So This is Love [On-going]

Chapter 1: An Invitation

The sound of the oven's timer put a smile on Molen's lips. She carefully opened it after wearing a potholder and took out the hot tray of freshly baked banana cake. Molen got the recipe of it online and tried making her version. She loves watching cooking shows online and try making a version of in her kitchen. Cooking is a therapeutic hobby for Molen. Whenever she felt anxious, the kitchen is her go-to place.

Finally, she mumbles then smell freshly baked pastry. Without erasing that captivating smile on her face, she prepared the freshly baked banana cake for some taste test. She called Nana Rosa, her nanny, since a kid, who also took care of her mom and her cousin Abbey.

"This is good, Molen." Nana Rosa said after tasting the slice of banana cake, she'd served. "Your mom will be very proud of you," said the weary old woman who's very close to their family. She hugged Nana Rosa tightly and helped her wiped those tears. Her Nana is emotional again. She gently caressed Nana Rosa's arm and gave a warm hug. Since her mother passed away, Nana Rosa becomes her immediate family. She never leaves her alone and supports every decision she makes.

Molen's knew that her mom would be proud wherever she was. She has her cafe now, which she established after college graduation. It has five crews, and Molen baked the pastries and desserts they're serving to their customers. Those five crew was a relative whom she trusts the most. They're all in business, which helped her in managing Molecules Cafe.

"Have you considered joining contests like Master Chef or any cooking show? You have the ability, and these are masterpieces, Molen."

She smiled on to what Abbey said. Being in a cooking show was her mom's dream, but cancer took the opportunity. Her mom was just like her. Loves to bake and stays in the kitchen all day. She instead bakes than to mingle and make friends. To Molen, happiness exists in that place where she spent precious memories with her mom.

"I wanna try, but this is my goal."

Molen showed a Youtube video where a guy was talking while walking around the city. It was Flynn Bryant Sandoval, a famous food blogger who's known for his world-class reviews that can be a stepping stone for a small business like hers. Being part of Flynn's blog is a dream come true for Molen. She wants to see Flynn's reactions when he tastes her pastries and desserts.

"How will Flynn know about our cafe? We must catch his attention to be able to do that,"

Molen is thinking of the best way to get Flynn's attention. She kept on commenting on every Flynn's video. Molen can't help herself but admire Flynn and his works. He's a Mass Communication graduate in a famous school in the Metro and had a master's degree at the University of California. A well-known blogger for his honest and very keen reviews.

"I know one day he'll notice us,"

Molen glances intended to the sunset. It's her first time to see that kind of beautiful view in her kitchen's glass window. The scene is phenomenal and a picture-perfect. A smile etched on her lips as she imagined Flynn's reaction. She created a set inside her head now.

Flynn will notice me, and I'm sure of that, she said in her mind, then smile.

Molen shouts at the top of her lungs that awakes the whole house; the next morning. Flynn Bryant Sandoval sent an email to her! She felt like a winner of the lottery. The door of her room opened, and Nana Rosa and Abbey walked near to check her. She hugs the two of them. Clueless, that's Nana Rosa and Abbey.

"What's the matter, Molen? Why are you shouting? Is there a cockroach here?" Abbey asked.

"There's no cockroach, Abbey!" She said with a smile on her face. Molen is pleased because of Flynn's email, and that made her day beautiful.

"What made you shout this early, Molen?" Nana Rosa asked her again. Abbey traversed arms above the chest and looked at her.

"I got an email from Flynn Bryant Sandoval!" She announced and hugged the two of them once again. Nana Rosa and Abbey celebrated with her at that time. Finally, her dream to be noticed by Flynn Bryant Sandoval already happened. She can't wait to meet him in person. She showed Flynn's email to the two of them.

She'll be in Flynn's blog, and that will help her business to get more customers and be known for the mouth-watering pastries and desserts they've served. That imagination that she had in mind last night repeats. Molen is excited about the collaboration between her and Flynn Bryant. She carried that positive vibe inside her cafe that has a few customers now. Molecules Cafe opened a few months ago, and some of her regular customers were students near the two universities. Some are young professionals, and it becomes a meeting spot.

That feels-like-home vibes of her cafe made the customers come back, and the tasty pastries and desserts she served. Every day she has a new menu, and it surprises each customer. Just like today, she made the banana cake, which bakes earlier today. She wrote down on a chalkboard outside her cafe so that people will see it. A smile flashed on her face after re-reading the menu she'd written.

