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AJ's POV

"AJ?! What the hell are you doing here?!" She screeched.

"None of your business. Thanks for moving. Bye." I need to get away from these people. 

"Careful guys. Don't let the nerd fool you. That one bites." Another moron came into my view.

"Afternoon Jaxon." Yes that Jaxon. Ring any bells now?

And he was also one of the sorority sisters.

"What were you doing here?" I didn't bother answering him. I just turned around and left. Little did I know one of them wasn't done with me.

I turned around to see Gabrielle running towards me.

Poor AJ. What a rough day she's having.

I did not stop striding in the direction I was already headed to. Too bad she caught up to me. Gabrielle ran to stand in front of me successfully blocking my way again. I stared at her with a bored expression.

"What were you doing in there?" She asked me again. It was more of a demand. As if I had no other choice but to answer truthfully. Seriously though, was this girl deaf?!

"I said it's none of your business." I grumbled again.

"Listen here, you geek. Whatever happened in there, you saw nothing you hear me? You will-"

"Can you please stop talking?! My brain can only take so much. So why don't you listen? I do not care about you and your friends. I do not care about what I saw so if anything happens, just know that I wasn't the cause of it. Now since this is settled. Move out of my way." I said and walked pass her.

I could faintly hear Jaxon talking.

"Told you not to mess with that one." I was too far away to hear any reply from Gabrielle and so I continued my walk towards the cafe.

"Hey Cora." Her smile widened as she saw me. She had already ordered her food.

Wait is that salad?! Errghh!

"Hey don't look at me like that. Salad is good for you. Maybe you should order one too. It doesn't taste as bad as you imagine it to be."

"No thank you Cora. I'm ordering noodles." I lightly stomped my foot and made my order.

Ten minutes later, the delicious smell of my ketchup noodles, wafted in the air. The waiter left my hot dish on the table and gave me my balance.

"Hmmm," I sighed in content as the smell calmed me. I love the noodles here because they put a generous amount of roasted pork to go with it.

"So how about we go drinking this Friday?" I asked Cora with my mouth full.

"Why drinking all of a sudden? You know that you're going to turn seventeen right? Technically that means you're still sixteen my dear."

"Seventeen in three days and I can get us in so leave that to me and I wanna go because I suddenly feel like it. Plus, you get to dress up," I looked at her. She thought for a moment.

"Well, there is this one blouse I bought online that I've never-"

"Great! So we can go!" Cora rolled her eyes with a smile. Honestly, I just wanted relax in a bar. Apart from going to the guy's party last Friday, I feel like I'm being too cooped up. All the paperwork, advanced reading, projects and assignments are finally taking a toll on me.

I want to have a night for myself. One bottle of beer wouldn't hurt.

We continued eating in silence as I pondered about Friday. I need to find the perfect bar or club. What if I could get Eli to come along? And what if he asked me to dance wi-

You know you can't dance! The only dance sequence you know is the chicken dance AJ so stop dreaming!!!

I came to as I scolded myself into reality.

I looked up from my plate partly because I was wondering why my best friend was so quiet. Too quiet.

The moment I looked up, I caught her nervously staring out the window. I followed her gaze to see non other than the devil's mistress. Lizzie, walking with her stupid gang.

"Cora did she bother you today?" I softly asked her. She shook out of her trance and blinked at me. Then she casually shrugged.

"Nah, she didn't do anything." Liar.

"Cora, it's okay. I know how she is with you. I know how she treats people. She even scares the guys." I said in a caring manner. I didn't want to set her off. I need her to talk to me.

"Cora I know how she treats you. Call it whatever you want but I call it bullying. Bullying doesn't only mean to hurt physically. Bullying can also mean horrible words being thrown at you. I wish you would tell me more and not just bottle everything in." Cora refused to look me in the eye after what I said. Using the fork, she played around with her salad.

"What's there to tell? I mean what do you wanna know?" She furiously stabbed her salad. "Lizzie is Lizzie. She treats everyone badly and yeah she's not very nice to me but I'm learning to ignore her."

"Why won't you say anything? Why won't you just....I don't know try to yell back?" Cora looked at me with a half smile.

"I've tried AJ and I'm not you. Lizzie knows exactly how to get to me. She really knows me and she has everyone on her side. It's best to just stay out of her way and so far it's working."

"No Cora. She doesn't know you. Stop talking shit!! She doesn't know a single thing about you! Only I know you." Cora grabbed my hands and signalled for me to lower my voice.

"People are watching. Don't raise your voice."

