to have forever | scarlizzie

Chapter 1

14 years later...

½ cup butter

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon baking powder

Katelyn dug through the cupboard for the white sugar, her eyes litting up when she finally spotted it hidden behind the flour. Closing her eyes, she could still see the recipe she had long memorized. Her phone was on the kitchen counter as she blasted Taylor Swift at near top volume.

Cracking in the egg, Katelyn was quick to start whisking, humming along to the songs.

Come on, come on, don't leave me like this, I thought I had you figure out...

The house was quiet, like it often was. Her parents rarely come home, claiming that their work was more important than the need to take care of their daughter. Not that Katelyn ever minded. It's nice that no one was there telling her what to do, it's nice that she got to make her own decisions, but sometimes she just wanted her parents to care.

She wants her parents to notice her. And maybe it wasn't her proudest moment but sometimes Katelyn found herself purposely getting in trouble just so she could have her parents care about the trouble she had made. But they had simply glanced over it, patting her head and saying that they knew she was a good kid and that they would overlook that.

Her parents were there until they weren't. The second she turned ten, it was as if a switch was switched on and then suddenly Katelyn found herself home alone and figuring out how to cook basic eggs. Then she was teaching herself how to bake. Then she was looking up recipes. Then before she knew it, baking and cooking became her escape from the world and– she was definitely making too many brownies this week.

Not that her parents are going to be there and tell her no. They eat whatever she cooks and bakes, and she enjoys it, so really they have a routine. They have a silence agreement. She'll stay out of their way if they stay out of hers.

It's an interesting life to live at least.

Before she knew it, she was going through the familiar steps of putting the batter into the container and placing it in the fridge. From experience, she knew that it tastes better if she leaves it there for a while before actually baking it.

Katelyn glanced at her phone, where a new notification pops up.

It was from Megan, and she glanced over it as she started to clean up the kitchen.

–Megan: what u doing 2nite?

–Katelyn: nothing... why...?

–Megan: come 2 Brian's party w me???

–Katelyn: i'll think about it. i need to look over my notes for the final

–Megan: how did a girl like u became friends with this group of people

–Katelyn: ha- if i know i'll tell you

It wasn't that Katelyn didn't belong in the group, she just preferred to stay home. People skills seem to be something she's definitely lacking. Plus it's the end of her freshman year in High School, she wants to end strongly.

Joining a party wasn't really on the top of her priority list that weekend, plus her parents are out for another week so she has time if she wants to attend another party. Sighing, she placed her phone down and started to wash the bowl and tools she had used before putting all the flour, sugar, and other ingredients back to the cupboard.