the art of phone numbers
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"Dearly detested, I am writing to you today to inform you of my request for leave. The request for leave begins every Wednesday morning until noon. Reason given: So I don't get arrested due to being in the presence of a stuck up bitch whose negative energy kills my vibe."
"Hendrix, if you requested leave every time someone tried to 'kill your vibe', you'd never leave the house."
She hummed, contemplating my words before nodding. "That's true but if I see Karen ever again I'm pulling her extensions out."
Sighing, I placed the piping bag down as I levelled Hendrix with a stare. The cupcakes I was icing needed to be finished within the hour so we could put them out in time for lunch. "What'd she say this time?"
"Told me my hair looked like a cartoon character had repeatedly vomited on me and asked if I crushed the avocado on my head myself or had assistance." She relayed without hesitation, luckily sounding the least bit offended. It wasn't the worst she'd ever said to her, so it was tolerable, but I could still picture Hendrix's facial expression perfectly.
"I mean, is she wrong?" I joked. Hendrix sent me a mock scowl before I continued, "I'll see if Isaiah or Bodhi can work the morning shift from now on, but it'll depend."
Bodhi and Isaiah are Sacha's best friends. They're both in a band with him; Isaiah plays drums and Bodhi plays rhythm guitar and sings. Fallen Temple had been a thing since pretty much the moment they met.
They'd both been working here over the past few months, trying to earn some extra money for the band stuff and for their families. They were practically part of the group at this point.
"Sacha said they're playing at some indie café this weekend if you're up for it." I offered, "He's really excited."
"Tell him I expect all the songs to be dedicated to me." She said completely seriously, "If he doesn't dedicate a love song to me, I'm disowning him."
"Last time he did that, you threw your drink on him."
"Because he dedicated a cover of Rock Me by One Direction to me! Do I want a song about having sex dedicated to me? No." She exclaimed, barging over to the door so she could go back into the front of the bakery. "Cute love songs only, please."
"I'll get him to do You Belong With Me next then?"
"Dude, I know you're joking but I would marry Taylor so I'd love that." Hendrix called out, now out of sight as I started icing again.
Jem had bought us tickets to see Taylor Swift a few years ago and it was the best night of my life, without a doubt. The vocals, the songs, the vibes.
What a Queen.
My mind flicked back to the next concert we'd be going to, which would be Taylor Swift again if Hendrix and I had our way.
This time we'd most likely be joined by Sacha and Aaliyah, maybe Isaiah and Bodhi too. I considered whether Kareem would ever be interested in going to a concert with us, with me, before immediately shutting my thought process down.
Given the discussion with Jem a few days ago, I'd been trying to think of Kareem less. I'd seen him once or twice since, though he had come in at quite busy times so we didn't get the chance to chat much. I was a bit more hesitant in engaging in discussions with him now, following Jem's warning and my own anxieties. Jem was right when they mentioned the risk - was I really going to risk going through all of that pain again? Especially for some dumb infatuation?
I had absolutely no idea if he had found me as attractive as I found him, or if he was even gay. Never mind his attitudes towards asexual people or sex or even relationships in general. I barely knew him.
But he's so pretty.
"What the fuck, Cley." I whispered to myself, shaking my head. I finished piping the last cupcake before beginning to place them onto the transfer racks. "You don't even know him! You do not like him! Get these thoughts out of your mind."
It was the tattoos. It had to be the tattoos. That must be why I was so attracted to him. I couldn't explain anything else.
Is this what a day in the life of Hendrix and Aaliyah is like? Ugh.
By the time I'd placed all of the cupcakes in their designated stands, it was time to begin the evening pastry batch. It took me a few hours to perfect the confectionaries but they were done in time so I was able to help Hendrix with the customers before going back to clean the kitchen up.
It wasn't often that we both closed the place together, given our personal timetables. Hendrix was an artist in her spare time and often showcased her work at any galleries that she could, while I tended to write songs with Sacha. Sacha was determined to make it big, more so than anything, and I admired his resilience above all else.
