Sun Upon Dark Clouds

24: Cooking Like a Chef

MasterChef was a popular reality cooking show that was worldwide. Not only was because the famous chef, Gordon Ramsay, was one of the judges but because it was a show about teamwork and support for each other. The show could have led to tears of sadness or happiness. Still, being on the cooking show was already a big opportunity. But as for two certain human beings, being on MasterChef did not matter to them in any way. What mattered to them the most was to get the approval of a certain raven-haired woman who was still asleep peacefully.

Usually, the earliest time that Coley wakes up was at quarter to nine in the morning; as for Wyatt, the earliest time that he wakes up was at quarter to ten in the morning; while Ghrae wakes up at seven in the morning as the earliest time. For some reason, today was different as each of them seemed to forgot about their waking schedule. It was already eight in the morning yet Ghrae was still fast asleep on her bed while the other two flatmates of hers were already completely awake.

As if they were in a serious cooking show, Wyatt and Coley exchanged lightning glares to each other as they both tied the strips of their aprons behind their backs in a double knot. It was a glaring battle that made the both of them competitive because of the thought that whoever looks away first is the loser. The both of them basically just woke up and decided to compete against each other in cooking breakfast for the sleeping beauty.

After successfully putting the strips of their aprons in a double knot, the both of them slipped the plastic gloves in their hands still without taking their eyes off each other; their determination to beat the other made them look like professionals for being able to put on the gloves with no difficulty despite not looking. They stood on their spots while glaring at each other for a minute more before the both of them decided to cut their battle by looking away at the same time since they must start cooking already while Ghrae was still asleep.

With their ingredients already on the counter, the both of them began to prepare. Wyatt started to peel the skin of the avocados with a serious look on his face as Coley started to c***k eggs to a big bowl with the same expression look with determination on her face. The sounds of mixing, chopping, frying, and other activities done in a kitchen could only be heard in the apartment. The image of Ghrae enjoying their dish kept appearing in their heads that made them even more competitive and determined to make their dish perfect as if the person that they were cooking for was a Michelin star chef.

Wyatt finished his dish first, which made him more confident in winning their cooking battle, as he placed the plate of his dish on the dining table. As for Coley, she was just waiting for the muffins to bake in the oven as she brought one of the dining chairs in front of the oven so she could sit while waiting for the muffins to bake. The both of them immediately opened their phones and went to the websites where they got their breakfast ideas to check whether they did the steps correctly. Well, the first thing that they did as soon as they woke up was to memorize every step of the breakfast idea that they picked in a website before getting up. So, it would certainly make them devastated if they skipped a step.

After nearly an hour of preparing breakfast, it was finally time that Ghrae woke up from her deep slumber. She rolled over to her side to grab her phone on the bedside table as she became surprised to see that it was already nine in the morning. The raven-haired woman also noticed that the sleeping bag was already folded neatly on the corner of the bed as she realized that they were probably cooking breakfast when the aroma of blueberries entered her nostrils. It felt weird that she was not having breakfast first, though Ghrae was relieved that her habit as Aria Pylee seemed to be changing as well.

“Good morning!” Ghrae flinched when her two flatmates suddenly greeted her energetically at the same time when she stepped out of the bedroom.

“Good morning?” the raven-haired replied in a husky voice as she walked toward the dining table where her two flatmates were standing by in pajamas.

An excited smile appeared on Coley’s face when she noticed how Ghrae noticed her muffins that were on the dining table first before Wyatt’s scrambled eggs. The both of them were basically standing on each side of the raven-haired woman as she took a seat. They both had their hands clenching against each other behind their backs as they both waited for the raven-haired woman to taste their dishes as if she was Gordon Ramsay.

“What are you two doing? You guys look like you’re in MasterChef,” Ghrae said as she looked at the both of them with questioning eyes.

She was correct except that they were more nervous being in front of her than being in the actual cooking show if ever they would be there.

“We cooked breakfast for you,” Wyatt spoke as he flashed a smile on his face to show his left dimple. “We would like to know which dish is the best.”

Ghrae raised an eyebrow though she did not question any further as she just moved her eyes back on the dining table. There was a plate of blueberry muffins on the side where Coley was standing, which she assumed that she cooked them. On the other side where Wyatt was standing was a plate of cheesy scrambled eggs with bacon bits and tomatoes in avocados that were shaped as a bowl. The two dishes looked decent and edible enough, which made Ghrae not hesitate to take a bite on each dish.

