Darkson High

4.2

As the Cultural Food Day got into full swing, the cafeteria filled with students sampling dishes from each other's tables. Laughter, chatter, and the sounds of satisfied munching filled the air. Mrs. Allotey floated around the room, smiling proudly as she tried different dishes and complimented the students on their culinary efforts.

Over at Nikky's table, the scene was anything but peaceful. Malik stood with one hand on his hip, the other gesturing wildly as he basked in the attention of a crowd eagerly sampling his curry goat and festival. "Oh, I can't believe you actually think you can beat me, Nikky!" he exclaimed, feigning shock and throwing his head back dramatically. "Honey, you couldn't compete with these flavors even in your dreams."

Nikky wasn't about to back down. She waved a spoon of her own jerk chicken in his direction. "Malik, you don't see that my chicken has more kick than your whole spread? I'm not playing with you today," she retorted, her tone half-serious, half-joking. She took a big, theatrical bite of her own dish, closing her eyes dramatically as if she were savoring the world's greatest delicacy.

Malik threw his head back, letting out a loud, boisterous laugh. "Go on, go on. When I win this little 'contest,' you're going to bow down and call me the undisputed king of Jamaican food."

Nikky scoffed, turning to the crowd around her. "Y'all hear this? This guy thinks he's the king. Someone, please tell Malik he's delusional!" She then reached over, snatching a piece of his festival with a daring smirk. "Actually, let me see what all the fuss is about." She took a massive bite, overdramatically rolling her eyes and chewing as if lost in deep contemplation.

Jake, watching this spectacle unfold from his spot nearby, decided to jump in. "Careful, Malik," he teased, leaning back in his chair with a grin. "If she doesn't like it, you're gonna hear about it for the next decade."

Malik pointed a finger at Jake, putting on an offended expression. "I am not afraid of Nikky. But I wouldn't mind if you actually tried my curry goat, Jake. You could use a little flavor in your life instead of those boring scones."

Jake laughed. "Oh, trust me, nothing makes me forget about scones, but I'll give it a shot." He took a piece of Malik's curry goat and tasted it thoughtfully. "Mmm, not bad," he admitted, glancing at Nikky. "Still, I think I'll stick with Nikky's. Gotta support my girl, you know?"

Nikky beamed, her smile wide and proud. Without missing a beat, she high-fived Jake, the sound of their palms meeting ringing through the air. "That's right," she said, her voice teasing. "My food's the best!"

Malik dramatically clutched his heart, feigning hurt. "Traitor! After all this fabulous food I gave you?"

Jake smirked, enjoying the playful banter. "Hey, a guy's gotta have standards."

At this point, Francesco, who had been quietly observing the back-and-forth, saw an opening to insert himself into the banter. He leaned forward, his Italian accent cutting through the noise as he confidently declared, "You all talk a big game, but none of you have tasted real food until you've tried my mom's lasagna." His hands gestured wildly, as if his mother's cooking was the only culinary experience that mattered in the world. "Best thing you'll ever put in your mouth."

The group paused, a beat of silence hanging in the air before the teasing resumed, each person eagerly anticipating the next exchange.

Jake, not missing a beat, turned to Francesco with a grin. "Hey, Francesco, no one invited you to this argument, alright? Get lost, man. This is between the Jamaicans and... well, the rest of us who just want to eat in peace."

Francesco chuckled, raising his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. I'll stay out of it... for now." He walked away, but not without tossing Nikky a friendly wink.