Making him leave without saying anything at all.