Chapter 91

Kim had taken it upon herself to rescue Faye from Agee’s class. The dress that day appeared to be dotted with polka dots, but closer inspection on the plum colored fabric revealed them to be dagger impaled skulls. The matching bandana set off her eyes as she strode into Agee’s class as if she owned it.

“C’mon, Faye. We’re going to lunch today. I’m paying.”

“Excuse me.” Mr. Agee said. “Miss Valentine…”

“Blow it out your ass, perv. What would Celeste say?” Kim snapped. Agee paled. “Don’t think I don’t know what you get up to in here.”

“Wow.” Faye said.

“Let’s just go.” Kim said under her breath, she brought up the rear as she backed out of the room.

“That was awesome.” Faye clapped as she walked down the corridor with.

“Thanks.” Kim said haughtily. “Let’s grab some tacos and ditch.”

“You are a genius.” Faye’s face showed awe.

“I have my moments.”

 ***

No one knew where Kim and Faye went, prompting a text from Heather, Bobbie, and Rach.

When pictures of tacos and cleavage appeared on screens, the pieces moved together. Rach sat  at the opposite end with Amber, Beth, and Bella.

“The yearbooks come in this week, and that means that you have to have that cake ready.”

“Jesus fucking Christ.” Bella said. “It’s cake.” She pointed at Bobbie.

Heather gave a loud laugh, followed by Amber.

 It was true. If there was a cake, then Bobbie probably understood it on a molecular level. The same level that of understanding that they saw in the blonde girl.

The rest of the day was nothing special, with several hours of mind numbing review for tests that they were sure to pass.

 ***

CRUNCH!

Faye bit into the taco, savoring the spiciness and the crispness of the onions. Kim was crunching her way through a NachoRito platter while they talked.

“Everything’s rad, right Faye?” Kim watched as velvety cheese carried a jalepeno over the side of a chip like a waterfall.

“Yeah, of course. School’s almost over. That Agee, the stuff I do for grades.”

“C’mon, Faye. You’re smarter than that.”

“I know.” Faye batted a hand at the air. “This is proof. The work is so much easier.”

Kim made a face. “What’s going on?”

“Nothing, it’s just all that old stuff just seems so boring now. Sitting around with a joystick in your hand…”

Faye giggled. “Never mind. It’s just that the combos are different and it doesn’t hurt when you get hit.”

Kim laughed. It’s not that she’s different… Fuck me, Roxx.

What did you do?

Then Kim stopped mid crunch.

Oh, shit. Realization dawned. Back at Vesuvius, she hadn’t directly touched Faye, just that one thread.

What other side effects were there?

Talk turned to DJ Plugman. “He can lay it down really well though. He knows so much about music.” Kim remembered hearing about the parties at which he deejayed.

Faye laughed. “Last year he was an A/V nerd named Viggo.”

“The Carpathian?”

“You and Bobbie… always with those silly movies.”

Kim smiled and grabbed another chip.

***

Bobbie’s idea of making edible statues seemed like a good one. The thought of having her own army of Terra Cotta Warriors seeming more and more like a bad idea, lest she be crowded out of her own room. The tiny simulacra of the students were laying down in a cake pan lined with waxed paper, layer upon layer of them.

Some wearing jeans with t-shirts, some wearing dresses. Seeing them all together, they were all unique in at least one tiny way. These were not cookie cutter figures made on an assembly line. This was art.

Scrumptious art.

With a hell of a kick.

But that statue of Roxx bothered her. It was finished now, and wherever she put it, the eyes seemed to follow her.

You’re seeing things.

Rach forgot about the statue as she headed out the door.

 ***

Looking closer at the fondant figures, Bobbie noticed a similar darkness to them, like those of the people that she saw every day. She thought of that long ago bake sale, the unfamiliar draft of wearing a dress still new to her. She saw Tim and shook her head at the memory of how much things had changed between them since then.

The day that Delacroix High was introduced to Bobbie’s baking.

This was to be an order of magnitude better.

“Those are going to be fantastic.”

“We’re only a little less than halfway done, this is just the first pan.” Beth said, making sure that the wrap was tight around all surfaces.

“We’re killin’ it here.” Rach said, rinsing off the tools she was using. “Should be able to knock out the rest tomorrow. Good idea.”

“Yeah.” Beth said, coming out of the walk in. “Thanks for the help, Rach. Definitely an easier job with two people.”

When the cleanup was done and everyone went their separate ways, Rach left feeling accomplished, but tired. Her hands and neck ached in a good way. Her bed seductively whispered sweet promises of slumber in her ears.

Maybe this Advocate thing won’t be so bad.  Rach Yawned again.

 ***

Talk of finals began making the rounds that next day. All nighters and scrambling slackers would soon be the order of the day. Bobbie wasn’t worried about the academics, that had been simple the whole year through. It was just a forgone conclusion that everyone would finish and either move on to the next year or onto the next step.

Bobbie looked at the lunch table. Faye had joined them that day, sharing sandwiches and musing about the activities that Summer would bring. Heather still seemed a little confused by Faye, but let it subside into the background. It was obvious that the formerly Faye shaped hole in Heather’s desires became one a bit more like the geometry of Kim.

“Tonight we start baking, right?”

“Yeah.” Bobbie said, putting the pickle spear down. “Like sixty sheet cakes, candied zest, frosting…”

“The woiks.” She finished, affecting a Brooklyn accent.

Beth laughed. “This is gonna be so. Much. Fun.” Her excitement was infectious, spreading to Rach.

By the time the bell rang, even Amber wanted to help. But she knew that it was something best left to the professionals. Besides, studying with Kurt was its own reward. Bella just decided that she would take a night off and take in a movie. Bobbie’s positive review of Drop Bears 2 seemed like it would be a good time.

With Heather and Kim it was the unusual mixed martial art of studying and fashion design, with a minor in cuddling.

Bobbie decided that she would miss this table. Its scratched surface and rickety bench seat had been an important place during the journey she had embarked upon not quite a year ago. Running a hand along it, many thoughts bubbled below the surface.

Robb never got this far. I was just looking to get high at the ramp. How can this all be so different? Even now, it’s like all these new experiences are just…just…

Better.

“Bobbie? You coming.” She realized she had been staring off into space, soaking the feel of the table on her hand.

“Yeah.” She said as a nostalgic look flitted across her face.

 ***

“Holy shit.” Beth said, looking at all of the mixers running at once. Tim laughed.

“This is the most I’ve ever seen. This is all cake batter?”

“No.” Tim said. “Those two are the frosting. I got started on the lemon and lime zest earlier today, we just need to boil and syrup them.” He pointed to the fondant station. “You and Rach can get the figures finished up, and we can assemble Thursday morning.”

