The Jerk Next Door

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

When Eliza awoke the next morning, it was to the sound of pots and pans banging.

"Morning Matt," she murmured. It had been her daily ritual ever since the incident occurred, years ago. She couldn't bring herself to slowly forget about him. She needed her brother in her life in his death as much as she needed him in his lifetime. Maybe even more. That's the reason she would always surround herself with his presence. It was familiar, reassuring, safe. And this way she would never forget him, never forget what happened to him because of her.

Sighting, she lazily stretched before climbing out of her bed. She stole a look at her clock to know what time it was but realized she hadn't unpacked it yet.

Eliza looked at herself in the mirror, mumbling about 'her stupid clock that couldn't be in the box she left it.. because that would be too easy.. '.

What she saw made her stop dead in her tracks.

"Oh my God !" she exclaimed before quickly running a brush in her messy hair and throwing a sweater on. No need to scare Caroline off this early in the morning.

Finally satisfied with her appearance, Eliza adventured out of her room and followed the banging sounds.

As she reached the kitchen, she couldn't help but laugh. Caroline was there, humming off-key in her sweet voice a metal song and jumping around, madly shaking her head, while the food in the frying pan was slowly but surely burning.

You'd think that the awful scent would have warned Caro that her breakfast was ruined, but no, she stood there dancing like she didn't have a care in the world.

Eliza ran and quickly shut the stove, moving the pan away from it. In her rush, she forgot that the pan was everything but cold. In fact, it was burning.

"Ouch !" she shrieked, madly waving her hand in the air.

The movement brought Caroline back to reality.

"Hi !" she chirped. "How are you this morning ?"

She then seemed to realize the state Eliza was in.

"Oh my ! You alright ?"

"I just burned myself with the pan."

"Well yes," said Caroline, enouncing each syllable carefully like she was talking to a three years old. "A pan on the stove is hot. That's the whole point of cooking something. Eggs, in this case."

Eggs. So that was what contained the pan. Now that she thought about it, Eliza could see the remaining of what looked like scrambled eggs. Oh, and was that a bit of yellow there, in the middle of it all ? Yes, defiantly some remaining of yellow.

"Though," continued Caroline "I may have overcooked them a little. Oh well ! I'm sure that with a bit of maple syrup, it'll be delicious ! "

Eliza smiled slightly. She was amused by Caroline, who acted like she sincerely thought her eggs were only a bit overcooked and not completely burned. They were, after all, black in some places.

"I'll serve you !" exclaimed Caro.   

Eliza started panicking. She wasn't really going to make her eat those, right ?

Caroline suddenly pushed her firmly on a chair nearby and set a plate in front of her. Telling her off now would be cruel, after all the efforts Caroline put in making this breakfast. She was genuinely trying to make her happy. And Eliza didn't want her new roommate to hate her this early in their cohabitation.

Ehen Caro turned her back on her, Eliza relaxed. She could stuff some in her napkin or even in the plant next to her without being seen. Just like in the movies.

But soon, her relief changed into anxiety all over again, when Caroline set a glass of orange juice in front of her and then sat at the table, resting her face on her hands. She stared at Eliza, her gaze steady, waiting for her to take a bite.

"Thank you !" exclaimed Eliza "I was really thirsty."

She then proceeded to drink small mouthfuls of her juice, trying to buy time.

Meanwhile, she was racking her brain for an excuse - anything, really - to prevent her from eating that thing.

Finally, she smiled triumphantly. "You're not eating ?" she inquired.

"Oh no, " said Caroline. "I only made enough for one."

"That's alright ! Here, eat this plate. I'll make more."

"What, you don't want to eat it ?" Caroline looked like a lost puppy.

"It's not that. I just feel bad about seeing you starving to death."

Caro smiled reassuringly. "I'm not that hungry. Beside, I'm really contempt to see you eat. Lately, nobody wanted to taste my recipes."

"Oh," said Eliza. Knowing she couldn't buy time forever, she slowly put a bit of food on her fork and brought it to her mouth.

It couldn't be so bad... after all, it did have maple syrup on top. Everything is good with maple syrup.. isn't it ?

At this exact moment, the door burst open, saving Eliza, who quickly put her fork down.

Noah walked into the kitchen. "Good morning girls !" he sang, before bending and kissing Caroline. His eyes then traveled to Eliza's plate and powerless eyes. A look of horror crossed his face.

"Caroline ! How many times did I tell you to call me whenever you feel like cooking ? I can help !"

Her eyes blazed. "My cooking isn't that bad ! Eliza's happy that woke up early to make her breakfast.. Aren't you Eliza ?"

Said Eliza blushed. "Well... I.. I mean it's..." she stammered. She really couldn't lie to save her life.

"See ?" Noah inquired gently.

Caroline suddenly exploded. "Fine ! Fine !" she screamed. "I won't cook alone ever again ! Isn't that what you want ? After all, everything I do is junk ! Isn't it ? JUNK !"

She then violently grabbed Eliza's plate before throwing its contents in the garbage can.

"I'm not good enough to bake simple eggs ! Isn't there anything I can do ?"

"Bab..." started Noah.

"Don't" warned Caroline before she ran across the hallway to her room, slamming it shut behind her.

"Maybe I should..." said Eliza, standing up.

"No, let me." Noah sweetly said. "There's nothing you can do when she's in that state."

Eliza merely agreed, still shocked about the fit Caroline, gentle and caring Caroline just threw. Maybe coming here wasn't such a great idea, after all.

Noah was looking at her like he could read her thoughts.

"Don't judge her," he advised. "She had a hard life... Sometimes it's just too much and it catches up with her."

"Trust me, I know about hard lives," Eliza responded. "But all of this for food ? I can't help but think it was slightly out of proportion" she stated, shaking her head.

"Her mother was a cook," said Noah "Always pushing Caro to be like her when she couldn't put a frozen burrito in the microwave without turning it into a disaster."

"Oh." said Eliza, feeling bad for judging Caroline without knowing her full story. After all, if somebody knew what being misunderstood felt like, it was her.

Noah continued, now smiling, probably sensing her regret.

"My apartment door is unlocked. I made breakfast earlier. Go ahead and eat something.. I'll take care of her."

Eliza hesitated before shrugging.

After all, he just proved to know Caroline better than her. He should be able to comfort her.

Feeling slightly guilty for leaving Noah alone, Eliza exited her new home with one last grateful look in Noah's direction.

The door clicked shut behind her.