6. Mask Lady
As morning arrived, Amara was already up and moving inside her tiny room. She tidied her bed and took a bath, then dressed herself in a simple fashion. A white short-sleeved shirt as her top and baggy trousers, paired with her worn-out boots.
She rubbed her eyes as she yawned, silently cursing her former lover for waking her up in the middle of the night. After checking herself once more in the mirror, she went downstairs and started preparing the clay.
The clay she had left sitting in the workshop was sticky and too soft, and it will need to be dried first before it can be used. She moved to the wedging table placed near the glass window of the shop, carrying the pail containing the clay. She poured the clay into the table and patted it until the top was smooth and even. Now all she needs is to wait for it to dry just the appropriate texture it needs.
"Alright, let's clean the wheel first."
She whirled around to get back to work, but then she halted after her eyes caught onto something. She shifted her gaze to the opposite shop and peeked in the gaps of the ceramics displayed by the glass window.
The bakery across her was already open, and many kinds of bread were already displayed. Few people entered and bought some, leaving with a satisfied grin and a dreamy look on their faces. The satisfied ones belong to the matrons and elder people who bought bread, while the dreamy ones belong to younger women who seemed to forget their diets and bought plenty of pastries.
Amara went and opened the door, and the pungent aroma of newly baked bread seeped through her nose. Her stomach grumbled, loud enough to catch the attention of some passersby. They all seemed to pause for a second and stared at her before they continued to go on their way. An elderly woman, who sometimes buys her products giggled and greeted her.
"How lucky you are to have a bakery at your doorstep, Amara. Now, you won't forget to eat on proper time!" Edna teased her, and Amara answered her with a shy smile, quite embarrassed after her stomach growled.
Edgar, Edna's grandson, stared at her for a while before he scoffed and spoke, "Grandma must be joking. How is Amara not eating properly when she looked so healthy?"
The tone of the kid was obviously sarcastic. Edna pinched the kid's ear and dragged him away after looking at Amara with an apologetic look.
"Where did you learn to insult people like that, huh?! You need a spanking!" Edna's voice echoed away, dragging his complaining grandson by his ear, while her other hand was holding a paper bag with loaves of steaming bread.
Amara couldn't help but gaze at her reflection on her shop's glass window. She wasn't that fat, though she admits her body was thicker than the ladies in their neighborhood. Particularly her behind which seemed to be more noticeable with the loose trousers she wears. Her thighs are round too, and her calves are round and firm. In addition, her cheeks were like buns, and when she pouts, one would mistake her for a squirrel.
She blinked in the mirror and gasped after realizing that she wasn't wearing her tiny mask! No wonder the people who passed by were gawking at her. They probably thought how hideous her face was.
She ran back upstairs and put on her quarter mask, which only covered her left eye. Her scar wasn't that big, but it was long and dark, as though black ink was used and lined the edges of her face. Some people said it looked ominous and ugly, thus she decided to hide it, even though wearing a mask can attract more attention.
Her mask, which is the same color as her hair, perfectly fits on her chubby face. Her stomach grumbled again. She looked at the clock on her bedside table.
"I should buy something to eat." She mumbled.
The door chimed as soon as she entered the bakery. There were four other young girls inside, inspecting the bread on display as though they were subjects in their silly experiments. But their eyes would occasionally linger on the guy manning the cash register.
Amara was a bit surprised. She had expected Azer behind the register, as young women flock and leave with hearts in their eyes.
But looking at the new guy, she could understand why the girls were affected. The guy had a bright and warm appearance. With his light brown hair tied at the back paired with his round amber eyes.
He looks gentle and kind, as he smiles at the girls even when they are gawking at him openly. His eyes moved to Amara, and his face brightened even more when his lips curved into a wide smile.
"Welcome, dear customer!"
Even his voice was energetic and cheerful. Amara couldn't help but smile at the charismatic guy.
The four girls turned their heads to her.
"Oh, it's the mask lady." A girl near the cashier spoke. She hurled a weird look at Amara and then focused herself on admiring the cashier guy.
Amara ignored the weird looks. She sauntered inside and scanned the display racks. The pastries displayed looked delicious and pretty, and prices were tagged beside them.
She was taken aback after seeing the price of an éclair. There are plenty of flavors displayed; chocolate, caramel, raspberry, hazelnut, and many more. But the price was the same for everything. It was only five copper coins!
A loaf of bread was already priced at twenty, but an éclair that was normally served inside a café was only priced a quarter of it!
Amara couldn't help but mutter, "Is this bakery a charity?"
Their neighborhood wasn't that poor. It was in the district area of the capital, where different shops some managed by nobles and businessmen are lined. Although her pottery shop wasn't on the main road, customers still visited that area.
"Pfft."
Amara looked beside her. She found one of the girls looking at her with amusement. Her long black hair was eye-catching, as it shined from the morning light. Her appearance looked simple, but the way she carried herself was graceful and modest.
"You think so, too?" A soft voice came from her. The girl was trying to hide a grin behind her slender fingers.
Amara was momentarily stunned. The girl was so pretty she could take someone's breath away. If the door beside the counter hadn't opened, Amara must have been staring at her continuously.
"Oh, my!" A girl exclaimed.
Amara saw the beautiful girl and quickly turned her head in the direction of the kitchen door. And she witnessed how her eyes beamed in delight and her lips curved into a gorgeous smile. She followed her gaze, and her eyes landed on someone's back, restocking the racks of newly baked bread.
His wide shoulders looked dependable, and his tall stature was like those of a dashing prince towering over his princess, catching her by her waist, and leaning closer for a kiss. His icy glare was like that of an intimidating business tyrant but would turn soft upon seeing his woman.
Yes. Those are the fantasies Amara could see from the heart-filled eyes of his customers. Even the beauty in front of her was smitten with the dashing man who held a tray in his hands.
Azer glared at the woman who tried to open a conversation with him. His eyes were focused on stacking the display and didn't even bother to look around.
Amara slowly stepped out of the picture and took a small tray by the entrance. She filled the tray with the caramel éclair, tarts, pancakes, and some wafers. While the other customers drool because of the two guys, Amara was licking her lips and scanning the display racks.
Her tray was already filled with four kinds each, but the price was tempting her to buy more.
'Maybe the price is too cheap because it's their first day of business. Right, a marketing strategy. I should buy everything I want and save them for lunch. They won't spoil, right?' Amara thought to herself.
She took another tray and filled it with slices of cake and some puddings. After feasting her eyes with the beautifully decorated pastries and filling her trays, she brought them to the counter.
"Look at that pile. No wonder she looks plump." The girl near the counter whispered to the girl beside her. They both snickered while looking at her and the trays.
"She's like a pig." The other girl added.
Amara ignored them, fighting inside someone's establishment was rude. And she didn't want to turn those cute pastries into weapons. She smiled at the kind-looking cashier and took out her purse.
"How much is all of these?"
"That'll be fifty-two Aven, Miss." The cashier answered.
Aven is the currency in Avendelle. One copper coin is equivalent to one Aven, and one Aven bill has fifty copper coins.
Amara took out an Aven bill and two copper coins. She watched the cashier guy carefully wrap her orders in a box, and unconsciously bit her lips, restraining herself from grabbing one and eating it on the spot.
A looming figure snatches her attention. She turned around and bumped on someone's hard chest. Then a manly voice towered over her.
"Did you sleep well?"