Ruby rolled to across her bed to slap her hand on the alarm that just out her half conscious reach. She reached out a few inches more out of bed to silence its incessant screeching when gravity took hold and dragged her face first onto her hardwood floor, the only thing there to break her fall was a thin slab of ugly green carpet her dad had cut for her when she had begged for a rug for her room. She rolled across the sloppy oval shaped carpet with a groan and attempted to ignore the minor aches and pains from the fall as she stood to her feet glaring at the alarm.
She sighed and turned it off before getting ready for her first day of work. This should be fun, going to a job you don't get payed for and working with the girl you rejected because you can't get a handle own your trust issues… Yup shouldn't be awkward at all.
After changing into some decent clothes she grabbed what she thought she would need for the day, said goodbye to Yang after giving her a brief explanation to where she was going and headed out to the door to the bakery. On her way there she noticed that there was significantly more frost covering the windows of the cars. It's getting colder, I hope that it snows soon.Thought Ruby as she enjoyed the cold sting her cheeks and barely manage to cut through her jacket.
As soon as she made it into the bakery she knocked on the glass panel door to tell whomever was inside to let her in. Ruby stood outside for a few more moments till she heard the sound of someone inside the building walking around. Soon the person pulled up the shade covering the glass and preventing someone from looking into the shop. Ruby smiled at the green haired girl that opened the door but was interrupted before she could say good morning to her.
"Sorry kid we don't open till seven. We don't even have anything made yet, come back in half an hour." said the girl in a monotone voice.
Before she could close the door in Ruby's face Ruby spoke, "Wait! I'm not a customer I'm the new employ."
The girl glared at Ruby, her intensely colored red eyes boring into Ruby. Forcing Ruby to stop herself from trembling in her boots "If you're the new help why didn't you come in around back like all the employes?"
"N-no one told me I had to come in around back." Ruby said quickly.
The ebony colored woman eased her glare and tightened her tan smock before walking back into the building only stopping to look back at Ruby and say, "So are you going to stand there all day or are you going to help prep?"
Ruby just nodded and followed her, making sure to close the door behind herself. Once she got to the back she was greeted with the sight of Blake kneading dough. Blake's hair was tied back with a purple bow, much like Cinder's was the first day they met. She wore a short sleeved black t-shirt and jeans, along with a white apron protecting her clothes from the flour.
"Yo Kitty Cat the newbie is here." said the green haired woman as she passed Blake and began to knead the dough she had previously abandon to open the door for Ruby.
Blake looked up from her dough to give Ruby a small smile. "Hello Ruby, sorry to break the news to you but Cinder won't be here today. She stayed up with her friend last night and I couldn't wake her up this morning." No way was I walking on those two gain, it's much easier just to take Cinder's shift. Although I have to find a way to close up early to meet up with my group for rehearsal. Oh shit Ruby is talking. Thought Blake as she attempted to pretend that she knew what Ruby was talking about.
"- upset last night. It's just that a bunch of stuff came up and I knew I wasn't ready for a relationship, but anyway that's enough about me. What's the first thing you want me to do?" Ruby gave Blake a large smile, unknowingly making Blake's heart skip a beat.
Blake collected herself a bit before speaking, "Well for now I just want you to clean the tables and I'll give you a small tour after I finish this bread. The cleaning supplies are in the storage closet over there." Blake pointed to a door further back in the kitchen.
"Alright." was all Ruby said before retrieving the supplies and going to the main room to begin cleaning.
True to her word as soon as she was done with the dough she had been kneading Blake came over to where Ruby had been cleaning the tables and dragged her around the bakery showing her where things were in the kitchen and showing her how the storage room was organized. Blake told her how to get through the back door and gave her a bronze spare key, of which Ruby immediately hooked on to her key chain along with her house keys. Among other things the last thing that Blake showed her was how to operate the cash register and handed her a list of breads and other items they sell with their prices scribbled along the side.
At the end of the tour Blake looked at the clock on the far right wall and rushed to put away the cleaning supplies Ruby had left out before going to the front door and unlocking it as she flipped the closed sign to open. Glad Emerald had removed lifted the shade before hand.
"Ruby get behind the counter and get ready for the customers, they should be here any minute." said Blake as she went into the back to begin pulling out the finished breads from the walk in oven.
Ruby studied the list of breads and their prices as she waited for the first customers to walk in. Not five minutes after opening a few people walked into the shop, and then they were followed by a consistent stream of people. They all had different orders and some had horrible personalities. Some ordered just bread, others wanted bread and coffee, some milk and bread, some wanted hot chocolate and so on with different combinations, but everyone wanted bread and not everyone was willing to wait patiently. Ruby had gotten yelled at by a customer or two just because they weren't willing to wait an extra five minutes until the next batch was done. The stream of people didn't die down for two straight hours and in the third hour only a few people were sitting at the mismatched tables with no more customers were flowing in.
Ruby slumped against the counter attempted to relax before she heard the distinct sound of the bell over the door chime, announcing a new customer. Ruby suppressed a groan and looked up to see who had come in. Ruby smiled when she saw who had walked in.
"Well if it isn't Juan and Pyrrha Arc."
They smiled at Ruby, but Juan was the first to greet her, "Hola Ruby."
"Hello Ruby." said Pyrrha not a second later.
"How've you guys been? I haven't seen you in a while."
