Chapter 5
"Thank you for buying from us, ma'am," I said placing the pie in the box.
It just occurred to me that most of our clients were older people. I guess they were the only ones in this town who didn't care if the shop had a fancy sign with neon flashing lights or a long line that somehow made what they were serving taste better and not that they had terrible service.
"Not a problem, darling," she smiled. "I'll be sure to refer you to my friends," she said as she left the shop, her shoes squeaking against the polished, freshly mopped floor.
"Andrea!" Darius called out, snapping his fingers in my face. I didn't even notice him standing beside me.
"Yeah, what's up?" I said, wiping the counter absentmindedly.
"I know I said I wasn't going to ask about last night but" he paused, concern in his eyes."I need to know" he said.
"Nothing happened, I'm fine. I just needed to get out of the house" I said, avoiding his eyes.
"Don't do that," he said "you're doing that thing you do again."
His mouth set in a straight line. I realized there was no point in trying to lie that there was nothing on my mind and that I was fine.
"I—" I started.
"Don't bullshit me, Andrea. What's wrong?" he asked, pulling a seat to sit in front of me.
"My… uh… Mum set me up on a date," I said, smiling sheepishly.
"Oh" he paused "Isn't it too soon?" he said.
"And I kind of went to high school with him." I said.
"Okay… like how does this change anything?" he asked, visibly confused
"Did you guys date in highschool?"
"No, he just occasionally taunted me," I laughed trying to ease the awkwardnes, lying through my teeth—more like he actively contributed to my misery when I was a teenager.
"What do you think?" I asked.
"This is a lot, Andrea… even for you," he said.
"What does that mean?" I asked, the hold on my phone tightening, tensing at what that implied.
"Nothing… just forget I said that," he said.
"As long as you're safe, I'll support any decision you make," he added.
"Okay well I think it would be fun to go out on a date that would actually pay for a change" I said really unsure, maybe he wasn't the same obnoxious and loud boy I had once known and dreaded seeing in the hallways.
"So….. what are you going to wear, this is so exciting" he squealed and twirled round the shop like he was the one going on the date.
"I don't know and will talk about it later, right now we need to get started on Mr Armand's croissants." I reminded him.
By the time the sun was setting we were done with the croissants and they were on their way to being delivered to the man's house a little down the street. It was kind of odd to have a delivery for croissants at night but the frail old man said he was having some friends over and that's all the wanted to eat. I didn't really care to be honest as long as I got paid, I didn't ask any questions.
I left Darius in the bakery more like he shooed me out after I told him the date was by eight and I was still there a little after six. He stared at me appalled at how I was going to get ready in two hours.
I got home a little after that and got right to it. I took a cold shower to get the day's sweat off of me, as I listened to Attention by doja cat as I applied lotion to my skin. I rapped along while shuffling through my wardrobe, grinning when I saw the perfect dress.
I had worn it a handful of times, my sister got it for me for my last birthday and it was just too gorgeous to wear for a random occasion.
It was a red long silk dress that had a slit on my left that ran up to my mid thigh showing my thigh tattoo I got a while back. I never really got to show it off but any chance I got I would. I did a simple and light makeup look, using just enough foundation but not too much and a black and red lip combo.
I stared in the mirror one last time to admire how my braids fell down my back and my necklace sat perfectly on my neck, my makeup just enough to enhance my natural beauty and not overpower it.
Glancing at my phone for the time, it was eight already. The only thing my mum told was to get ready that there would be a car waiting for me outside the house at eight. I walked downstairs my shoes and bag in hand. The doorbell startled me a little as I realised it must have been the driver. Putting my shoes on hurriedly I took in a breath as I opened the door.
"Good evening ma'am. Mr Maychild sent me to pick you up" the short middle aged man said.
"Who?" I asked confused
"Mr Matthew Maychild" he clarified
"Oh sorry" I smiled nervously "Shall we" I said nodding to the door of the black car parked on my porch.
The car ride to the restaurant was quiet, my eyes occasionally meeting with the driver's but no attempt to start a conversation was made, not on my part and not on his. I wasn't really complaining, I needed time to collect my thoughts and come to terms with the fact that I was actually doing this. I had always been adventurous but this was next level.
What if this was all a trap and he was a serial killer?
The driver pulled up to fancy Thai restaurant I had seen on one of my deliveries to a client. I came down as carefully as I could and shakily walked to the door. The restaurant was dimly lit, the lights dangling from some sort of brown bowls.
The restaurant was fairly full and quiet, so quiet that if someone dropped a fork it would echo. I walked to the table number the driver told me in slow strides not wanting to slip and embarrass myself.
My jaw dropped as I met eyes with the man at the table, his lean frame hunched over the menu before he looked up and realised I was here.
Realization hit both of us at the same time.It was the man I bumped into that night at the bakery.
"You haven't changed," his eyes lingered on me a little too long.
My stomach dropped.
Matthew Maychild.
The boy who made my life miserable in high school…
was now the man sitting across from me on a date.
What had I just walked into?