Auriana
"You don't know how it ends." Jake and I walked out of the room. He rolled his eyes and laughed. Was he really laughing at me?
"But it was a good movie." His comment made me roll my eyes. I thought back to the advice my mother had given me. Should I tell him? What if he doesn't take it well? What am I thinking? Of course they will! They're my best friends; I don't have to worry about them abandoning me. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my shoulder, startling me from my thoughts. My expression clearly indicated I had no idea what he'd just asked.
"I was asking if you were ready to go?"
"Sorry, I was just…"
"…lost in your thoughts, I could tell, yeah," Jake finished my sentence.
"Sorry." My cheeks flushed. Oops, I was lost in thought longer than I thought, because we were already outside the room.
"You don't have to apologize for that, do you?" With a smile on my face, we walked together towards the cinema exit.
"May I know what you were thinking?" Jake asked teasingly, gently nudging me. Before answering, I let out a deep sigh and thought about it for a moment. Should I? shouldn't I? Should I? My mind was made up, and I took a deep breath before everything burst like a waterfall of words from my mouth.
"Do you promise you won't tell the others?" I asked, slightly panicked, after I finished. I couldn't read the look on his face. Had I made the wrong choice by telling him everything after all?
"I don't know what to say." I looked down, defeated.
"But there's so much we don't know about you yet. You haven't even lived here four years, I don't even know where you lived before." That was true; I'd never told them where I lived before we moved to Westbrook. I mumbled my response to his comment, but he clearly hadn't heard me.
"What? I didn't catch that at all."
"Starsskies Bay," I replied again, but a little louder this time. His face showed that all the pieces of the puzzle were starting to fall into place. He still didn't say anything. I couldn't bear this silence much longer.
"Say something," I whimpered. Despair was near, because if he couldn't accept my past, then neither would the others.
"Your past is your past, you can't change that. But you are who you are. And not only do I know that, but the others know it too. Don't worry." Okay? I hadn't seen that one coming. I jerked my eyes up at him and saw that he really meant what he said. My arms flew around his neck, and I felt his arms wrap around my waist. After my third thank you, he burst out laughing.
"Always, let's go before your father kills me." This brought a smile to my face. The idea that he was afraid of my father was simply hilarious.
"Yeah, let's go before that happens," I laughed. His face went pale, which only made me laugh more. We couldn't have imagined this moment a few months ago. That we were standing here joking around together.
"Chill, it was just a joke." He breathed a sigh of relief and gave me a gentle shove. His reaction only made me burst out laughing. The two of us continued walking. Suddenly, we heard someone call out our names, and when we turned around, we saw Jeremy and Alex coming out of one of the theaters.
"Hey, did you guys go to the movies?" Jake asked the two of them. I smacked my forehead with my palm. It was obvious, why else would they have come out of a theater? The boys apparently didn't notice and simply answered his question.
"Which one?" I asked, unable to contain my curiosity any longer.
"That action one...uh...
"Rush & Fight? " Jake asked. He must have seen that title when he got our tickets. I saw Jeremy think for a moment before answering.
"Yes, that one," Jeremy answered finally.
"And there were two of you?"
"Yeah, why? Can't two friends just go to the movies together?" Alex asked, slightly irritated. Apparently, Jake had struck a chord.
"I didn't mean it like that at all," Jake said. Alex and Jeremy looked at each other and burst out laughing. Typical Jeremy; pranking people like that.
"We were just joking," Alex said. Jake rolled his eyes. I wasn't sure if he appreciated the joke or not.
"Hey, do you know if you're coming to Starsskies Bay yet?" Apparently, Alex thought it was wise to change the subject before things got out of hand. Before I could answer Alex's question, Jake answered for both of us.
"No, not yet." There was a slight disappointment on his face, but it quickly disappeared. Of course, it hadn't been that long since he and his twin sister had made this proposal to us.
"I'll go, because without me, it would be no fun," Jeremy said. Jake and I rolled our eyes while Alex laughed softly. The four of us walked out of the cinema. Before Alex seemed to realize anything.
