Awks. ✓

Chapter 21: Chillax.

-Hot water.
- One sachet of nescafé.
- Three tablespoons of sugar.
(Mix)
- Pour contents in a blender.
- Add a dozen of ice cubes.
(Blend)
- Add two teaspoons of cinnamon.
- One teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
- One teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- One teaspoon of rose water.
(Blend)
- Squiggle caramel sauce on the bottom of the cup.
- Pour the mixture into the cup.
- Top with whipped cream and more caramel sauce.

I looked at the marvelous creation in front of me. It looked exactly like the drink I had made yesterday for that sweet man who tipped me generously. Then again, it also looked like the one I had made for Dylan and Bethany that day I attempted to copy the drink I had at Costa. To the naked eye, they looked identical but only I knew that wasn't true.

I glanced at the little, pink bottle that was the regulating factor in the equation. I didn't remember adding it in the drink I made but I thought about it all night and figured out that I must have done so.

Something had been bothering me since yesterday. The man described the drink, saying it tasted like and I quote: 'flowers and marshmallows'. I clearly remembered the original drink I had and the way I described it as was: 'Christmas and cotton candy'. Both marshmallows and cotton candy are sweet and delights in themselves, that taste buds could easily confuse between but Christmas and flowers? Seriously?

I shrugged and picked up the cup containing the beverage and took a sip of it. Of course it was different. To my total surprise, it was a good different. I took another sip of it just to make sure. "This is better than good." I mumbled to myself.

"Oh no, you're talking to yourself." My dad said, slowly beginning to retreat back towards the staircase. "Bad timing."

I shook my head and laughed at his silliness. "Come, try this." I offered, motioning the cup to him.

He eyed me strangely as he made his way into the kitchen. He then took the cup from my hands and sniffed it. "This isn't poison, is it?" He asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Darn," I muttered, "you got me. I was totally planning on killing you with that Dad, you just had to ruin my master plan."

He chuckled and reached over to ruffle my hair but changed his mind, knowing better. "Anything but the hair." He repeated, mimicking me from the other night.

I rolled my eyes. You'd think my eyeballs would permanently flip backwards and stay that way from the amount of times I'd rolled them.

Would I be able to see my brain?

"Just drink that before I do." I huffed, taking a seat on the island.

He gulped down the drink, almost finishing it all in one go. "That's some good stuff." He complimented. "You learned to make this at the café?"

I shook my head. "It's just something I whipped up. I'm thinking of asking Mr Ramirez if we can add it to the menu. Maybe even make it a signature drink, to help with business? I don't know."

"Sounds like a great idea." He replied, patting me on the back. "I think you should go for it."

"I feel like it's missing something." I admitted to him, biting my finger. I looked at the ingredients set out on the island, wondering what more could it possibly need.

"Maybe you should add some colour or something. Tasteless food colouring?" He suggested. "Maybe even make it a dark red. The café is called Maroon, isn't it?"

*Epiphany*

"Dad," I called, staring at him with my mouth agape, "you're a genius!" I squealed and hugged him tightly before attacking the kitchen shelves, looking for the little bottles of food colouring.