Tall

SIX (R)

ONE OF THE THINGS DAWN was looking forward was to make Zeus's wedding cake.

It was a good thing Zeus and Joanna shared similar tastes when it came to their favorite cake: banana cake. So Dawn searched for the best banana cake recipe on the internet and tried incorporating some of her ideas into the recipe. She wanted to make it extra special, not because Zeus was her best friend and she was the best man (which she still found a bit annoying and offensive), but because she has always loved the idea of making and decorating wedding cakes.

For her, wedding cakes are the best cakes. Like a holy symbol, the finishing touch to everyone's sacred relationships. The best part of the reception. Cutting into the rich, thick layers of perfectly made cake, its glorious icing light and simple, feeding each other with a forkful of the cake... for her, that's just the best part. And even though Zeus didn't ask her to make the cake, Dawn volunteered because she secretly dreamed of making wedding cakes.

So there she was, in the kitchen of her apartment, her hair in a messy bun and her black apron covered with blotches of flour and icing. She was making a miniature version of the wedding cake. And it was perfect.

She was about to pipe some flowers around the edge of the cake when a laughing voice said, "Wipe that goofy grin off your face, giraffe." and she squirted a big glob of icing instead.

Dawn looked at her unusual companion and smiled sarcastically.

Tonight, she asked her neighbor to have a look on her cake. Eric was leaning down on the table, his chin resting on the back of his hand, an amused look on his face. An unlit cigarette stick was hanging between his lips, his bangs falling nicely on his forehead.

"You know, for a start, you can be supportive and be a good sport about it." Dawn pointed out, annoyed.

"As much as I want to, I won't." Eric retorted back, raising a brow. "You look ridiculous with that grin on your face, just so you know."

Dawn flicked her fingers on his forehead. Eric winced.

"What the hell was that for?" Eric hissed, rubbing his forehead.

"Shut up or I will throw you out of my kitchen."

"There's no need. In the morbid world of a young adult book I read, I volunteer."

Dawn stared at him and shook her head.

After that night, under the blanket of stars and with a pile of canned beers on the floor, Dawn and Eric has been running on each other. Coincidentally. Sometimes on Dawn's way home, she'd see Eric walking on his way to work, with a look on his face like he just didn't care about the world, his lips always occupied with a stick of lit cigarette. Other times, Eric would see Dawn, hanging laundry down the laundry area of the apartment, singing Christmas songs, dancing, her messy long hair swaying with the breeze.

And in those times, they never acknowledged each other. Dawn would like to think that Eric was just shy to say hi but then again, he was difficult to read. He was always in a foul mood. Always looking angry about something or someone. But Dawn would look into his eyes and she knew, there's more of Eric that she didn't know. There was either a storm or calm brewing in Eric's eyes.

So tonight, even though she was unsure, she went over to his apartment, knocked on his door and prayed that he's not at home. But he was and he wasn't glad to see her at his doorstep, wearing a dirty apron and a bright smile on her face. Sometimes Eric thought that Dawn was just like the daylight—terribly bright and he thought that too much sunlight could hurt your eyes.

But light nonetheless.

Eric huffed. "When's the wedding anyway?" he asked.

"Three weeks from now. I don't even know what the theme is." Dawn replied. "I've perfected the recipe and I'm about to do some sketches for the design."