"Oh, sorry, were you on a date?" That question caught me off guard a bit. Was it a date? We were supposed to do something together, but we'd never used the word "date." Jake and I looked at each other and apparently thought the same thing because we both shrugged.
"Oh, come on, you've been circling each other for months," Jeremy said, throwing his arms in the air for extra effect. Sometimes that boy could get so dramatic over the smallest thing.
"No way," Jake said. Jake immediately became defensive whenever he felt backed into a corner. And according to him, that happened quite often.
"Dude…yes way," Alex said. "I've only known you guys for a few months, but even a blind man could see how much you love Auriana." My cheeks flushed at that comment. Was that true? To avoid further humiliation for both Jake and me, it was best to get the hell out of here. I grabbed his arm and quickly pulled him away.
"We'll see you at school."
Brooke
"They're all done!" I shouted as I put the last bit of icing on and Jimmy took the last tray of coconut macaroons out of the oven.
"FINALLY!" Chase said. I gestured with my hand for him to calm down and gave him a look that said : 'Don't start with me.' I'm normally very calm, but I'm not going to let anyone bark me around like I'm some kind of dog.
"No, I'm in charge of the bakery, Brooke. I can't just take it easy and risk running out of something." He quickly grabbed the rainbow cake and walked back to the front. Because of all the commotion, we hadn't heard anyone else come into the kitchen.
"Is Chase stressing out again?" Jimmy and I turned around, startled.
"Hey Auriana, hey Jake. What are you doing here?"
"We came to get some treats and saw Chase behind the counter so..."
"...we came to see if he's making things difficult for you," Auriana finished. They're so cute together. It's a shame they're still not together.
"Oh, how sweet of you, but I have a good assistant," I laughed, throwing my arm over his shoulders. Jimmy looked at me indignantly.
"Your assistant? I thought you were my assistant?" Jimmy gave me a playful nudge.
"Need more help?" Auriana asked, her eyes scanning around the mess we'd made. Oops? Well, a good chef always leaves a mess behind, right?
"No, we're almost done, but thanks anyway," I replied with a smile.
"BROOKE! We're almost out of chocolate croissants, apple turnovers, and caramel pecan muffins!" He really needed to learn to stop yelling like that.
"Maybe I do need help," I admitted with a smile. My friends were always there to help me, even if I didn't ask them to. Even Auriana knew how Chase got when he was responsible.
"Jake and I will make the Caramel Pecan muffins," Auriana said. Jake didn't seem entirely sure about it, but Auriana gave him a reassuring smile.
"And I'll make the chocolate croissants," Jimmy offered.
"Okay, let's do this," I said enthusiastically. We gave each other a high five and got started. After about half an hour, I took the last sheet out of the oven. Auriana glanced at the clock above the door to the bakery.
"We should probably go, bye!" I gave them a hug as a thank you, after which Auriana and Jake walked out of the bakery.
"Bet you ten bucks they're dating by the end of summer vacation?" Jimmy asked. He extended his hand to seal the deal.
"Deal," I replied, taking his hand in mine. We shook hands and laughed. As soon as everything was cleaned up, Jimmy left, and I collapsed onto my bed. What a rush, I thought.
"Tired?" Taylor asked. She stood in the doorway, leaning against the doorframe. She was Chase's girlfriend, and they had gotten together thanks to Auriana, after she'd given Chase advice on how to win Taylor's heart.
"Duh, not everyone can hide from Chase when he's like that." Taylor laughed and sat down next to me. She already knew her boyfriend as well as we did, and they knew that if my parents put him in charge of something, it was best to stay away from him.
"Nobody can bake as well as you, but I can't bake at all, you know that. You've tasted my creations." When I thought back to Taylor's baking, I burst out laughing. The first time, they were burnt, and the second time, there was no sugar in them, so they had no flavor at all. She looked at me indignantly, but a small grin played on her lips.
"I'm sorry, Tay, but yeah...you couldn't bake a cookie if your life depended on it." Taylor rolled her eyes and stood up.
"I'm going to check on our stress-case." With those words, she left the room. I closed the door behind her and put on my pajamas. After plopping down on my bed and pulling the covers over me, I picked up my phone and checked for any messages. My screen showed a message from Renee, one from Jimmy, and one from my mother. I thought it would be best to open my mother's first:
Mom: Hey Brooke, I hope Chase isn't too difficult. We'll be home around 1:30. Sleep tight. I love you.
