Hooked

8.

Ash sat on her bed and leaned back on her arms, amused.

"Bakery boy? Haven't you only started talking to him today?"

"Yes and no," Pierre eagerly sat down across from her, criss cross. "I haven't talked to him yet. But," he spoke before she could make a smart comment. "He did look at me."

Ash stared at him. "He looked at you?"

"Yes! Isn't it exciting?"

"Depends," she folded her hands together. "How did he look at you?"

"Alright, well," Pierre excitedly scooted closer to her, causing their knees to bump together. "So I was looking through the bakery window and-"

"You were looking through the window?"

"Well obviously it was casually," he rolled his eyes. "I couldn't let that bald prick at the counter see me."

"Pierre, that's still creepy as hell."

"Whatever. Anyway, I stood there for a few minutes, and guess what? Baldie went back into what I think was the storage room and then," Pierre took a dramatic breath. "He came out from the kitchen- looking gorgeous- and started wiping down the tables."

"Okay..."

"Wait, I'm not at the good part yet. So I watched him for awhile because he is gorgeous-"

"Yes, we've established that."

"-and then he glanced up at me and smiled and waved," his voice went high here and he let himself fall backwards in his bliss before sitting up again.

"And then?"

"And then he set down his broom like he was going to come outside and talk to me, but that stupid bald man called him and he had to leave the room. He did look sad to leave though, but that could have just been my imagination."

"You need to ask him out."

"What?" Pierre stared at her.

"Right now."

"Now?"

"Yes!"

"But my birthday is in less than two hours," he wrung his hands nervously. "What if I get rejected on my birthday?"

"You won't."

"How do you know?"

"Because I can tell."

"How?"

"Because," Ash smirked. "Now go, right now."

Pierre sputtered. "I- well at least come with me."

"You want me to go with you to ask him out?"

"Please?"

She threw up her hands. "Fine."

A minute later, the two walked out into the streets, coats over their heads to shelter themselves from the rain.

As casually as possible, they walked past the bakery window, only to discover that all the lights inside had gone out.

The two- Pierre a bit more desperately- cupped their hands and peered in through the window, trying to catch a glimpse of anything.

"Um...can I help you?"

They jumped back from the window, Pierre rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

Ash squinted her eyes to make out where the voice was coming from.