✿ Aileen's POV

My eyes are forced opened and a pair of dark brown eyes are gazing directly at me.

“Are you dead?”

Her breath tickles my face and I groan and faceplam her away from me. She giggles.

“Sweetheart stop bothering her” Bonnie scolds.

“But mom she's been lying in bed since Friday!”

I groan.

“How are you so cheery every morning, Cami?” I sigh, sitting up.

She smiles as her mother walks over to carry her from my side.

“It got you to wake up” she giggles.

“Sorry, Lee. You okay?” Bonnie whispers, touching my forehead.

I swat her hand away.

“I don't have a temperature, Bon” I say.

“Really? Because two nights ago you looked like you were going to die.”

“It was a stomach bug” I defend.

Coated with a lot of sugar.

“And you know that how?”

“It's self diagnosable.”

“Right” she says and walks into my room with her daughter on her hip.

I get up from the bed in the corner of rooftop balcony and follow them inside the room. I yawn and scratch my head.

“Sorry Bon, but I need to borrow your daughter” Natalie goes, taking the little girl from her mother as she passes by them at the door.

Bonnie shakes her head and leaves.

“Okay sweetie. We're going to TikTok. You ready?” she asks the child.

“Why do you have to do this every morning? And why do you have to do it in my room?” I ask, crossing my arms.

Natalie looks over at me and makes a face.

“Ugh why do you look like the walking dead?” she shudders.

“Because she's been sleeping outside since Friday” Cami answers.

“No Camari. I sleep outside every night” I say. “You know that.”

“Well you sleep like a log.”

“Kid's not wrong” Natalie chuckles.

“Get out” I say, moving into the bathroom.

“Nuh-uh. Your room has got the best lighting in the whole house.”

“And your house has been deleted?” I ask, squeezing some toothpaste onto my brush.

“No, my parent's common decency has been deleted and so our lightening sucks".

“Mm” I hum and peek to make sure Camari is safe before closing the bathroom door.

Thirty minutes later I walk back out, toweling my hair and it's a party on my bed. I roll my eyes and turn off the lights that were for some reason, on.

“Could you all get out so I can get dressed?” I ask.

They stop laughing and stare blankly at me. Bonnie opens her mouth to say something but Natalie stops her.

“From the words of my favorite vampire...” she smiles. “If I see something I haven't seen before, I'll throw a dollar at it.”

I roll my eyes.

“You know my room isn't a hangout spot, right?”

“Yes, but we love you so deal with it” Bonnie tells me.

Camari crawls out of her mother's lap and move up to me.

“I'll get your clothes for you.”

“Cami that's okay. I can do it” I say to her and walk in front of my closet.

“Is it okay if I stand by the door? In case you get scared.”

I chuckle.

“The doors are opened Cami. I'll be fine.”

I turn away from her and fish through my closet.

“What to wear? What to wear?” I mutter to myself.

Romper?

“So” Camari clears her throat. “How'd you catch the stomach bug?”

I glance down at her over my shoulder before looking away.

“I don't know, Cami” I sigh.

“But somehow you know it's a stomach bug?” she asks.

I pull out a top and hold it against my body.

“Was, Cami. It's gone now” I explain.

I bend down to grab some shoes.

“Are you pregnant?” she asks.

I lift my head, forgetting where I am and end up bumping it hard against a shelf.

“Ow!” I cry, rubbing my head.

“Is that a yes to my question or...?”

“Bonnie? She's over stepping again!” I call out to her mother.

“Hey I'm just worried about you. Don't get all defensive.”

I turn to face her.

“You're six and a half years old. How do you even know what defensive means?”

“You get that way a lot” she shrugs and picks up by my top to hand it back to me.

“Thank you” I say as I playfully snatch it away from her.

“You know you can tell me anything, right Lee?” she asks, following me around. “I'm your girl.”

“Yes, Camari. I'm aware.”

“So then?”

“So then nothing. I'm not pregnant.”

She flops herself on the chair by the bathroom door.

“Mom said when she was your age—”

I sigh.

“Goodbye” I say and slam the bathroom door closed.

I change, toss my towel in the laundry basket and walk back out. Camari looks up from her rag doll and smiles up at me. I chuckle.

“Okay, okay, okay, girls!” Sophie cries, bursting into my room.

“What happened?” Bonnie asks, sitting up.

“Did Dad lock himself in the garage again?” Natalie asks, rolling her eyes.

“No. Listen!” she cries again, holding up one hand and she read from her phone.

I sit down on the love shaped ottoman and hand Camari a hairbrush.

