eighteen - emery

the art of emery (we don't like him)

- - -

"I need this cake to be baked on the morning of my Wedding. Not the day before, not the week before; on the day. It needs to be fresh. I'm not paying you for stale crust."

"I can assure you," I started off, taking a calm breath in through my nose. My customer-regulated smile didn't falter, despite my sudden urge to throw my pen at her. "I cook all of my products on the day of sale. Your cake will be baked on the day you give me for your wedding, and be available to pick up at your requested time.'' Gripping my pen, I pulled my notebook closer to me on the table and gestured towards the half-eaten cake samples. "Have you decided which type of cake you'd prefer for each layer?"

As usual, for any Wedding briefing, I'd prepared around ten different samples with the information that had been given to me regarding dietary requirements and preference. I'd also constructed a variety of frostings, the colorful smears stark against the scattered cake crumbs on the white plate.

"I think we'll go with the salted caramel for later one, chocolate and raspberry for layer two, and then red velvet for my top."

I nodded, ticking off the relevant boxes on my page. "That's completely fine. Do you have a frosting preference and are there any other dietary or allergy requirements that I need to be aware of?"

"My fiancé's diet is strictly halal, so we won't be able to have any gelatin based products in our purchases. My sister also has celiac disease so everything needs to be gluten free."

"Gluten free isn't an issue." I said, swallowing. I was more than happy to accommodate any dietary requirements but her condescending tone was stressful. "In terms of gelatin, I don't tend to use any gelatin based products. In the case that I may need too, however, will vegan gelatin be sufficient? I am aware that it is halal."

"Vegan?" She spat out the word as if it physically harmed her. "We are not vegans."

Deep breathes. My smile twitched to remain on my face. "The gelatin is made from vegetable produce, rather than pork or meat based ingredients. If you'd prefer, I could use gelatin that is produced from either cattle or fish."

"Cattle then," Her chest huffed up and down, "And cream cheese frosting seems to be the only suitable option."

Thank God Hendrix isn't here.

I bit down a comment about how the bride had chosen three very different options for her cake, which all had different complementary frostings.

"No problem. Is there anything else?" I smiled and replied calmly. "One of my employees will help you out front with the deposit and I will be in contact within the next two weeks with sketches for you to choose from."

"Dusty pink roses on the top layer, followed by cake toppers that I've already given you. I assume these will be present in the sketches?"

"Of course," Please leave. "I'll have them for you as soon as possible."

Guiding them out from the back conference room, I brought them over to the counter where the silent groom-to-be spoke to Bodhi about the payment.

"Why on God's earth do you have green walls?" A laugh of disbelief puffed out of the bride's lips as she stared at the pastel incredulously. Just as she started rambling about recommending an interior decorator, I watched Hendrix emerge from the kitchen.

She didn't even hesitate before storming over, "I'll have you kno-"

The woman blanched when she saw Hendrix's very purple hair, and instantly shut her mouth.

My smile widened, authentic. "I'll see you out. It was lovely to meet you."

Hendrix's frown was prominent as I headed towards one of our booths. The bakery was basically deserted at this point, so Hendrix walked around the counter and joined me. "I hate her already."

"Try staying in a room with her for an hour," I huffed, "She picked the worst layers for a wedding cake combination."

"It should be illegal to try and ruin cake." She said with a shudder, top lip curling up. "It makes me so sad."

"You literally live with Jem - you can't talk about food travesties." Hendrix had decided to go back to her apartment around three days ago, meaning Sacha had moved back in. "

"Just because you don't like peanut butter and bananas doesn't mean it's bad!"

"I politely disagree."