"Well Ruby, it is not my fault you did not come to thanksgiving. Little Paulo was very disappointed he did not get to see his favorite aunt." said Juan, his accent just as thick as the first day they met.
"Paulo is two, I highly doubt he missed me." laughed Ruby.
"I know Jaune missed you, he hates not having you around to help make a jokes here and there." said Pyrrha.
"Psh. Jaune is just doesn't like showing up because he missed his chance with you." said Ruby and she leaned her elbows on the counter.
Juan shrugged and ran a tanned hand through his short floppy black hair, he looked at Ruby with is light green eyes and flashed his pearly white teeth in a grimace. Man he looks alot like Jaune only difference is that he's taller and more handsome than Jaune and had much better cheekbones than Juane too...So in other words almost nothing like Jaune other than a faint family resemblance. Thought Ruby as Juan said "My cousin had plenty of chances con mi adorada esposa and he did not get himself together in time before I transferred to Signal. It is his own fault and he should no longer be mad because many years have passed since then."
"The Arcs are known to hold grudges sweetie." said Pyrrha with a knowing smile.
Juan just rolled his eyes and smiled, "Anyway, we did not come here to talk about my cousin. We came here for some bread and hot chocolate for Paulo."
"Where is the little scamp anyway?" said Ruby.
"He's with Nora and Ren." said Pyrrha.
"Are you sure that's a good idea considering what happened last time?" asked Ruby.
Juan shrugged his muscular shoulders as Pyrrha laughed, "Yeah it probably wasn't a good decision but we haven't really had any real alone time since Paulo started to sneak into our bed at night because he's been having nightmares."
"Ah I see. So what can I get you?" said Ruby. They ordered and patiently waited as Ruby bagged their items and poured their drinks.
Just as Juan paid for their things, Blake walked in from the back and said "Hi Ruby, friends of yours?"
"Hola, I am Juan Manuel Arc Inigo Montoya de la Cruz Rivera Gonzalez. but you can just call me Juan Arc."
"I'm Pyrrha Arc, nice to meet you." Pyrrha stuck out her hand to shake Blake's hand.
Blake shook her hand as Ruby looked at Pyrrha and said "Please tell me you didn't take all of those last names."
Pyrrha laughed, "Oh god no, but not for his lack of trying." They all joined in in the laugh as Juan pouted. "I haven't really seen you around are you new around here?" continued Pyrrha.
Blake shook her head, "No, I've technically lived here my entire life but my dad sent my sister and I to boarding school when we were young. We would only come to visit for winter and summer but after that I went on tour with my theater group and Cinder did her own thing here and there."
They chated for a bit longer before they left because a few customers had walked in. After they said their goodbyes Blake went back to the kitchen as she walked away Ruby could help but watch her walk away. She stared at the dark haired girl's hips sway side to side like a hypnotic metronome. Ruby couldn't stop the thought that invaded her head from coming out of her mouth in a whisper "Damn… dat ass." She quickly glance up at Blake's head to see if she had heard. Ruby gave a sigh of relief when she noticed the woman hadn't even paused. Thank goodness she didn't hear that. Thought Ruby as she took care of the customers. Soon after Em came over to the counter and said "Take your lunch break Ruby we have a few more hours until we close."
Ruby nodded and took off the apron she had been given before grabbing a piece of bread and some hot chocolate. She went around the counter and walked to a close by table to eat her lunch. She was soon joined by Blake of whom held a similar lunch to Ruby, the only difference was that Blake held tea instead of hot chocolate.
"Mind if I sit here?" asked Blake as she put her food down on the table and sat down.
Ruby smiled and shrugged, "You're the boss, you can sit anywhere you want."
"Oh? Is your lap one of the options?" said Blake without a second thought. Holy shit where did that come from? Am I turning into a shameless flirt like Cinder? Oh I hope not. Thought Blake as she tried to hide her thoughts with a smirk.
Meanwhile Ruby tuned the same shade as the jacket she had taken off because of the heat wafering out of the kitchen. She began to stumble over her words as she watched Blake's smile grow. "I-I-I d-don't think that's an option."
Blake shrugged, "Your loss. You'll be missing out on... dat ass." she winked at Ruby as she took a sip from her tea.
SHE HEARD ME. RED ALERT. JESUS HELP ME I'M GOING TO DIE. Ruby sat there frozen as her thoughts were going rampant. Ruby eventually calmed her thoughts using the breathing exercises her old therapist taught her before responding, "Sooo Blake… you said you were on tour before you came to work here?"
Blake chuckled and decided to give her a break. "I'm on tour doing a performance of Chicago with my theater group the White Fang. Sadly this is my last stop with them before my understudy takes over for me for the rest of the tour because I have to stay here to take care of my father."
"The White Fang? As in one of the most famous and most difficult theater groups to get into?"
Blake chuckled, "Yes the very same. I was one of the founding members actually."
Ruby's eyes widened, "Wow that's amazing."
"If you want I can get you tickets to this week's show if you want to come."
Ruby squealed and began to bounce in her chair, "That would be amazing! I actually tried to get tickets to it before it came to town but it was already sold out."
"Yeah I hear getting tickets to it can be pretty difficult sometimes, but it really depends on the city."
After promising to get Ruby tickets one last time, they talked about random things until their lunch break was over and the after noon lunch rush came through the door.
…
~A.N.~
Gasp! Double update!