The secret ingredient

Chapter 6

"Whisk the mixture until it's smooth." The lady from the baking video -that I've been watching for the past 10 minutes- orders.

The urge to bake has gotten bigger and bigger every second and I'm craving cookies.

I guess I'm gonna bake some chocolate chip cookies, then. Why not? I didn't eat anything today and it's 7pm. 

I pull out all the ingredients and see that I'm running out of flour. Seriously? How did that even happen, I never even use flour..? So, what now? Go to the store? Fuck no. I hate being outside and I hate grocery shopping. I mean I could ask my neighbors. Or the new neighbor- No. I laugh at that idea. Absolutely not. He's probably sleeping or literally having sex right fucking now. I don't want to Interrupt that. I won't risk it.

It would be a good opportunity to finally say hi to him, though. And maybe he is a middle aged nice old man like Jimmy. But I'm sure that Rameesh said he is a fine young man..

But I want cookies so bad right now.. go, go, go! 

Fuck it I'm going. I just want some flour, How hard is that? 'Hey, can I get flour?' Sounds stupid, 'Hey I don't have any flour anymore can I- could I-' NO. I can not socialize at 7pm. I don't know how I'm going to ask a guy at my age for some flour. Oh my god. Daisy, get a grip and just go.

***

I leave my apartment and leave my door slightly open but not too much so my cat won't run away. I freeze in front of his apartment door not knowing what to do next. My hands are shaking. I want to run back to my apartment, where I'm safe. No girl, just breathe. 

I lean my ear toward his door to make sure I'm not interrupting anything intimate. 

No moaning, no bed squeaking or anything. I only hear a TV playing. He's probably awake. I hope he is. 

I knock one time. That should be enough. No answer. I knock a second time. No answer. So I knock a third time. Nice. Is he in a deep sleep or what? 

Ugh, whatever I'm taking this as an opportunity to leave. I turn around and the I hear his door open behind me. 

"Hello?" That voice- His voice.. No, it can't be him. 

I turn around and my eyes widen and my jaw drops slightly. Oh my gosh. 

He is leaning against his door with his arms crossed over his chest. He smiles and raises his eyebrows a bit, then looks at me with his hazel eyes "Oh, look who it is. What a beautiful coincidence."

Why out of all the people in the world does it have to be him?! Ok, don't make it awkward just ask for some flour and leave.

I chuckle fainlty "Yeah, crazy.." I say sarcastically with a shocked expression "So, neighbor, I was wondering if you have some flour for me?"

"Some flour?" he raises his eyebrows "I've been in this apartment for a week and no one out of this building has said anything. And now you're asking me for flour?" He looks at me for a while, while I'm just shocked to hear him talk to me like that. Then he laughs, "Yeah, I'm just joking. I probably I have flour for you."

I smile with gritted teeth and raise both of my thumbs at him. What the actual fuck? Okay I don't know what is weirder. His little teasing-show or me raising both of my thumbs at him. We just made it awkward, again.

"You wanna come inside real quick?" Did he actually invite me inside his apartment, for flour? Wow, I didn't expect that. Well, Daisy, are you going to answer him or what?

I shrug and smile "I- Sure, why not." I follow him inside and look around. Nice funiture, looks very basic and clean but I like it. 

"You want something to drink? Your usual?" He teases. I feel my cheeks heat up. I'm already ready to leave. 

"No I'm good, thank you." I manage to say through my embaressment.

He leans into a kitchen cabinet and grabs two -strangely large- packages of flour. "Here, take both I don't use them, ever." He hands them to me and I see his muscles flex. "What're you baking anyways?" he asks.

I manage to look away "Cookies.. I- Thank you. Do you want money for that?" I look into my pockets but he grabs my arm, which makes me flinch. "No, I don't want anything from you, just take them, please." 

My mouth falls open. "But-" He leans more into my face, "It's just flour, Daisy." He whispers. I blink and step back to create some space between us.

I nod and quickly run off to my apartment. I close my apartment door without looking back at his direction. What the fuck just happened? This man makes me sweat and every time I'm with him something embarrassing happens-

The doorbell rings. I look through the peephole. Oh no. What does he want now? 

I open my door "Hey, again?"

"Yeah hey, I just.." He holds the flour packages up "You forgot something, clumsy."

Shit. This just got more embarrassing. Why does this always happen to me?

My head falls to my hands and I exhale. "I actually did that on purpose, you know?"

He nods, "Oh yeah, of course."

I quickly grab the packages out of his hands and smile before closing the door in his face. He obviously did not believe that. No one would.

This day is just horrible. First the weird scene at the café, then him calling Jimmy 'Jim' and now he's probably in his apartment making fun of me.

I am so frustrated. Good thing I can bake some cookies now. I mean I definitely got enough flour now that I got those large packs.