Get Rhythm

[Flora]

Awareness crept its way slowly through my body. I groaned and began stretching. I could stay in bed for hours, but the bakery was practically screaming at me to get there and get to work. I threw half my body over my bed and laid there. I have tons to do around the apartment also. I've hardly unpacked anything because I've spent so much time at the bakery to get it where I could at least open, even if I hadn't gotten everything how I want it yet.

"Flor, you up?"

Fiona, my sister, laughed and walked further into my room. "You're so weird, how are you comfortable right now?"

"I am, I am. I'm still tired Fi," I whined.

"Then sleep! You're crazy! You have employees so you don't have to be there so early!"

I rolled my eyes, "No, I have employees because I can't run shop alone."

"I'm sure you've tried, too."

I rolled my eyes, "Besides, I've only actually had the place open for two weeks. I don't know anyone I've got on staff well enough to know they aren't skeezy."

"That's a point," Fiona conceded.

"Will you find me something to wear? I don't have anything."

"You have this entire fucking closet," Fiona said, rolling her eyes.

"I'm tired and I don't like that stuff."

I decided to get out of bed while Fiona found me something to wear and do my makeup. I walked to the bathroom and quickly took off my old mascara before applying two fresh coats. I rarely put on more makeup than mascara. My eyelashes are long, the kind that make people jealous. I felt slathering them in mascara was enough, not to mention when I do my makeup I feel like I look like a six year old that played with Mom's makeup. I brushed my teeth and pulled my long light brown hair from the bun it was in. It cascaded around my body, allowing the streaks of bleach blonde to show through from underneath my hair. Fiona's hair is the same as mine, we both have great hair. Hers is naturally the same color as mine, but she dyed her entire head bleach blonde while I chose for a few highlighting streaks. We were pretty similar in looks, both short though Fi is slightly taller than my five foot one frame. Her eyes are also a beautiful shade of green while mine are brown. Other then that, we look a lot alike. Sometimes we get mistaken for each other, at least until people get to know us. Our personalities have their similarities, but they are few and far between.

"Fi," I rolled my eyes, "I can't wear a shirt that has Johnny Cash flipping off everyone I serve today."

"Do you actually understand what it means to own something? Because it means you can do whatever the fuck you want Flor."

"Not everyone works at a chill music management company," I shrugged, thinking of the reason we had moved out here in the first place. Fiona shrugged.

"I figured those would be your feelings, I picked out this dress too."

Smiling, I accepted the white dress with navy zig-zag stripes all over it. Fiona left and I threw my night clothes in the floor. "Oh well, it's not like there isn't a million other things scattered about." I pulled on fresh panties and a bra, then pulled on the dress. I shaved my underarms and put on deodorant quickly.

"What are you still doing here?" I asked, surprised to find Fiona in the kitchen of our apartment. I pulled two bananas out of our fruit bowl, per my morning routine.

"Some motherfucker slashed your tires, I thought you might want a ride."

I slipped on my light peach flats and purse, then grabbed an apple juice bottle from the fridge. Fiona followed my lead and we headed down towards the parking lot.

"No way! That's unfortunate," I replied, surprised.

"Uh, I would be pissed as hell!"

I shrugged, "If this is the worst thing to happen to me then I'm doing pretty great."

Fiona just shook her head and chuckled. She never understood how I was so easy going about things that get most people upset, but other things bothered me that wouldn't most people. Our ride was pretty quite aside from the radio, but that's also normal. Fiona has never really been a morning person, neither have I. Our parents, however, are total morning people.

"I need to drop by 8123 first, I know you're only three or four blocks over but I needed to turn these papers in by like, yesterday."

"That's fine," I replied, "I've been wanting to see where you work anyway." Fiona pulled into the parking lot before too much longer and cut the engine.

"Wanna stay out here or come in?"

"Come in, definitely. I want to meet whoever was insane enough to give that amazing deal!" Fiona rolled her eyes at me.

"Get the hell out and shut it, kid!" Fiona is my older sister, she's three years older than me, making her twenty three. As we were walking up the sidewalk to 8123, a tall guy in jeans and the same shirt Fiona had picked out for me originally this morning caught my eyes. His light brown hair was short, but long enough to be in a disarray. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of black Ray Bans.

I bumped Fi's hip with my own, "Look at his shirt." Fiona followed my gaze and her face lit up.

"Finally getting that ass to work, O'Callaghan?" my sister teased. The guy, O'Callaghan, smiled when he recognized Fiona.

"Oh boy, haven't even got in the door!" John laughed, "You wouldn't believe the way this one can bark out orders," he said, looking to me and grinning. "But uh, not yet actually," he said running his hand through his hair and laughing. "I'm actually going to this bangin' ass bakery a few blocks over. It has the absolute best cupcakes- No everything! Everything in that place is straight heaven to your mouth. Do you want a cupcake? Let me buy you a pastry, your friend too! Everyone needs to try these cupcakes."

Fiona began laughing, while I stood beside her blushing. Neither of us were positive, but we both felt like John was probably talking about my bakery.

