Belle's Bakery

Accidental call

Time skip (They are now on their tenth call)

"Hello Belle's Bakery, we have sweet treats for sweet people. How can I help? "

No response

"Hello?" Thinking it was a prank call she went to put the phone down until she heard something or rather a collection of somethings. She listened closely hearing voices. One considerably more distressed than the others. 

"Get off me! Let me go! Leave me alone" one voice was shouting, getting louder and louder. Cruel laughter followed

"No" said one of the cackling tormentors "We're having fun aren't we boys?" The same cruel laughter followed, signaling their agreement

"Help me!" The first voice cried "Please"

"No one's going to help you Kapoor. No use wasting your voice. Mummy and daddy aren't here to save you"

"Help"

"What did I tell you?"

"Somebody please" It was then that Monique registered something. Underneath the desperation and fear she heard a familiar voice. Arun. It was Arun who was being attacked. Her Arun.

Over the past few phone calls Monique had become fond of Arun. He had endeared himself to her and she wasn't going to let him be hurt like this. So she spoke up.

"Hey losers! How about you fuck off and leave him alone! I'm here for him. Have you seriously not got anything better to do than bully him? What's he ever done to you?"

"Who's this Kapoor? Your girlfriend?" They taunted. Then addressing her they said "Kapoor's Indian. I think that's a perfectly good reason"

"Were you dropped on your head when you were a baby or were you always this obtuse?"

"Thought that was an angle in maths?"

"It is but not in this context you brainless, racist fucker.  "

"What did you mean then?"

"I was calling you stupid but in a sophisticated, nice way. Obviously I shouldn't have bothered" she sighed

"Oh"

"Anyway leave him alone, you're infecting him with stupid disease. We don't need more stupid people in the world"

"Sorry babe I can't. "

"Don't call me babe but why not?"

"I don't listen to women"

"Oh so you're sexist too. Brilliant"

" Yeah babe"

"Don't agree with me on that you waste of oxygen" 

"Ok"

"If you let him go I'll stop insulting you and making you look like an idiot in front of your friends"

"Alright. Go on Kapoor, you've been rescued"

Monique heard Arun pick up the phone and run with the boys chuckling at him. He answered the phone after that expressing his gratitude for her help.

"You don't have to thank me. Who were those creeps anyway? Why were they hurting you?"

"That was CJ, real name Christopher Johnson, leader of a gang called The Pit Vipers. He and his gang used to go to my high school and decided to target me. As I got older it got worse. They're bullies. "

"Were they the ones you were hiding from when you first called me?"

"Yes"

"How are feeling? I bet you're in so much pain. It sounded awful"

"It hurts at lot but they've done worse"

"Really?"

"Yeah" he then hissed in pain before bursting into tears

"Arun? Are you alright?"

He didn't say anything 

"That's it, let it all out. Come on. You'll feel better afterwards"

"This is so embarrassing. I'm really sorry, you must think I'm a baby"

"Hey, it's ok you don't have to apologise, I understand. I don't think you're a baby at all, you're allowed to cry. "

"Thank you"

"Don't mention it" 

After he had shed his tears, he thanked her once more and they both said goodbye. Monique empathised with him as she had been picked on for her race and knew how it felt. She promised herself to support him and comfort him as much as possible. Then she pinned on a smile and started serving customers. Life went on.

A/n: Hello thanks for reading another chapter of Belle's Bakery. Hope you enjoyed it. We are getting to know Arun a bit more and find out some of his back story. Please let me know what you thought by voting, commenting and leaving any constructive criticism as it really makes my day. See you later.