You Are the Shell to My Tortoise | ✓

35

"Seriously, I'm starving," Derek said, glancing around.

"We worked up a good sweat," Melissa said.

A sweet, mouth-watering aroma that I'd noticed wafting through the air a while ago became increasingly noticeable as we strolled through the mall. It smelled like bakery goods fresh from the oven, which only made my stomach growl harder. I sniffed deeply, wondering where it was coming from.

"Do you guys smell that?"

"That sweet pastry deliciousness? Of course," Melissa said almost dreamily, putting her hands to her face. "I'm really craving apple pie right now."

"It sure smells like it, doesn't it?" I agreed, trying to look for its source.

"It's making me even hungrier," Derek said, sighing.

Ashley pointed to the left, at the other side of the mall. "Isn't it coming from there?"

We all looked at where she was pointing. At first all I saw were the usual smoothie and beverage stores, but then I finally noticed a store with a cute mini blue-and-white striped awning over its doorway I'd never seen before. There was a large display window right beside it, with various pastries mounted behind it. In glossy, silver cursive lettering over the pastel-colored awning were the words Apples On Pastries.

"That's new ... right?" I said, squinting at it.

"If that congratulatory flower stand is any indication, yes," Melissa said. "Great, let's go. I bet they have apple pies."

I was already starting to drool.

We began making our way towards it, dodging a squealing little girl who was running away from another little girl.

"Do you think they sell churros?" Derek said.

"Probably not," Ashley said. "We can go get your churros after this if they don't, though."

"Every second that passes, my need for churros grows stronger," he said, and Melissa laughed.

"Welcome to Apples On Pastries!" the girl behind the counter said when we entered the shop.

She looked like she was around our age.

The shop was fairly small on the inside, but the walls were lined with a few rows of pastries kept behind glass drawers. There was a single door on the wall next to where the payment counter ended. There was a Staff Only silver plaque on it, and it was left slightly ajar. Being in the shop already ensconced me in delicious pastry scents mingled together, but there was a distinctly warmer aroma coming from behind that door.

Taking another deep breath, I sighed contentedly. They should've opened up here sooner! I couldn't even remember what shop used to be here before they took over.

Along with Melissa, I examined the large selection of pastries that were on display.

There was an entire glass drawer for apple pie slices, which had latticed top crusts. Other than that, there were blueberry pies and tarts, blackberry tarts, pear tarts, croissants and Danishes with different fruit fillings ...

"They all look so good," I said, trying to keep from salivating.

We'd made a full round of the shop, and now we were now ogling the front counter display of whole pies and tarts.

"I can't decide," Melissa said. "Should I get a croissant or a Danish? Or maybe an apple pie?"

I had my eye on the blueberry tart, but the peach Danish looked really appetizing, too.