John looked at us strangely, "What is wrong with you guys? I'm being totally serious right now! You haven't lived until you have tried this shit. It's called the Lovin' Oven. I can't believe I've wasted so much time not knowing that it even existed."

Oh God.

Fiona laughed louder now. "I- I have though, just not from that location. John, this is my sister, Florence. This is John O'Callaghan, he is in a band the owner of 8123 manages. She actually owns the shop."

"Oh shit," John exclaimed, "Well you are like a fucking angel! I've never tasted anything so delicious in my life. Nice to meet you, Florence."

"It's actually Flora," I said, bumping Fi's hip with my own. "Luckily you don't have to waste anymore tears about the lost days, its only been actually open for two weeks. It's not exactly ready even now, but I wanted to get some sales going and word on the street. I'm glad to hear such great things!"

"Flora," John nodded, acknowledging my correction. "Well believe me, just step into 8123 and if you mention your bakery you'll hear nothing but that!"

"Alirght, I've really got to go in here and get to work, Flor I'll be right back to take you to work."

John shook his head before I could speak, "You could tag along with me, if you want? I mean, I'm walking, but you're welcome to come along."

I nodded, "That's way easier Fi. You don't have to leave to come right back."

Fiona shrugged, "Cool with me. O'Callaghan is a cool guy, he won't murder you or anything. Bye Flor." Fiona hurried inside and left John and I to begin our walk.

"So you're Fiona's sister? Did you guys move here together?" John asked.

"Mhmm, she got that amazing job offer and she didn't want to turn it down but she was going to because ever since we were little we had this plan that after high school and college we would move in with each other and I'd have my bakery and she'd produce records and what not. This is like, her dream job... Producing, managing... Fi's so happy. I knew she would be so I said I would move with her and we could still do this."

"That's awesome of you."

I shrugged, "She's my sister. Besides I can have a great bakery anywhere."

"There are not words to describe how happy I am that its in Tempe. This is like, God's gift to Tempe."

"You are ridiculous," I laughed.

"Are you the older or younger sister?"

"Younger, I'm twenty."

"Oh, I knew that! Sorry, Fi has talked about you a little at the office. My bandmate actually has the same birthday as you, she was asking about places to take you for your twenty first."

I laughed, "I think she's more excited about it than I am. So John, what band are you in?"

"The Maine, have you heard of us?" I shook my head, embarrassed. John chuckled. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about. If anything I should be the one that's embarrassed that we haven't hit mainstream music," John teased. I opened my mouth with wide eyes but my expression quickly turned to a small smile as John began laughing.

"Here we are."

"Hell yeah," John grinned. "I can't believe you own this place. You're pretty young to have your own business." He opened the door and I felt his hand light on the small of my back, pushing me in first. I was surprised slightly, but pleased that some boys still did things like that.

Smiling I shrugged, "I just-"

"Against the wall!"

Startled, my head quickly turned to where a man in jeans a navy v-neck stood with a ski mask on. His gun was pointed in front of him towards my employee, Kelly. She looked terrified. I didn't move at first from shock.

"Lock the door," he screamed at Kelly.

"I- I don- This is my fourth shift! I don't know where the keys are," Kelly said, beginning to sob.

"I'm the owner," I quickly explained, "I- I have the keys." I began to go towards the door but John grabbed me by the arm forcefully.

"She's going to lock the door, alright?" He stated for me.

"Hurry up and don't try anything." the robber barked. It wasn't until I stood in front of the doors trying to lock them that I realized just how bad this could be. My hands started shaking so badly that I couldn't even sift through my keyring properly. My heart nearly jumped from my chest when someone wrapped their arm around my shoulder.

"Which key is it?" John's soft voice asked. I handed him the keys and pointed it out. While he locked the doors I turned the 'open' sign to 'close' to be useful in some form.

"Now give me they keys!" John tossed the keys over and the guy ran around the shop and pulled all the curtains too. It was as though our arrival alerted him to the fact that anyone could come in here at any point.

"Get behind the counter, all of you! Against the wall, behind the counter."

"What do you want?" I asked softly. "You can have the money, I don't want anyone to get hurt."

"Have any of you called the police?"

"No, we didn't even know there was a robbery or we probably would have done that instead of walking in here," John replied tartly.

"Alright," he grumbled, thinking as he paced around the shop. He seemed agitated now, like he could have pulled this off no problem with only Kelly in here, but now that John and I have arrived the situation is totally different.

"I'm so sorry Kelly," I whispered, squeezing her hand. She had calmed down some, but was still shaky.

"It- It isn't your fault. I don't think I want to work here anymore though."

I nodded, "I don't take it personally."

"Enough talking!" the man screamed, slamming his gun against the wall causing me to jump. My anxiety was increasing by the second. John's hand found my own and he laced his fingers with my own.

"W- Why don't you just take the money and leave?" Kelly begged.

"There's three of you here... I don't think I can let all of you leave. I have to figure out what to do. Someone is either dying or coming with me."