The Art of Finding Jasmine Rose Peters

11

"Is this how you talk to your father?" his mom asked He ignored the pain in his chest when his mom took Father's side. He should've been used to it by now.

Calvin's expression mirrored his father's. "He lost that right a long time ago!" he yelled, leaving for his room.

"Calvin! Come back here this instant," his father said.

"Calvin, sweetie, your father is talking."

He purposely closed his door with a loud bang. They could go to hell for all he cared. He had better things — like Hayden — to worry about.

***

Calvin spent the entire car ride to school thinking of ways to make it better with Hayden. She had finally accepted him as her partner but he had to ruin it by snooping around for her pills.

Eliza used to keep hers in the bathroom, too. He thought he might as well check since he was there already. The curiosity was killing him. It was a bad idea – a very bad one.

The guilt was overwhelming seeing as it wasn't a misunderstanding. He was purposely looking for them and had found them lying around. He was so stupid.

"We're here, young master," their old driver and his favourite, Bob, said, and he left the car. When his father was out of town, he drove himself around. But when comes back, Calvin was driven around. It would only lead to another argument if he refused.

The first thing Calvin did when he entered the school was ask Wren if she had seen Hayden. She hadn't. He tried looking around for her but couldn't find her until the bell rang and he had to leave for class.

She wasn't in his class or any of the other classes he had before lunchtime, which was why he was willing to sacrifice his lunch to find her and explain himself.

He couldn't even eat his beloved tater tots as he waited nervously for her to show up, which she didn't. When he asked Wren, she said she wasn't sure. She couldn't possibly be avoiding him.

When, after two days, she still wasn't acknowledging his presence, Calvin knew he fucked up bad. There had to be something he could do. He tried to see where she was going to eat her lunch the day before, but she blended with a group of people and disappeared before he knew it.

With three days of the same treatment, Calvin knew he had to take matters into his own hands. She was ignoring him in Creative Arts class for God's sake, after he had literally begged her to forgive him.

He wasn't going to give up.

***

It was a chilly afternoon when Calvin walked into Cakes & Coffees. It smelled like vanilla and coffee. He found a table for two and sat down.

"Hello, may I take your order?"

"Lyra?" Calvin asked. He could recognize her freckles anywhere. She was Hayden's roommate and friend. She could help him.

She grinned. "You remembered. Calvin, right?"

"Yeah." He smiled back, returning to the menu in front of him. "So, what do you recommend?"

"If you love pumpkin and cake, this week's special is Mr. Brown's special handmade pumpkin cake. Or our bestseller, the apple pie."

Wren had told him Hayden worked in the kitchen, so he couldn't help but ask, "What does Hayden make?"

Lyra was fighting back a sequel as she answered. "She makes the apple pie, chocolate chip cookies and the Shepherd's pie."

"I'll have the apple pie. With some hot chocolate, please."

"How many slices?" she asked, noting down his order.

"Two."

"Coming right up." She wrote it down on her notepad. "Would you like anything else?" she asked.

"About that, do you think you can maybe talk to Hayden for me, please? Tell her to please give me a chance to explain myself."

"Should I even ask?" Lyra smiled knowingly.

"I fucked up real bad. Just please talk to her," he pleaded, sincerity lacing his voice.

"Don't worry. I got your back."

It took around ten minutes before Lyra came back with his food and a small apologetic smile on her face. "She said she doesn't want to talk to you. I'm sorry. I tried my best," she explained.

He didn't feel like eating the pie anymore but he smiled nonetheless as Lyra dropped his order on the table. The other pie was meant for Hayden to eat. He thought she would agree to listen to him.

"No, it's not your fault. I understand. Thanks, Lyra," he said.

"Anytime, kid." She patted his back lightly before she left to take another order. The simple gesture reminded him of Eliza.

But he still had to get Hayden to forgive him. He owed the two of them that much.