I break off a piece of the banana muffin and glance at a couple of our classmates entering. No one who sits especially near us just yet. The murmur of their voices runs into the symphony of stray students outside and the hum of nature past the egress windows.
The muffin is amazing. Fluffy. Sweet. A thousand times better than the little loaves I’ve made. Wherever he buys these in rich, fancy land, I’m jealous. Swallowing the bite, I sigh. “Okay. You’re forgiven and on probation.”
“Ooh.” Rebecca’s voice drifts as she crosses the room to the seat on my other side. Her eyes brighten with mischief befitting of Jo. “Did our lead lovers get in a tiff? Tell me everything.”
“It’s a secret,” Lex states, in the same sort of flirty casual way he used to call memagnetic. Unmoved from his relaxed pose, he smiles past me at Rebecca.
It only adds fuel to the fire. She plops down in the chair. “Now I have to know.”
I chuckle awkwardly and reached into my bag, drawing out one of the three banana loaves I’ve brought with me. Of the four I made, Mom inhaled hers Friday night, I saved mine for lunch today, and I brought one for Rebecca and one for Mr. D’plume. I set Rebecca’s little plastic-wrapped parcel on her desk. “Consider this a bribe to not ask questions.”
She grins. “A bribe! My favorite. And how very Harriet of you.”
I warm to see her digging in without a moment’s notice, then I get the peculiar feeling Lex’s gaze has lost every bit of its casual flirtiness. Attempting to not draw so much attention to checking, I glance at him out of the corner of my eye.
He stares at the little loaf Rebecca is taking apart, his smileforgotten. When he catches me watching, he drags his gaze away, drops his elbow off his desk, and faces forward.
My stomach swirls, my heart beating an odd tune. Taking a tight breath, I pluck my loaf from my bag and slide it onto his desk. “It’s not exactly fancy, rich bakery level, but you’re welcome to it.”
“Fancy, rich bakery level?” he asks, only the slightest tinge of humor in his voice as his lips curve gently upward and he takes the little loaf.
I motion vaguely to the bag on my desk. “You know. Like these. It’s just a Kole Kitchen Special, that one.”
“Homemade with love,” he notes, like it’s nothing, and begins to unwrap the plastic, not even looking at me. “That’s better than any fancy, rich bakery those things could have come from, I think.”
I force a laugh, rolling my eyes away from him.
Didn’t I just see it when he responded to Rebecca? This boy is likethiswith everyone. I need to get my head together before I start to make the mistake of thinking I’m special.
Those kinds of mistakes aren’t the ones that people can easily bounce back from.
Lex
~~~~~~~~~~~~
One little loaf of bread. Unassuming and perfect. And I don’t even know if it was meant for me or if I looked at Rebecca’s too sorrowfully and Calypso took pity on me.
Actually, I am somewhat convinced it was pity. With the way we left things Friday, there was no room for her to be tucked away in her kitchen baking a little bread for me. Which means I stole it from someone else.
I sit, munching with my two other munching companions, and can’t be more content. Even if Calypso was right and this loaf isn’t particularly exceptional, we both like to bake. Another little mystery about her has come undone. The girl does more than play piano and blow my mind; clearly she makes little food, too.
“I’ve made up our extra rehearsal schedules, and, as always, Mrs. Portia from Dance and Choreography will be assisting with our musical numbers. Every time slot marked with a red X is mandatory for all acting parts. If for any reason you are unable to make it, you’ll have to let me know directly with a good excuse. If you’re late, well, we’ll see if I’m feeling generous that day.” Mr. D’plume passes out the schedules, then rubs his temple like he has a headache and finds his cup of coffee like it might be the cure. “Tonight is mandatory for everyone. After class, we’ll break for thirty minutes, then come back together and start running through Act 1, Scene 1.”
I take a bite of bread and open the folder with my script, just to glance over the scene. Harriet and Jo play a predominant role. I don’t show up until Scene 2. Scene 1 opens with “Daring” and sets the stage for the impoverished edge of town that Harriet knows. By the end, we know she’s a thief and has plans for savingenough to leave and start life elsewhere. Before the scene ends, we know exactly where she plans to get the funds and exactly what she thinks of people like Kenneth.
Harriet and Jo reclining in the alley, recounting their loot. Harriet, seemingly pleased, leans back and looks at Jo.
Harriet
One of these days, broken wings will fly again.
Jo
So you always say.
Jo laughs; Harriet remains unbothered, a touch of slyness coming to her.
Harriet
