𝐃𝐎𝐎𝐌𝐒𝐃𝐀𝐘 - 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐤

𝟢𝟢𝟥. 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝖺 𝗌𝗅𝗂𝖼𝖾

juniper took the cakes out of the oven and let them sit on a cooling rack.

"soooo..." rhonda chuckled.

"so what, ronnie?"

"oh, come on! i saw the way you blushed when he put his hands on your hips to move past you."

"oh, stop. that was hardly anything." june giggled.

"i don't know why you don't just go for it?"

"because! i'm not totally sure how he feels, alright?"

"whatever, chick." rhonda scoffed, hiding her laugh.

"let me frost these and then we will go to group, ok?"

"ok."

juniper put on a thin layer of her buttercream vanilla frosting on top of one of the cakes. she then laid her cut up strawberries on top of it. she put the second cake on top and repeated.

once the last layer was on, she frosted the entire cake and smoothed it out.

"alright, that looks pretty good." rhonda confessed.

"i know." juniper winked.

"whatever, put that in the fridge and let's go."

juniper listened, carefully placing her cake in the fridge and taking her apron off and throwing it onto the counter.

"let's go." she smiled.

__________________

juniper watched from her chair as maddie stormed out of the gym, yelling about how she was going to leave.

"charley, i thought you were explaining to her how it worked here." juniper looked at him.

"i tried. she's not really understanding, apparently."

"hmm... next time you're with her, bring her to see me. maybe i can help." juniper looked back to the gym doors.

__________________

"i'm sorry for yelling and storming out earlier. this just doesn't feel real yet." maddie spoke to charley as they walked down the hall.

"it's ok. yeah, but you kinda just get used to it." he shrugged.

she nodded.

"so, june was asking me to bring you to see her." charley explained, walking up to the culinary class on the right.

"oh? i haven't met her yet."

"yeah, she wants to meet you. wally said she baked you a cake." he smiled.

"really? is that her?" maddie pointed to the only girl in the classroom.

her back was facing them as finished cleaning off the counter.

her hair was tied back into a messy bun she had done earlier when she was baking but never took down.

"yep, go on in."

maddie nodded as charley walked off. she walked into the room and cleared her throat, capturing her attention.

juniper turned around. her wide blue eyes were pleasant and her bright smile was welcoming.

"hi, maddie. i'm june." she walked up to her and extended her hand.

maddie shook it as she said 'hello' back.

"oh, i'm not sure if wally told you but i baked you a cake." she walked over to the fridge and got her cake out, sitting it on the table.

"oh, wow. that's really nice."

"it's the least i could do. you want a slice?" she asked hopefully.

"i don't know..." she hesitated.

"oh, come on. please? it's not poisoned or spoiled or anything. i'll have a slice with you."

"sure, why not?"

june clapped her hands together happily before retrieving a knife, plates, and forks from the kitchen area.

"i didn't let wally stick his fingers in the batter so you don't have to worry about that." she winked, sitting down, making the two of them laugh.

june cut maddie a slice and delicately placed it on her plate.

she waited and watched as maddie took a bite.

"ok, that's really good. is it just vanilla and strawberries?" maddie chewed.

"yeah, vanilla cake with a vanilla buttercream. and the strawberry slices. kinda basic but always a safe bet since i didn't know what kind cake you liked." she smiled.

"yeah, no, this is so good."

"i'm so happy that you like it. look, maddie, i know this is crazy. i know it's a lot to get used to. i know you're upset and all that, i get it. but i just want to let you know that im here for you. even though you just met me, im here. so is everyone else. we wanna help."

"thank you, june. it really means a lot. can i ask you something?"

"anything."

"how'd you die?"

june sighed and looked down for a second.

"i was poisoned." she stated.

"oh, that's awful-" maddie was cut of by june who lifted her finger up.

"but not exactly the way you think." juniper explained.

"i don't understand..." maddie's eyebrows furrowed.

"then, let me explain it to you."