"I wouldn't have raised my voice if you weren't spitting out crap. You can't be quiet anymore. Don't lie to me about this okay. Did she do anything today? Did she say anything bad?" I stared at Cora in the eye.

"Um..."

"I want the truth."

"She didn't particularly do anything but she was staring at me as if she wanted to rip my head off. She was glaring at me the entire time and I kept wondering what I did wrong." Cora blew out a heavy breath.

"As long as she doesn't do anything," I mumbled while finishing up my meal. Cora looked at me oddly. I knew she was trying to put the pieces together.

"AJ what did you do? And don't lie to me. I told you the truth today."

"Today?" I raised a brow at her.

"Don't turn this around. Answer me." I crossed my arms over my chest.

"I warned her. I told her not to bother you anymore." Cora groaned and placed her head in her hands.

"I had to do something Cora. No one else is. And she gets away with everything!"

"I know but I don't want you getting involved in this. You're making her angry and she does a lot more damage when she's emotional."

"So you want me to keep quiet while she threatens you? So Lizzie being angrier than usual is a pass for her to do more damage? What are you trying to say? You're my best friend and I will do whatever I can to be there for you-"

"It's not your fight AJ. I don't want you to always fight for me. On my behalf. Let me handle Lizzie from now on okay. Just let this go. Don't involve yourself AJ. Ignoring her has never made it worse. Plus, we'll be majoring in different subjects next semester so she won't be around me that often." Cora ended.

Not my fight? Really? She just threw that on me? How could she say that? After all these years. I've always had her back and she always needed it and like always, I was only trying to protect her and now Cora doesn't want my help. Why does she give that moron so many opportunities to put her down?

She can handle it? Yeah sure.

"Fine, if that's what you want. I have to go help out at the bakery today so I'll be back late." I knew she wanted to stop me but I couldn't sit there anymore. Something about what she said didn't sit well with me.

I gave her a tight smile and left before she could say anything.

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"AJ is everything alright? That's too much strawberry frosting, don't you think?" I shook myself out of my dreamland and looked up at a worried Ms.Winnie. Glancing at the freshly baked cupcakes, I saw that I had indeed poured too much frosting on them.

"Oops." I mumbled.

"You want a break dear? I'll make you a drink." I smiled at her and shook my head.

"No thank you Winnie the Pooh. I got this."

"You sure?"

"Yeap." That was a lie but I will be fine in a moment. Baking for the shop was almost done so all there's going to be left was Eli's special cupcake. That will make me feel a thousand times better.

What is it going to be today? What flavour? What frosting?

I looked around the kitchen and took a deep breath. The aroma of the bakery filled my lungs and I sighed in content.

Banana cake it is.

Once I finished decorating all the cupcakes for the shop I placed them out in the display racks. Ms.Winnie came shorty after to arrange them to her liking. I took the opportunity to go back inside to begin my work of art and emotion.

My temper immediately lessened as I poured the scrumptious banana batter into the cupcake liners. I was making an extra one for Willow.

Its sweet smell calmed my nerves and muscles. I put the tray in the oven and worked on the frosting. I was going to make honey-cinnamon frosting. It would go perfectly with the banana cake.

I stirred the frosting until it was nice and fluffy. Not being able to resist the white sugary goodness, I scooped a tiny bit of it with my finger and licked the frosting.

AJ. The one and only. No one else can do this. No one else can make frosting this delicious.

I was so full of myself that when Ms. Winnie came into the kitchen area, I almost had a cardiac arrest.

"I wish I made a point to scare you dear." She chuckled at my pale face. "Would you be so kind to help my husband with the light bulb?" She asked me. I immediately walked out to see Mr.Bernard. Like she said, he was busy fixing the light bulb in the corner of the shop. There were no customers seated in that area. Thankfully.

He was standing on a horrible looking ladder and the man was holding onto four different tools in his hand.

"You don't need three of that tools Mr.Bernard!" I said to him.

"You never know!" He replied back. Seriously? For a bulb?

I strode over to where he was and held onto the shaking ladder. I stared at the man while I raised my hand with an open palm. I then gave him a look which made the old man sigh.

Feeling defeated he handed me three of the tools.

After five minutes of listening to Mr.Bernard grumbling and fixing the bulb, it was finally over.

"Told you you only needed one tool." I smirked up at him.

"Yeah, yeah," he carefully climbed down the shaky ladder that I was a having a hard time holding. "But you can never be too sure AJ. I normally have the whole tool box with me." He pointed a finger at me as he spoke in all seriousness.

"Alrighty sir." I saluted him before I carried the ladder into the store room. The moment I went inside, I heard the bell ring from the entrance. Another customer.

