Aurora
" That will be 15 dollars and 89 cents, Ma'am .Would you pay by cash or card?"
I looked at the young lady ahead of me looking at few pastry boxes on the counter. She smiles at me before replying.
" Card" She says as she puts her card down on the counter, I take it before swiping and adding.
" Would you like to donate the 11 cents to the people in need?"
" I mean, Sure?" I give her the card back and put the boxes in plastic bag before handling it to her.
" Please visit us again."
" Let's see if your pastry amuses me if it does, i might visit everyday" She shrugged her shoulder before letting out a small laugh making me smile.
" By the way, I like your hair! It's so cool."
" Thank you." I push back the pink strands towards my ear where my black hair is tied in ponytail. She waves at me before walking out and the welcoming bell dings.
" Can you close the shop? It's almost 9pm and I have dinner with my boyfriend" My coworker Jessica taps on my shoulder and removes her apron.
" Oh yeah, well you can go on and leave. I will take some time."
" Sure, see you on Monday."
" Have a good weekend" She takes her belongings and leaves not before waving at me. I sigh and turned off the billing machine, Went towards the tables and started wiping them. While I was doing it, the welcome bell rang making me say aloud.
" We are closed." But when I hear nothing I turn around and see a man wearing a three piece formal suit. He have black hair, with thick eyebrows, blue eyes and hairs covering his perfect jawline and the space between nose and plumpy lips. His body is muscular, really muscular. He looked in his 30s or something.
" Well, the sign says otherwise?" He spoke with his deep voice while pointing at the open sign which I mentally cursed myself for not taking it off.
I pushed the pink strands of my hair to my backside of the ears and roamed my eyes at him again before gathering my courage and spoke.
" I am sorry for the mistake but we are closed." I took off the 'open sign' and went to continue my work expecting
t
hat man to go away but I don't hear any footsteps so I again turn around but gasp when I was collided on his chest.
" Jesus christ! I am so sorry Sir " I spoke hurriedly and asked if he was ok to which he replied " Look, I know you are closed but you can just give me left overs or anything would be fine. My friend will become pain in ass if he doesn't get dessert now"
I gulped as his breath hit my face when he spoke to which I took a step back and added.
" Unfortunately we have sold out everything, I apologize." I shook my head and again spoke " You know what? Tell me which flavor you need, I will make fresh for you."
" That's so generous of you. I hope I am not causing you any trouble. And about flavor" He scratched his neck and added " I am not sure, maybe you can give your favorite?"
" I am not sure if you would like it, sir"
" Nonsense, who wouldn't love favorite flavor of a sweet lady like you"
The blood quickly rushed to my milky pale cheeks and ear making it the same shade as my few strands of hair which I dyed.
" G-give me 15 to 20 minutes. I will be right back, Sir "
" Take your time please. I will just have a seat till then"
I fixed the apron and entered the kitchen, first of all I added all the ingredients and made a batter and added it to the cake mould and put it in oven.
After that I started making the frosting for the cake when I heard my phone ringing, oh no, I forgot my phone at the counter. What if that man stole it? I quickly walked outside and my breath got hitched when I saw another man standing beside the the man from earlier.
This man had blonde hair with green eyes, perfectly clean shaved and wearing khaki pants with white shirt and his hands in his pockets.
Both of their eyes snapped to me the moment I enter. I cleared my throat at their gaze and added.
" We are closed. " I don't know if he is with that man or not so I just let him know. I just want to go home and these customers keep coming despite of being closed. UGHHH!!!
" He is with me" The man in suite let me know to which I nodded my head and walked to the phone.
It was Brandon, my best friend calling. Since it wasn't working hours and now I am allowed to pick up the call, I answered.
" Hey Bran!" " gurl! Where the fuck are you? I have been waiting in your apartment for now 1 hour with food so we can talk and I can tell you about something. Where the hell are you?"
" Well... I am still at the shop, last customer." " The food is getting cold bitch" " I think, I will take more time. You can just eat and go back to your apartment " " No, I can wait" " I will really take more time" " Fine, I will leave food so heat it up and eat ok?" " ok bran" " Get home safe, love you" " Love you too"
I turned back and widened my eyes at the two men sitting there looking at me making me feel nervous and slightly uncomfortable.
" It will take 10 more minutes, that's it" to which they both nodded making me slide my phone in my skinny jeans and quickly walk to the kitchen.
After few minutes when I was done, I cut it the cake into smaller pieces for pastries and walk out with empty boxes.
" How much would you like to have?" I asked the men to which the second man came infront while the first man was busy in his phone.
" We will take all" His sweet and melody voice made my heart beating louder to which I gulped and answered.
" That will be 18 dollars." I said and went to kitchen to bring the bigger box for the cake and filled it up before asking.
" Cash or card?"
" Cash and keep the change" He said as he pulled out a hundred dollar bill and put it on the counter before taking the cake in his cake. While doing this, I couldn't help but notice all the inks in his hands and neck. I quickly looked down when I saw him looking at me with raised eyebrows and smirk.
I started taking out the changes but when I looked up, they were not present. As I removed the open sign, the bell was connected to it so it also got removed. I quickly walked out to give it but they were not in sight. So I just shrugged my shoulder.
I removed my apron and walked to my bag and filled my belongings, before switching off the lights and all and closing the shop.
After few minutes of walking with my phone in my hand and me scrolling on it, I was at my apartment. I opened the unlocked door and sighed. The lock is broken and when I told the landlord she said if I give my rent on time then she will think about it.