The both of them watched her intently as Ghrae ate a spoonful of Wyatt’s dish. They did not know whether to feel proud or sad as she showed no reaction and went to eat a spoonful of Coley’s dish immediately after swallowing. Coley and Wyatt shared one braincell for the first time as they both simultaneously turned to look at each other with questioning eyes before turning to the raven-haired woman who was just eating with a poker face.

“So, what do you think?” Coley decided to speak first since Ghrae seemed to have no plans in speaking.

The raven-haired woman raised her head to look at the both of them, which made them nervous and excited at the same time.

“The muffins are too sweet as if you threw a whole sack of sugar in it,” Ghrae straightforwardly said.

Wyatt did not hold in his satisfaction as he let out a chuckle and placed his fist over his smirking mouth when he sensed Coley throw him a glare from his side view.

“And your scrambled eggs are salty. Aside from that; avocados, tomatoes, and eggs together aren’t tasty for me,” Ghrae commented while staring directly to the tall man’s eyes.

The smile on the blond’s face slowly dropped as he heard snickers from his side. He pressed his lips into a thin line tightly as he dropped his arms to the side. As for Coley, all that she could do was laugh at her rival to cover the disappointment that she felt from the rejection that she just received. Suddenly, Wyatt lifted his head with hope in his eyes.

“Which one’s worse?” he asked.

“They’re both the worst,” Ghrae flashed a quick smile on her face before she stood up to go get cereal.

The both of them were slumped in dejection as they both stared at the dishes that they were once proud of with resentment. Ghrae, on the other hand, had already moved on from the breakfast battle as she sat on the sofa in the living room with a bowl of cornflakes and turned the TV on to a sitcom.

***

The supermarket in Peace Town was unexpectedly wide and filled with various products and brands. Since it was a small town, Ghrae initially imagined the supermarket to be as small as an ordinary grocery store though she was wrong. They briefly both scanned their eyes around the place that was filled with plenty of people.

“Get a cart,” Ghrae ordered Coley.

“Yes, ma’am!” Coley saluted her with a broad grin on her face before jogging to the area where the shopping carts were.

After the breakfast battle earlier, most of the supplies ran out; which was why Ghrae and Coley had to go to the supermarket, without telling Wyatt who was in the bathroom.

“So, what are we getting?” Coley asked as she leaned on the shopping cart while pushing it.

“Everything you wasted, I guess,” Ghrae blankly answered.

A pained smile appeared on the brunette’s face as she followed the raven-haired woman. They both went past to every aisle as she unconsciously stared at the shorter woman who was concentrating passing her eyes through every product in the shelves. Coley knew that Ghrae had a pretty face but looking at her side profile up close made her realize that she was indeed beautiful in any angle. Instead of feeling envious at her natural beauty, she felt the desire to kiss her instead.

Just when the memory of kissing her in the alleyway appeared in Coley’s head, Ghrae suddenly turned to her with two ketchup bottles that had different brands in her hands.

“Which one’s better?” Ghrae asked, unaware about the thoughts that the latter had for a second.

“Huh?” Coley dumbly responded as she stood up straight; though her sexuality could never.

“I don’t really know about ketchup brands.”

The brunette blinked multiple times as she tried to shrug the memory off her head. The raven-haired woman looked at her with questioning eyes as she raised her eyebrows and shook the ketchup bottles that she was holding. Coley cleared her throat as she took her eyes off the latter’s angelic face to focus on the ketchup bottles that she was holding.

“Uh, that,” Coley pointed at the Heinz tomato ketchup bottle without thinking as she also did not know about which ketchup was better.

“Hmm,” Ghrae put both ketchup bottles in the cart, making Coley look at her with confusion.

“Why did you ask if you were going to get both anyway?” the brunette questioned as they both continued to walk across the aisle.

“You looked like you didn’t know, either,” Ghrae shrugged.

A guilty smile appeared on Coley’s face as she leaned on her cart again while she pushed the cart. The both of them were walking across the aisle when they suddenly heard familiar voices from the next aisle. Both of the women looked at each other as they recognized the voices before they slowly walked toward the end of the aisle. When they took a turn to the other aisle, that was when Coley and Ghrae confirmed that they were right when they faced each other with surprised faces.

“Coley! Ghrae!” Nora happily greeted as she ran to give the two of them a hug.

Behind her was Margo who raised an eyebrow as she watched the three of them hug like they had never seen each other for years.