She rolled her eyes at me. "Did you know Jem sleeps all the time? Like they're so boring. I wanted to watch The Incredibles the other day and they said they'd watch it with me, ten minutes in and already asleep. I swear it's a talent. Have they always been like that? Imagine being that child who falls asleep in the most random of places. I couldn't do that when I was younger, I think I must've been too hyperactive." She mused, pausing mid ramble. "At least that's what my Mom said. Also-"

"Hendrix-"

"Did you know that Sacha doesn't like frozen yogurt? I didn't know that but Jem has it all the time. They offered Sacha some and he fully acted as if they'd just asked him to shoot a puppy." She frowned, as if the idea of my brother not liking frozen yogurt genuinely bothered her. "Maybe he just hasn't tried the right flavour. We'll have to make him some. Oh! Maybe we could start selling some at the bakery during the summer, that'd be so nice-"

"Hendrix," I finally said loudly, effectively cutting her off. "What's going on? Really?"

Hendrix's mouth shut, giving in. Her eyes flickered, probably realizing that, despite her hyperactive tendencies, she doesn't typically talk so fast that you can barely process her words. Her head fell back against the cushioned booth, muttering. "Ali's getting her stuff today."

When Ali had admitted to Hendrix the truth about the cheating, she'd left without taking anything, claiming that she had enough at her new partner's house. They had only recently moved to an arrangement where Aaliyah stayed with Hendrix, given how often she worked away. It was only when the admission came that Hendrix realized that all those times spent away were spent with someone else. Hendrix had felt like the world was crashing down on her. Spending three years in an extremely happy and debatably healthy relationship, with the woman she wanted to spend the rest of her life with, to realize that it'd all been a lie was fucking hard. I knew she wanted to stay with her, to work it out despite everything. Naively, she thought once they saw each other again, it would be fixed. Aaliyah would remember that she was hopelessly in love and they'd live happily ever after. Hendrix could forgive her, and learn to trust again.

Unfortunately, life didn't tend to give us what we wanted.

It was probably one of the hardest things she'd ever done, grieving someone who was still very much alive, but Jem had been her rock through it all. We'd been having days together, where we just did things we enjoyed and tried to help the ache in Hendrix's heart fade.

After many nights of crying, of begging for things to be different, Hendrix had finally accepted that Aaliyah wasn't coming back.

"How do you feel?"

She shrugged, frowning as she looked down at her intertwined fingers. "Good, I guess? At least all the reminders will be gone but it makes it real. Once they're gone, she's gone. You know? I can't pretend that she's just gone to visit family, or away with work. She's gone and that's it. It's scary."

"That's good - means you're healing." I said with a soft, sad smile. "I know it's awful at first, and it feels like it'll never get any better but it does. Eventually."

Her eyes shut as she chuckled, "I need it to be better now."

"Do you want to go to the bar after this? Jem will be up for it." I offered, already writing out a text to them. "Maybe seeing a bunch of cute girls would make you feel better."

She hummed, pretending obviously to think over my proposal despite the fact she already knew her answer. "Perhaps that would work."

I raised an eyebrow, "Perhaps?"

Her shoulders relaxed as she shook her head. "Fine, let's do it."

"We can find you a-"

The bell above the door tinkled, effectively cutting me off. My eyebrows furrowed as my gaze landed on what the workman was carrying. Warmth shot up my neck, bleeding out to reach my cheeks as I bit at my lower lip.

"He's hot. Do you think-"

I stood up from the booth, ignoring Hendrix and instead approaching the man with confusion. My eyes stayed grilled on his hands  "Can I help you?"

"I have a delivery for a Mr Saint Clément. Sign here please."

This shut Hendrix up as her eyes nearly bulged out of the sockets. She punched my shoulder as I scribbled my signature on the delivery form. "Thank you."

The bright array of sunflowers were stark against the red roses. My hand reached out, fingertips dancing along the soft petals as I stared at them. I was so entranced in my own thoughts that I hadn't noticed the delivery man leave until the bell sounded a second time.

"Damn, that boy knows how to pick them." Hendrix whistled, plucking the card out before I had a chance. She stayed silent for a moment as her eyes flickered over the words, before she began to coo. "Oh, he's so cute. These can be your wedding flowers."

"It's a bit soon for wedding bells, Drix." I murmured, not quite finding the strength to say anything else. My head was dopy as she handed me the card, Kareem's messy handwriting the first thing that I noticed.

my angel,

with the sunflower soul. thank you for the most incredible opportunity

bloom beautifully

K x

"What does this mean?" Hendrix cut in, chin on my shoulder as I read over the words.

