Chills & Thrills Anthology

Valentine's Day 2019 | Rose's Bakery

The following is a winner from the ambassadors multi-profile, multilingual Valentine's day contest. Rose's Bakery was submitted under the Mystery profile and was one of three winning English entries. Congratulations to our winner!

The original contest can be found here.

*

Rose's Bakery

by atlantabronson

The small bell rings atop the bakery door, letting out a chime throughout the emptiness.

There is no one else around, except the shy looking girl behind the counter - this is the first thing the tall, dark haired boy notices as he steps inside. The second thing he notices is the smell; breads and pastries by the dozen, all presented beautifully behind the glass near the checkout area. The smell is intoxicating, he notes, before walking further towards the counter.

The noise catches the attention of the girl behind the register, and she looks up in surprise. She hadn't been expecting anyone for a while, because they open at seven sharp, and it was only three minutes past. But in an instant, she catches the eyes of the figure walking towards her.

"Welcome to Rose's, how can I help you?" Her voice fills the space, and the boy walking towards her almost trips over his own two feet. Her voice alone was almost as beautiful as she was, which was very, by the way. She was all small smiles and light eyes, he thought, while feeling his stomach do flips.

He realizes all too quickly that he had reached the counter and was staring into her hazel eyes without even saying anything. God, say something, he pleads with himself, before muttering, "Donuts?"

The girl raises a brow but obliges, moving swiftly to the right before grabbing a pair of tongs and a paper bag. The boy is nervous as hell, and even the girl can tell.

"And what kind would you like?" She asks softly, grinning nicely at the boy. His hair is black, but it doesn't look dyed or unhealthy. It looks natural - given the white streak running through the front. That part has to be fake, her thoughts tell her. Regardless, she thinks it looks cool. His icy blue eyes take her in, and she shifts her weight, feeling nervous.

"Um-" The boy is back to not knowing what to say, "What... well, what kind do you like?"

The girl tilts her head in confusion before he corrects himself, "I mean, what kind would you suggest?"

The girl looks down at the donut section, her eyes landing on one with white icing and a chocolate drizzle. It is their best seller, and she has a feeling he will like it.

She picks it up and places it in the bag, meeting his eyes again, "Anything else?"

Your number? The boy's mind interjects, but he presses his lips together and shakes his head gently at her, "That'll be it, actually."

The girl is quick to input the order into the register, and the boy is quick to pay, but he hesitates longer than necessary.

"I- um... thank you," The boy studies her name tag, "Luna."