Once I placed the ladder in the store I walked out and locked the small room before proceeding to give the keys to Mr.Bernard. All the while I could hear Winnie the Pooh convincing the poor customer to buy a set of twelve cupcakes.

Letting out a heavy breath, I gingerly walked out to go back inside the kitchen.

"Sailorman?!"

Eerggh, come on!! Again?!

"Evening Jaxon." I mumbled and sped into the kitchen. He followed me so he could chat through the serving hatch. Thankfully he wasn't allowed into the kitchen. That being said, Jax made himself comfortable on the stool.

"So what's today's special sailorman?"

"Jaxon you better start calling me AJ. Enough with that stupid nickname!"

"What?" he shrugged innocently. "The name got stuck and now you're permanently sailorman. Sorry."

Jaxon has been calling me sailorman ever since kindergarten. Ever since our first encounter, our first fight. I guess no one ever really beat him in a fight before me so he thought I obtained special strength from a special source. I don't know why but he connected me with the famous cartoon character.

I ignored him and continued to perfect my frosting. After adding the right amount of cinnamon, I went on to choose the edibles.

"What's the special sailorman? Sailorman!! Sailorman?!! I'm gonna sing if you don't answer me!" He was talking extremely loud and people were starting to stare. I marched up to him and placed my hand over his mouth before he could start to sing the opening song to that classic cartoon.

"Stop. It." I gritted. My annoyance only boosted up his energy. He gave me a cheeky grin, obviously happy with how me made me feel. I could see the familiar playfulness in his baby blue eyes.

"To answer your question, the special is always on display right up front. Genius." I was losing my patience with this boy. I just wanted to relax and make Eli's cupcake.

"But I hate strawberry flavoured cake," he whined as if I actually cared.

"There's also chocolate chip cupcakes you know. Buy something or leave."

"That's no way to talk to a customer. I wanna make a complaint to your boss." Jax crossed his arms. I hugged myself and shivered, pretending to be shit scared. A moment later, I stood up and gave him a blank stare.

To my dissapointment, he simply laughed and a minute later, ordered a chocolate chip cupcake. Ms.Winnie placed his order before him with sweet smile which irked me to no end. She even made him a large chocolate milkshake. He ate like a child who's celebrating his birthday.

I was thankful to hear the timer. Meaning I could take out the banana cupcake. Once I took it out, I let it cool for a moment while I placed the frosting into the pipping bag. Now I had to wait for Jaxon to leave. I can't put the note inside.

Wait, why is there no sound?

I quickly looked up to see Jaxon staring at me. The moment we made eye contact, he quickly concentrated on something behind me. Before I could turn around to see what he was looking at, he called my name.

"Yeah?"

"Is that for tomorrow?" He gestured to the single cupcake before me.

"Yeap, I'm experimenting with the flavour." I casually replied.

"Great! I can be your food critic. Lemme taste it!"

Hell no! Why does this always happen?! It's like the universe doesn't want to leave poor me alone!

"No Jaxon. Eat and leave." I said coldly. He just sat there and stared at me, making me extremely uncomfortable.

"Do I have flour on my face?"

"Nope. Can't I simply look at you?"

"We've been looking at each other since we were kids. I'm sure you're bored by now. So just finish your damn cupcake."

"Why are you chasing me away?" He asked slowly. Now he was staring at me with determination.

What was his problem today?!

"I always chase you away. Why are you surprised?" I crossed my arms. He shrugged and sipped his milkshake.

Over the years, the fat bully in kindergarten grew up into an attractive seventeen year old. Yes, he skipped a grade, among other things he also lost weight, got rid of all his baby fat and developed muscles instead. All that time spent in the gym was worth it. Jaxon was also good with sports so he sharpened his skills in both badminton and squash. Now, he was tall, fit and good-looking. His stylish dark brown hair and sun-kissed skin never failed to attract attention from the entire female population. Even guys.

I would never tell him any of this because to me, he was still a little piece of shit who enjoys annoying the crap out of me. And he always succeeds.

Instead of wasting time watching him stare at me, I proceeded to clean whatever I can. During that time, I noticed Jaxon finish his milkshake.

"How was it?" I asked.

Of course I knew how it tasted but I needed to hear him say how awesome it was so I will have the mood to make some for myself.

"You know you guys make the best milkshake right? Why do you ask?" he raised a brow at me.

"I need some motivation to make some for myself," he chuckled at my response and I saw his eyes drift behind me again.

I swiftly turned around to catch him stare at the pile of silver boxes near the refrigerator.

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