Attending a Vampire School

Chapter 16: Blushing Red

❝You have to learn the rules of the game. And then you have to play better than anyone else.❞ | Albert Einstein

♕ SAIGE ♕

Have you ever wished that you hadn't waited the day before something's due to start a project?

That's all I'm thinking about right now. Though, my problem isn't necessarily associated with school homework. I guess you would consider it a type of group project that I was forced to participate in.

"Saige, have you decided on what type of pastry you're going to make?" My mother called from what sounded like her bedroom.

She just had to ask a question while I was munching on chips. I tried to swallow what I was chewing quickly so I could respond, but it ended up taking longer than I thought it would. I rotated the stool I was sitting on toward the archway of the kitchen.

"I'm thinking about making eyeball cookies," I called out to her, my pastry choice sounding weirder than I thought it would be.

There was an awkward silent pause and I wondered if my mother thought I was crazy for a moment. It was supposed to be Halloween themed, or what the vampires called it, Hallow's Eve. Eyeball cookies sounded like a good choice to me.

I grabbed another chip from a bowl I had placed on the granite countertop. Then I heard her small footsteps approach the kitchen. Her small frame stopped under the archway and she looked at me a little weirdly. Her dark eyebrows raised in confusion.

"Brilliant idea. Though I'm not so sure how you'll be able to make them." My mother sounded unsure of my amateur cooking skills.

I'll agree with her there. I'm not so sure myself how I'll be able to make eyeball cookies either. It looks easy in the cookbook, but I know better than that. Appearances can always be deceiving.

"I'll have to go to the store to pick up some ingredients, but I think I can do it." I grabbed the open cookbook I had been flipping through earlier.

I lifted up the book and showed her the page with the cookies. She came closer to observe the list of ingredients needed to make such a sweet. Though I guess eyeball cookies weren't really a type of pastry. She nodded her head slightly and turned away from me.

"Well if that's what you want to make, go for it." My mother shrugged her shoulders and began to exit.

I turned the book toward myself and studied the picture of the colorfully crafted cookie. It wasn't anything major, just a small circle-shaped sugar cookie with green frosting and an edible eyeball ornament.

While I observed the picture a bit more, I felt my mouth begin to slightly water. How long has it been since I've had anything sweet? I felt my stomach grumble even though I've been snacking on chips for the past hour.

"Mother, you wouldn't mind driving me to the closest store would you?" I called out real quick before she was completely out of my sight.

Her footsteps halted and she suddenly peeked her head out from behind the archway. She smiled slightly, but I could see right through it. The way her body tensed up and how her smile faltered. She was completely stressed out.

"No, I wouldn't mind dropping you off real quick." My mother sighed. "Get your stuff and meet me in the car."

She turned and exited out of my sight. Moving my body back toward the counter, I reached for a conveniently placed notepad and pen. I scribbled down the list of ingredients from the book and then shoved the paper in my front jeans pocket.

I stood up from the stool and closed the cookbook. The sound of the front opening and closing caught my attention. She moves a lot more quickly than I do for a much older lady. She's like twenty years older than me, but don't tell her I said that.