Higher Stakes [Strings: Part 1]

Chapter 21: Cupcake Love

“Demi.” The door was wide opened and Dallas, her sister, stood there informing her, “Bradley’s downstairs.”

“He is?” Demi replied, her hope was up. “Um… I’ll be down in a bit.”

“Don’t keep Romeo waiting.” Dallas winked and left the room. Immediately, Demi was rushing around the room. Dashing to the mirror, she looked at her hair. She gives it a quick fix combing it down. Should I put on some lip-gloss? She thought. But she doesn’t want to look desperate. She applied a little onto her lips.

Demi turned from the mirror. Sighing. She rushes out of the room.

In the living room sitting down by the fireplace, Bradley was sporting casual attire with dark blue shirt, a pair of black jeans, converse sneakers and a graded Ray Ban glasses. He was staring at the unlighted fireplace.  

Scratching his head and stared at the fireplace some more, he didn’t notice Demi walking in and sat by him. “How’s your neck?” Instantly, she sensed him smirking. Bradley turned facing her peering through his big thick framed glasses and smirked a little.

“Alive…” he said. This look on his face made her blushed, making her hope soaring high than before. He casually pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose eventually had her hand in his. “Sorry about last night… me walking out like that… had too much on my mind… do forgive me, love.”

She smiled. One arm around his with their hands still intertwined, Demi expressed, “No need for that. Just pretend yesterday didn’t happen at all.” She leaned her chin on his arm, gazing at him and his cute dimples.

Its 3 in the afternoon, the girls were now upstairs. However, the pool was not empty yet. By the clear blue water, on two lounge seats sitting opposite each other with a jingle of a mellow guitar plucking; Demi was playing a tune while Bradley watched her, smiling. Glances from her guitar to the boy in front of her; she saw the light shining in his eyes. The same sweet smile painted across his face once again. The same smile that made her intoxicates. Demi was dazed for a second because of that but quickly plucking the next chords.

“So now you see… Why I'm scared, I can’t open up my heart without a care…” she sang, gazing at him. “But here I go. It’s what I feel… And for the first time in my life I know it’s real…” She stopped for second and shut her eyes.

With anticipation, Bradley stood there with his hands balled up against his knee waiting for the verse part of the song. She was smirking, “But you’re so hypnotizing, You’ve got me laughing while I sing, You’ve got me smiling in my sleep—“ Demi looked at him,  startling him with the sudden guitar strumming. “And I can see this unraveling… and your love is where I’m falling… so please don’t catch me!”

“And if this is love please don’t break me!” One more strum to end it all. She slowly exhaled, “I’m giving up… so just… catch me…” Curtain call. She bowed.

Bradley clapped his hands and said, “That was bloody brilliant!” His English roots started to show. “I mean insanely brilliant.” She chuckled. “Seriously…”

Demi put her guitar down and watched him showering her with compliments. “You wrote it right?” he asked. She nodded. “No wonder, written by a true genius.”

“Do you always compliments a girl on anything they do?” she asked. He shrugged.

“I don’t know,” he began, “It depends I guess, maybe… Now-“ Picking up one cupcake from a paper box next to him, he scooped the icing with his finger and tasted it. “You got to try this. Mum’s been making them since this morning. A supposed Free Cupcake Day at the restaurant driving the customers’ nuts.” He passed her one. “Give it try, Dems.”

She eyed him. Taking the cupcake, she noticed the strawberry icing. She tasted it. “Oh wow… your mom’s good at this.” Feeling the amazing sense in her mouth, she took another bite.

“Glad you like em.” He smiled, helping himself with his vanilla icing cupcake. “So listen… I was wondering maybe we could-“ Demi was chuckling as she eat hers. “Well, uh, maybe… we could-“she was still laughing and Bradley couldn’t seem to figure what’s so funny. “Wow, mum isn’t kidding about that Laugh powder she put in the cupcake batch…”

Swallowing the bits in her mouth, she quickly took a sip of water and managed, “That’s not why I’m laughing.” He looked at her, confused.

“What is it?” He was so oblivious to the simplest fact. There was a smudge of vanilla icing on the tip of his nose.

“Wipe your nose,” Demi told, holding her middle trying hard not to laugh. But how couldn’t she? He was too adorable not to laugh at. Trying to keep her eyes open, she tries her best restraining. Of course, she doesn’t want to miss the exciting bit.

Bradley reached up and tried to wipe his face. But with the cupcake still clingy on his palm, he could have his face all covered with vanilla if he keeps this up. A trail of vanilla formed on his face instead. “Tell me I got it.”

She chuckled. “No… No you didn’t…”

“Oh God…” he expressed, chuckling too.

“Okay…” Wiping a small tear of laughter off her eye, Demi moved forward and sat on the opposite lounge chair with him. She grabbed the cupcake, “Let get this cupcake away from you for now…”

“This is one of the reasons why I don’t get along with cupcakes,” he expressed. “They delicious but I think they have a mission to make me look bad.”

“You couldn’t blame on a harmless cupcake.” She said. “They are only innocent on making themselves super delicious and good enough to eat. Now, hold still…”Napkin in hand, she slowly wipes the icing off his cheek. “Don’t move…” she smiled serenely.

She took off his glasses without any resistance from him and proceeded to his nose. Inside the house, staring out the window, Dallas was peeping on them; a goofy smile was on her face the whole time. As she was wiping his nose, she looked up to his deep coffee brown eyes. It was clear that she could see her reflection but all she could see was him. She blinked. She wasn’t aware that her mouth was slightly open. “You have such beautiful eyes.” She said. Bradley looked back and chuckled.

“Did I say that out loud?” she added, trying not to be awkward. She decided to laugh it out. “Ha Ha Ha haaa.” That was just making it more awkward. She needs to look away but he reeled her back it.

They sat there closer than ever, their pair of brown eyes gazing one another, a deafening quiet hanging in the air. This is so nice. Slowly, Demi pitched forward and pressed her lips against his, locking them for a short moment. There’s still soft taste of vanilla. Thank you Mrs. Watson’s cupcakes.

Author's Note:

Read and review folks. Can they get any cuter???? LOL <3