I ran down the streets and past all the buildings, picking up momentum as I prayed that all the boxes in my hands wouldn't fall and hit the ground. The wagon I was pulling was jumping over sidewalk cracks and potholes. The wheels of the wagon were still slightly sticky from its previous use. I needed to get to my destination in three minutes or I was going to be late. And I hate being late.
There isn't a clear reason as to why I am late. Maybe it was because of the last few customers I had to serve. Maybe it was because I wasn't gonna leave the last pastry baking in the oven to Jasmin after what happened last time she was in charge of baking. Or maybe it was because I totally forgot that I had this event to go to until this morning. Either way, I was running as fast as my short legs could. My blond ponytail bounces against my back in the brisk end of January weather. I see the New York Convention Center in front of me and somehow manage to walk even faster without tripping.
I finally get to the door of the building and breathe a sigh of relief. On the doors is banner that says "National Baking and Sweets Show". Around the frame of the doors are many pastel colored streamers and balloons weaved in an intricate design. From the outside of the building, I could faintly hear bubblegum pop music.
Readjusting my hold on the boxes and gripping the handle of the wagon tighter, I take a deep breathe and proceed through the double doors slowly.
Once inside, I am greeted with constant stream of talking noise and loud music. There is also a strong scent of sugar and vanilla wafting up my nose and around the room. The room is so large that I can't even see the end of the the expo hall. All around the walls are booths set up with different bakeries of the nation, the name of their shop hanging above them. Each booth had a wide variety of pastries as well as flyers and business cards scattered throughout. In the middle aisle of the room are clusters of tables decorated with balloons and confetti in the same pastel colors as outside. The programs of the event are also stacked in the middle of each table. As opposed to the individual shops taking booths along the walls, different stands were set up sporadically around the middle aisle of the hall. These stands were for baking classes and things of the like. Upstairs, I knew, is room for what is going to be a few panels about going to culinary school, starting your own bakery, and finding creative baking techniques. Since it is my first year attending the convention, I wasn't going to even attempt to venture into trying to get on a panel.
A lot of people still had boxes out in setup. The actual show does not start for about another 30 minutes. That gives me only 20 minutes to find an empty booth, set up, and look like I've been doing this for years despite it being my first time actually participating in the show.
I start to get discouraged when I see that there are no empty booths for me to use towards the front of the expo hall. Eventually, I find two empty booths and set up in one.
In my wagon is a rolled up banner with "Bonnie's Bakery" on it with the logo of the bakery. There are already hooks on it so it is relatively easy for me to hang it up on the wooden slat at the top of the booth with my short stature. There are bottles of glitter and unblown balloons and rolls of streamers in the wagon too. I quickly go through all the stuff in my wagon and my booth looks great in just seven minutes.
I stand behind the booth, ready to spread out my most popular pastries. For the convention, I made lemon tarts, macaroons, banana bread, and brownies. For the main plate, I made three giant carrot cakes. When I was making them, Jasmin kept licking the batter, slowing the process down. I eventually made it and it looked delicious. It takes everything I have to not eat a slice as I'm cutting it up.
As I'm finishing cutting up the second carrot cake, I hear a ding nearby and look up. A few feet, elevator doors open and a large cart overflowing with boxes rolls out. The cart is too tall for me to figure out who is behind it pushing the cart toward my booth. I continue to cut the carrot cake, not really caring about who was going to set up next to me.
I'm starting to cut the third and last carrot cake when the cart arrives at the booth next to me. I don't know who I was expecting but I didn't expect Luis to pop out from behind the cart with his Sugar Rush uniform on and an excited smile on his face.
"Buenos dias carino!"
In hindsight, I should have expected him to be at the convention. Sugar Rush had a high enough star rating to be considered. I think what surprised me is that he came in later than me and found himself a booth right next to me.
Ignoring him, I continue to cut up the carrot cake. Luis starts unpacking the boxes on his cart in a quick manner. After bidding me good morning, he didn't make another move at conversation. Or so I thought.
"How funny is it that we're set up right next to each other at our first National Baking and Sweets Show?" he comments lightly as he starts to decorate his booth. All of his streamers and balloons are various shades of orange. He sets out plates and napkins with the Sugar Rush logo on it and I curse myself for not thinking of doing something like that. Suddenly, I want to hide my powder blue napkins and white plates away from his sight.
"It's not that funny. It's merely an inconvenience and an annoyance" I don't tell him that his arrival to the booth next to me puts me on edge. I'm at the National Baking and Sweets Show because I want it to be a chance for me to shine. After being in business for about six months, my bakery was steadily rising to the top. Doing well at this convention will give me a jumpstart on being featured on best rated lists. Getting on best rated lists was only the start of my future. I didn't need Luis and Sugar Rush to distract my goal. But Luis doesn't need to know all that. I'm perfectly fine with letting him think I just hate his guts. Although, he seems not to be getting the hint.
"I do hope you know I try my very best not to be an annoyance," Luis states with faux sincerity. I just roll my eyes. "I'm just here to have fun and eat sweets." Luis finishes decorating his booth and I can't help but think it looks slightly better than mine. Slightly more professional. But I try not to care.
