"Can you come to my Birthday party please...." Richie begged Anne
"I and my brother just moved to New York and I barely have friends here I'll be glad if you come to my birthday party" Richie pouted.
"When is your birthday?" she asked
"Next week Saturday," Richie said.
"Okay, I'll be there because I like you. You're a sweet little boy" Anne smiled and Richie winked at Carl.
"I'm waiting for you outside," Carl said to Richie as he leaves and Richie immediately followed him.
"why were you being mean to that handsome gentleman? Anne's grandfather asked Anne as soon as Carl and Richie left the store.
"grandpa it's a long story." she said rolling her eyes "and you clearly heard that man call me a witch,"
"Because you're a witch." he laughed "the way he looks at you was the same way your dad used to look at your mom," he said.
"Grandpa you're beginning to imagine things. He and I despise each other" she said while going back to the counter.
.....
"Why did you invite her to your birthday party? You know I can't stand that girl. She's so full of herself like she's goddess Aphrodite" Carl said to Richie while driving back to his apartment.
"Because I know you have a crush on her. It's all over your face" Richie said teasing Carl
"That's not true, I hate that woman" he denied.
"I'm texting her the address. It'll be at the waterfall garden and it's going to be a costume party. I want my 13-year-old party to be the best birthday ever" Richie said smiling
"you have her number??" Carl asked curiously.
"yeah I got it from the store, it was pasted on the wall," Richie said.
Carl gave Richie his phone while driving
"here, give me her number," Carl demanded.
"I thought you hated her, why do you want her number?" Richie said.
Carl sneered at Richie.
"okay fine" Richie dialed the number and gave the phone back to Carl.
Carl stored the number as 'witch' and smiled to himself.
*****
The drug lord, Linda, snakes, and Kim were all chilling when Carlos came in with a big bag.
"It was on the news that the Armed robber who stole from the bank didn't get caught but the money was returned to the bank." the drug lord said to Carlos, sipping alcohol.
"but I got a million dollars," Carlos said dropping the bag, half-opened and filled with money.
"That's 500 hundred thousand dollars, I've already used half of it," he said zipping the bag close.
"and as promised no one is getting a dime," Carlos said pointing to all of them including the drug lord.
"I would've been in jail by now because I went alone. None of you came as my ally including you Kim," he said facing Kim and Kim bowed his head.
"you know I'm always two steps ahead. If we all went with you, that's when we would've been caught. I know prosecutor Carl is your best friend, and he wouldn't let you rot in jail." the drug lord said to Carlos.
"It doesn't matter you wouldn't have let me risk that" he left angrily and Linda followed him.
Carlos was the only one who dared talk to the drug lord however he wanted to.
"Carlos wait! I know you're mad but…"
"Why are you disturbing me? Carlos interrupted Linda.
"ever since we broke up you barely talk to me, you don't even look at me," Linda said.
She tried to kiss Carlos but Carlos pushed her lightly.
"Please stop this nonsense and move on," Carlos said harshly.
It wasn't the first time Linda has tried to make a move on Carlos. However, Carlos has been rejecting her over and over again.
"What does that stupid Anastasia have that I don't?" Linda said angrily.
"how do you know her name? You better stay away from her or else" Carlos warned Linda and left for Anne's house.
…..
"Carlos, are you going to be busy during the weekend?" Anne asked Carlos
"why? What's up?" Carlos said
"I have a birthday party to attend this Saturday and I want you to come with me please," she said with a cute face.
"I'm sorry I won't be able to make it, I have an important task I need to attend to". Carlos said
"Please, I insist you come with me" Anne pleaded.
"I'm sorry sweetheart, I can't but I'll make it up to you I promise," Carlos said and kissed her forehead.
"Alright," she said feeling disappointed.
"what's more important than him spending time with his girlfriend," she thought to herself.
****
Finally, it was Richie's birthday party. Balloons were filled over the place and the place was decorated with different shades of colors.
Richie's cake was 3ft long. There were little kids everywhere and only a few were really close to Richie.
Richie was dressed as Robin hood.
Carl wore blue long sleeves and his buttons were loose until the fourth button, showing off his chest muscles. He wore suspenders and a cowboy hat and boots making him look like a dazzling cowboy.
He was patiently waiting for Anne hoping she was going to come and just then his mom approached him.
"Blair told me you turned her down and she has gone back to Canada. How can you be so disobedient to your mother," Ms. Sarah said to Carl
"mother I am eventually going to get married but not to Blair," Carl said.
Just then, he saw Anne talking to Richie. She was wearing a pink cute tank top with a white tennis skirt and black boots reaching her knees. Her hair was packed in pigtails.
She looked like a real-life Barbie girl.
"she finally showed up," he said to himself, subconsciously smiling.
"who's that?" Ms. Sarah said to herself.