“Sounds like a plan.” Bobbie said, swinging by for a kiss.

Rach and Beth broke out to the fondant station and went to work. Now that the work was underway, an almost eerie calm spread out. There was no music, everyone focused on their tasks. The sun fell down outside, giving way to that special shade of sky called dusk.

The clock dinged again and again as activity wound up to a fever pitch. There were sheet pans aplenty filled with rich, spongy goodness.

“Wrap the lemon ones first and get them into the walk in.” Bobbie told the others. “I’ll get the chocolate and the white cakes.” Plastic cling wrap flew off of the roll, Bobbie mentally ticked off the frosting tubs and inspected the crushed nuts and the candied zest. The entire operation only took about thirty minutes, and cleanup was well underway and completed rapidly.

They stood around the fondant station drinking from fresh bottles of Mexican Coke as they discussed the game plan for the next day.

“We’re gonna have to assemble it in parts. The main building is going to be the biggest. Goal is to do the orders first, and then to get the buildings together. Rach.”

The head of blue hair swiveled upwards.

“We gonna be able to get it all in one trip?”

“Should do. I can put all the seats down in the back.” Rach was enjoying being helpful, her face didn’t show it, but she wanted to see the cake assembled. She had never seen Bobbie work up close and personal before.

It was poetry, parkour, and pastry, all in one small blonde girl. If Bobbie had vaulted over the fondant station to grab a hot pan and throw it across the room to have it land with the contents undisturbed would not have surprised Rach in the least.

Baking Ninja.

Bobbie opted for a ride home with Rach. Locking in with Tim for a short makeout session before heading for the door.

“Goodnight, Tim. You get some sleep. Big day tomorrow.” She held onto him, reveling in the feeling of being joined to her love again. It never got old, as if their souls were bound together.

Like cake and frosting… like cookies and milk….

Like Apple Pie and sharp cheddar.

Or Flaherty pie and Sharpe cheddar.

“I’ve got to go.” Bobbie said, not letting go.

“I know, babe. I don’t wanna let go either. Tomorrow is so important. It’s like our final exam.”

Bobbie’s eye twinkled. “We’ll pass.”

“This girl don’t break.” Bobbie planted one more kiss on Tim, this one with a little extra tongue.

“And neither do you.” Tim grinned. “I’ll see you at about tennish?”

“Yeah. If I get any sleep at all.”

“Try.”

“See you in my dreams.”

Bobbie smiled as she headed away from Cheepskates to board Rach’s SUV.

“Gonna take a vacuum to it when I get home. Need to get Faye’s endless supply of tortilla crumbs out of this thing.”

Bobbie laughed nervously. Rach looked at her for a second. “Don’t worry.” She said. “We’re Advocates.”

Rach’s smile broadened. “We’ve got this.”

“Totes.” Bobbie and Tim both said with a giggle; leaving Rach to laugh much harder.

Chapter 92

Roxx noticed that she was sleeping more soundly. Like Lust was either being quieter than usual…

Or she just can’t get through.

After ‘enhancing’ the other girls, she just thought that the money would be enough. But there seemed to be other perks. Her ability to strengthen drugs had stopped wearing her out as much. She figured that it was like a muscle, once stretched out and conditioned able to perform the task with ease.

She knew that no one would ever, ever rat her out. Stories had gotten out and passed around, ones she had planted. Some were calling her The Red Witch.

Maybe the one about the sacrifice was too much.

Not to her face of course. Even the Russians knew better than to say Kraznaya V’edma any louder than a whisper. It was all theatrics, but why be the bad guy if you couldn’t have a little fun?

Right, Lust?

Why should she have all the fun? After all she’s been around forever… literally.

After Bogdan and Yevgeniy had left and granted Roxx the permission to continue making the changes she had laid out, the delivery and installation of the new sign had been scheduled.

Vesuvius was now Roxx’s. No… not Vesuvius. That was the old place. She looked down from her booth to the volcano themed floor. She looked at ‘her’ girls, the navel ring with its green jewel making it obvious to who to they owed their allegiance.

“Krakatoa.” The renovations would soon be done. With Faye headlining this weekend, things were looking up and up and up.

There was just Bobbie and Kim, thorns really.

She knew that she would have to see Bobbie again, and this time she would be ready. Like with spiders, Roxx had decided to construct a web that would alert her the second Bobbie or any of her friends touched even a single strand.

Kim was still on Lust’s leash. She seemed to be enjoying her captivity. Not me.

The tablet glowed as the home screen came to life. There was more time now. With all of the money coming in she could devote a little more time to study. Today, however; the focus didn’t come.

There was just one loose end left. Bobbie can finish her unicorn infested wet dream and graduate, she wouldn’t be a problem.

Only one person left that could pin her to anything.

She fingered the free call app Gary had loaded. There were many kinds of magic in the modern age, some more wondrous than others.

Just one phone call.

 ***

The blueberries popped in Bobbie’s mouth while the creamy banana flavor blended with the pure maple syrup. Bobbie had sausage with chicken, sage, and apple next to a small pile of potatoes. Two over medium eggs rested off to one side of the plate, trying to avoid the sticky sweetness of the syrup.

The coffee was fresh; roasted, that is. Gilda had been playing with the roaster again in a desperate attempt to pair something with each of the items in her tiny pastry case. This one was Devil’s Brew, made to compliment the Angel Food cake that had quickly become a popular item with the influx of fresh spring fruits. A robust roast with notes of chocolate, Bobbie had to laugh. She would spend her day baking for people that had made fun of her, people who had been her friend. In a couple of cases the younger brother or sister of someone that had made Robb think so negatively of school near the end.

Those thoughts were interrupted by a voice.

“Thought I smelled you down here.” It was Sylvia. “Getting used to you cooking again is one of the best parts about you coming back.”

Bobbie poured a cup of coffee and offered a plate.

Sylvia sat, stirring sugar into her coffee. “Nervous about graduation?”

“Kinda.” Bobbie said.

She put a gentle hand on Bobbie’s arm. “You made it. There’s nothing that can really stop you now, is there?”

Bobbie looked up. “No, there isn’t. Unless an asteroid came hurtling to Earth or something.”

“Morgan Freeman would stop it.”

“Or Bruce Willis.” Bobbie said quietly.

“I hated that damn Aerosmith song.” Sylvia cut into her pancakes. Bobbie laughed out loud.

“Me, too. Made my ears bleed.”

Sylvia smiled warmly. “Big day?”

“Yeah.” Bobbie said, sipping coffee. “We have to start baking that school cake today.”

“School cake?”

