The Cake and Spoon

Gemma style

Cake, cake ,cake.

Hafsa thought as she came back from her lunch break. She strapped on her blue apron, tied up her long curly hair and rolled up her sleeves.If it was a cake for any old customer it would have been different but this was for Anne and this new mystery boy Harry. She ought to make a good impression.

"So someone finally liked the old tequila cake eh? Fuckin 'ell" mused Tommy, the guy who worked with her, a smirk spread across his face.

Tommy was a nice lad, very...memorable. He was from Glasgow and only here in Manchester to study. His thick Glaswegian accent definitely stood out amongst the Mankie mumbling in the bakery. He was cute, no doubt about that. Tommy just was not the boyfriend type. Started here about a month and a half after Hafsa and was a good friend to her but entered the store with a different girl every week. Blonde, blue eyes and tall, a real stunner. He wore the same clothes daily, that Ralph Lauren top, Asos jeans and those disgusting Nike 97 trainers. Urgh. But little do all the girls know he's an absolute mummy's boy, calls her every lunch break. Cute.

"Hellewww?? Oi are you listenin?" Tommy snapped, clapping his hands in front of Hafsa's blank face.

"Yeah I am I am" Hafsa replied smiling.

"So what was I talking about?" He challenged, hand on hip, butt sticking out.

Hafsa raised an eyebrow at Tommy " the cake, Im not stupid, but you do look stupid though" she remarked, turning around to grab the cake out of the glass counter.

Tommy flushed red, playfully slamming the pink icing on the counter, ready for Hafsa to ice.

"Whose it for anyway?" He questioned, head resting on Hafsa's shoulder as she held the piping bag like a sword ready to slay a dragon. A cake dragon.

"Anne, she came in earlier and asked for it for her son's birthday, she-"
"ANNE HAS A SON??" Tommy shouted, jumping back off of Hafsa's shoulder, bringing all the customers attention to his sudden outbreak.

"Nah she doesn't, I lied" Hafsa deadpanned, after sending small awkward smiles to all the people in the store, wordlessly apologising for Tommy's overreaction.
Tommy simply stared at her causing Hafsa to laugh and go back to icing the cake. He retreated bitterly to go and take the pastries out of the oven and display them at the front of the shop.
She took the smallest piping tip they had and piped "Happy Birthday Harry!!!" in hot pink icing at the top of the cake. She spent the next 40 mins decorating the 3 layered cake with various cat decorations and ornaments. After she felt satisfied, she called Tommy for his approval, only to get a half hearted shrug as he was still annoyed about the earlier incident. She rolled her eyes and reached behind her to pick up the work phone and call Anne.
The phone didn't even ring once before Anne picked up.
"Hello , who is this?"

"Hey Anne , its Hafsa from the Cake and Spoon, Ive got your cake here fully iced" Hafsa said to her on the other line.

"Ahh good good. I hope it's beautiful"

"Pretty amazing I think" Hafsa smiled, licking some leftover pink off of finger, only to get a disgusted look from Tommy.

"Hmm cocky are we?" Anne said, she could hear the smile in her voice through the phone.

"Umm lemme think about it..definitely cocky"

Anne laughed, a full laugh that made Hafsa's heart swell.
"Great to hear lovey, Ill be over to pick it up in 10 mins tops" Anne replied.

"Alright see ya then"

"See ya love" Anne hung up the phone and Hafsa got to work cleaning up the carnage she had caused after decorating the cake.

***********************************************

Hafsa had just finished checking out a customers as two familiar faces entered the bakery.

"GEM??" Hafsa screamed in utter awe. This was a massive shock. They went from seeing each other daily, sometimes even multiple times a day to not seeing each other for months after Hafsa's mum...her mum.
"HAF?" Gemma shrieked advancing towards Hafsa at a inhumane speed.
Hafsa braced herself for impact as Gemma wrapped her arms around Hasfa's small frame, sucking all possible air out of it, leaving Hafsa gasping. Realising that she was probably killing one of her closest friends Gemma loosened her grip and took a step back to look at her friend. Hafsa took this time to do the same.
Gemmas once long blonde hair was now short, cut to her chin and about 3 shades blonder. Sporting a half up half down hairstyles that really suited her face shape.Red lipstick popped against her pale face and a red sweater to match. Black jeans and air forces 1s on her feet. She looked...stunning.

"Haf.. you look stunning babe" Gemma beamed, ecstatic to finally be with one of her closest friends after so long.

"Me? What about you? Absolute looker you are!!"

The two girls just stood at arms length admiring each other, drinking in all that had changed since the last time they had seen each other.

"Sorry to interrupt this touching moment but can I see the cake love?" Anne laughed.

"Yeah, yeah of course its over here" Hafsa replied, leading them around the counter to where the cake was in the fridge.

Hafsa bend down and took the cake out of the fridge and rested it on the counter, searching Anne and Gemmas faces for some signs of approval.
Anne was looking around the cake, Hafsa wasn't sure if she was admiring it or inspecting it for mistakes. After a few torturous seconds of not knowing , their faces broke out into a smile, instantly bringing Hafsa's heart rate down.

"You like it?" Hafsa asked timidly.

"Like it?" Anne responded " we love it , don't we Gem?"

"Its amazing , so...so... so Harry" Gem smiled.

"Well thats good innit?" Hafsa inquired.

"Well good" Gemma replied, grinning that million pound Styles family grin.

Anne pulled Hafsa in for a hug, warming her from the outside in and she revelled in this warmth.

"Hey Mum?" Gem tapped her on the shoulder.

"Yeh Gem?"

"Ive had a great idea" Gem said a mischievous smile creeping onto her face.

"What now Gem" Anne questioned, clearly tired of Gems constant schemes. Hafsa smiled fondly watching the interaction between the mother and the daughter.

"Why doesnt Haf come to Harrys party today?"

The smile on Hafsa's face dropped immediately.

"No no no, I would hate to barge in on your party, especially after you haven't seen Harry in such a long time, I really couldn't but thank you so much for-"
Anne cut off Hafsa from her ramble.

"Actually Gem, thats a great idea. Come on Hafsa, we can drop you off to your place so you can change and the family has missed you so much. Come?" Anne asked jutting out her bottom lip.

"Come on Haf" Gem pleaded, doing the same.

Big babies Hafsa thought.

"I really shouldn't I-"

Gemma grabbed Hafsa's wrist, "We  wont take no for an answer. Come on" , tugging on Hafsa's wrist.

It was decided, Hafsa was going to this party.
She quickly took off her apron while Anne packed up the cake. Hafsa called out to Tommy that she was leaving and before she knew it, she was pushed into Annes car, head first. Gemma style.