We'd booked for Fallen Temple to play a few nights here in the late Summer, as an official ticket based night too. Hendrix was very excited to be able to 'drink on the job', while I just couldn't wait to witness my brother in his element, singing our songs with his best friends.
"Saint Nick!"
Groaning to myself, I finished placing the equipment that I'd used into the dishwater before following Hendrix's shout. When I reached the front room, my eyes fell onto the green-haired demon talking to a God.
Well, maybe that was a little dramatic.
Kareem appeared to have changed out of his usual dark ensemble and replaced it with a lighter option. He was wearing a lilac sweater with black, baggy jeans. It shouldn't be legal for anybody to look that good. He looked so soft, with smooth brown skin and silky hair that made me just want to reach out and touch it.
Sending him a timid smile, I watched in awe as his face seemed to light up. He grinned at me, bottom lip between his front teeth as he sent me a small wave.
"Apparently, my cupcakes are in demand today."
"Oh?" Eyebrows raised, I turned to Hendrix, who was looking up at me innocently. "Your cupcakes?"
"Yes, Kazza wants half a dozen." She smiled sweetly at me, the persona of innocence.
"I'm sure you know where you can find my cupcakes to hand to our customer," I emphasised, rising to her bait as she started laughing.
"Oh darling, I don't think you've realized how this works." She tutted, before petting my shoulder deliriously. "If they taste good, I take the credit. Why do you think none of the old people praise your cooking anymore?"
I froze, having noticed a shift in conversation with some of our most regular customers. "You're joking."
"Afraid not, Sweetie." She giggled, "Now I'll go find a box that I can put my cupcakes in while you wait here." She sauntered away, but not without sending me a very dramatic grin first.
I blinked at her retreating form, before turning back to Kareem. "I hate her."
He giggled, a soft sound that was barely audible. His sweater extended well below his arms, giving him the most adorable sweater paws that he'd wrapped his hands in. "She's definitely one in a million."
"I'd fuckin' hope so." I muttered, "I don't think I'd survive a world with two of her in it."
"Hey!" He exclaimed, still laughing. "Don't be mean."
"Can honesty really be classed as mean?" I deadpanned sarcastically, "It's not a lie."
"Did I come in too late?" He asked, almost sheepishly. "I took King to the park and I lost track of time."
"No, it's fine. We usually start cleaning up around twenty minutes before shutting, which is why most of the stands are empty." I informed him, "Which cupcakes do you want?"
"Whatever's good."
"Right here's the box." Hendrix announced her presence loudly, placing the box onto the mantlepiece before shuffling out of the front stand and towards the door. "I'm getting pizza."
Rolling my eyes, I picked out six cupcakes and packaged them for Kareem, before taking his money and handing him back the excess.
"How long does clean up usually take?"
"About half an hour?" I guessed, pulling out the sanitiser from the cupboard. "Hendrix always makes an excuse to get out of it, hence the pizza, so it depends."
"What do you need to do?"
"Clean, pack up the food and make sure the money is ready to be taken to the bank."
"I'll help." He offered, placing his cupcakes onto an empty chair and pulling his sweater sleeves up to his elbows.
"No!" I protested gently, "It's fine, trust me. Drix will help once she's back."
"It's fine," He laughed, shaking his head at my obvious guilt for letting him help. "I want to help."
Smiling to myself softly, I just nodded my head and collected the boxes.
By the time Hendrix came back with pizzas, I'd managed to clean the display cases and package all the excess food so Hendrix could take it to a homeless shelter on her way home.
Despite my complaints, Kareem joined in with the cleaning process so, naturally, he was offered some pizza to compensate for his work. Usually if we were working late, which tended to happen often during summer, Sacha would turn up with the band and play some songs for the remaining customers, hoping that a music producer or something like that would be sat in the bakery just waiting to give them their big break, but he hadn't shown up today, having texted me about having to finish some chords for a new song we'd written.
"I really don't understand how you don't eat all you have left over." Kareem repeated for the hundredth time since I'd officially closed the shop. I just rolled my eyes, not finding him half as funny as he found himself.