“So this man announces his engagement to a girl below his social class and his friends and family accuse the girl of being gold digger. When they haven't even met her” she goes.

“Oh yeah I saw a tweet about it some hours ago” Natalie chips in, grabbing her phone.

“Hey, hey, hey. I'm telling the story!” Sophie scolds her sister.

Natalie surrenders.

“And listen to what the man's response was” Sophie wiggles her eyebrows in excitement.

She clears her throat.

“I did the digging and she's pure gold!” she squeals out.

I make a face.

That's awful!

“Girls” Camari whispers above my head as she shakes hers.

“That is the most romantic thing I have ever heard!” Sophie squeals again.

“What new Netflix drama series is that?” Bonnie asks.

Sophie frowns.

“It's not a Netflix series, Bon. This is real life! It happened like...” she pauses and scrolls up her phone's screen.

She frowns.

“It's been taken down” Natalie announces, frowning at her own phone's screen.

“But anyway. Isn't that truly romantic?” Sophie smiles again.

“I guess” Bonnie shrugs.

Natalie laughs.

“They've started a trend. Hashtag gold digging.”

“Oh, oh here's another one. Hashtag gold digging is a young person's game” Sophie laughs.

I shake my head.

“All done!” Camari announces and hands me back the hairbrush.

“Thank you sweetie” I smile at her and stand.

“What about you, Lee?” Bonnie asks. “You don't think it's romantic?”

Camari holds her arms out to me and I hoist her into my arms.

“To be a gold digger?”

“No!” they chorus.

Jeez!

“About him standing up for her the way he did” Natalie says.

“And for that heart-warming quote” Sophie sighs dreamily.

I jut out the hip Camari is sitting on.

“Well critically speaking, he neither confirmed or denied that she's a gold digger. He just went round the question and because nobody really cares about facts and details, you all think it's romantic” I explain.

“And you wonder why you're still single?” Natalie rolls her eyes and follows Bonnie out of my room.

“I'm just saying” I defend, going after them. “She could be a gold digger”

“Or not” Sophie defends as she descends the stairs behind me. “Oh what I would do to be defended with such sweet words” she sighs dreamily again, flipping her white hair dramatically.

I shake my head and sit Camari down in a chair.

“What do you wanna eat?” Bonnie asks no one in particular.

“Bacon!” Camari chirps.

“Ouu yes, bacon and eggs” Sophie adds.

“I'm on a juice diet so another time” Natalie goes.

Her sister eyes her.

“And I end up being the fat Albino? Okay” she comments.

I chuckle.

“What about some honey pancakes, Lee? You wanna give me a hand girls?”

I shake my head. I couldn't handle any more sugar after what that devil in an Armani suit put me through.

“No, I've gotta run anyways. I'll get myself something less sweet later.”

Bonnie turns to me.

“Where are you going? It's Sunday.”

“The bakery.”

“On a Sunday?” Sophie asks.

“I haven't been to work since Friday.”

“So? Your employees are more than capable of handling things with you out” Bonnie frowns. “Plus it's Sunday. The bakery doesn't open on Sundays.”

“Good thing I have a key” I smiled.

“Lee.”

“I know, I know. But I just wanna get out of the house for a bit. That's all.”

“Alright fine” she agrees. “Pass me the pan, Fifi.”

“Can I go with you, Lee?” Camari asks.

“Yes of course, Cami” I smile, taking her hand.

“No, no, no. You need to finish up your project work. It's due tomorrow” her mother cautions.

“She will” I intercept. “I won't be gone for long.”

“Hey, remember you need to help me with my theater project” Natalie reminds me.

“Yes, yes, Nat. I remember.”

“Shouldn't you have started practicing already?” Sophie asks.

“Yes but Lee keeps saying it's not a big deal.”

Sophie makes a face at me.

“What? It's not a big deal” I say. “I'm teaching her how to play the pan flute not the French horn” I roll my eyes.

“If you say so” she says and moves away.

“C'mon Cami” I say.

“Oh hey could I come with?” Natalie asks.

“Since when did you start liking the bakery?” Sophie scoffs.

“What? I'm just offering to go with her so I can bring Cami back in case she decides to take longer” Natalie smiles.

“Oh that's actually a really good idea, Nat. Then maybe you can pick up a dress for Camari when you're leaving the mall” Bonnie smiles sarcastically.

Nat's smile falls.

“Busted!” Sophie teases.

I laugh.

“Hey if she wants to go to the mall it's fine. It's not a school night afterall.”

“Thank you!” Natalie groans.

