14 days

fourteen // day 9

"Your wish has been granted, Zara." Ashton announces as he steps foot in my house, tugging on the keys for a while before he got them out of the handle.

"Hmm?"

"We have a day where we don't have to step foot outside."

"Excellent." I say. I hope it doesn't come out sounding sarcastic or bored. My mind was obviously focused on the events from the previous day.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine."

"We're cooking today, so, I'll just be raiding your cabinets and your fridge."

"I can't cook. Like at all." I grumble. "I can make eggs and spaghetti and cereal."

"Everyone can make cereal."

"Cereal is a form of art that takes practice to master." I frown, standing to the side.

Ashton lets out a laugh. "You're quite something, aren't you?" He takes out some milk and eggs.

I'm waiting for him to comment about the kiss yesterday, but he doesn't say anything, and he doesn't act any different, either.

"Your house smells quite flowery." He comments, grabbing a bowl. "And aren't you going to help me out?"

"I can't cook. Remember?"

"Doesn't matter how badly we screw up, I can't really cook either. Besides, this is baking."

"Even worse, to be honest."

"Come on."

I shrug, caving in. "Where are the instructions?"

"I don't follow instructions, Zara. We're doing this without a cookbook."

"Are you serious? I can't even bake with a cookbook! How do you expect me to bake without one?"

He shrugs, giving me a silly smile. "We're not trying to win a food competition, here."

"Alright." I say, grabbing some sugar.

The two of us pour the cake mix into the bowl, and Ashton adds the milk and water. I try stirring it but it ends up being too dry, so he adds a little extra.

"I guess I should be pre-heating the oven. What temperature?" I ask.

Ashton shrugs. "Let's go three hundred seventy-five."

"I thought it was four hundred."

"So you know the accurate temperature. Why'd you ask me?"

"I don't, I'm just assuming."

"So am I."

"So?"

"Let's go in between the two, then." Ashton suggests.

"What would that be?"

"Let's just do three hundred eighty-five."

I set the oven to three hundred eighty-five and it goes on pre-heat.

"Didn't you have to put in the eggs before we mixed?" I ask, staring into the bowl.

He shrugs. "I don't think there's a difference. You can crack them in now, I guess."

I roll my eyes. "This is a disaster."

"A fun disaster nonetheless."

I couldn't stand it anymore. "Ashton, stop pretending like it didn't happen."

"Huh?" He turns towards me, and he suddenly seems incredibly tall, which he is, but it was now intimidating.

"Yesterday. Stop pretending like it didn't happen."