Well, at first I was scared and then it just became habit and it's not like there are much crimes near here. I went to my little kitchen and saw some food, and heat it up before getting freshen up and changing into pajamas and eating it. After I was done eating, I took my laptop and put on some movie.
I muched snacks while watching movies till 3am and finally went to sleep.
In the morning or should I say afternoon, I woke up and got freshen up before putting on shorts and sleeveless top. Hanging the bag on my shoulder that had money and cap on my head with the hair as ponytail. I walked out of the apartment for groceries shopping.
Since it's weekend, I am off work so I thought I might just go for little shopping at the mart. The mart was just few steps away from my apartment so it only took me 5 minutes to reach there but since it was already around 2 pm, it was really hot.
I took a trolley and walked inside in it looking here and there. I took few vegetables and when I was checking for jam, my trolley got crashed with the other person's. A familiar voice of a man saying 'sorry' went in my ears making me quickly look up and see the man from yesterday. The one who was in suite and he was still wearing a suite in different color now.
" Hey, it's you? We met again, such a coincidence " He exclaimed making me smile. " Yeah, it really is" " What are you doing here?" I looked around and answered awkwardly " Umm, shopping?" I chuckled nervously to which he added " Oh my bad, Ofcourse you are here for shopping " " Well, Miss Aurora. Allow me to introduce myself , I am Kaiden Martin."
" M-martin? The Martin in the sense of Martine corporate?" I couldn't help but ask making me internally slap myself because that is a common surname.
" I didn't thought you would know my company " He said seeming surprised. " Ofcourse, I have heard about it before its such a famous and big company but how do you know my name?" " Well, you had a batch on you last night" "Oh right, stupid of me to ask" " It's fine"
" I haven't seen you around here before" "It's always my home keeper who does shopping but she is on sick leave so I had to come" " You live around here?" I closed my eyes at the personal question before adding " I am sorry I just-" " Yeah, I do"
" Oh right, yesterday your friend gave me a hundred dollar bill and forgot to take back the change." " I started looking for the change which I kept " Oh no,no! It was a tip for you. Keep it" " It's too much but" I continued removing but he suddenly put his rough big palm on my forearm making me stop breathing and feel butterflies in stomach.
" I told you to keep it" His voice turned stern making me look at his face to which he nodded before taking his hand back. I thanked him with my cheeks flushed.
I took out my phone when I felt it vibrating and looked at him. " Can you look over my trolley, it's really important call" " Sure, Go on" I answered my mom's call and walked out of mart.
" Hii mom" I said lowly, not wanting to talk to her. " Sweetheart, how are you? How is everything?" " Everything is fine mom" "What are you doing right now?" " I am shopping mom, I will call you later" " Wait! I called you last time and you said that you will call back later but didn't called. I just want to talk to you about something and I promise I will only take five minutes"
" OK fine, do it fast mom" "you see I have been lonely since your father left us so recently I met a guy and we started dating" My hands trembled when she mentioned father but I controlled myself and added " So mom?" " So now, we have been dating for like 1 year now. I wanted you to meet him and his family, will you do it honey?" " Mom, I am not free for this shit" " Please Sweetheart, please for me" Before I could say Anything there was a male voice behind her.
" Honey, come back to bed. I miss you" I scrunched my nose at the images of my mother with another man in bed " Coming in a minute" Mom answered. " You will come right?" " Mom, I am not sure, give me time and I will let you know"
" OK I will waiting for your call sweetie" " Bye mom" "Bye, take care and mom loves you" My lips trembled along with my hand while ending the call. I kept myself under control to not burst out crying, took few long breath and turned around to get back inside.
I saw that man what was his name yeah right Kaiden walking towards me with two grocery bags in his hand, he smiled at me and stood infront of me. " Here" wait, did he brought the things? " What?" " You were taking much time and I had meeting so I just billed the things and also added few of my choice. " Oh my god! No! What was the total bill, I will pay you back" " Hey, it's fine! My treat, sweet girl" " What about your shopping?" " I remembered I only needed a gum"
Maybe I am hearing things or something, a total stranger payed for my groceries and he went with a trolley just for a gum. I shook my hand and took out some cash from my bag and said. " Please take it" " It's fine, keep your money. Oh yeah, should I drop you at your home? I have a meeting and I am kinda in rush" " No, I will manage. Thank you so much, I can't thank you enough" " No, it's fine." He smiled before putting the bags on the grass and putting his hand in his pocket and pulling out something.
" You seem down, have a gum" He put his palms in my hands and closed it with the gum inside and said " I would have helped you to your home but I really have a important meeting, I am sorry"
" No, it's fine and again thank you" " Not mention, so have a nice day. See you soon" He waved before getting in his BMW making me choke at the powerful car and waving back at him and took the bags and started walking to my apartment with the gum still clutched in my hand. The BMW roared and ran across the road making me get stunned by it.
While walking down the road, I couldn't help but to think about him, about Kaiden. Let's go home and search about him. I entered my unlock apartment and kept the groceries on the couch and sat on it and just then voice of glass falling down was heard from kitchen making me widened my eyes. I stood up slowly and walked towards the balcony and took out the baseball bat before swaying it over my shoulder and take steps inside the kitchen.
A figure of man cleaning the mess on the ground with cap on his head and black mask over his mouth was enough for me run at him and sway the bat on his head from behind and hit my shot.
The familiar voice of man shouting was heard before he hit the ground and my eyes widened at the familiar person.
"FUCK!"
....