Bobbie went on to tell her about all of the things that had happened at the bakery. Sylvia knew that there was a big cake due, just not how big. Talk turned to the end of the year and graduation, what Summer would hold for her.

To Bobbie, she just didn’t know. Work at the bakery, be with Tim. There were no other real plans. Just getting through the year had been her biggest goal.

But…

She had made friends; not merely friends, but people that shared her life. Finishing school and becoming a part of something.

Tim. She had saved him from his life of depression, while he had saved her. No one made her feel as important as he had…

All of Bobbie’s victories and failures over the last year showed themselves to her in the swirling maple syrup and butter that pooled at a corner of the plate. When Tim arrived on the Vespa, Bobbie said her goodbye and walked out the door into a morning that had so much promise that the day looked to be oversaturated by it.

Donning the helmet and boarding the back, Bobbie hugged herself into her favorite position as the world started to zoom by in the silent morning.

 ***

Rach brought Faye to the table that day. With Bobbie, Beth, and Rach leaving; after lunch talk was shortened.

“Busy night, right?” Heather asked.

“Yeah.” Bobbie said, smiling still. The smile had taken up residence on her face and had not even shown intent to move along.

“It’s gonna be so so cool.” Beth said. “With Rach there, we got the figures done, just the trees and benches left.”

“Trees? Benches?” Bobbie gave a look of bewilderment.

“Yeah.” Rach said. “Can’t leave those out, makes it more real.” She put up a hand. Beth slapped at it.

“Nice.” Bobbie said. She had forgotten about them, so many other parts of the cake demanding her attention.

“Man, I can’t fucking wait till tomorrow.”

“I can.” Faye said. Everyone turned to face her glum countenance.

“That picture I took. All short, dark hair… and that gothy makeup… I won’t be pretty like I am now.” She pouted. “Blecch.”

“Oh, I don’t know.” Rach said, putting an arm around Faye. “You were pretty enough for me to want you.”

Faye smiled and kissed Rach. “You always know just what to say, don’t you?”

 ***

“Okay, team.” Tim said, distributing the plans for the assembly of the cake. “Tonight, we just focus on getting everything baked. Then we put the layers together. Tomorrow, we finish up at the school by eleven.”

Rach was a bit clueless on where everything was, and was satisfied just assisting whoever needed it at the moment. All the Hobarts were going, batters, doughs,  and frostings whirling around under the constant onslaught of the mixing blades.

The work was so intensive that night that the music was drowned out by the droning of the mixers. By the time the silence fell over the room again, there were thirty six sheet cakes baking, three batches of frosting, and the candied citrus zest was drying out on a separate sheet pan.

The standing orders were all done on autopilot, since they hadn’t changed, the prep list was ingrained in the mind of the regular bakers.

Leaving Rach to just do what she could. Grabbing a broom, she decided that all the flour on the floor had to go. It was little time before she had it all swept up in a big pile.

“Hahaa.” Tim laughed. “Joo know who joo messing wit? Tony Montahna.”

Looking down Bobbie and Rach laughed loudly.

“Iz dat yoor leedle fran?” Bobbie asked. Rach and Tim roared in laughter.

“I don’t get it.” Beth said.

The laughter continued for a while, when it ended, there was a clean bakery all ready for the next day’s big construction job. Rach offered to take Beth home, seeing their joy just made Rach want to give them a moment. The last quiet moment before the storm of tomorrow blew in and took all semblance of calm with it.

“I think we’re alone now.” Bobbie sang.

“Hey , that’s my line.”

“Yeah, but.” Bobbie smiled. “Yours is Tommy Lee and the Shondells.”

“Mine is Tiffany.”

“Who?”

“Never mind.” Bobbie moved in to hold Tim close to her, reveling in the feeling she stayed quiet. Nothing would disturb this today.

Nothing.

“Tomorrow is gonna be crazy.” Tim said. “I almost can’t wait.”

“Me neither.” Bobbie said, keeping her head flat against his chest. Listening to the slow techno beat of his heart.

They stood there a long time, just enjoying the silent moment.

“C’mon, Bobbie.” Tim said, leaning back to see that pretty face clearly. “Let’s get you home. We’re gonna have to sleep.”

Bobbie yawned as she realized she was getting tired. Tim was right, the next day would be crazy. But as long as he was there.

She didn’t mind at all.

 ***

Carla Castillo was looking at her phone.

Roxx? What did she want?

And where had she been?

She had all but disappeared around Spring Break, and had never come back to school. Her little ‘jobs’ had kept the party favors flowing for a while, but she was back down to the old dealers. And now that Kurt had stopped selling, it was back to sketchy deals and even sketchier people.

Roxx had kept her end of the deals she had made; she wasn’t in jail, despite the breaking and entering and distribution of revenge porn. So it seemed logical to Carla that she would at least listen to what it was she wanted.

Couldn’t hurt, right?

 ***

For Bobbie, the day seemed to be making her itch. She sat in class, just wishing more than anything to have her hands covered in flour and sugar. With Sense and Sensibility taking up the remainder of the class period.

 I saw the movie, I should be fine.

The itch got worse and worse. Bobbie excused herself and went to the bathroom when…

SMACK!

Kim was standing there, staring in the mirror.

“What are you doing?”

“Trying to get these plugs in. Ears stretched fast, finally wanted them in. There. Check ‘em out.” Kim turned, there were two bright yellow acrylic rings lining the holes in her ears. “Up to quarter inch. Just gonna leave ‘em here. Cute, right?”

“Actually, yeah. Not for me, but…”

“Oh, come on. Tim loves that nose ring and you know it. It’s like part of your good bad girl thing.”

“Good…bad…?”

“The blue hair? The nose ring? The off the collar shirts?”

“That was Faye.”

“And you fucking ran with it, didn’t you?”

“Haha.”

Kim pulled out the lipstick and started to refresh her lips with a slender applicator. “Oh, hey. Do you think Nick can knock together one of those fake IDs Faye told me about? Can’t have that Mark be my only ink.” She capped the lipstick. Couple more tattoos couldn’t hurt.

“Yeah, I can ask Nick. Getting home late today anyhow.”

“Weren’t you leaving early today?”

“Yeah, after lunch. Tim’s coming.”

Kim turned and smiled, letting the light play on the latest coat.

“Think I didn’t know that? He’d ride off a cliff if he thought he had a hope of riding back with you on the back of that thing.”

“Who’s turn is it to get Faye today?” Bobbie asked.

Kim blanched. “Oh shit. I forgot.”

 ***

Rach was on the case. Her statue of Agee’s pudgy ass in hand as she got closer and closer. She had just run off without asking for permission. She felt like that girl in color when everyone else was black and white. She knew.

