Maybe This Time

Chapter 5

-Bernadette' Time-

It’s time for Home Economics, and currently we’re at the kitchen to start our cooking class. We were grouped by picking out our group number from a bowl. I have Diana, Gail, and Caleb as my group mates. We’re planning to make mushroom soup, Caesar salad, fried rice, fried chicken, mango float for dessert, and iced tea as beverage. I was in charge of the dessert, since mango float is my specialty. Caleb did the mushroom soup, the Caesar salad by Gail, and Diana took charge over the fried chicken.

Since I already mastered the recipe and the right combination of the ingredients, I finished up first. I was just letting the mango float chill inside the ref when Diana called out to me.

“Hey, Ana! Come over here and help me fry these chickens! I’m beat.”

“Okie dokie!”

She handed me the tongs and she prepared the iced tea. I may not look like one, but I enjoy cooking. Heck, I’m always in charge of the menu every major celebration in the family, be it Christmas, New Year, birthdays or reunions. Jams passed by our station and saw me cooking.

“No fair, why do you have Bams on your side?”

Gail laughed. “We’re gonna get the highest score. Oh yeah!”

“Is Bernadette a good cook?” Caleb asked them.

“Totally! Her cooking rocks! Because of her, we won the cooking competition last year.”

“Don’t flatter me so much, Jams,” I said to her, my back still facing them since I’m focusing on getting these chickens that I marinated myself to achieve the perfect golden brown color.

 I have a confession to make.

I have this fear of hot, bubbling oil.

I don’t know why, but there’s just something inside me that is on high alert every time I cook food that need to be deep fried. So far, I’ve been careful. Maybe I got traumatized when I was a child or something. Without the knowledge of others, my hands are slightly trembling.

“Then I’m gonna try your cooking, Bernadette. Maybe you’ll find your way inside my heart.”

When Caleb said those words, the hot oil suddenly jumped out of the pan and some landed on my arm. @#%&$@*! IT HURTS LIKE HELL!