Chits and Chats [ #2]

Chat [Comfort Cooking]

Chat [Comfort Cooking]

Connor peeped in through Croissant The Bakery. Megan didn't seem to be around but he had been so sure she would be there. Jacob was currently on the way to Megan's favourite music store. Jessica had gone to grill Harley. Connor had pretended to fake interest as Jacob's best friend ("As Jacob's best friend it's my duty to help him in his quest to find your best friend, Jessica."). He had volunteered to go to the bakery even though Megan had an off today. It might have be a waste of time but it gave him something to do especially when he knew how much Megan enjoyed working there.

"Connor boy!" Mrs. Braganza waved from inside the bakery. He smiled and walked inside. "Come in, come in. You're an hour before time. I'm impressed by your dedication."

"Good afternoon, ma'am. Actually I was looking for-" Connor started.

Mrs. Braganza waved away sentence, "Whatever the reason, it's good you're here. God knows what Martina is doing in the kitchen."

"Martina-I mean, Megan-is here!?" he nearly yelped. She was here, thank God.

"Yeah, she has an off today but she came in like the unruly person she is and went straight to the kitchen, muttering some very distasteful words about me. She has been tinkering away ever since in the kitchen. I would have looked in but seriously, I couldn't be bothered," Mrs. Braganza said, taking out an apron and throwing it towards Connor. "Why don't you go and check out if Martha is planning to blow us up as your first assignment?"

Connor nodded, "Sure. Wait, this is has frills at the hem..."

"Either you wear it or you're out,"

"Of course, ma'am," he promptly put the apron on and walked into the kitchen.

Inside, Megan was cooking like crazy. Connor stood still, speechless, as he watched her bustling about like a madman.

"Megan," he began softly.

She looked at him and handed him oven mittens, "Take out the remaining two tiers please?"

She sounded weirdly calm. No trace of sadness or anger or anything Connor had expected. She gave him a look as if to say go on, take out the cake!

He donned the mittens and opened the oven. A mouthwatering scent of well-cooked dough and strawberries greeted him. He placed the two tiers where Megan had pointed.

"Uh, why aren't you answering your phone?" he asked, trying to catch up with her.

"You called?" she asked as she added the tiers to her cake.

Connor shook his head, "I don't have your number but Jessica and Jacob have been looking for you."

"Yeah, I figured," she was applying the chocolate glaze as easily as you would say cake. "That's why I put it on silent."

"Jessica has been going crazy looking for you. You should have at least told her you're okay," Connor said. "We all have been so worried."

Megan didn't reply.

"I suppose I'll just have to tell them myself," Connor said taking out his phone.

She finally stopped and sighed, "I've been really stupid and I'm-Connor, have you ever done something so stupid that you just don't want to face anyone you know ever again?"

Connor stopped and looked at the girl he had great admiration and respect for, "Megan..."

She closed her eyes, "Did Harley tell everyone?"

"I don't know, I just heard from some people in the corridors that you wrongly assumed Harley was your secret admirer," he said sadly.

"Jessica told me again and again that it can't be Harley writing the notes. You know about the notes? Of course you do. Jacob must have told you." Megan ran a hand over her face and closed her eyes, "You know, Jessica and I used to be the cool ones. While everyone else at school was busy trying to sleep with a guy, we were openly proclaiming that we didn't need guys to be cool. We were our best selves without depending on a guy to take us out or tell us that we're pretty. And then Jessica found Jacob and everything changed." She opened her eyes and let out a breath, "You know what's pathetic is that she hasn't changed. Not even one bit. I feel myself changing and it's pretty much sucks because Jacob isn't how I thought him to be. He is nice and that made me think maybe relationships aren't so bad after all."

Connor tried to speak but Megan held up a hand to stop him, "Just seeing how happy they were...and then some-some idiot decides to write these notes on little chits of blue paper." Megan laughed coldly, "It felt really nice to know that someone cared so much for me. That maybe someone out there was meant for me too." She sniffed, "And then the person said that he would be there at this specific time and Harley seemed the only person there who fit..."

Connor walked to her and sighed, formulating the words with much thought, "Lots of people care about you, Meg. Not all of them can afford to show it all the time I suppose and I'm sure your secret admirer has a good enough reason of his own. And I believe that if he promised to be there he must have been there. You just didn't want to look for him, I guess, or if you did you didn't realise it was him because he didn't fit your idea of him."

She looked at him for long, her eyes catching the gold flecks in his brown ones.

He stared back cautiously at first and then confidently holding her gaze. Something in them made her blush. He cleared his throat and looked at the ceiling, "But I'm sure that if you like Harley and he has enough sense to value what is in front of him, he will like you back."

She gulped, "I don't know. I don't know if I liked Harley for himself or because he liked me and it was nice and convenient to have someone like me. What if I liked him because it made me feel good to be liked by him in turn? Because right now why does the fact that I was mistaken and he wasn't the one writing the notes hurt me more than the fact that he didn't like me?"

Connor turned his head towards hers and shocked her by an intense, honest smile, "You'll figure it, I'm sure."

"After all the mess I created I think you shouldn't be betting on me doing that."

He patted her shoulder, moving away, "I'll always bet on you."

She frowned at his words but before she could say anything, he said, "Now, are you calling Jessica?"

She nodded and then realising he couldn't see her nod she replied in a quiet voice, "Yes, Connor."

[ this is going to be one of those chapters that is going to be special to my #congan heart :')

tell me you loved it, okay? comment your awesomeness baes and boost my ego a bit while you're at it haha

you all said you missed jacob? (me too T_T) well, I have a christmas surprise for you all. be on the lookout ;)

vote+comment x]