She saw her son, Carl, staring at her and smiling like an idiot.
"Carl, Carl!!" she yelled
"Umm mom, what's wrong?" he said
"Have you gone deaf? I've been calling you but you're busy daydreaming over that.. that... " Ms. Sarah said in a husky tone
"mom she's the one who baked Richie's birthday cake," Carl said.
"so she's just an ordinary baker?" Ms. Sarah asked irritatedly.
"Yeah so?" Carl asked waiting for his mom's response but she left the scene.
Carl watched as Anne played with the kids in the garden being so cheerful and playful with them.
"I've never seen her smile before, so this witch has a good side," Carl said to himself and Anne caught Carl staring at her.
As soon as her eyes locked with his, she frowned.
"pervert" she mouthed and Carl gave her a flying kiss and walked up to her.
"you look very beautiful" he complimented her
"I know you don't have to remind me," she said as she continued playing with Richie
"Well, I was only kidding" Carl replied and Anne rolled her eyes.
"I think I'll have to leave you too," Richie said and left both Carl and Anne.
"Even your brother can't stand you and FYI, I know you're not kidding," Anne said trying to leave
"wait, why can't we just have a normal conversation like an adult and why do you hate me so much?" Carl asked desperately
"Because you kicked my butt remember?" Anne said.
"it was Richie who did that I swear," Carl said
"Now you're blaming it on your little brother? That's really disgusting" she said
"Okay fine. I'm sorry. I admit I kicked your butt please forgive me" Carl said with pleading hands.
Anne laughed.
"what's funny? he asked amid her laughter.
"See, it wasn't hard to just apologize," she said
"Okay, but now you have to apologize to me for accusing me of stealing your bracelet and getting me beat up," Carl said with crossed arms around his chest, waiting for her to apologize.
"Nah you deserved it," she said
"you're the most stubborn person I've ever met," Carl said
"Okay, how about we introduce ourselves formally… I'll go first, hi my name is Carl McAlester," he said stretching forth his hand to shake her.
"Why does his name sound very familiar," she thought to herself
"My name is Anastasia Robyn Stewart but everyone calls me Anne" she shook his hand.
Carl mentally had a sigh of relief that Anne returned the handshake. He was happy they were gradually getting to know themselves
"Those silver eyes of yours, are they real?" he said staring deep into her eyes still holding her hands
"yes they are," she said
"they're really beautiful and rare," he said.
He looked at her bracelet and try to touch it.
"don't touch my bracelet, I can't afford to lose it again," she said removing her hand from his.
"I was only admiring it. Don't tell me you think I wanna steal it" he said
"no, I just don't want to take it off. It's really important to me" Anne smiled.
The fact that the bracelet reminded her of Carlos made her smile.
Ms. Sarah saw them from a distance, frowning at them as she slowly sip her wine from a glass cup.
She knew her son was into her because of how he stared at Anne.
"why is it that important to you? And whoever gave you that didn't get the right size of your wrist" he said as they walked around the garden.
It was already past nine pm and the children had already gone home including Richie and they didn't notice.
"my boyfriend gave it to me that's why it's so special, and it doesn't matter if he got my size or not," she said but Carl wasn't paying attention to her he was also staring at his mom who was giving him a signal to come to see her.
"Please come with me I want to introduce you to my mom," he said as he took her to his mom.
Ms. Sarah glared at Anne as she sipped her wine.
"mom this is Anne she is..."
"…oh, the baker?" Ms. Sarah said in a mocking tone, interrupting Carl.
"yes ma'am," Anne gave a tight smile.
"my son has told me so much about you," Ms. Sarah said to Anne.
Carl gave his mom a suspicious look because he had never said anything about Anne to her apart from her baking Richie's birthday cake.
"Carl told me how bad your cake was to him. Richie might have enjoyed it but Carl and I couldn't stand it" Ms. Sarah delivered a fake laugh
"Mother, that's not true why are you lying? We all enjoyed Anne's cake including you" Carl replied angrily
"ma'am the most important thing was that the celebrant enjoyed the cake as you said and he had a good time" Anne replied trying to hide her nervousness
"How dare you speak to me like that you good for nothing slut" Ms. Sarah angrily replied to Anne as she poured the wine she was drinking into Anne's face.
Anne gasped as the wine was poured onto her face. It was so unexpected.
"Mom! how could you" Carl yelled at his mom.
"what is it? I thought you brought her here to me so we could humiliate her together" Ms. Sarah laughed maliciously.
Anne looked at Carl with so much hate and disgust in her eyes and walked out of the scene.
"Anne, Anne please wait!'' Carl yelled as he tried to follow her but his mom pulled him.
"I forbid you to follow that low-life baker," Ms. Sarah warned Carl, firmly holding his hand.