Ashley
"Here, you go." I smiled to my favorite customer, Katherine as I handed over a brown paper bag filled with donuts and jam, "Thank you for patronizing Ping's Bakery as always."
"You look pretty today, anyone new?" Katherine winked before stepping out of the queue.
I laughed lightheartedly before responding, "Not every lady dresses up because of a...guy, Kate."
"I doubt that." Katherine shouted back before stepping out of the bakery.
I dipped my hands into my grey apron and stared at the customers who clustered among tables, some were in groups while others sat alone with a a half eaten bun wrapped around a hand, a Starbucks coffee on the wooden table and their fingers clicking the keys on their phones.
"Everyday seems the same, don't you agree?" Emily, my co-worker and my best friend, interrupted my train of thoughts as she nudged me by the shoulder.
"Well, it seems the same, I agree." I sighed deeply and resumed folding brown paper bags.
"How was the ball last night?"
I knew that she was waiting to ask me that question. I sensed it in the way her eyes twinkled brightly and the uncomfortable winks she sent me.
"It was uhm fun." I nodded and smiled afterwards.
I then set off to the storage room to look for straws and more paper bags and Emily was quick on her heels to follow behind me.
"Did you dance with anyone great?" Emily spoke again as her fingers drummed against the wall.
I picked up a couple of paper bags from cardboard boxes before speaking, "I danced with a... prince who called himself the Prince of Midon. Does that count for something special?"
Emily's mouth was wide open, she screamed afterward and I said, "Oh, stop it. It was nothing-"
"You danced with the Prince of Midon. How can that count as nothing?" Emily smirked, "Was he charming? I know he's rumored to super hot but how hot?"
"I don't know, Emily. I don't even know if he's lying or not." I laughed, "I didn't see his face because of the mask but I'm sure he's hot anyways."
"Did you-" Emily nudged me again and winked, this time I got the message.
Loud and clear.
"Oh no, I didn't fuck him." I blurted out, "It was just a quick dance and I sort of ran away." I plopped down on a chair and played with my blonde ponytail.
"Why?" Emily asked while picking up plastic cups from a brown box that was situated at the sharp corner of the room.
"I felt tensed and he seemed too...open." I started, "Too sweet and cheesy."
"Or maybe, he is actually a nice Prince or you may actually be right about him lying." Emily smiled again and stretched out her hands to receive mine.
I rose up on my feet and we both walked out of the storage room, side by side, paper bags and a box of straws in my hand and in Emily's, plastic cups and a bunch of customers, waiting in line to purchase their early breakfast.
****
"That man is a huge pain in the ass, Ash." Emily commented as she dropped a dollar bill into the tip jar.
I let out a giggle and shook my head. Mr Rogers as we fondly call him loved to rile up Emily about his numerous purchases. He might decide to settle for a pie and then blantly critize it for its lack of sugar or excess butter or he might pretend to have found hair in his donut and then call our services "pathetic".
On rare occasions, he might yell and demand for the manager but after massaging his ego with numerous apologies, he would then tip us a dollar or either threaten to never return to the bakery.
But he always did.
"What did he do this time?" I sighed heavily, settling my gaze on counting the remaining paper bags.
"He said he wanted a donut with jam and when I gave it to him, he then said that he wanted it without the jam and don't let me get started on the coffee he asked for. He said he had no sugar in it, can you believe that?" Emily rabbled on and on, trying to hold back a laugh.
"I guess he's probably annoying or getting older." My eyes twinkled in amusement as I noticed that no one were entering the bakery.
Of course, that meant bad business for Mrs Ping, the owner of the bakery. It was barely afternoon and there were no customers forthcoming neither was there any calls from the telephone.
But to I and Emily, it was freedom.
Freedom from the constant wails for a pie, a loaf of bread or a donut.
I smiled and was about to resume speaking when someone entered the bakery, her hands cradling her stomach and I screamed;
"Elena!"
I hugged my older sister carefully not wanting to disturb her little bundle of joy that was still inside her body so I slanted my frame and wrapped my hands around her neck instead.
"Someone seems chipper today." Elena laughed as I guided her towards a wooden chair that was still in good shape. Elena sat slowly, guiding her every movement with her hand on the table.
"4 months now?" Emily asked.
"Six actually." Elena laughed again and then stared at me, "So how was the ball?"
"I knew you came all that way to ask me that. You obviously didn't come to buy a pie." I rolled my eyes dramatically, "It was just great."
"She danced with a Prince, Elena. It wasn't just great." Emily emerged from the counter, dragging over a chair to join in the conversation.
Elena covered her lips with her palm, "You did? I wasn't expecting that but how? Did he ask for a dance from only you or did he dance with a couple of women before asking you?"
"I think he saw me as a random person and danced with me. Nothing special except the fact that he seemed sweet and I think he was playing games with me." I spoke again.
"And?" Elena stretched out a hand towards me.
"And what, Elena? I don't even know him." I interjected.
"You could have tried." Emily smirked.
I rolled my eyes, "I'm just a simple, unsophisticated woman. He's obviously not going to look for someone like me or would try to."
"Well, you wouldn't know that unless you try." Elena pouted, "You could have given him your phone number or maybe a hot, breathtaking kiss that he'll never forget."
"So, you expected me to fuck him, Elena?"I tapped my fingers on the table, "And I don't even know his face. Not like he would show it to me and kiss me senseless."
"Well no." Elena finally stuttered, "That would be a scandal, wouldn't it?" she looked at Emily desperately, wanting an answer.
"Of course, you'll look desperate." Emily answered.
"Well anyways what do you have here? I'm hungry and so is this baby-" Emily started but was stopped by the shrill opening of the bakery's door and our heads turned to glare at the intruder but my heart stopped.
Of course, it stopped metaphorically but damn, it stopped.
"Hi, Ashely."
I felt red brand my cheeks and I toyed with my ponytail. I staggered a bit due to shock but when I got my composure, I adjusted the creases on my apron before responding.
"Hi, Mason."
That was the man I had a crush on since the eleventh grade in Midon. The last time I saw him was during the reunion which so many people weren't in attendance but now I was seeing him again. His white shirt strained against his body, showing off his bulging muscles and him biting his upper lip was such a turn on to me. He had a great sense of humor, he was also popular among the girls and that made me green with envy.
He laughed. It made my heart race. That smirk on his face was the reason why my eyes never left his pink lips.
"What are you looking at?" He then announced and both Emily and Elena giggled.
I was beyond embarrassed but I kept on smiling like a damn fool.