Sunflowers.

"Saint?"

You remind me of sunflowers.

I let out a small laugh of disbelief, "It's me."

"It's you?"

"Sunflowers...We...I-" Cutting myself off, I shake my head with a fond grin on my face. The idea of even beginning to articulate my thoughts left me breathless so I stayed silent, smiling and with a full heart.

It took Hendrix around eight minutes before a cute brunette caught her attention. Jem had been dragged over to the girl's group of friends, with Hendrix declaring that I was borderline useless due to my new relationship status.

As always, she was delightful.

Needing a new drink before my boredom made me leave, I headed towards the bar and ordered another Margarita. The bartender makes some small talk but leaves me to drink.

The drink is pretty much gone by the time he walks away and Hendrix and Jem are both still missing.

In the middle of sending a text to Kareem, I'm pulled away from my phone when I see a body slide into the seat next to me. I tried not to react until I heard them speak up.

"Saint?"

Fuck.

No, no, no, no, no.

My entire body tenses, chest hollowed out. I bite back a gag, a sarcastic comment that would make my stance rectify within a second. I needed Hendrix or Jem or even Sacha to come now so I could leave.

Forcing myself to look up, I met the eyes of my childhood sweetheart turned tormentor. His facial expression was casual, relaxed in a way that I was truly envious of.

I've been coming to this bar ever since I was around nineteen and Hendrix got us all fake IDs. Nineteen. That's almost four years of having no reminders of that stupid village and the stupid ignorance that blanketed it.

And now, in a place where I could finally be myself, one of the worst people I'd ever encountered sat right in front of me.

"Do you want another drink?" Emery asked cheerily, ignorant to my internal panic as he inclined his head down to my empty glass.

My stomach tightened, making me feel even more uncomfortable. I didn't understand how he could act so casually, as if our past of callous insults and hallway shoving and relentless heartbreak didn't exist.

Every ounce of distrust in my body spiralled from him. I never had any hope for my parents; they'd always been the same way. But Emery built me hope, he made promises that I could still recall word for word. He made me love him without limits and it almost destroyed me. He made me spend years hating myself, years of self-love that I'd never get back. He did that to me.

How can he sit there and act as if that never happened? Speak to me as if we were just old friends? As if he had any right to sit next to me and talk?

"No, thank you." I smiled tightly, not wanting to make a scene. I just wanted to go home. "I'm okay."

The cool air from the bar patio sent a frozen chill down my spine, only magnifying my growing anxiety. Emery's face reminded me of times that I didn't want to remember, times of vomiting and hating myself and wanting nothing more than to be normal. I contemplated going home, phoning Jem and sobbing about all the memories that my ex-boyfriends presence had evoked. Although Hendrix and Jem were here and I wanted to spend time with her, I couldn't help but feel anything but uncomfortable surrounded by a reminder of how different I was at seventeen.

A buzz went off against my leg and I reached into my jeans pocket, where I'd deposited my phone once I realized who was sitting next to me. A welcomed sense of relief flooded my veins when I saw the notification.

you busy?

A few more texts came through before I managed to answer.

it's okay if you are

just wanted to know if you fancied take out at mine? king's missing you

and i got a new dog :)

Grinning at my phone, completely ignoring my surroundings, I responded.

you do realize that double texting is typically frowned upon, right?

He instantly texted back.

good thing that i sent four then, not two

Not being able to hold back my laugh, I chuckled at his words as I was able to picture the exact expression on his face as he sent it.

idk, seems a little obsessive to me

i'll be there in twenty, order the food

The expression of suspicion covering Emery's face was the first thing I saw when I looked up from my phone as he watched me.

"Everything okay?" He asked with furrowed brows, blue eyes darkening slightly as his eyes flickered back to my open phone.

He was the entire opposite of Kareem, with his light blue eyes and blond hair. He was lean too, but with less definition in his muscles. He'd been bigger in High School, more like a Footballer and less like a Soccer player.

