Comfort Zone

Apparently I'm Quite the Conundrum

"That's why you couldn't bring snacks?" I ask, not really understanding the big deal.

"Oh my gosh, you don't even care," she shouts before proceeding to hold her hand to her forehead dramatically and fall backwards onto my bed.

Drama queen much?

"Alright, alright. I'm listening, what else did he say?"

She quickly pops back up, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

"He asked me all these questions like why everyone says you're shy and whether or not you're mad at him," she wiggles her eyebrows.

My stomach does a little flip when she says this, which surprises me.

No stomach, bad stomach, I tell myself sternly.

"Vi, that doesn't mean he's in love with me," I say.

"No, but it does mean he likes you. Even you can't deny that."

"Maybe he wants to be friends," I suggest.

"Ugg, Henley Elizabeth Baker, you are hopeless," she complains, exasperatedly.

"Whatever," I grin. "Did we win the game?" I ask in an attempt to try and get away from this conversation.

"Yes, of course, we won the game. It was against Argyle. We could beat them in our sleep," she replies in a bored tone.

Ok, so that didn't work.

"What do you wanna watch?" I ask while walking over to my collection of DVDs.

"Henley, come on. Talk to me. Aren't you at least a little bit curious?"

"Why is this so important to you?" I sigh.

"Because," she starts before pausing, trying to find the right words. "You're my best friend and I want you to be happy. And Ben makes me so happy. I just...I don't know. I want you to open up to someone else besides me. You're kind of awesome you know."

"Ya, I know," I tease.

She rolls her eyes at me but smiles slightly.

"Look, Vi, I am happy. I don't need some stupid boy for that. What you and Ben have is great and I hope to have that with someone someday. Just not right now, and certainly not with Rhett."

"Fine," she mutters quietly with a half-smile.

"Good," I say. "Now, which do you wanna watch? The Winter Soldier or Iron Man?" I ask while handing her the lemon square.

"Maybe I will keep you after all."

***********

Saturdays I always work at the bakery. My mom and Dad decided that it would be good for me and kind of forced me into it. I don't really mind, though. It's sort of fun. Most of the time Violet comes and works a shift too, but today she has a volleyball tournament.

On top of Violet being missing, I've also been assigned different task than usual.

I usually just help out in the kitchen and count inventory. But today, because the lady who normally runs it is out sick, I'm stuck working the cash register.

It's not that bad seeing as how the only customers to come in today were a group of nice, elderly ladies who were picking up a cake for one of the girls in their knitting clubs eightieth birthday. However, I'd still prefer to be back in the kitchen, sorting through ingredients with Violet, than be out here by myself.

I'm sitting quietly on a tall, wooden stool directly behind the counter, and reading a book when he comes in.

"Hey cupcake," he says in what I'm coming to realize is his characteristic, overconfident tone.