I stopped my car right in front of «T-Delights' bakery».
I remained in my seat for almost five whole minutes with the engine still working. The atmosphere surrounding me was mild and yet, suffocating. My head throbbed intensively; I squeezed my eyes shut and rubbed my temples a bit more roughly than usual, yearning for the pounding between my eyes to just go away. As the pain became more and more excruciating with the hasty flow of multiple memories that I didn't recognize as my own, I leaned my head back and took a few deep breaths to maintain the migraine under control. "Ah-h... ngh--" I groaned and a lone tear rolled down my cheek; my whole body was shaking as a self-protective-mechanism to the pain. It seared through my skin and took away every feeling of safety I ever had. Soon, its waves started to feel bearable. I finally opened my eyes and looked up at myself through the rearview mirror. I checked my countenance; dark circles under my eyes, pale skin, and jaw clenched. I was just fine a minute ago! What happened? What was happening, better yet? What... did I just remember? Were those... dreams? Memories? Beyond the pain I felt while recoiling whatever they were, a sense of sadness and a noxious nostalgia hit me. It induced a certain numbness to my limbs and darkened my mind. I just sat there, soulless, once my heart cracked like glass into million pieces and spread throughout my body like a disease. The only message possible to be taken from it was: «In sadness there is no past or future, just living by the moment». Somehow, that clicked with me. Breathy gasps reverberated through the car. Once again my emotions turned jagged and my insides tightened. I was crying. Tho, I didn't know the reason why I was crying, it just felt like there was a tone of feeling trapped in a huge ball of wool deep inside of me that I was only able to let out now. Salty drops fell from my chin, drenching my blouse; I sniffled into my sleeves. I can't stop... Why can I not stop crying?
The knock on the glass came quietly first and then there was silence.
It startled me at first; truth to be told, with all that crying, I could barely catch the sound of other cars passing nearby.
The man standing outside quickly gestured for me to open my window.
Naturally, I opened the window. "Y-Yes?" I asked, still whipping some remaining tears off my eyes. What did this guy want? As soon as I made eye-contact with him, my eyes widened once again. I took in his appearance: he was 5'6" tall and had a lean frame. His hair was short and wavy black, fading to a soft-blue color down to his neck. His irises were a baby blue color. Another handsome guy, and a cute one. Great. Just my luck... this one saw me crying.
"Hello~!" A small smile stretched on his thin lips. Somehow, it gave him a child-like aura. Those traces... Again. Why did they seem so familiar to me?
"Are you okay, miss?" He asked; I could sense a hint of a genuine concern drenched in his voice tone.
Hands-on the steering and feet over the wheels, I stiffed in my seat and gazed straight-forward. I was so embarrassed about being seen like that. "Y-Yes... I'm alright. Something just caught in my eye, that's all." I replied.
"People often say that when something sad actually happened to them." He stated.
"N-No! Everything is fine! Please, do not worry about me." I stammered and did not know what else to say.
"You were crying, something must have happened." He pressed the issue.
I shook my head and waved my hand dismissively, laughing thunderously loud. "I'm okay, I... I just remembered some personal stuff, no biggie...!" I didn't want to get into too many details, he was a stranger after all and I didn't exactly know for sure what had just happened. "Gimme a sec, I just need to pull myself together and--"
"Were they..." The boy looked away, then back at me. "... sad? I mean, why didn't the happy ones' surfed first?"
"Wha--?" There was this delicious moment where my face washed blank with confusion, like bleach turning a bluish-shirt white. Words had just left me.
He ran his hand through his hair helplessly. It was obvious that this type of situation was new to him. "You said you remembered something... was only sad ones'?" His words echoed in my ears.
"W-Well... I don't know... It's just..." I babbled; I didn't know how to answer his question. He was asking too much for a stranger. I frowned intrigued by his approach. "Why do you care? You don't know me." I said as I took a small peek at him from the corner of my eye; he was facing down, fingers fidgeting. His facial expression sank faster than a penny on a pond. His eyebrows stayed frowned, his eyes hidden by some hair strands and his lips tensed-up in a thin straight line; the man had lost all the traces of boyhood shown previously.
"That may be the truth but..." He bit his lower lip and allowed his arms to fall back; then, clenched his hand in what looked like a form of frustration relief. He raised his head, "... I know that life is short and you should live it at full. There'll always be good and bad moments but, life goes on... we just have to choose whether we move on and take a chance into the unknown or stay behind, locked in the past, thinking of what could've been." He finished his thought with a cheerful smile.