Luis then starts to pull out the baked goods he brought and puts them on display. He has brought cupcakes with bright icing, donuts of different kinds, and of course, his infamous sprinkled cake pops.
While he finishes setting up, I sit down behind my booth on the tall stool the convention center provided for each booth. I pull out my phone to see that the time is five minutes before the convention is about to start. I remind myself that I'm calm and know what I'm doing.
Overhead, the bubbly pop music stops playing and I hear an announcer voice. Standing up, I wipe my hands down my legs and listen.
"Attention all bakers, the doors will be opening in five minutes. Attention all bakers, the doors will be opening in five minutes. Please see any specific instructions in locations specified 'FOR BAKERS ONLY'. Thank you."
I stay standing behind my booth and take long breaths. If I think too much about it, I'll psyche myself out.
Luis leaves from behind his booth and stands in front of mine. His arms lean on the open surface there is left. Even leaning, he still is several inches taller than me so he remains grinning down at me.
"I don't know if anyone will tell you this but I'd like to remind you to have fun."
I raise an eyebrow at him. There are a few things I want to reply back. Most of them along the caliber of "What the fuck are you on about?" However, I settle with a simple, "Why?"
"You seem tense, is all. You need to remember that we're all here for one thing: our love of everything sugary. So, enjoy that." He grins, sincerity reaching his eyes. Maybe not sincerity because that would make no sense. He conveys whatever emotion makes eyes crinkle and your face go soft.
"Whatever," I reply, crossing my arms over my chest and looking away from him, hoping he couldn't see the rising blush that was taking over my face.
He chuckles and stands up from his leaning position. Before I can react, he takes a slice of carrot cake and shoves it in his mouth. Damn him.
° ° °
Of course Luis is doing this, of course. He just has to have this alluring charm about him that makes all the girls cling onto his every word. Luis isn't even that attractive. Sure he has that slight stubble that doesn't look unkempt like it would on most other men. Sure his chest and shoulders are broad enough that they burst out of every shirt he wears. And sure his accent makes you want to melt. But that doesn't equate to attractiveness. And yet, his looks bring enough customers to his booth. Girls of every age flock to his booth and loiter around just staring at him. It even goes as far as trying to eat the cake pops he offers seductively. I want to carve my eyes out and soak them in a bowl of my own vomit. It's that bad.
Most of the customers stop by my booth afterwards and enjoy everything I have to offer them. But some are a little rude and leave right after they've finished with Luis and the Sugar Rush booth, completely ignoring any attempts I make to talk to them. It's completely infuriating.
After a flock of giggling teenage girls leave Sugar Rush's booth (and ignore mine completely - though one girl is nice enough to pity me and grab a macaroon), I stomp out and stand in front of Luis's booth cross armed.
"What do you think you're doing?" I demand, knowing I won't get a reasonable answer. It also does little to satisfy my anger.
"Um, helping convention attendees?"
"You know, all of them are only coming for your looks. They don't care about Sugar Rush at all." Before I said it, I hoped my voice would carry a rude connotation. Unfortunately, I just sounded like a whiny elementary schooler.
Luis caught on and grinned. "Guess I'll just have to use that asset and try to bring them to the bakery." He winks at me and brings out more baked goods from his cart behind the booth.
I go back to my booth and pull out my laptop. I quickly set up a service to send upcoming convention attendees redeemable bakery vouchers. If we're just trying to get people into our respective bakeries, well, two people can play at that game.
I grab a piece of paper and in my best handwriting and art skills, I write "PROMOTIONAL SALE VOUCHERS! GRAB NOW, REDEEM LATER!" I hang the paper on the booth where passersby can easily see.
In the next couple of hours when more customers stop by my booth, Luis finally notes what I'm doing. He scowls at me and tries really hard to bring customers his way. It's like he upped the charm by 70% and it's working. In just a few hours, we both have the same amount of customers coming to our booths.
Luis is wearing himself out my constantly chatting up customers in an appealing way while I'm frantically trying to organize names in the raffle basket I've just started up.
We enter the last third of the day at the convention center and the amount of people start to slow down. My head is starting to hurt and the loud music overhead isn't helping. I can see that Luis is tired too because his conversations are getting shorter. He's resorted to walking around the immediate vicinity with a platter of cupcakes so as to not fall asleep.
I'm finishing up with a customer when Luis comes over and leans on my booth again. This time, he drops the platter and a few stray cupcakes slide off and fall on my shirt, smudging icing all over my chest. We both gasp at the same time and Luis makes the dumb move of snickering.
"I didn't think you loved my cakes that much. But I guess you can have those."
I look down at my shirt in disgust and glare at him in incredulity. Is he serious right now?
Maybe it's the delirium acting or maybe it's because in the back of my mind, I've kind of wanted to do this, but I grab a cupcake of his and smash it in his face.
"You know what they say," I smirk, grab the icing from my shirt and smear it on his shoulders. "You can't have your cake and eat it too."
° ° °