My muscles hurt.
That's all I think about as my fingers dig into the soft skin of the dough for the next round of croissants. It's a full house today in doughlicious, well it's a full house everyday, but today we're extra full. We sell the best croissants and donuts in the city after all. I try to motivate myself by telling myself how good at baking I am and how this place got famous after I started working here and ignore the burn in my muscles. The sound of the kitchen door comes into the space followed by the voices of the overcrowded people outside talking over one another.
"Is the next patch ready?" lily asks me," please, tell me there is something to feed these people". She groans and sits on the counter beside where I'm standing.
I laugh a little, then say," there's about 2 dozens of croissants in the oven and a dozen of donuts, they'll be ready in a few minutes."
" Man, and zach really had to be absent today, you're doing all the work." She says, her eyes soft. " do you need help? I can ditch sophia and come help you...or I can just ditch Sophia."
Her eyes glint with some sort of evilness that makes me laugh.
" thanks for the offer, but we're almost done with the shift, there's nothing really". I said smiling," and I'm sure Sophia is not that bad, she's just quiet."
" Quiet?, you tried speaking to a wall before? Cause that's exactly how it feels. And I know for a fact that she can speak". She hops off the counter with a sigh. " anyway, when you're done just ring the bell, I'll come fetch."
I give her a nod with a small smile, and go back to line the croissant that I finished while talking to lily into the plates ready to be baked and go get the baked ones.
After another 2 hours and we're actually done with our shift. I ended up doing another 2 rounds of kneading doughs, and then our manager decided to be merciful and finally admit to the customers that we're sold out. I just finished changing my clothes when I get out to find lily and rose - our manager - waiting for me.
" boss, I didn't know you'd be coming today." I say.
" thought you guys deserved a bonus for your extra effort today." Rose says.
She hands both of us a white envelope, and one remains in her hands, I guess it's for Sophia.
" well, how generous of you, rosie." Lily says with a smirk.
" thank you" I smle shyly. I never was one that liked talking about money even if i'm the recepent.
Rose gives us a small smile, heading to her office at the back of the bakery. Me and lily walk out as I snicker," you think it'd be enough to get new fingers?"
She snorts," baby, you need a whole new arms."
I laugh as we bid each other good day and walk to get my bike that I chained beside the bakery. It's still afternoon and I can't stop thinking about the nap I'll be enjoying, before I have to wake up to go to my other job. In this life you'd need more than one to live a sufficient life. I enjoy the afternoon breeze when riding the bicycle. I don't ride often these days since rashida drives us everywhere since she bought her mini-cooper. I smile to myself already looking forward to going home. I close my eyes and inhale a deep breath, and then it happens in a span of seconds.
A loud honking pierces my daydream and gets me to a halt. I get my feet off the paddle to make friction with the ground and use the break to stop the bicycle and the car in front of me screeches to halt but not before I hit it. I open my eyes, heart hammering in my chest.
Fuck, I almost died.
" ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR FUCKING MIND?"
I lift my eyes to the darkest, angriest eyes I've ever seen, but it doesn't escape me how unique their colour is. Grey. The man is seething and I still can't get a hold of my breath.
" I'm sorry". I manage to say.
" sorry? You were riding this damn thing with your eyes fucking closed! You should be sorry!" he shoves my bike to the back walking to the front of his car. " you better pray nothing happened to the car."
He stands there for a few long seconds, then whips his head to me so fast I flinch. He is seething.
" you fucking scratched it."
My heart is steady now, but my blood starts to boil as I take in the way he's talking to me.
" sir, I already said I'm sorry, no need to use unnecessary profounding words." I grit out.
" are you shitting me?. You scratch my car while riding with your eyes closed and you expect me be calm!"
" look, you have every right to be upset, all I'm saying is that we can talk it out. I'm ready to pay compensations if it's anything serious."
" upset doesn't even cover what I'm feeling right now. And of course it's SERIOUS!"
He looks at me as if I just told him his mother is bald, and I can't take back the laugh that escapes.
" are you laughing?"
" I'm really sorry, but you might be alittle overreacting since It didn't even get to the metal, the paint just came off."
He starts breathing heavily, and I'm sure a few more seconds and there'll be fire out of his nose and ears. I take a step backward and pull on a serious face.
" but, seriously, though. I'm sorry, and I'm ready for compensation as I said. Anything you need".
" what I need right now," he takes a step towards me," is for you to get out of my sight before I drag you out myself".
I was so happy to oblige at this moment.
I hurriedly take my bike and flee the incident without even a glance to my back.