Sorry I haven't been posting as frequently as I used to. School just started and it's been quite a bust couple of weeks for me. Do you like the story so far, at least? , I do hope so, and if you have anything you want me to maybe write in it or any advice I would love to hear it! Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Have a good day!

" Alright, Jasper. I am giving you one and only one chance." I say as I walk towards his locker, ignoring all the other guys and girls that had been talking to him. Jasper turns around and smiles, his beautiful green eyes lighting up when he does.

" You're going to give me the job?" Jasper asks. I nod as a reply and see that everyone's eyes were now turned on me. Feeling insecure I almost just run away and towards my own locker, but I don't. I should be used to this, with everyone already staring at my own best friend all day and every second I should already comfortable with it, but that didn't mean I still didn't feel as if everyone was looking into my own soul right now.

" What changed your mind?" Jasper asks, completely ignoring all the confused glances given towards us.

" Well let's just say that you're not as big of an asshole as I thought you were."

About two seconds later I feel Jasper's strong arms wrap around me in a tight embrace, and I smile returning the hug. " I promise that I won't let you down." He tells me, hugging me tighter.

" I hope not. You're one of the only employees that I have." I say and Jasper laughs, letting go of me and taking a step back.

" When do I start?" He asks.

" Well, I was hoping that you could help me out after school. Harley will be there too if you need any help with anything. I'm sure you know a bit if baking since your family also owns one as well."

The look of embarrassment shows on Jasper's face when I say this, and my eyes grow big. I knew that he wouldn't be able to be baking complicated recipes but I at least thought he would be able to bake something...hopefully he does, " You do know how to bake....right?"

" I already have the job right?"

" Yes."

" Than no, I do not have any clue even to how to turn a stove on," Jasper says and I can hear a few people from behind Jasper snickering at either him, me, or both of us. Who knows. I won't be necessarily worried about the people around us making fun, I was more worried about how I just gave away a job at my bakery, that was my responsibility to take care of, to an idiot.

" Jasper, this has to be a joke. You asked for a job at a bakery but you can't even bake? You're just...." I trial off before I say any more than I need to.

" I'm just a what? I told you that this was one of my last chances since all the other people in California think that I don't need to get a job since I have rich parents. Well, guess what? I don't get anything from my parents. I don't want it. So do I get the job or not Chlo, because if not then I have no reason to talk to you."

" What is going on here? Who's working where?" I hear my best friend's voice behind me. Giving a sigh of relief I turn around to see Aubrey standing there with the rest of her possy behind her. Her hair still looked just as perfect as it did every day, and so did the rest of her as well. Smiling, I walk up to her and stand next to her.

" Nothing. Your brother just got a job at- "

" Another surf shop. Down by the fancy restaurant that our family used to go to when we were kids." Jasper interrupts me. Confused, I give Jasper a huh? Look, but he doesn't seem to notice or pretends not to. Either way, he's going to have to answer a lot of questions when I see him next.

" Oh, I remember! Some Italian restaurant right?" Aubrey says " We should go there sometime Chloe. I could tell you all about it."

" Sure, sounds like fun!" I say " Listen, Aubrey, do you remember elf ears?"

●●●●

" I can't believe it! I'm sitting with the popular kids at lunch? Who would've thought this would actually work!" Harley exclaims as we are walking to our next class.

I had asked Aubrey about Harley sitting with us and even though it took a little bit of persuasion and a few please please, please! She finally agreed, and thank the lord that she did.

" What if they embarrass me again? What if I say something wrong? You gotta help me, Chloe."

I laugh and place my hand on her shoulder " Don't worry. Everything will be fine. " I ensure her, but she didn't seem convinced.

" I dunno. I just feel like your friends don't like me." She says with a frown forming on her face.

" They can't like someone they've never actually met."

I walk into my classroom, saying goodbye to Harley before I do, and then take a seat in the back if the classroom. Thinking that no one would come to sit next to me, I go ahead and place my other belongings in the seat next to me, and then go back to making doodles my notebook.

" Can you move your things? I need a place to sit." I hear a familiar voice say. I look up from what I was drawing to see Jasper looking down at me frowning. I sigh and take my stuff out if the chair and Jasper takes his seat.

" You know I can still fire you right?" I ask him.

" But you won't because you're short on employees." 

I scoff and go back to my doodles, not even trying to pay attention to the teacher. I feel Jasper tap shoulder and turn my head to see him.

" What do you want?" I ask.

" I was wondering who Harley was. You mentioned her earlier, and I forgot to ask you who she was."

" Oh, " I say " She's one of my friends. She worked at the bakery for as long as I have, and even before she got the job she was helping."

" Oh alright. I was wondering why she looked familiar."

" Familiar? " I ask confused. I assumed that Jasper had never even seen Harley until later today when he would, but apparently not. Maybe he saw her when he stopped by the other day.

" Yeah. Nothing big, I just thought I've seen her before."

••••

" Hi, Harley! It's so nice to meet you! Chloe told me all about you and not having any friends here yet. Welcome!" Aubrey says smiling, showing her perfect white teeth. Harley and I were walking into the lunchroom.

" Um....thank you?" Harley says as if she was taken aback by my Aubrey's words. Aubrey mods and holds out her hand towards Harley.

" I'm Aubrey. You may have already heard about me."

" Harley, and no, I didn't hear about you."

" Hmph. Well alright, I'm sure you'll fit in with us.....Harley." Aubrey says distastefully. Harley looks at me with an almost annoyed expression and I shrug. Aubrey usually never acts like this, but then again she has never excepted an 'unpopular' person to sit with us.

" Shouldn't we start eating before our lunch food gets cold?" I ask Aubrey, and Aubrey sighs but goes to our table with Harley and I right behind her.

Everyone was staring again, but this time it wasn't really at Aubrey or me, it was more directed towards Auburn haired girl walking with us. I wasn't sure why though, sure she's super pretty, but I just felt like it had to be something else by the look on everyone's faces staring at her.

Sitting at our table I could was just starting to feel the awkward tension between Harley and the other people at our table. No one seemed to even acknowledge Harley's presence except for Aubrey and me, and Aubrey wasn't even trying to talk to her.

The heavy atmosphere was starting to affect hot only Harley and everyone else, but me as well. Taking a risk, I decide to do the only thing I could think of. I stand up making sure that everyone is paying attention to me and take a deep breath. Everyone was staring at me now, and I was already starting to regret my decision.

" Hi, everyone. This," I say gesturing towards Harley " Is my friend Harley. You also might know her as the girl with 'elf ears'....." I trail off not knowing what I was going to say in the first place. I didn't plan this through.

I feel a slight tap on my shoulder and look down to see Aubrey looking up at me with an almost annoyed look on her face " What are you doing?" She snaps at me.

" Helping my friend," I answer.

" Well sit back down. You're making a fool of yourself." She tells me. Looking around, I could see that all eyes were on me with almost as if they were mocking me. I sit back down doing as Aubrey says and look over at Harley with a sad expression on her face. She felt bad for me, but I felt bad for her. I made a total fool out of not only myself but also Harley. So much for being a better friend.

Aubrey sighs in defeat and stands up, giving me one last glance. " What my best friend meant to say was, to make Harley feel more welcome. She's never gone to a public school before so be nice, or else you're going to have to go through me. Got it?" Everyone nods and Aubrey sits back down putting an arm around me.

" Next time you want to make a public speech. Don't make a complete shit out of yourself." She says to me.