𝑰'𝒎 𝑺𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝑯𝒆𝒓𝒆 (𝑩𝒊𝒈𝑻)

𝑬𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒏

{1152 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔}

I wanna clarify that Nicole was originally gonna be Tommy's love interest so she was like 18 but we gonna change it to Nicks love interest and we'll say she's 22 cause she still in college. K, cool my story my rules 😎
╚═══*.·:·.☽✧    ✦    ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝

Over the past few months Ophelia's bakery was doing great. Of course after a while she made a few posts about it herself, inviting people to come down. Recently she had a lot of cake orders. People could order specially made cakes, a certain flavor, a theme, what they want written on the cake, etc. But when they would order them and set a date to pick it up and Ophelia would make it one or two days before hand. Right now she was on her fifth cake of the day. There were just so many orders she had to close to the bakery, she needed the kitchen to herself. As she placed the batter into the oven and setting the one in there before hand into the cooling rack, she heard the front door open. "Sorry, we're closed today." She said walking out to see who it was.

"Can you make an acceptance?" It was Nicole. She had tears stained on her cheeks, ophelia rushed out immediately hugging her. Nicole just broke down, crying into her shoulder. Ophelia comforted her sister until she calmed down enough to explain. "I left. Mom yelled at me for my grades again." Nicole was only twenty two, where Ophelia was twenty five, so she was still in college. "I don't even want to go to this stupid school. I only went because she threatened to kick me out and I was only seventeen! I couldn't handle living on my own. She would praise me when my grades were good and we were on good terms until she saw my report card. I had a C and she went crazy. I had to leave."

"Nicole I'm so sorry. I should've had you move in with me a long time ago."

"I couldn't have asked you to do that."

"You wouldn't have to ask I'm your sister. I'll tell you what. I need to finish up here, so give me a while then we can go to mine and you can stay with me. Tanner is bringing lunch in a few minutes so I'll ask him to pick you up something." She said pulling out her phone and texting her boyfriend.

"Lia I can't ask you to do that."

"Good thing you didn't, I offered. He said he'll be here in twenty minutes with the food. If you want to hang out while I decorate this cake you can hang out in the back with me." She said and Nicole nodded. Ophelia decorated the cake and once the other was out of the oven she set it out to cool. Once she finished the fourth cake Tanner walked in.

"We come baring food." He said carrying a couple bags.

"We?" Ophelia asked placing down her piping bag.

"Don't worry, I have arrived!" Nick shouted walking in.

"Okay, fair warning because it's a different setting and situation Tanner is a lot to handle, but him and nick are welcoming so you'll be fine." Ophelia warned her younger sister as they walked over to the table to eat. "Nick this is Nicole, my sister. Nicole this is Nick. And you've met Tanner." Nick just stood there for a second staring at Nicole. Tanner knew that look, it was the same one he gave Ophelia in that café just under a year ago. "Let's eat I am starving." Ophelia interrupted Nicks, staring session. Ophelia sat next to Tanner and across from Nicole. They ate and conversed about anything and everything, except for the reason Nicole was there. Once they cleaned up Ophelia still had the last cake to decorate so the others just decided to stick around. As she decorated the cake Tanner stuck around closer to her while Nick and Nicole kept their own conversation going. "What're you thinking about?"

"I know that look." Tanner referred to the look Nick had on his face when talking to Nicole.

"What look?"

"The look Nick has. It's not a bad one. It good, really good." Ophelia finally looked up at Nick after piping the last bit of frosting before grabbing some fondant to mold.

"I must be blind then. I don't see a look on his face." She said as she molded it into a small crab.

"It's the same look I gave you in the café. When I first saw you. He's smiling but his mouth is still slightly open. He's got the look of 'oh she's pretty' in his eyes too. Not to mention the signs he's giving. Laughing at her jokes, giving her small compliments, and trying to make her feel more comfortable around a new person." He explained as Ophelia was focused on making the ocean themed cake.

"Mhm. I can kinda see it." She glanced up at the two.

"You aren't mad. Aren't you supposed to be all protective older sister?" Tanner asked as Ophelia made the final touches.

"I will be if he hurts her. Otherwise I think as long as they take it slow they should be fine. She needs some new friends anyway. She doesn't really have any. Not that I would know, this is the first time I've seen her in like two years, other than the hospital." Ophelia placed the cake into the area where the others were to keep it fresh for pick up and so the frosting and fondant would set.

"Why is she here anyway? Not that I mind, I'm just wondering." Tanner asked as he helped clean up.

"She did what I did, just minus the month's planning beforehand. Mom got upset with her, she couldn't take the pressure, so she ran. I forgot that when I left all the anger directed at me would go to her, which is why I stayed until I was twenty one. I left after I had gotten an apartment here. I couldn't take the pressure of them finding out that I hadn't been to a college class since I was nineteen. I should've taken her with me when I had the chance, but I could never find the time. I told her she could live with me until she got back on her feet."

"Wow."

"Wow indeed. Thank you for helping me clean up, darling." Ophelia said turning to him after placing her apron on the hook. He smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist. She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned up giving him a quick kiss.

"No problem. The faster the clean up, the longer I have to hold you." He said making her laugh.

"Ugh, get a room." Nick said walking back into the kitchen with Nicole behind him.