1 chapter 1

it was a cloudy afternoon. Emory had just gotten out of school and was headed to her part time job. She was running late and in a hurry, so it wasn't suprising when she crashed into someone and ended up dirtying herself on the pavement, the contents of her now torn bag spilling onto the sidewalk. Still a little dazed she began retrieving her books one by one while apologizing profusely to the person she had bumped into. When she finally looked up she fell silent, mouth hanging slack. "Jacy?" she said in shock. She gingerly took the book being offering to her and blushed furiously. Embarrassment leaking from her every pore. After apologising one last time she quickly shuffled off, tripping on a crack in the cement. As she did so a single book fell to the ground. She was already late as it was so she left it. As she hurried off she faintly heard her say, "Wait, you dropped...." But she was already out to sight. As the bakery door came open emiting the pleasant sound of sound of tinkling bells she heard the charming voice of her elderly boss Mrs.Chotsky say, "You're late..." as she frowned at her cigarette. Emory smiled after checking her watch, "Actually, I'm right on time." Mrs.Chotsky's frown softened. "Well late compared to the usual. What happened? You're usually here by 3:10..." Emory blushed remembering the incident from earlier. Mrs.Chotsky's eyes grew wide, "Oh! So it was that kind of day... Well you're getting to be that age, if he's attractive go for it!" Blushing harder Emory put on her apron. "It's not like that Mrs.Chotsky..." Mrs.Chotsky raised an eyebrow curiously, "Oh? What is it then?" Flowering the table starting to knead the dough roughly. Emory frown in frustrated thought before finally saying, "I embarrassed myself in front of someone from school... I don't really want to talk about it." Mrs.Chotsky gave her a knowing look but didn't further press the subject. Emory finished kneading the dough releasing all of her frustrations from the day. She cut and rolled the dough twisting it into neat shapes lost in thought. 'How could I have been so careless!? I've walked that route 3 years now... Not once did I bump into her before!' frowning as she loaded the dough on to trays for the oven. 'Actually now that I think about it I've never even seen her in this part of town before. I wonder what she was doing in this part of town...' Setting a timer for the croissants before she started on the other pastries. 'Doesn't she live on the other side of the city?' Flowering the rolling pin and counter she began flattening the dough for turnovers. Sighing not wanting to think about it any longer she concentrated on her work. She loved this job, it was the only bakery in town that actually supported her creative flair. Mrs.Chotsky actually did more than that though. She encouraged it. Even let let her have free range in the kitchen. Selling her creations when they were good. This bakery was her sanctuary, a place she could get away from all the frustration of other things. as she was thinking about whether or not to add pecans to the dough the bell chimed once more signaling the first costumer of the afternoon. Emory looked up to see who it was shocked to find that it was her again. As Jacy walked up to the counter the timer for the crassonts went off signaling that the were ready to go into the display

reluctantly pulling the tray out of the oven she made her way to the counter. as she opened the case she heard Jacy exclaim "Oh I didn't know you worked here..." she smiled at Emory confidently before pulling Emory's book from the backpack on her shoulder "Anyway here's the book you dropped, I was just going to give it to you tomorrow in class but it seems my luck is pretty good today." Emory smiled sheepishly before taking her book back "Thank you..." she said quietly before hurrying back to the industrial kitchen. "Ooo, are those croissants?! I'll take one of those and two dozen donuts" she finished to Mrs. Chotsky who raised an eyebrow at her. "they're not for me" jacy said hurriedly "I have soccer practice today, my turn to bring snacks." Mrs. Chotsky rang her up and sent her on her way before turning around with a shocked face "What was that!? I mean I know you're shy girly but I dont think I've ever seen you blush so much. I got to hand it to you I was not expecting such a shy little thing to be swinging for the other team" she said with a chuckle.