I press my lips together while popping cupcake covers into the cupcake tin. I chose green and blue ones, to keep with the environmental theme. When I glance over at Senior, he’s raised one brow, as if he knows what I’m thinking.
“You don’t like him,” he says.
“I…” Even if it’s true, I can’t say that to Senior about his grandson. “He just has…a forceful personality.”
Senior stirs his tea, his silver spoon clacking against the side of the cup. I pour in the batter and put the cupcakes into the oven, then start cleaning up. Just when I think Senior will go to his bedroom, he returns to his kitchen stool. “It’s not personal, you know.”
“I doubt that,” I say.
Senior sighs. “I know Jasper can be a brat. But you’ll find that he’s hiding his insecurities with overconfidence.”
I busy myself with dishwashing, fighting to stop myself from letting out a snarky reply.
“He puts a lot of pressure on himself. His parents are in Singapore, so that’s another reason he is the way he is.”
I look up. “Does he live by himself?”
“With his older sister, Juliet. She returned here after university to take care of him. He hasn’t lived with his parents since he was fifteen.”
The bowl slips out of my hand, splashing in the soapy water. I grab it and clean it, hating the feel of Senior’s gaze on me. He wants me to speak and I can’t resist. “Fine, I get it. Jasper’s life sucks. Are you asking me to feel sorry for him?”
“You know I’m not, Pip,” he says. “I want to help you understand.”
“I don’t want to understand. It’s not as if he’ll ever try to empathise withme.”
When Senior gets up, I’m worried I’ve taken it too far. But Senior doesn’t look angry. He just nods, says goodnight, and takes his teacup to his room.
I watch him go before dropping my gaze to the kitchen sink.
Poor Jasper, who goes to a private school, whose parents have a fancy-pants job in Singapore, whose life will always be easier than mine. I don’t want to hear about his stupid champagne problems. Senior’s attempts to humanise Jasper are pointless, because I don’t want to empathise with him. Ever.
*
Any lingering irritation I have about working the bake stall disappears the moment I see Trinity and Zaina behind the stall.
“Jasper told us you’d be selling cakes too,” Trinity says when I arrive.
“What did you make?” Zaina asks.
I place the two plastic containers I’m holding onto a table, which is already overflowing with baked goods made by Year 12s. “Brownies,” I say, taking one lid off. “And red velvet cupcakes,” I say, taking the other one off. “What about you two?”
Trinity shows me her carrot cake, and Zaina points at her choc-chip cookies. “Once lunchtime starts, we’ll be busy,” Zaina says.
Anyone who’s working at a stall could leave class early to help set up, and lunch will start in a couple of minutes. I look around the lawn in the middle of the school where the stalls are located. Other tables are covered with colourful tablecloths, with handmade signs describing what they’re selling. There’s face-painting, a lolly jar, watercolour bookmarks and cards displaying landscapes. I spot Imogen and Kennedy fiddling with a poster taped to one side of a building, detailing the many charities that the proceeds from today will go to. There’s one that protects orangutangs in Indonesia, one for preserving the Great Barrier Reef, another about climate change.
Trinity and Zaina hook me into a conversation and soon I’m grinning about a container full of Anzac cookies that are stuck together in pairs, so they kind of look like boobs. Or balls. Or butts.
“Everything good here?” A voice interrupts.
Jasper stands behind us, a pen in one hand, a clipboard in the other.
“Yes, Jasper,” Trinity answers, but Jasper isn’t looking at her. He’s looking at me.
His eyes are bright, and the wind has messed his hair up a bit, so he doesn’t look as polished as usual. It’s a good look on him. He looks less serious.
“Yes,” I say, because he’s waiting for an answer.
He tip his face in an efficient nod, before showing me how to use the money tin. “All the money has to go here. It’ll be counted at the end of the day,” he says.
