Cindy's Time (Ongoing)

CHAPTER 5

"CAN YOU hand me that spring form pan please, Carrie?" I turned to where she was whipping the cream for our Banoffee Pie. Carrie, Nicko and I are groupmates for our Bakery Science class. Nicko was busy chopping the bananas.

"Here you go."

"Thanks!" I carefully transferred from the mixing bowl the mixture for the base of our pie.

Baking is one of my favorite things to do since I was a kid. When my mother was still alive, I remembered how we would spend the afternoon in her kitchen baking different things. Baking and cooking helps one in dealing with his or her problems, as my mom would like to say. Whenever I felt sad, she would always bring me to the kitchen with her.

I sighed, thinking how now would be one good day to experience baking with my mom again. It would be one good day to be with her again, helping me with my problems. Almost ten years has already passed since the accident that claimed her life.

Unlike when I was a kid when the biggest of my problems included my pet goldfish dying, I wish that I could hear mom's soothing voice when I tell her my boy problems.

Ha! It seemed so trivial when I phrase it like that. Boy problems. But I know in my heart that if my mom was still with me, she'll wrap me in her arms and calm me in ways only mothers can do.

"Baby girl, can you get me another bowl please?" I heard Nicko asking me. I shook my head subtly, reminding myself where I am.

I handed him a bowl without a word.

"Are you okay, baby girl?"

"Yeah, don't worry. Just a little sleepy is all."

Sleepy and tired from overanalyzing what happened last week. I hardly had any sleep at night because of it. It was exactly six days after Lorenzo and I texted. Six days after the text message that left me at a loss as to what he really meant by what he said.

It gave me a warm fuzzy feeling to think that maybe, just maybe, it was his way of saying that he likes me in the same way that I like him. It gave me a kind of hope that maybe there can be an "us" after all.

However, I know that can't be possible because of his relationship with Kally. Nothing may be official between the two of them but one has to be blind not to see the rightness in their being together. That being said, the only logical conclusion was that Lorenzo was joking with me.

Whenever I saw him around, he did not give any indication that it wasn't a jest. He didn't even bring up the subject of us texting so I have no idea what to say as well. Not even a follow up text asking me why I haven't replied.

So I did what any person would do. I followed his suit and decided to forget about the text, which meant that almost a week after, I still can't let it go.

We were done with our Banoffee Pie with a few extra class minutes to spare.

"Baby girl," Nicko said to catch my attention. "Are you sure you're fine?"

I looked at him, forcing a smile to my lips. "Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

"Uh-oh. I know that look!"

"What look?"

"That!" He pointed a finger to my face, squinting his eyes at me. "Your right eye twitches every time you lie and say you're okay. This calls for code red. I'm texting Elina right now."

"I'm perfectly fine!" I snatched his phone away from him but I saw that he already sent a message.

Code red re: Lorenzo-Cindy ship.