"New menu?" A deep voice said that made her turn her back. She knew that the owner of that deep bedroom voice was Leandro, her so-called ex-fling. She's been into that since not interested in falling for someone opposite of her gender. Molen and Leandro had two dates, and that's quite a game-changer, but it didn't work the way they've planned it. She's not into love, and the only things that made her pleased were her kitchen, baking equipment, and the smell of every pastries and dessert she makes.

"Hi, Leandro!" Molen greeted him. "Yes, this is a new menu that I will send to Flynn Sandoval's residence today,"

"Flynn Sandoval? You mean the famous food blogger and businessman?" She nodded coyly at him. Everyone knew who Flynn Sandoval is. At the age of twenty-two, he managed to establish his restaurant, paved his way to stardom as well by creating video reviews and trying out new things inside and outside of the country. "That's nice, and I'm sure Flynn will love your pastries and desserts,"

"Thanks, Leandro." She shyly said to Leandro. She couldn't help herself but get shy whenever someone is praising her masterpieces. Like she doesn't deserve it. Her mom, Leanne Nina, taught her everything. It's like their bonding almost everyone back when Mrs. Tejada's was still not defeated by cancer. They baked, cooked, and tried different recipes every day.

That is the perks of being an only child. Molen's father died in a freak vehicular accident back when she was in elementary school. Her mom got a cancer diagnosis and treatment back when she was in middle school. That diagnosis almost tore her world down, knowing her mother will leave her soon. But Mrs. Tejada managed to be with her in every milestone she reached.

"Molen, you have a phone call," Vina declared openly.

"Do you want to try our new menu?" Molen asked Leandro.

"Sure, and that would be an honor," she smiled and walked inside her cafe first. All of her cousins looked at her differently. Like she made crazy stuff.

"Are you seeing Leandro again?" Abbey asked before passing her the telephone. She shook her head as an answer.

"Hello, good morning, Molecules Cafe!" She greeted the person on the other line.

"This is from Flynn Bryant Sandoval Production, and we would like to try your pastries and desserts for a review," Molen's eyes widened, but she prevents her from shouting on top of her lungs again. "I bet you already read our email, and we're pleased to invite you out for a meeting."

"Oh, my God!" The only words that escaped Molen's mouth. The email was really from Flynn Sandoval's productions. "I mean, yes, I'll send out some of our desserts and pastries to Mr. Sandoval's residence,"

"Great, write the address, and we're looking forward to meeting you tomorrow," the call ended, and once again, she screams in celebration.

"What happens?" Vina asked.

"Prepare the one I baked and send this to this address immediately. I need to prepare for the meeting with Flynn Sandoval," she said with a genuine smile on her face. "Finally, he noticed us, and this is the start of something new, Abbey and Vina." Molen's glances intended to her mother's portrait hanged inside her office.

We made it, mom! She whispered in her mind.

Molen jumped out of the taxi she rode in front of her apartment. She filled her lungs with air before walking towards the massive gate of Flynn's residence. Today's the day that she's been waiting. The meeting that she imagines is finally going to happen. Molen pressed the doorbell then fixed herself.

"H-hi, I'm Monica Tejada, owner of Molecules Cafe." She introduced herself to someone who opened the door after she rings the doorbell. It was a man in formal black clothing. He was in her age if she's not mistaken.

"Hello, Ms. Tejada, I'm Aaron Vera, head researchers of Mr. Sandoval's production." Molen smiled and accepted Aaron's hand for a shake. The drive from her apartment to there was short since it's a Sunday morning. Urban traffic is lesser on weekends than on weekdays. Abbey, Vina, is managing her cafe today on behalf of her. Aaron invited her further inside Flynn's house. It has a combination of both western and Asian structures. Aaron brought her upstairs were Flynn's office is situated.

"Flynn, the guest has arrived." She heard Aaron said who entered the study room first.

"Who?" A more resonant voice than Aaron's asked. Aaron called her and guided her way inside.

"The owner of Molecules Cafe. The one we invited for the meeting and be part of your upcoming blog," Aaron answered the man's question.

Just before she could introduce herself, the man stood and faced them. In front of Molen is the man of the hour, Flynn Bryant Sandoval, looking so handsome in his simple shirt, faded jeans, and house slippers. He's a perfect definition of a living Greek God in the human world.

"You mean the creator of this bland pastries and desserts, total garbage?"

Fantasy suddenly faded away upon hearing what Flynn's said.

Did he call her creation bland and total garbage?

How dare he?!