[TWO]
979 Words
'Hold yourself accountable before you are held accountable, weigh yourself before you are weighed and be prepared for the biggest gathering before He Whose knowledge encompasses your deeds.'
-Umar ibn Al-Khattab (RA)
•~•
AHYAN
I frowned at the girl in front of me. I was so used to looking down at most people–thanks to my height–that the prospect of being able to look at someone who almost reached my shoulders was anomalous.
Okay. Maybe I was exaggerating a little. But, still. I had to literally bend down to actually be able to see girls.
Not that I looked at many.
Distractions, however, were unwelcome in my life. So, wonder how I felt when I was attacked from behind by the douche.
That. Was. Not. Good. For. My. Ego.
Immediately, my head flew in Adam's direction and I deftly ducked a punch being thrown my way. The guy was obviously crazy to pick a fight with me.
Well, technically, I was the one to initiate this adventurous journey. And I had a good reason to.
With one last clobber to the jaw, I turned towards my right and started walking. People made way without me saying, some awed and others frightened.
I'd make sure they're all afraid of me by the end of the week.
•~•
I popped a chewing gum into my mouth, put the pack back into the back pocket of my jeans.
Then, I swung the door open, not bothering to knock. I mean, why should I knock anyway? I'm not their damned servant.
The teacher threw a disapproving glance my way. She was a short red-head with one of those weird square-ish glasses that drive me insane and 'clothes' that a female twenty years younger would hesitate before wearing.
"Can you at least bother knocking?" She asked critically. "Why did you disrupt my class?"
My eyes roamed across the Food and Nutrition lab, landing on her. The girl I had met in the hallways that morning.
She looked at me, tried to smile.
Failed.
Looked away.
Well, then.
I met the teacher's eyes again and gave her a smile that people always swooned over. And unsurprisingly, it worked.
"I just joined in, ma'am." I tried to create a honeyed voice but was tremendously unsuccessful.
Still, she nodded and ushered me in.
"Nu!" She called out.
And, of course, the same girl came forward to listen to her. Like a good little servant.
I clenched my hands at my sides, feeling the need to punch something. Anything.
But 'Nu' stepped forward, now smiling genuinely at me.
My lips pulled back into a snarl and her smile dropped. She frowned like Annem did when she was disappointed in me.
"Come on, let me show you to our counter." Her words were clipped and I wished that didn't bother me like it did.
However 'our counter' did not escape my notice.
I trailed behind her, feeling like a puppy and hating that feeling.
The lab was huge. And 'our counter' was the first one. I was not the least bit surprised. The girl was obviously smart to have the teacher like her, despite her hijab.
"Alright, class!" The teacher began. "I hope you've brought the ingredients for the dishes I assigned to each one of you. Nu!"
Nu nodded towards the teacher in what one would think of as a 'yes'.
"Help Mr.–" she trails off and looks at me expectantly.
"Ozan." I provide with a little nod.
"Yes, help Mr Ozan today. He'll be making dishes on his own from next week."
Nu–who names their daughter Nu?–nods again.
A second later, the clutter of dishes dangling and footsteps filled my ears. I rubbed them a little, irritated.
"Mr Ozan?" Nu called out.
Mista.
Seriously? Were we in an office or a school?
"Huh?" I mumbled, looking at her.
She walked towards the cupboards and bent down. They opened with a squeak when she pulled them by the handles.
Inside, mixing bowls of different sizes were placed neatly. I sauntered off towards her and bent down, keeping a safe distance.
Why did she smell like cake batter?
She pulled out all the bowls and held them out to me, smiling luridly.
"I'm not your servant," I muttered. "Hold them yourself."
Her face fell and she pursed her lips.
"We're lab partners." She replied calmly. "We're supposed to do things together."
I sighed profoundly. The way she dealt with things made me go crazy, both in the good and bad way.
However, I took the mixing bowls from her hands, making sure our fingers didn't touch, and stood up as she took out the rest of the stuff.
"What are we making?" I called out, as she plugged in the Electric Mixer and placed it on the counter above the cupboard.
She scratched her forehead as she made her way over to the other side of our counter. Then, she came back with a food basket. The food inside was jam-packed and full to the brim, threatening to fall out.
"Alright." She took in a deep breath as she placed the basket on the counter. Blew it out. "We're supposed to prepare 4 sweet and savoury dishes, a birthday cake and a choice of drinks."
Choice of drinks? I want to ask, but keep it in.
"Whose birthday is it?" I asked as insolently as possible.
"Someone's brother's."
"Why the hell are we making so much stuff for some stupid kid's birthday party?"
She mustered up a fake smile, almost malevolent.
I tried to control the tremor of rage rushing through my veins.
"We have only two and a half hours for this task." Was her only reply.
Also meaning: Shut up and work.
I only have to be told once.
So, we start working on the Chocolate Velvet Cake.
- Writer