I blinked taken by surprise. He didn't seem to be the philosophical type of guy. Those words... I curled my fingers around the steering wheel. Somehow, they made me feel better.
"Ah! I believe you have something in your eye," He stretched out his right hand towards my face. I immediately tensed up and slightly back away my frustum back at his sudden move. "Oh wait, it's just a sparkle!" He chuckled softly.
I gave him my straight poker-face. Way to kill the mood with that pick-up line. I thought to myself and rolled my eyes.
"Such a cute girl like yourself shouldn't cry!" He childishly jumped forward; supported his elbows over the window way-out slot and, with the help of both his hands, tilted his head to the side, making direct eye contact with me. "Hey! I know just the thing that will make you feel better!" He took the liberty, or the audacity, to open the door of my car for me to exit. "Just come with me!"
I stared into those bright blue eyes wondering what he had up his sleeve. I stood there, unsure of whether or not I should follow him or not.
He waved his hand again anxiously. "Come! Don't be afraid! You'll love this!!"
I was not sure why I ended up following that guy inside but, I tagged along since it was the same store I need to visit. The small, adventurous side of me was satisfied with my decision yet, the other was questioning why would I follow a stranger.
(...)
I watched him decorate good-looking cupcakes with blue and white frosting. It looked so damn delicious that O was practically salivating on the spot. At that moment, I felt like praising him for the good work he was doing yet, he looked so concentrated in his work that I didn't want to be the one to ruin such a masterpiece. However, I spoke either way. "I didn't know you were the owner of the 'T-Delights' bakery'! What a nice surprise! Let me say, I just love your sweets so much~! They're the best! But, why don't I see you around more often?"
"Meh. I like the backstage too much." He replied, his eyes locked on the frosting. "Don't like being the center of attention, I guess."
"Oh, I see..." I looked away for a brief second. "I wish I could do the same," I whispered more to myself than for him to hear.
"What? Did you say something?" He glanced sideways at me.
"N-No, nothing! Uhm, the cup-cakes are turning great! I'm sure the bride and the groom will love it!" I hurried to change the subject.
"I bet..." He murmured between his teeth. "Hey, I just remembered... you didn't tell me your name." He said.
"Neither did you~!" I replied and pulled my tongue out.
He shook his head, chuckling, and smiled. "Okay, okay... touché. But, you go first."
I tilted my head to the side still observing attentively his slick, self-assured hand movement through all the cake surface. "My name is Sarah Anderson."
"From Anderson's Toy Company? The one and only CEO? The 'big boss'? " He asked, not a hint of hesitation in his work.
"Y-Yeah..." I replied a little to fear of his reaction. "Pleasure to meet you, I guess...!"
"Cool, cool! Your work is awesome! It's all over town, in every toy store. I've heard that the kids adore your plushies and dolls. So, keep up the good work!" He genuinely congratulated me.
For a minute, I was too flustered to speak, "Geez, thanks er--"
"Matthew."
"Matthew... Thank you, you're too kind." I smiled.
"I, myself, make stuffed animals too in my spare time. I don't have much expertise in this field but, they do turn out great." He confessed to me way too suddenly. "Aaaaaaand done! Perfect!" He stepped back from the small, little, and cute cupcakes, allowing a better view of his masterpiece.
It was indeed perfect. I wanted to taste them soon. However, I was more interested in what he had said earlier. "You do?!" I almost jumped on my spot. "Show me! Pretty please!"
"Hu-bu-wah?!" Matthew quickly turned to me in surprise, trying to hide his surprise. "W-Wha, t-t-they're nothing special! I-I mean--"
"Matthew" I walked over and smiled, touching his hand before walking around the counter to him."If they're as good as this lil' cup-cakes you just made," He looked at me, raising an eyebrow as I placed my hands over his shoulders. "-- maybe, I'll give you the biggest, irrecusable offer of your life."
"W-What you're saying?"
"If I am not crossing any line here, I would bet those stuffed animals in the storefront were made by those same hands that made these treats." That observation mirrored my thoughts precisely. "I want to invite you to work at my company as one of my designers. When I want the best, I have the best."
"Wha-- are you for real?" He blinked confused.
"Of course! I could use someone like you! Please say yes!" I clapped my hands together and begged him to join my team.
"YES!" He grabbed me by the waist and lifted me, swirling me in the air princess-like.
Instinctively, I wanted to pull away, but Matthew laughed out loud and that energy gripped onto me so, I ended up giggling in cheer and excitement too. "Now, please put me down, I have a wedding to attend and I'm running late!"
To be continued.