My mother almost always sent this when she put Chase in charge, not because she was afraid it wouldn't work out, but because she didn't want him constantly yelling at us. I also stand by my opinion that all the stress he's experiencing can't be good for his heart. I quickly typed my reply, saying everything had gone well, and opened Renee's message:
Renee: Hey B, what are you doing tonight? Or are your parents out tonight?
Because I was so busy, I hadn't had a chance to check my phone earlier. Luckily, Renee knew how busy the bakery could get, and that if I didn't respond, I was often helping out. I quickly apologized and said my parents weren't home. Finally, I opened Jimmy's message:
Jimmy: I had a really nice time tonight, we should do it again soon.
A smile crept secretly across my face as I read the message. I even caught myself blushing a little. Why do my cheeks turn red when I think of Jimmy? With my phone charger in hand, I locked the screen and put my phone on the charger, then turned over and closed my eyes.
What am I hearing? My eyes flew open at the sound of a shuffling noise. My phone screen showed it was only 3:30. Great, now I have to go to the bathroom, I thought to myself as I threw off the covers. My feet found my slippers next to my bed. When I walked into the hallway, I was surprised to see Chase, Taylor, Katie, and my parents standing on the landing.
"What's going on?" Katie asked, rubbing her eyes sleepily.
"I'm going to check…you stay here," our father said, fetching a baseball bat from Chase's room. Armed with the bat and his phone, he walked downstairs. Shortly after, a lot of shouting and the shattering of glass followed. We all looked at each other in shock. What was going on?
"Honey, are you okay?!" our mother called downstairs. We had descended as a group into the living room, and our mother was now standing on the landing that led downstairs to the bakery. My father called back that the coast was clear. We all went downstairs to find a complete mess.
"Hello, I'd like to report theft and vandalism...Taylor Family Bakery. Okay, I'll see the officers shortly." My father wasn't one to show his emotions, but it was clear now that he was deeply affected by what had happened. My eyes scanned the bakery. The display cases had been smashed, and the cash register had been forced open. The tables and chairs we had set up in the bakery so people could enjoy the treats they'd just purchased were completely destroyed.
"What now?" Chase asked. Neither one of us could believe we'd just been robbed and that people had completely destroyed our beloved bakery. Both my father and mother were in tears.
"We have to wait until the officers arrive; they'll take our statement and report, and tomorrow we have to call the insurance company. A glazier will be here right away to install emergency glass," he replied. Taylor and Katie were still on the stairs leading upstairs behind the counter. They didn't dare go any further because of the glass strewn throughout the bakery. I was glad I'd put on my slippers beforehand.
Nikki
That afternoon we were all sitting in the park. Brooke had just told us everything. We couldn't believe our ears. Who would do something like that? Anyone who knew the Taylors, knew they would never say a bad word about anyone.
"So everything was turned upside down?" Alex asked in disbelief. The bakery was one of the most visited buildings in the city. Everyone loved the bakery, and that's why no one could believe anyone would harm it and its owners. Brooke nodded. That morning, it had already been a big story in the newspapers that someone had completely destroyed and robbed the Taylor Family Bakery.
"Yes, it will be a while before we can open again." Brooke seemed a bit distracted, and we couldn't blame her. After all, what happened is quite a big deal.
"How much has been taken?" Jimmy asked. He had an arm around her shoulders and was rubbing her arm comfortingly. Brooke thought for a moment.
"Various products and the entire cash register contents, not to mention everything they've destroyed," something occurred to me: insurance! Surely her parents were insured for such situations and vandalism?
"But everything is covered, right?" Brooke shook her head. Tears welled up in her eyes. It must have been really bad for her to react like that. Brooke didn't cry easily. She always held her ground until she was alone.
"Not everything, a large part, yes, but we don't get everything reimbursed," she said sadly. It hurt us all to see her like that. Normally, she was so cheerful and energetic, the one who always cheered everyone up.
"Is there anything we can do to help?" We couldn't just sit around and wait, could we? There had to be something we could do to help them.
