The Bakery

Part 30 - The Reunion

" Bye Grams! Thank you! I love you!" I shout at my grandmother who was heading out the door.

" Love you too, " She waves with a smile and then walks out the door.

I turn back to the person on the other side of the counter, " Here you go, Sir. That'll be $5.50," I say handing the nice man his small box of creme puffs. The man hands me the money in return. I smile to him gratefully, then watch as he walks away and the next customer in line starts to order.

I feel a pair of arms wrap around my waist and I flinch in surprise, " Sorry I'm late Chlo-bear, " Jasper says into my ear. I could feel his hot breath hit the side of my face, making my blush a bit...because of how surprised I was. Yup, definitely because of that.

" Are you blushing babe?" Jasper asks, and I can just imagine the evil smile he is giving me.

" I'm working Jasper. Put on your apron and go help Eli in the back, " I tell him.

" Awe, you're no fun, "

" Fine then, after this customer, you can take over the register and not decorate."

" Nevermind, " he let's go of me and the warmth that I had once felt was gone, and I was beginning to feel cold.

" That's what I thought, " I say and then look back up at the customer. The girl had to be in her early twenties, but she was gorgeous. She had pretty brown eyes and skin, with freckles that we're sprinkled across her nose and cheeks and a beautiful smile, this girl had to be a model.

" Nice to meet you, I'm-"

" Chloe, right?" She says interrupting me, but I didn't really care about that. The fact that she knew my name, and I didn't have a name tag on, and I have never seen her in my life, but she somehow knows my name is a bit weird.

" Do I know you?" I ask her and then the girl's eyes sadden and then look back, " You never told her about me? What kind of boyfriend doesn't tell their non-bio little sister about their girlfriend of one year?" The woman shouts.

Wait a moment...is this who I this it is?

I see someone stand up and walk over to the woman. I recognized him in one glance. He had the same brown hair, same 'elf ears', and his stupid Harry Potter looking glasses that he has had since he was a junior in high school.

I turn back to who I think is Leo's girlfriend, Rachel, " How did he get you? You're literally a ten and he's a four, " I say to her and she laughs.

" I like her, " Rachel says to Leo, who had finally made it to the cashier.

" Thanks, but don't let her fool you. She can be a meanie when she wants to, " he said giving me the evil eye and I laugh.

" Nice to see you too Leo, " I say sarcastically.

" So, " Rachel starts leaning on the counter, " Who was that hot blonde boy who was all up on you earlier?"

" You mean Jasper? That would be my best friend's brother, who is a man whore and therefore not my type. What would you like today since there for some reason is a long line today?" I ask to change the subject to something other than my fake boyfriend.

Rachel groans with a smile, " Fine, but after you take care of all of these customers, we're going to have to get to know each other."

" Sounds good, " I say and continue working.

••••

" All the customers are gone so that means we are done for the day. Does anyone know why there were so many people today?" I ask while taking off my apron. I was in the back with Eli and Jasper, who were cleaning up their 'baking stations' as my Gramps used to call them, and so I decided to take this time to ask Eli about his little love triangle.

" So Eli, " I start, and Eli looks over at me with an eyebrow raised, " What is your opinion on Harley? You seem to be getting pretty close to her lately?"

Eli looks away quickly, clearly trying to hide his face turning into a tomato, so I couldn't help but laugh at his embarrassment, " She's fun to hang out with, " he says shyly.

Jasper understands what I am trying to do and smiles evilly, " And what do you mean by 'hanging out'? Are you and Harley-"

" We're just friends alright?" Eli interrupts his, clearly really embarrassed.

" Yeah sure, " I way sarcastically, " Oh, by the way, Eli, Harley's brother is in the front with his girlfriend right now if you would like to go meet him."

" W-what?" Eli looks over at me in fear, " Like in the front? Like, right now?"

" Are you talking about the hot curly-haired girl that you were talking to earlier?" Jasper asks.

" Yup. That's Leo's girlfriend."

" Damn that sucks. She was-"

" I suggest you shut up bro. That's your fake girlfriend you're talking to, " Eli warns Jasper and Jasper shuts up.

" It's fine. He can't help being the manwhore that he is, " I say smiling.

" Well at least I can get laid miss 'I'm saving myself for marriage'."

" What's wrong with that? That is a girl's decision to if she wants to do that with someone. Besides, how would you know I'm not a virgin?"

" By the outfit your wear-"

" Dude. If I know anything about women, you really need to shut up now, " Eli says, and I finally let the conversation drop and throw my apron at Jasper. Jasper, of course, catches it with ease and gives me a mocking smirk. I roll my eyes and then leave the room.

••••

I was beginning to miss it only being Harley and I. I missed every time we would finish something we would celebrate and do our happy dance.

I remember when my Gramps was still alive, Harley and I would always want to learn how to make wedding cakes so we could make one for our future weddings. My grandpa had just laughed it off and asked us why we wanted to do that. We then would go on to explain how we wanted to impress our future husbands which then Gramps had said, " If they truly love you, you won't have to impress them for they will love you for who you are."

I call bullshit on that. The only man that ever loved me was Gramps, but now that he's gone, I don't have any man to love me. If Grams knew what I was thinking she would say something along the lines of, " Who needs Men when you have money?"

Then again, who needs parents when you have grandparents, right? Clearly, my parents didn't need children when they had money, so what's any difference from having grandparents instead of parents?

A familiar sadness comes over me but I quickly brush it off. I don't need to feel this way, I shouldn't even care what my parents did. They're out of my life, hopefully for good. I don't need them, I have never needed them, so why think about them?

" Chlo, you alright there? Did you hear anything I was just saying?" Leo says knocking me out of my thoughts. I shake my head, embarrassed for dozing off.

" He was asking how Harley was doing at your school?"

" Oh...she's doing great. They're actually throwing her a welcoming party at my friend Aubrey's house right now. I had to skip it and come here to help Eli-"

" Wait...who's Eli?"

That gave me a great idea. I smirk, trying to contain my excitement for the grandest plan I have ever come up with.

" Hey Eli, could you come out here for a moment, please?"