The Cupcake Girl
-Prologue-
"You're just a daydream away, I wouldn't know what to say if I had you
And I'll keep you a daydream away, just watch from a safe place
so I never have to lose" - Daydream Away, All Time Low
5th November 2012
"Gosh, stop it!" I shrieked at Jack, lips quivering, holding back a laugh. His face was covered in flour, making his head a pure white from the tips of his hair to his chin, along with a row of snow white teeth from his cheeky grin. He was attempting to throw flour on my face, a powdery white creature with twinkling blue eyes chasing me around the kitchen table. I let out a small scream when he caught hold of me by the waist, struggling to get out of his embrace in vain. He was almost laughing as hard as I was.
"See, no harm done. Just a little fun." He smiled, raising both hands and giving me a little twirl.
I put a had on my hip, face flushed with laughing and running. "Yeah, look at this mess. And who's going to clean it?"
He walked over and leaned in, tapping his finger on the tip of my nose. "Both of us." He grinned, "I came here to work just to spend time with you, don't you forget that, so cleaning up means we work together." He skipped over to the oven, peering in at the nearly ready cupcakes. A freshly made batch ordered by a friend of Kai, Anna and I's legal guardian. Our best friend, for short.
I huffed at my bangs, rubbing the excess flour from my face with my fists, letting out a light laugh. "You make cleaning up sound so sweet by prettifying all your words." I walked up and rested my head on his shoulder, looking over at the cupcakes. "They're about done."
"Yup," he said popping the 'p' as I slipped on a pair of mittens and pulled open the oven, the smell filling in the whole kitchen. Heavenly.
I started icing them when Jack frantically slapped my arm. I groaned and turned around to look at him, "What?"
"Aunt Kai's coming this way!" He started looking around the kitchen for a nonexistent sink. The only source of water was from the water cooler in the corner. I started laughing at his frantic state and pointed to the water cooler. He turned around and pouted.
Kai isn't really that strict, but she hates when ingredients are wasted, especially just for fun. And Jack's face is evidence enough.
He ran over and filled a cup with water, slowly pouring it down his face, when it only ended up turning into sticky clumps, hanging onto his skin. He silently swore under his breath.
"Hey, Kai!" I greeted with a cheery smile as she looks over suspiciously at Jack, rubbing away at his face. Fortunately she decides to dismiss it, "How are the cupcakes coming on?"
"Never been better, right Jack?" I grin. "Yeah, yes." He muttered from the corner of the room.
Kai chewed at her lip, rolling her eyes at Jack before leaving. He turned around nearly immediately and shoots me a dirty look. I smile back at him in return.
"Oh, thank God, finally!"He wipes the last speck of flour off the kitchen counter top with a rag and flops to the ground dramatically, sneaking a glance at me. My lips tug into a smile, "And I wonder who did it?"
He props himself up on one elbow, forehead crinkling, "I really don't know, though. Probably his name started with an 'A'..." I laugh and roll my eyes. A comfortable silence settled among us in the empty bakery, Kai leaving the shop for us to close for the night. The kitchen was dimly lit by the evening sunlight streaming in through a few shutters.
"Hey, El?" He sits up suddenly, facial expression unreadable. I look up at him and remove my apron, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
"I'm sorry about not telling you earlier, but I'll be leaving for Burgress soon," He slowly scratched his neck, a nervous habit he had. I slow down whatever I was doing and look over at him. Burgress was a 2-day journey from here by car, the nearest city from the small town of Arendelle. "What? Why?" I was confused and shocked but tried not to show it too much.
He clenched his jaw, running his hands through his hair, "I'm going there for an audition next week, there's a potential role I could take in this upcoming movie. They're looking for teenagers and young talent, you know, so I thought, maybe I'll give it go." I part my lips, but no sounds escape my mouth. "You know, chase my dream. Who knows, maybe I'll make it?" he said with a shrug.
I pause for a moment. "Well, that's great." I smile a little. "But, will you be coming back?"
He shrugs. "Maybe, if I don't make it. But if I do, then maybe...not. Not for some time." I look up at him, calculating a suitable response. This was so sudden, out of the blue my best friend of nearly eight years says he wants to leave. Maybe not ever coming back. And he only gave me a few days notice. I look around the room, finding somewhere for my eyes to land, anywhere but him.
He looks down and walks over, pulling me into a hug. I stood frozen to the spot for a second before giving in a wrapping my arms around him. It was his all-time dream to act, to perform, since school, since forever. I should let him do what he wants to do so badly. That's what best friends are for, right?
We stand there for what seems like an eternity before he breaks away slowly. "I'll miss you." I press my lips into a thin line, "I'll miss you a lot too." I force a little laugh to lighten up the mood and give him a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Hey, if you get famous remember me though." I grin. "Thank me when you win your first Oscar."
He rolled his eyes and laughed. "I think that's too faraway to think of now. I haven't even left this place yet." He puts an arm around me, pulling me closer, looking at me and the bakery, seeming like he was trying to soak up every last bit of this shop before leaving at the very start of next week. "Damn, I'll miss this place. A lot." He looks over at me and smiles. "And you." I grin but the bitterness of everything was just too much to bear.
It's true, you can say we'll keep in touch. But time will make us forget each other, certainly, drawing us apart at least. And his pursuit of his dream would be a never ending journey, while I'll be here stuck making cupcakes. Hoping he'll come back to this place where dreams can't be made, and no-one knows of or cares to visit.
"I'll call you. I'll remember you. I promise." I smile and nod when he suddenly closes the gap between us, gently pressing his lips to mine in a soft kiss, leaving me rooted to the spot. I don't remember if I kissed him back when he pulls away after a couple of seconds.
He pushes my hair away from my face, and smiles. "I told myself I had to do that before I left, so yeah." I nod, still slightly in a daze. "I love you. I'll miss you, El." He nods and gives me a playful grin before turning down the street towards his house.
I stood there on the front step of the bakery watching him leave, his lanky figure disappearing down the road, the warmth of his lips lingering on mine. Confused, maybe a little heartbroken.
Note: What do you think? It's pretty short, but it's meant to be short as it's just a prologue, so yeah :) If you liked it leave a review and click the follow/favourite button and all that jazz ;) Thanks for reading~
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