She didn’t even wait for everyone else to leave, just barged right in. Setting the statue on Faye’s desk, Rach loudly proclaimed. “We’re leaving. C’mon.”

“Miss Chadwick.” Mr. Agee Boomed, his shadowy darkness indicating his irritation. He was up and close to Faye’s desk. Rach grabbed up the statue as they already danced away, she casually flung it at his head.

James Agee extended an arm and jumped into a perfect catch, plucking the statue from the air. Still got it when it counts. His smile faded in surprise when it fell apart.

Rach stopped cold, holding Faye’s twisting wrist.

 ***

He saw Celeste. She was right, as she often was. It made him angry at her for it. Adventure, she had said. Now that he didn’t need to spend so much time keeping in shape for baseball.

That was the line that tore it. It was his dream…

But, adventure was her dream. She made time for it, and what did you do? Just say no and sulk.

And she had left, just gone. The anger and bitterness built with each passing year. Seeing the innocent young girls had reminded him of her and how when they had met they learned that they were immortal.

But, only for a limited time.

Taking that innocence from them seemed to put a damper on it.

Agee felt his stomach turn to liquid and the blood drop to his toes.

He had done those things. It was his fault.

What did you do to those girls? Long after they left Delacroix’s halls, who went on to become nothing, hollowed out by an experience she was afraid to tell anyone about?

Was there a Victims of Agee support group somewhere?

Did anyone die?

Oh, God.

 ***

Rach watched Mr. Agee’s darkness swarm like hives of hornets and wasps perpetually at war. He picked up the largest fragment of the head. It, too crumbled to dust. The shadows danced faster and faster.

Agee looked up, face blank. Full of fear. Eyes wide as saucers, stricken.

Rach smiled. Maybe I should be a cop.

Look on his face is totes worth it, she envisioned making criminals hold the statues. Better than therapy.

Cop?

Yeah, right.

“Serves you right.” Rach saw into Agee; more importantly she saw that he saw.

And it was sweeter than the fondant she’d been working with.

The last thing she saw before the door swung shut was that face, his jaw working wordlessly.

“C’mon, babe.” Rach walked away confidently.

“We’re done here.”

 ***

Bobbie and Kim were jogging up to Agee’s class. They were surprised to see Rach there with Faye, even more surprised to find her grinning ear to ear like an idiot poisoned by the Joker.

“He won’t be bothering anyone for a while. Gosh, I could use a soda right now.”

            Bobbie lowered her jaw.

“Tell you later. I’m gonna hang with my girl. One of those good mood days. I’ll be by in a few hours.” She kissed Faye.

Kim laughed. “Get a room.”

“Kind of the plan.”

 ***

Beth just couldn’t be happier. Her dad had told her that Sylvia had asked them to move in.

It was another of those prayer things. Still coming true, and now there was money.

Her money. She had started a bank account, now she was going to have a real house with a sister and everything.

Should we get a dog? Ooh, ooh, or maybe a cat…

Riding to the bakery with Steve in his car, she envisioned what a night this would be. Seeing the first big project done. Like that movie with Han Solo when they built that barn, she tried to picture Steve with a beard…

“What?” He said, chuckling.

“Wondered what you’d look like with a beard.”

“It never works. Comes in all patchy. You excited?”

“Yeah. That obvious?”

“Beth, you’re bouncing in your seat.”

They found Bobbie and Tim already setting things out when they got to the bakery.

“Oh, wow. Already here?”

“Yeah. Lots to do.”

“Where’s Rach? She’s coming, right?” She had done just as much work as Beth had, it would be horrible to miss this.

“She’ll be here soon. Rach and Faye are…”

“Doing homework?” Tim said with sarcasm.

“Something like that. We can get the layers together and get the first couple of parts assembled.

Setting to work was like sinking into a comfortable blanket. The three layers of white sheet cake that comprised the main building were frosted, keeping the glue together between layers. The cream cheese frosting was carefully spread and scraped flat before pressing in the crushed macadamia nuts.

“Forgetting the windows?” Came a voice from the door.

Bobbie and Beth saw the blue hair and knew before the light caught her face.

“Rach!” Beth exclaimed. “You’re just in time.”

“Yeah.” Steve said, “She hasn’t shut up about you for hours.”

Rach grinned and headed for the sink to wash her hands. “I wouldn’t miss this for anything.”

 ***

The clear sugar windows were pressed into the sides of the building. That corner classroom there.

Robb had argued with Mr. Ferguson back in that first Freshman year. Bobbie still contended that Heinlein Juveniles were a better example of literature than the soulless ‘perfect’ novels of the fifties.

***

Beth saw the chocolate classrooms put together. The similar sameness of the prefabricated buildings had memories of the math class she had only occupied this last year. She looked at her best friend.

Bobbie, the girl that changed everyone around her, the girl that would be…

A sister…

They had been close, and all of the other people that came with her were like family. She looked hopefully at the building and thought about what other positive things that could happen now that the future was looking up.

 ***

 Bobbie was putting the second layer of the lemon cake on top of the gym component, as the frosting went on. She remembered Robb being unable to climb the rope to the jeers of the others in his class.

 ***

Tim was spreading the plain buttercream on the four pasted together sheet cakes that comprised Slacker’s Cove. All the times he had gone out there to see who he’d be partying with that night; then later, just to disappear. Lost, in a sea of lime scented grass. He looked to the cake’s parts scattered around the bakery.

Huh, I guess it’s true. I am gonna miss this. He looked at his girlfriend, laughing with Rach as they started dusting the pistachios on the lemon cake that comprised the gym.

 ***

Rach was laying down the fondant tiles that made up the path that led to the main door of the school, she saw the exact spot where that old bike of hers crashed into the girl that changed her life in more ways than she cared to count.

And still changing. She thought as she moved some blue hair from her eyes.

 ***

Beth and Steve had put together the rest of the chocolate outbuildings.

“Hey, think I can get your help here?” Tim called.

After some thorough handwashing, The couple came over to Tim. He presented them with two sheet pans of candied zest.

“Start with the green; but put some yellow in patches, so it looks kind of dead.” Tim started spreading the zest carefully, trying not to disturb the frosting.

That field was so close in Tim’s memory, and farther away at the same time.

He shook his head.

Being grown up isn’t half as fun as growing up.

 ***

Bobbie looked at the buildings, they were all done now. The rest of the details would be done at the school in time for the unveiling. She smiled at what she and her friends had accomplished. Another day at Cheepskates.

“Who’s hungry?” Tim asked. Bobbie’s stomach growled.

“Yeah. We’ve been at this for… jeez.” Tim stared out past the window. The sun was gone.

“How long were we…?”

“Fifty seven years.”

“We make better cornbread than Weyland-Yutani.”