“Have fun” Bonnie waves us off.

“Shotgun!” Camari cries when I unlock the door as I step into the driveway.

“Hey, hey hey! Both of you in the back. Now!” I say firmly.

“Aww!” Camari whines and sulks to the backdoor.

Natalie holds it opened for her and helps her get in. The entire ride to the bakery is full of the girls yelling out the lyrics to the songs they knew and trying to freestyle to the once they didn't.

“What's motherfuck—”

“We're here!” I exclaim, cutting Camari off and turning off the radio to end Nikki Minaj's music.

She quickly forgets about what she was about to ask and jumps out of the car. I frown at Natalie.

“Your choice of music is inappropriate. She's a child!”

“Oh she knows what 'mother' already is. Give her a week and she's figure the rest out” she tells me and jumps out of the car.

I shake my head and pick up my purse. Locking my car, I unlock the doors of the bakery and we walk in.

“I want a waffle tower! I want a waffle tower! I want a waffle tower!” Camari begins to chant.

“Settle down” I chuckle.

“You know, I can see myself totally working here” Natalie smiles.

“You? In an apron and a hairnet?”

“You make them wear hairnets?” she cringes.

I laugh and plug in the waffle maker.

“Just what I thought.”

“Well I do need a part-time job during our spring break. I wanna save up for a class trip to the Grand Canyon during summer.”

“Well okay. Just let me know when you're ready.”

She nods and gathers the ingredients for the waffles.
In twenty five minutes, we're done.

“Cami get down from there” Natalie tells her.

“Don't worry, that's a perfectly safe table” I chuckle as I take a bite of my waffles.

“Lee, isn't that your boyfriend?” Camari asks.

“What boyfriend?” Natalie asks.

“The one with the long hair. Hi! Hello!”

I pale.

Geo!

“Camari Abigail Wilmore! Get down from there right now!” I scold.

“Oh so because you're going to be affected it's not a perfectly safe table?” Natalie teases.

I give her a look.

“Get her down from there!” I hiss.

“Okay, okay” Natalie says, taking a bite of her waffles before moving over to where Camari is still waving through the window.

I push myself up and see Geo approaching the shop.

Oh shit!

“Natalie, you gotta shut it down!” I whisper loudly.

“What?” she asks.

I hold my hand over my throat and gesture to her to end it. Before she can reply, Geo pushes through the door and I lower myself on the floor behind the counter.

“Nat, hey” he greets.

“Hey, Mr. G-Geoffery” she stammers, probably because she realizes I'm not behind the counter anymore.

“What are you girls doing here?” he asks. “Hello Camari. Are you two here with Lee?”

“No, no” Natalie is quick to answer.

“But her car's outside.”

“That is correct” Natalie answers.

Hold it Nat.

“You drove it?”

“Yeah. I'm seventeen. I can drive.”

Good girl.

“I didn't know you got your driver's licence” Geo scoffs. “Congratulations.”

“Oh I don't... yet. But I do know all the lyrics to Olivia Rodrigo's Driver's License” she chuckles and begins to hum a line. “Red lights, stop signs... I still see your face in the white cars, front yards...”  then she goes down, “... daa daa daa daa daa...”  then she picks it up again, “'Cause I still fuckin' love you, babe (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh)”

I hear Geo laugh.

“That's cute” he says. “But what are you doing here? And where's Lee?”

“Home. She's been feeling sick for days now so we're all super worried about her.”

“Wait, what?!” Geo exclaims, his voice thick with worry.

I frown.

“Ew” I whisper under my breath.

“Well what's wrong with her? And why hasn't anyone called me to say anything?”

Somebody please make it stop.

“She's getting better, don't fret” Natalie tells him.

“Can you tell me what's wrong with her?” he goes on to ask.

“Well um...”

C'mon Natalie! Sell this!

“She's not pregnant if that's what you're asking” Camari chips in.

I smile to myself.

Her snooping does come in handy.

“It was just a stomach bug, not a stomach baby” she continues.

“Okay. But why are you here?”

Can't he just give it up?!

“She asked us to come get her... favorite apron” Natalie lies.

“What?” I whisper to myself.

“And we just happen to make ourselves some waffles.”

I slowly nod. She was terrible at this but it seemed like it was working.

“Here, have this third plate we just happen to have dished put.”

My eyes widen. She was going to give my waffles to that kook? I groan inwardly and claw at the air.

“Mm, these are good” Geo moans.

I roll my eyes.

“Who made them.”

“Lee” Natalie lets out.

I slap a hand across mouth.