"That's so sweet of you, but I'm afraid not." We stood up and headed for the exit. No one was really enjoying the weather with this news.
"Do you want us to come with you?" Renee asked worriedly. Brooke shook her head and gave us a reassuring smile. But the smile wasn't really reaching her eyes. She waved goodbye and walked away.
"I'm really worried about Brooke," Jimmy said once Brooke was out of earshot. We all were, but it seemed like there was more to his comment than just friendly concern.
"Jimmy, do you like Brooke?" Auriana asked. Jimmy remained silent and looked at the floor. Oh my god! We were always so focused on Auriana and Jake that we never realized Jimmy liked someone from our group too!
"Oh, our Jimmy's in love!" Jeremy exclaimed, throwing his arms around Jimmy. Jimmy and Jake rolled their eyes, while Auriana and Renee laughed. The rest of us looked at him expectantly. He still hadn't answered. Renee decided to change the subject.
"Hey, Jeremy, aren't you in love then?" Renee asked teasingly. Jeremy felt the blood rush to his cheeks. He coughed to hide it, but we'd all already seen his red cheeks. Jimmy raised an eyebrow.
"Maybe…but I'm sure it's not mutual," Jeremy said.
"How do you know? Do we know her?" Renee asked. Jeremy remained silent.
"Who is it?" Jimmy asked. So it had to be someone we knew. I mentally scanned everyone, trying to figure out who it could be.
"I'm keeping that a secret for now." Jeremy stuck out his tongue and walked over.
"I bet I'll figure out who his crush is before the end of the vacation." Renee said. We all rolled our eyes. It's always the same story with Renee.
"You always with your bets." Renee gave Jimmy a playful shove.
"I can't believe Mr. Late is making us write a whole essay in the last few weeks before summer break!" Renee exclaimed indignantly, slumping down on the bench with an angry look on her face. After Dutch, we had a break where we all went our separate ways. At the moment, I was sitting in the auditorium with Renee. Renee needed to vent about us having to write a long essay before the end of the school year. I didn't mind, as I already had an idea for a topic for mine. I gave her a gentle nudge with my shoulder.
"Oh come on, it's not that bad, is it? You can have that done in about an hour to an hour and a half," I said. About six weeks after the accident, the cast was finally removed from my leg. I can't tell you enough what a relief that was. My physical therapy was finally over, and I was walking just as smoothly as I had before the accident. The only condition my physical therapist gave me was that I couldn't participate in gym class yet, which I didn't mind.
"Not everyone has your brains," Renee grumbled. She glanced at me out of the corner of her eye, pouting and crossing her arms more tightly.
"Right, but you have me. I can just help you if you get stuck, if you want?"
"What would we have done without you?" Renee threw her arms around my neck and gave me a big hug. Sometimes it was really strange how quickly Renee's moods could change. I couldn't help but laugh.
"Then it's a good thing you'll never have to find out." Jake, Jimmy, Jeremy, and Alex joined the pair.
"Where are the rest of our group?" Alex asked, sitting down next to me and looking around in case he'd simply walked past them and missed them.
"Uh, let me think... Scarlet and Maya are outside playing ping-pong. Auriana, Brooke, and Emma are just running to the supermarket... yeah, they're bringing something for you too, Jer. Skylar is at the library returning her book; she'll be here soon," I replied. Not long after the boys had joined us, Skylar walked towards us with new books in her arms. With a sigh, she dropped the books on the table. They almost took up the entire table.
"Oh, did you bring the whole library?" Jeremy joked. Skylar rolled her eyes, but her cheeks were flushed. I could see from her expression that she was starting to question herself, wondering if she'd brought a few too many books for her Dutch essay after all.
"Don't worry, Sky, let's go to the lockers and we can store them there until the others get back," I said, putting a reassuring arm around her shoulders. Sometimes I found it quite difficult to see her uncertainty, even though it was completely unnecessary. If only there was some way to make her understand that it wasn't necessary. We walked upstairs together, my eyes scanning the books she'd brought. I clearly wasn't the only one who had an idea for the essay right away, and if I was right, Skylar had come up with a strong topic.