Rach looked in puzzlement. “What the hell are you talking about?”

“Never mind.” Tim said, phone in hand. “Yeah. This is Tim at… yeah. I need a Chicago Godfather and a Barbecue chicken. Yeah, that’s right. Alright, great.”

“Pizza is coming.” They all looked at their work, resulted in the towering achievement that laid before them.

Rach had a camera out immediately. Pictures were taken from every angle. “Give me some extra light.” She called.

“What are you doing?” Tim said, flicking the light built into his phone on.

“Better lighting, better picture. Hang around Faye long enough and you pick up a few things.”

Pictures continued to be shot until the pizzas arrived. The deep dish Chicago Godfather delivering equal portions of cheese, sauce, and the accoutrements of a deep dish pizza. Wheeling the cakes into the walk in was a bit of a challenge, but a Tetris master like Steve had everything in place quickly, leaving all the room clear of obstruction.

“We should be getting out.” Steve said. “I’ve got class, and you guys have the unenviable task of detailing this bad boy.”

Tim shook Steve’s hand. “Good luck.”

“You guys, too. Can’t wait to see the pictures tomorrow.”

“C’mon, Beth.” Steve said, jingling his keys.

“See you all tomorrow.” Beth squeed. “This is gonna be so cool.”

“It sure is.” Bobbie watched as they left. Her expression changed after they left.

“What’s wrong?” Tim asked. Bobbie wondered if any of the special sight trick of Timmi had remained.

Bobbie thought of Delacroix, the Delacroix before. When school was a garden of pain with a full variety of all the myriad ways of hurt that coexisted with the things that she had experienced this go round.

“Nothing.” She said quietly. “Can’t believe it’s over. I mean, after Summer…”

“Then what?”

“Well.” Tim cocked his head. “I happen to know this bakery that needs a full time baker besides myself. Hell, I only know this stuff because of you. You’re the genius here.” He swept her up, lifting her from the floor.

“And you’re mine.” He kissed her. Bobbie’s negative memories were scattered and a giddiness swept in like high tide.

Rach shattered the silence. “I should be hitting the trail myself. How early you want me here?”

“Just before school, so eight?”

“Alright.”

 ***

Bobbie watched everyone file out, leaving them alone.

“How about you? Back to your old self?”

“Mostly.” Tim said, sipping a coke. “Sometimes I see an outfit on a girl and think ‘god, what was she thinking?’ not like I have a better answer, just an echo here and there.”

Bobbie leaned in and kissed his neck. “Glad you’re mostly back then.”

Tim smiled and kissed Bobbie.

“We don’t need to use that fondant station again, right?”

Bobbie smiled at what her boyfriend had just said.

“Looks like some of the bad girl remains.”

Tim straightened, mock offense playing on his face. He rolled his eyes and in a pitch perfect imitation of Faye… the old Faye…

“Shut up.”

 ***

Carla Castillo stood on the ramp. Someone had spray painted a large pink ‘Timmi’ on the floor of the ramp.

Why does she want to meet here? And why so late?

The silence was starting to get to her when she heard the door.

“Roxx?” she yelled.

“It’s me. Sorry about the place, wanted to be away from everyone.”

“So, got another job for me?” Carla’s nose whistled softly as she spoke.

“Of a sort. It’s more about what I can do for you this time.” Roxx said, lighting a cigarette. She jumped at the clink of the Zippo, Roxx hadn’t heard it in a while. No use spooking Carls.

“What?”

“Oh, I know that Bobbie did that to your nose. I can help.”

“Who’s that?” Carla asked, indicating the shadowy figure in the corner.

“That’s Nikki. He keeps me safe.” Roxx pulled out a joint and lit it, once it was burning on its own, she handed it to Carla.

She inhaled deeply. God, it’s been a while. Her mouth dried instantly and her head felt light.

Coughing, she tried to hand it back. “Good shit, damn.”

Roxx laughed. “Plenty more where that came from. Keep it, got a lot back at the club.”

Carla continued to hide the joint in her favorite way.

Once Roxx was convinced that she was stoned enough, she began her soothing sales pitch.

“Here to offer you a job, a real one. If you come work for me, you can have pretty much all you want. And you’ll be so popular. Everyone will just want to be around you. How does that sound?”

“That sounds rad.” Carla said, voice trailing off as she imagined what such a life could be like. It would be better than keeping that girl around.

“Just say ‘yes’ and take my hand.” Roxx outstretched a gloved hand.

“Yes.” Carla said without hesitation, giggling. She reached out her hand to allow Roxx to help her up.

Rising, Carla felt even higher than she was a moment ago. She felt funny in other ways, too.

Like why was her bra and shirt suddenly so tight? Why did her scalp itch? And…

“Ow.” Carla’s hands flew up to her nose. Small popping and cracking noises started, then stopped as suddenly as they began.

“What the…?” Carla noticed that her voice sounded different, like she picked up an accent.

“Oh, you’ll find there’s more surprises to come. Come to the club with me. Looks like we can find some new clothes that fit. You can meet the others.”

Carla thought that it sounded like the greatest idea in history.

“Si.” She said. Si? I don’t speak Spanish…

But Carla was so high, that she forgot before she left the ramp with Roxx and Nikki.

Chapter 93

The alarm rang, sending the sounds of the local country station zinging around the room. Bobbie bolted up for two reasons.

One: Today was the day. That cake was due for delivery, and that alone filled her with giddy excitement.

Two: Modern country music sucked.

The noises and smells downstairs confused her. When she went downstairs to find Sylvia cooking, just like the old days.

But, unlike the old days, she had help from Kim.

“Bobbie, you’re up.”

Sylvia stopped stirring long enough to hand Bobbie a mug. “Got that one yesterday. Figured you needed a cup in your color. Bobbie looked at the mug closely for the first time.

It was blue, the same blue that marked Rach’s statues.

Bobbie’s smile finally woke the rest of the way up as she went for the carafe of coffee.

“Biscuits and gravy today. Packaged. I can’t cook like you can. Today’s such a big day for you. Can’t let you do all the work.” Sylvia said, pouring eggs into the frying pan.

“Thanks, mom.” Bobbie said. “Today’s going to be hectic, no doubt there.”

“Hey.” Kim said. “I get nothing? Haven’t put my face on or anything yet. I got up at stupid o’clock too.”

Bobbie laughed, watching Kim pull a pan from the oven.

Breakfast was quiet that morning, everyone just happy to be where they were.

“So do you have everything ready?” Sylvia asked.

“Oh, yeah. Just need to finish putting it together today, all the finishing touches.”

“Well, I can’t wait to see it.”