"Rule one of being in the business, don't try the products."
"For some reason, I feel like that's inclined towards the drug business and not confectionaries." Kareem rebutted almost immediately, leaning against the mantle piece that I had just cleaned as Hendrix left two pizza boxes on one of the tables and excused herself in the back, all while informing us to 'not have too much fun'.
"Business is business." I mumbled, already pulling a slice of pizza out and devouring it before I could hear his response. Kareem just laughed before following my actions, engaging in his own pizza-loving party.
"I've kind of gathered that pizza is your thing?"
"Is it obvious?" I deadpanned, shaking my head. "Hendrix and Sacha have eating competitions pretty much every week. It's exhausting."
"And yet you still eat it?"
Hearing the judgement in his voice, my eyes practically bulged out of my sockets as I fired back. "Stop judging my life choices!"
Around ten minutes later, Kareem said his goodbyes. I walked him out of the door, locking up so I could head home soon too.
While picking up the pizza boxes we'd left on the side, I noticed a small white card lay under Kareem's box. I realized instantly that it was one of Dexter's complementary business cards, I turned it over to reveal the handwritten words on the back.
if you want to get a drink (non-alcoholic, of course) sometime, feel free to text me
+ XXX-XXX-XXXX
- K :)
So...Kareem's not straight.
Despite the cringeworthy gesture of giving someone your number in that manner, I couldn't fight off the grin that decorated my face.
Tucking the card into my pocket, with the promise to add it to my contacts later, I finished up the rest of the cleaning.
I texted him the moment I got home, calling a quick hello to Sacha before heading into my bedroom.
you know if you wanted my number, you could've just asked for it
It took thirty seconds for my phone to start ringing with an incoming Facetime call. I accepted it, rolling out of bed and running my fingers through my hair in a pathetic attempt to look somewhat presentable.
"Bit enthusiastic, aren't you?" Kareem said immediately, the camera showing his face and long neck. He looked like he was leaning on a headboard, fingers running through his messy hair.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Who gave their number again?" Cocking my head to the side mockingly, I raised my eyebrows. Kareem just laughed, head resting against the black board and exposing the skin on his neck.
"Fair point," He continued chuckling, "So is this you saying yeah?"
"I think it is," I attempted to bite back my smile as butterflies coursed through my stomach, "What would you have done if I ignored it?"
"Moved to California," He said completely seriously, before waiting a few moments and laughing at himself again. "I'm joking, I probably just would've avoided the bakery and green-haired females for the rest of my life."
"She got told today it looked like she'd crushed an avocado on her head."
Kareem stared at me through the camera with wide eyes, before realizing that I was being completely serious and dissolving into a wave of laughs.
"Fuck!" He exclaimed through one of his laughs. Even his laugh was hot. "God, I bet she loved that."
"More than anything," I said, "So I was thinking maybe we should go out for brunch or something? I know you said go for a drink, but you don't drink so I don't really want to make you uncomfortable."
His face softened, "It doesn't make it uncomfortable but thank you for thinking about that. Brunch is good with me."
"Cool," I replied, attempting to pathetically contain my accumulating excitement. Hendrix was going to flip when I told her. "When?"
"Tomorrow?" He offered, before rushing to continue. "Or not. Whatever's best for you."
"Tomorrow." I agreed, lips tugging up as his eyes widened. "Text me when and where you want to go in the morning. See you then?"
"For sure."
We hung up, sending a few more texts throughout the night before I settled onto my side, phone halfway across the room as I charged it.
I felt like a fifteen year old going out on their first date at the anticipation shimmering across my body. My stomach felt like I was doing somersaults or on a roller coaster.
It all felt so quick but so right at the same time. I couldn't wait to see where we would go from here.
A/N
the lack of drama is so hard to write about
i really wanted a soft falling in love book, a contrast to absolutely everything else i've ever wrote
i hope you enjoyed reading this chapter, and thank you.
feel free to comment your thoughts!
lots of love,
A