It's weird, I mused, how he looked so different yet so similar at the same time. I spent months crying over him, over how he made me feel, over how I never thought I'd ever feel that way again. I was torn for so long, holding onto the promises he made me while trying to accept the reality that he'd never be able to deliver them, that everything we ever wanted was never going to happen. Looking back at those memories, I realized that I never missed him. Not really. I missed the person I thought he was, the person who I believed loved me enough to accept me as I was. It doesn't hurt anymore, not like I thought it would when I imagined this scenario in my head.

Because I found Kaz, and Kaz is perfect.

He accepted me instantly, taking me into his arms and giving me that reassurance that I never thought I'd be able to experience. We were a team and he makes me so, so happy.

"Yeah," I plastered on a fake smile, not wanting to give Emery the satisfaction of thinking his presence bothered me. "Sorry, my boyfriend was just asking me to come other so I-"

"Can I have your number?"

I blinked, overtaken by a sudden urge to curl in on myself. I fight it, however, keeping my chin tilted high as I meet his gaze head on. My eyes narrowed. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"C'mon, Bambi." He fostered his own forced smile, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly despite the fact I could see the vein pulsing in his neck. He didn't like that I was with someone else. "We're just old friends, right? We need to catch up."

"Yeah no, we're not old friends. We're exes and last I checked, it wasn't left on good terms. So no, I'm not giving you my number but, if you don't mind, I'm going to see my boyfriend." I sent him a very obvious, very exaggerated smile before turning my back and heading out the door. I quickly texted Jem, asking them to tell Hendrix and I'd explain later why I left.

My phone pinged just one last time as I'm climbing into the taxi.

see you soon :)

and babe...if you haven't realized by now that i'm obsessed with you, i've been doing something wrong.

The Uber arrived quicker than I expected and, within ten minutes, I was standing outside Kareem's house.

I opened the door, letting myself in as I was dived on by not one, but two, pups. I squealed in delight, not allowing myself to be embarrassed by the high pitch noise as I gave them both my utmost, undivided attention. That was how Kareem found us. I was sitting on the floor as the dogs used my legs as a step up, trying to lick my face as I laughed and tried to dodge the impending attack.

"Hey, bubs."

He stood there wearing different clothes from this morning, holding out a hand and helping me up. We moved into the living room and I sat down on the couch. He plopped down next to me and immediately dropped his head into my lap - dark eyes staring up at me with a smile etched onto his face. His cheekbones looked fucking amazing when he smiled and I swear that his natural beauty leaves me breathless every single time.

"So who's your favorite?" He murmured, clarifying when my brows furrowed. "King or Starr?"

"Starr?" I questioned, raising my eyebrows.

King was for Kareem.

Is Starr for me?

"Definitely Starr," I answered with that thought in mind, despite it likely just being a coincidence.

Kareem laughed, head resting on my thighs as his hair tickled my hand. His curls always felt so soft that I couldn't help but want to run my hands through them. So that's exactly what I did.

"Not that I'm complaining," I continued softly, internally thankful for the fact I was now here instead of stuck at that stupid bar with Emery's stupid, fucking face. "But how come you invited me round?"

"Missed you." He shrugged, lips tugging up into a childish smile.

"You only saw me this morning."

"I know!" He exclaimed dramatically, smile widening. "That was so long ago."

This fucker.

I smiled tightly, "My ex was at the bar."

Kareem's muscles tensed, face screwing up. "Ew."

"Yeah, that was my reaction." Humming to myself, I threaded my fingers through his long, black hair, running my nails along his scalp. "He wanted my number, apparently."

"I hope you told him to go fuck himself."

A laugh bubbled out of my throat, "I told him that I was going to see my boyfriend."

"Good," He said, smiling with his eyes closed. He snuggled closer to me, head nuzzling my stomach. "No one's allowed to upset my Saint."

"Your Saint?"

"Mhm," He mumbled, "Mine."

"I got your sunflowers today." I whispered, internally cooing when I noticed both the pups curl up against us. "They were beautiful. Thank you."

"You did it all," He murmured almost inaudibly before his body went lax, sleep-ridden.

A/N:

Thank you for reading!