chapter1:the meet-cute catastrophe

(Scene 1)

The Manhattan morning buzzed with a frenetic energy that mirrored Poppy's own. Her bright pink hair bounced with each hurried step, the three lattes and a precarious pastry balanced precariously in her arms a testament to her determination. Today was the day. The day she'd finally impress Ethan, the new head chef at Flourish, the trendy bakery where she'd dreamt of working since it first opened its doors.

Reaching for the bakery's door, she fumbled with the lock, the lattes threatening to topple. A frustrated huff escaped her lips as she wrestled with the handle. Just as the door swung open, a whirlwind of blonde hair and a perfectly manicured hand collided with Poppy's shoulder.

"Oof!" Poppy yelped, lattes tilting dangerously.

"Careful there, clumsy," came a voice laced with sugary condescension. Sarah, another baker at Flourish, emerged from the collision, not a single blonde hair out of place, her designer coffee cup held aloft like a trophy.

"Sorry, Sarah," Poppy stammered, juggling the lattes with renewed fervor. "Big morning."

Sarah's perfectly arched eyebrows shot up. "Big enough for three lattes and a pastry, darling? You know we don't get free breakfast here, right?"

Poppy's cheeks burned. "These aren't for me," she mumbled, finally securing the bakery door shut. "Deliveries. For the… uh… new head chef."

Sarah's smile widened, a touch too sharp around the edges. "Ethan, you mean? Our very own celebrity chef? Lucky you."