“I mean... not Lee” Natalie laughs nervously. “It's her recipe we used so... technically she did make it.”

“Oh.”

I poke my head out from the bottom corner of the counter and catch Natalie's eye.

“Get rid of him!” I mouth.

Geo looks towards my direction but I'm quick to duck away.

“Um... we were actually on our way to the mall to get some clothes. I would drive there but I could get arrested for not having a driver's license.”

“Smooth, Nat” I whisper to myself and poke my head back out.

“Oh okay” Geo says taking the last bite of his waffle. “I'll drive you. Just gimme the keys.”

My eyes widen again.

He is not getting in my car!

I shake my head vigorously at Natalie.

“I was thinking you could take us in your car instead.”

“Oh no. I have a flat tire I haven't yet replaced and the tank is empty.”

“Of course it is” I roll my eyes.

“And I'll drop you kids off at home. It's going to get dark soon. Plus I'd like to see how she's doing. You know how much I care about her.”

Again, ew!

“Okay. Lemme just get the keys then” Natalie laughs nervously and moves behind the counter.

I look up at her from the floor and she's still smiling at Geo. She 'accidentally' drops a napkin and bends down to retrieve it.

“Gimme the keys!” she whispers.

“No!” I whisper back.

“You owe me, Lee. I don't know what my sister sees in him to think he's good for you, but I'm with you in seeing him as a kook!”

“Thank you!” I whisper and throw my hands in the air.

“But I'm the one getting in the same car with him so gimme the keys right now!”

“I don't want him in my car!”

“Well I don't want to get in the car with him but we all can't be winners so give it!”

“Are you okay down there, Natalie?” Geo asks.

She snatches the keys away from me with such force that I nearly cut myself. I pout and scoot back under the counter.

“Very okay. Shall we go?”

I try to claw at her jeans to stop her but she steps away quickly. I stay still until I hear my car drive away. Then I wait for a few minutes before fully getting out. Just then my phone rings and I rummage through my purse for it.

“Miha? Sorry to bother you but could you please pick me up some bread from the mall when you're coming back? I'm on my way to the house.”

I sigh and move to the back.

“Auntie do you hate me?” I ask. “Why would ask me to get you synthetic mall bread when I'm a baker?”

She laughs.

“I'll bake you some.”

I am going to be here a while.

“Okay then, Lee. I'll see you at home. Kisses.”

Then she hangs up. As soon as I'm about to put it away, it rings again.

“Yes, Fifi” I say, putting the phone on speaker and grabbing my ingredients.

“Why is my sister texting me that she's at the mall with Geo?”

“Sop—”

“You're the one supposed to be at the mall with him!”

I frown and bring my hands away from my hair.

“You're joking, right?” I ask, washing my hands.

“Of course not!”

I sigh and get to work.

“Sophie, I've told you that I'm not interested in him. He's not the one for me.”

“How do you know that if you refuse to give him a chance? You don't even try!”

“Hey I try, okay?” I defend.

“Do you, Lee? Do you?”

I roll my eyes as I cover the dough and wait for it to rise.

Why was she being so dramatic?

“Sophie relax. When it's time, I'll find someone.”

“When you're not making an effort Lee? It doesn't work that way” she sighs.

“It'll surprise you, Sophie” I chuckle.

“What? You'll be standing in your bakery and this someone will just show up? Wake up, Lee. Even I the hopeless romantic isn't that far gullible.”

I shake my head.

“I'm not worried, Fifi. Why are you?”

“Because you're never worried” she groans.

I check on the dough and bring it out to begin kneading.

“Well that's a good quality I think will look even better on you.”

She groans louder.

“I've gotta go call Geo and salvage this relationship.”

“It's not necess—”

“I'll see you at your house” she says firmly and hangs up.

I smile and begin to punch the dough. The tingle of the bell reaches my ears and some amount of relief washes over me.

“Oh thank goodness, Nat. I'm in the back!” I call out.

The footsteps approach.

“I am so sorry you had to spend time with that creeper. Trust me, I owe you a lot more than you can imagine” I chuckle.

The footsteps push through the door.

“Good, because I'll be needing one of those favors back right now.”

I look up from the dough and my shoulders slump.

“You have got to be kidding me” I frown.

He smiles, rubbing the back of his neck nervously as he looks around.

“What do you want, Armani?” I ask.

He meets my eyes and smiles again.

“Hello freshie” he greets. “I need your help.”

Thank you so much for reading!
Don't forget to vote if you liked the chapter
Bye for now!
~the_atticwriter