“Don’t worry about that, Mom. I have a feeling that you won’t be able to avoid it.” Kim said, grabbing another biscuit. “They’ve been putting everything on that Facebook page of theirs.”

Sylvia furrowed her brow and turned towards Bobbie.

“Since the Grand Opening, it’s been a big help. We had to hire someone.” Bobbie laughed. “Never thought I’d be saying that.”

A knock came to the door, Bobbie jumped while Kim stayed calm. She opened the door to reveal Tim.

Helmet in hand, he shrugged.“They told me to come early. Can’t say no to breakfast that I didn’t have to make, right?”

Bobbie set down her cup and bolted for him. She craved his warmth more than the coffee, just standing there with him made her feel…

Like a part of this complete breakfast.

Bobbie had to admit how much she loved her life now; it wasn’t always blackness and depression like it used to be… before. She reflected on everything that had brought her here. Sitting with Tim and her family made her feel… whole.

Like she belonged somewhere. That was the feeling she had been having since she came back home. Having your place in life lock itself down around you was a great feeling, but was always followed by wondering when someone would pull the rug out from under her.

But the rug felt stable enough to dance on now.

Bobbie enjoyed her breakfast, and by the time she and Tim had left to get to the bakery.

There was no trepidation at all. Bobbie looked forward to the day that would be laid out by the track of the sun in the sky.

 ***

She was on the verge of screaming. Rach’s restless sleep had been spent dreaming in cake. Not enough cake. Sleep was in short supply that night as she cleaned the Faye out of the car. Dorito crumbs and what could have been a corn dog stick stuck to the inside of the back seat. It could have been a science experiment.

Did it wink at me? Rach was still tired and hoping that coffee would finish waking her up where the shower had not.

Building the cake had taken on an importance, she had put in some overtime on that one. The box of extras she had made at home were so simple. One thing about this new ability of hers, her sculptures always came out nicely, and some things like these just came together with a minimum of effort.

Rach grabbed the chopsticks that Faye got her at one of those stores that had all kinds of Asian things in it.

For your hair. She had said before muttering something about Metal Gear. Rach bound her hair simply, crossing the sticks in the back. Grabbing the Roxx statue, she headed downstairs.

Faye was going to be a part of her life, no matter what. Rachael Chadwick and Faye Valentine were going places. The SUV rumbled to life as Rach got ready for what promised to be an interesting day. She grabbed the Roxx statue and threw it under the driver’s seat.

 ***

Beth couldn’t help but get up early. Gulping a smoothie and availing herself of a bowl of oatmeal, she waited for Rach. She could see the finished cake so well in her head now, especially that she’d seen all the parts.

It had given her all kinds of ideas. Steve had started watching shows about cakes and looking  up construction techniques. The cake he really wanted to make was from that movie with the big shark…

She could see it biting into the boat, the captain sliding downward to the gaping maw.

The headlights turning into the driveway broke Beth away from the visions of cakes to come.

“Sparkle, Shirley.”

  ***

Hudson and Hobson saw Tim, Bobbie, and a few other teenagers standing at the front of the bakery.

“Hi, officers.” A chubby girl was waving. There was a girl with blue hair next to her, crawling around in the back of a black SUV.

Hobson rolled down the window. “Hi. Everything okay?”

“Oh, hi.” Tim said, propping the door open. “Hey, Bobbie. Grab some banana bread. The police are here.”

“What’s going on?”

“Closed today, big delivery. This cake is massive…”

“Beep beep.” Bobbie said backing up, wheeling a large cart with a heavy cocoon of plastic wrap. Clearing the door, she moved backwards slowly. Rach climbed out of the back.

“Ready.”

Bobbie handed a wrapped loaf to the officers and gingerly helped get the first part moved all the way into the back.

“That is a big cake.” Hobson said, he handed a cup to Tim. “Didn’t realize there would have been more people here today.”

“No one did. Just a really big...”

“Beep beep.” Bobbie said, backing up again. This cocoon was lower and more squat.

“Another one?” Hobson asked. “Anyone else back there? There’s a couple of runaways out there…”

Bobbie shot him a glance.

Hudson smacked Hobson on the shoulder. “Not cool.”

“Sorry.” Hobson looked down. “See a lot of things on the job.”

Tim broke the awkward silence. “There’s a couple more in there too. Need to get them to the school today.”

Hudson smiled and looked appreciatively at the loaf. “Want an escort?”

 ***

Robb had the flowers out in front of him. “Happy semi-Anniversary.” He said.

Melanie was taken aback. She didn’t know whether or not to cry or to suction cup herself to him.

She decided that crushing the flowers would be a bad idea. The chin started to quiver and the eyes started to get wet. Mel was glad that she wasn’t wearing  any makeup, lest her tears ruin it.

“Oh… now you’ve gone and done it. Made a mess.”

“You could never be a mess.” Robb said. Now the crying started in earnest.

“What’s wrong?” Robb set the flowers down and went to his girl’s side.

“No one ever remembers stuff like that. You….. “

“You’re sweeter than I deserve.”

“Bullshit.” Robb grabbed the bong and inhaled so hard his chest nearly caved in.

“I…I’m serious. You went and got a job, just so we can be together.”

“Just my family. Fuck ‘em.” Robb exhaled. He handed Melanie the bong and got under the blanket with her.

“You’re more important to me.”

“Awww.” Melanie set the large glass cylinder down.

“I love you.” Robb said into a green frizzlock.

She knew he did. Melanie loved him too, no one had ever been this nice to her without wanting something. Either drugs or sex.

He was such an anomaly to her. When guys got high with her all they wanted was to get into her panties.

Not Robb. He talked about some silly movie or TV show. He even showed her how to play Dead Space. She’d had no taste for it, but he was like a kid. The way he bit his bottom lip when particularly engaged.

It was cute, in the strangest, most endearing way possible.

Robb grabbed the remote and turned the television on. The picture was staticy, an Asian woman on the screen yelling at someone behind the camera…

Then the television exploded.

Roxx woke with a start, sitting upright. The buzzing in her head made her move restlessly, disturbing Rubi and…

Carla? Maybe I can do something better.

She concentrated and focused.

“R-R-Rosa.” Roxx rolled her tongue for maximum effect.

The girls’ eyes fluttered open and they woke.

 ***

Rosa couldn’t remember much. She was so content with the now that nothing really mattered.

The tingling was so … there wasn’t a word for it, like her soul had been carbonated.

She looked to the strawberry blonde across from her. Rubi was so cute.

But the Redhead? Roxx?

Madre de dios.

Not only was she devastatingly beautiful, but she took care of both herself and Rubi.

Verdad?

Roxx would figure it out…

She always did.

 ***

“Hey there, Peggy Sue.” Heather said from the car window.

