Creating Memories

Chapter 4

I flipped the recipe book, looking for a suitable recipe to try baking again after my last failed blueberry cake last summer. I was very passionate in baking but baking was a doom for me as I sucked at it. So does my mum. I probably inherited her genes of bad cooking while my Dad was an excellent cook.

But I would never give up, no matter what my family and friends said.

I leaned on the countertops and muttered to myself. "Cherry cake.... We don't have cherries....banana cake.... Not enough bananas.... Chocolate cake...."

I marked the page on Chocolate Cake and read through the whole recipe. It sounded simple.

You just need flour, eggs, butter, sugar, milk and baking powder. Most importantly, chocolate!!!

I should be able to do this. I cheered myself on and hum a christmas carol as I started my mission, to make a Chocolate Cake.

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"Elise! What had I told you before? Never ever, stepped into the kitchen without anyone with you!" My Dad's face was red and furious because of what he saw in his kitchen. He breathed in and out as if to cool himself down. Then, Dad grabbed my wrists and turned them around, to see if I was injured in any way.

I looked down in remorse as I muttered in a soft voice. "I am sorry, Dad."

Dad hugged me tightly and patted my head. He whispered, "You silly girl. I am sorry for yelling at you, Elise. I was scared that you might get hurt."

He let me go and I could his eyes were filled with worry and sadness. I should had listened to Dad since last year's incident when I tried to bake that blueberry cake.

I looked back at the mess I had made. Chocolate stains were everywhere, on cloths, plates and the tabletops. Some milk was spilled onto the floor with broken egg shells swimming in them. Melted butter was dripping at the countertop's edge. Most of all, the oven was black. Dark. Burned. Basically, in a horrible, disastrous state.

"I will cleaned my mess up and I am sorry, Dad."

"It was at least better than last time. You literally burned the whole kitchen last time but this time, it was just the oven," He laughed while I felt my cheeks were heating up. "You are safe which the most important thing to me." He continued in a sadder tone.

Dad then smiled at me and took a clean cloth with no chocolate stains. Crouching down, he wiped the milk stains and picked up the egg shells. I started to clean the bench tops with Spray N Wipe.

I promised Dad that I would never set foot into the kitchen again...

Without anyone with me, anyway....

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"She did what!" Ashton exclaimed in a delightful way. "That's why the oven was burned. I thought it was Clare again." He continued.

"My mum would never go into the kitchen ever again with my Dad watching her every move. Those two mother and daughter just couldn't cook for their sake." My brother said.

They were talking as if I wasn't in the room. I knew that they knew I was in the room. But they chose to ignore me.

Plus, I was busy anyway. I need to contact all of my friends about the road trip.

First, I would called Lia, my girl childhood friend since we were in our diapers with Ashton, of course. Also, Marco as he was Lia's older brother by a year. Four of us were really close when we were younger as our age were close.

Next, would be Layla who I had met in middle school when she was the new kid in the school. She was a shy girl who moved from a rural area to Roseville. Roseville was more of a city, not much nature, just buildings. That was why Meadowedge was my favorite city as it had a lot of beautiful and breath taking views of nature.

I won't need to tell Ashton as he would had known from my brother. Nick, however, I would need to ask Ashton to ask him. I was not that close to Nick but he was a good friend. A shy guy as well, like Layla. I don't know how he was the best friend of a loud, troublesome guy though.

"Hey Ash. Have you asked Nick if he would be able to come to a road trip with all of us?" I asked Ashton. He looked at me and nodded.

"Thanks." I smiled and he did the same. It was nice, seeing him smiling. We rarely smile to each other as we were busy argued and pranking each other. My heart skipped a beat and I felt butterflies flying in my stomach.

I stood up and ran up stairs into my room without looking back at any of them.

I jumped onto my bed in a star fish pose and sighed.

"What a day." I muttered into the my pillow and yelled into it as well.

I sat up after the stress was relieved from all of the yelling. I picked up my phone from my bed stand and dial Lia's number.

"Ellie!" A very excited voice screamed and my ears were hurt.

"Lia, stop screaming into my ears! After a few years, I might go deaf." I joked and laughed. Muffled laughters were also heard from Lia's side.

"Then, you would not have to endure my screaming. Which would be good for you."

"Hey! You are not nice."

"You started it, Ellie. Not me." She said and I sighed in defeat. "So, why did you called?"

"I was asking if you would be free to go on a road trip with my brother, Ashton and Hayley? Oh, and also ask Marco! I would called Layla later and ask her." I explained.

"I would love to as I have nothing better to do this holidays!!" I swear her screams or high voice could break the glasses even in my room. "Marco said yes too! Layla is here now. Should I ask her for you?"

"That would great Lia, thanks."

I heard muffled conversation going on the side of the phone. Suddenly, I heard an excited scream and I knew that the owner of the voice was Lia, not Layla.

"Layla said yes!" Screaming Lia was back and my ears were begging for mercy.

"That is awesome! We are planning to go to Meadowedge, maybe stay a few nights, then go to Mapleford. What do you think?"

"That is a great idea! But when would that be?"

"There is no set date but Alex said it might be next week."

"It settled then we would go and just let us know when..." She began to babble about anything until she said, "I am so excited to see you again after the hellish 6 months with only seeing your boyfriend."

"I don't have a boyfriend and people should stop pairing me with Ashton." I sighed too much today. Maybe a total of 10. That was too much.

"But I thought you used to have a crush on him." She exclaimed.

"That was when I was little. But after he turned into a jerk, the feelings were long gone."

"Ya, as if. You still talk to him and if you thought, he was a jerk, you would had avoided him ages ago. And you two interact like you like each other." I felt like strangling everyone for pairing me with Ashton.

"I have no strength to argue with you anymore. Even my parents and brother. Just believe whatever you want, Lia."

"Ellie, I have to go now. Talk later, okay? My mum needs help in the kitchen. Bye!" She hung up before I replied.

But that was the typical Lia. I was used to it.

The road trip would be a memorable one before we all go to our choice of University.

I can't wait.

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