“Morning.” Kim was already jacked on caffeine and bacon, ready for the day. She opened the door and went to sit…

“My notebook! Where in the hell did you find that?”

“In the garage.” She shook her head. “It looks like you left it there last summer. Before you brought Bobbie by. Must have been from when I gave her that dress. It was in there.”

Kim started flipping through the pages. Fragments of song lyrics and little funny pictures.

God, that was last year? I’m far too young for that stupidity of youth thing.

“Those are really good. Is there a reason you didn’t want us to do them?”

“I…” Kim looked closely. She’s not kidding, she liked those?

These?

“I thought they were a bit dark. We got pretty far with covers, didn’t want us to be that freaky chick band.” Kim shrugged.

“Well, once Bella’s gone. We’re gonna sound different anyway. I say we do ‘em.”

“No.” Kim said. Tying a headscarf on with a semi complex knot. Heather looked back, the blue of her ribbons denoted hurt.

“Let me work on those a bit. We have time. Besides. I have an idea I wanna pitch to Viggo.”

“The Carpathian?” The blue subsided, giving way to gold and green.

“No, that’s Plugman. He’s an AV guy, I think we can jam. Just us having some fun playing shit we know. Unless you wanna do some of the newer ones”

“Y’know.” Heather laughed. “I was working on our outfits for that. If we’re going out, let’s go out like the Army. I was thinking about it after the Grand Opening. I guess we have a few more gigs left. Since you seem to like the pencil skirts, I have something super dope in mind. I’m goin’ tactical…”

“Oh, shit.”

“That’s right, girlfriend. This one’s gonna go down in history.”

The car slid out of the driveway and headed to school…

Again.

 ***

Rach and Beth had both eschewed class that morning with the blessings of their respective teachers. The home ec kitchen was emptied out for them.

Ms. Swenson always was impressed by Bobbie.

The long wheeled table soon had the components slid into their respective places.

An edible zombie apocalypse had left the building desolate and silent.

It needs its people. Beth thought, and started unpacking the boxes of figures.

Rach, too had a box.

“What’s that.”

“Just some extras.” Rach smiled.

 ***

Tim felt strange walking along the corridors that morning. The school seemed odd and long ago, like grainy footage on a black and white film. Bobbie with him, he felt beyond it. Even the memories of Timmi made it a different place in a different way.

Here he was, in the school that he just dropped out of a couple of months ago. He opened a bakery, managed to make sure that he would graduate from the same school. His mom snapped out of her funk and…

Bobbie. She turned as if answering his thought.

When his dad and sister died; it felt like it was the end of the world, and for him it was.

And then the universe gave him Bobbie. He couldn’t wonder what would have happened if he hadn’t met her.

“When’s the last time I said I love you?” Tim asked.

“This morning, I think.”

“Too long.” He stopped and turned and kissed her right there in the middle of the silent passageway.

“I love you, Bobbie.”

“I love you, too. Now can we get back to the cake?” Bobbie smiled.

“Yeah. Hey.” Tim smiled and refused to let go for a second. “What are you doing tonight?”

“Not sure. After the bakery, not much I guess.”

“Kim managed to get me a good bootleg of Drop Bears 2. Maybe some of that Chicken Tikka Masala you’ve wanted to try.”

Bobbie smiled broadly. “Get the Raspberry Ginger Beer and you are on.”

Tim’s face softened. “That’s all?” He shook his head. “I swear…”

“I have the best girlfriend in the world.”

 ***

It was fucking amazing. Rach was just staggered by finally seeing all the pieces assembled.

The school is the cake. The cake is the school.

It’s not a lie.

Beth had some of the figures out and placing them in various spots.

Rach pulled out the small box that had a few extras in it. Some trees and benches, a few rocks…

…and a bicycle.

“Oh, wow.” Beth exclaimed, looking up. “Trees and stuff. I got so involved…” She ran over and hugged Rach.

“You’re smart like Bobbie.”

“Don’t knock yourself. These figures all look different, which is kind of amazing.” Rach studied them. They were all blue, but Beth had painted some color on each of them. They were all unique.

“Which one’s Faye, and which one’s me?”

Beth looked around some and settled on one, then scanned for the other. Rach grabbed the tiny bicycle and laid it on its side in the middle of the path in front of the main door.

“Think we should put these here.” Rach loving placed the figures, recreating the scene from memory.

“Ooh, that’s a cool idea.” Beth grabbed a table and set it in the dining area. The tiny, edible people sat at them with a minimum of coaxing.

 ***

Bobbie and Tim finally came into the kitchen and…

“Holy shit.” Bobbie exclaimed.

The transformation wasn’t total, but the difference was huge. There were students at lunch, kids hanging out Slacker’s Cove.

It would have been a regular day, until Godzilla showed up to devour them en masse.

“Damn,” Tim said slowly. “This is coming out better than I thought.”

Bobbie nodded. “Yeah. This is going to be…”

“Epic?” Rach asked.

Bobbie laughed. “What’s left? Let’s finish this.” She wondered what was left to do.

The realization that school was almost over and she could get on with her life. Seeing it laid out before her in glorious pastry made it…

Not plain, but frosted.

Principal Michaelson came in and Bobbie wished that someone had a camera out.

“Oh, wow.”

“Tim.” Mr. Michaelson came up to him and extended his hand. “When you came to me and said that you were dropping out… I honestly thought ‘there goes another one’, but you have done really well.”

Tim shook his hand. “And I’m still graduating.”

“Just wanted to come by and say thanks. This is a really good looking cake.” He laughed and pulled out his phone.  “My wife watches those cooking shows, never thought I’d see something like this.

Pictures started to fill his SD card. Rach followed suit, as did Beth.

The deluge of images to the internet had begun.

The Cheepskates crew didn’t see what was happening  in the digital world, but Tim’s revelation of being self sustaining by next year was a conservative estimate.

A highly conservative one.

 ***

Kim and Heather were first in line for their yearbooks. The hardbound shiny cover stood out in blue and white, the familiar school mascot had a pitchfork and was pushing the letters for BLUE DEVILS towards the spine of the book.

Once they got theirs, they left the line and furiously flipped to find themselves. Kim looked at the old picture. No makeup, a labret and a faux hawk. Absolutely nothing like what she was like now.

Heather, similarly flipped to see herself sitting in the red dress. Victory rolls tight, and makeup just so. They looked at each other’s pictures and laughed.

The smell of the hamburgers coming from the grill soon permeated the entire lunch area.

Once the music started and the food flowed, there were smiles.

The student body collectively wandered around and signed each other’s yearbooks.

“Heather.”

She turned to see Tim and Bobbie approaching.

“Hey.” Heather said through a mouthful of burger. “What’s up with the cake?”

“We’re unveiling it soon. You guys up to take some pictures?”

 ***

Rach found Faye giggling at some baseball players. She sauntered right in and kissed Faye.

Glad that kiss won’t work on me anymore.

“Beat it, breeders. She’s mine.” Rach turned and nearly touched noses.

“She’s way too much for you.”

“How’s the burger? I haven’t gotten one yet.” Faye said, looking over to the line.

“Me neither, been busy finishing the cake. C’mon, let’s get one. Besides. I wanna take pics of the cake when they unveil it.”

“Ugh! You too? Does Bobbie make everyone obsessed with cake?” Faye fluffed out her hair as she looked into her mirror.

“It’s just this one. I wanted the practice. Besides, I think you’ll like it.”

“Duh! I came up with it. I just hope it’s cute like how I thought of it.”

 ***

A bland, popular song was playing when Principal Michaelson grabbed the microphone.

“Welcome to the Year End picnic. This year, we have a special treat for you. This cake comes from Cheepskates…” A loud cheer interrupted the speech.

Bobbie, Tim, Beth, and Rach wheeled out their monstrosity. It had a large cloth over it, one of the old Blue Devils flags they used to carry out on the field, back when they had a drum and bugle corps. Budget cuts had forced that to close down. Football and Cheerleaders just having to be enough to sate the small town’s lust to have parents living vicariously through  their children.

Each of them grabbing a corner, they lifted off the cover and grabbed the post from the corner of the table. There were gasps and shouts, fading into applause and the thunderous clicks of phones and cameras. A few ‘Fuck yeahs’ and a few ‘Holy shits’

It was Delacroix High, perfectly frozen in time. Sculpted in pastry, sugar, and purpose. The level of detail was stunning.  As the line started to form, student could be overheard talking about what part of the school they wanted to try, or which figure was who.

Faye looked at the cake as she passed by for her piece. Chocolate with chocolate was the order of the day. Bobbie scooped the piece onto one of the small plates. Rach grabbed a piece of the white cake with macadamia nuts, and the figures of the two of them and that bicycle.

The Faye figure was of an earlier era. She recognized it immediately. “Oh, that’s cute. Best you guys could have done with a bunch of boring buildings. Little figures are super cute though.”

 ***

Bobbie watched the school deconstruct the cake. The flavors distributed among the students even as the darknesses dissipated over the crowd. Everyone was smiling, having a good time.

“Looks like we’re a hit.” Tim said.

The cake disappeared with each student getting a piece, and a figure. The long ago bake sale was merely a shadow.

While this was the sun.

 ***

Mark Price felt better as his sinuses opened up and his fever dropped. The strep throat had finally cleared up enough to allow him back to school, but the pain started to disappear when the little figure dissolved in his mouth.

 ***

When Sperry Kensington ate her figure, she just didn’t think about what she saw in the mirror. Thoughts of vomiting up the last of the figure along with the cake disappeared as Sperry realized she could just be.

 ***

Kurt and Amber sat away from everyone, just alone and enjoying the warm day and the lack of further classes.

There was something special about that day. They didn’t know if it was the looming end of the year, or the promise of what lay ahead.

Or was it just having someone to be close to?

Or was it something more?

Kurt had a piece of lemon zest stuck to the corner of his mouth, Amber laughed  with pistachio crumbs on her lips. When they kissed it tasted exotic, the lemon and pistachio combining. They held hands and  sat with the most important person in their world at the moment.

 ***

Bella felt a strange pulling in her wrists. It felt good, just weird, like those twinges she felt when she practiced for too long. Or played an extended solo.

“What the fuck?” Bella started rubbing at the muscle inside her forearm. The feeling went away as quickly as it started.

 ***

Heather’s figure was gone before she started the cake.

“You okay, babe?”

Heather nodded, almost squinting. “Yeah, totally tubular.”

Kim laughed. “You look so baked.”

“You would know.” Heather snickered. “No, just high on life.”

“How in the hell do you get that cereal to burn? I never could. Usually gave up and smoked a bong full of Froot Loops.”

Heather laughed, long and hard. Doubling over and wiping at her eyes.

“Gonna be a busy summer. For all of us. To moving on.” Heather held her Diet Coke aloft.

“To moving on.”

            “And, since you’re one of my models now…” Heather sipped.

“Once your mom heads back to Auckland. You’re probably never getting rid of me.”

“Someone’s reading my mind.” Heather moved closer, Kim could see utter contentment. A real happiness that appeared to her Thrall enhanced eyes to have spilled across the student body. There was a calm, a joy.

A oneness.

 ***

Laughing and chatting. Hugging and shaking hands. The student body of Delacroix swirled around Beth as she walked among the people she had been cut off from all this time. They knew her association of the bakery.

Finding out that she had worked on the cake that everyone was enjoying, Beth was suddenly very popular.

“How did you build that?”

“I bet that took forever to make all those tiny people.”

“That is seriously the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.” One of the cheerleaders said. “Nice work….Um…?”

“Beth.” She said, and it became an afternoon that she would remember. Finally part of the world she saw and loved from her bedroom window.

And Beth; the girl that had begun the year separated from it, finally accepted that she wasn’t just a part of Cheepskates.

Nor was she just Bobbie’s friend.  She was truly a part of Delacroix.

It was a feeling that she knew that she could never let go.

 ***

Tim had everyone meet at the bakery that evening. They were still talking about the picnic and showing the inscriptions left by their fellow students.

“Have a great Summer.”

“Good luck at Brown…”

Then Faye’s repeated “Tits or GTFO,” unnerving Rach to no end.

“They’re so funny.” Faye said, laughing. “Boys.”

Bobbie and Tim had everyone just hanging out at the bakery for a while.

“I just wanted to say thanks.” Tim said, opening a bottle of Coke.

“If you hadn’t brought the rest of the band, Bobbie. I…”

“Fuck.” Bella said.

“Yeah.” Kim echoed. “We fucking know already. Just bake us a fucking cake and we’ll call it even.”

Everyone laughed.

Heather gathered up the rest of the girls and headed out. Beth and Bobbie looked at the order sheet and started planning.

It would be a good night, and a quiet one.

The Hobarts were running at about half capacity that night, and the orders were finished without incident.

Tim looked at the bakery with Bobbie once Beth had left.

“You know we have a shit ton more orders coming in. That cake grabbed a lot of attention.”

“You can thank Faye for that.”

“You do it.” Tim said with a nervous laugh. “Not too comfortable with the way she shows appreciation these days.”

Bobbie gave no expression.

“It was better when she just told me to fuck off or to shut up.”

“Well, I’ll just have to thank you for her.”