The Girl Inside (Raura)

Chapter 11: Unpredictable

Laura's POV

The next day I arrive at the Lynch home with grocery bags full of ingredients. This is not something typical I would expect Courtney to do, but I'm exposing my inner self to Ross to prove inner beauty.

Ross opens the door to greet me with a welcoming grin, "Hmm, back already? I was almost starting to miss you."

I shake my head and proceed inside with the bags. Placing them on the counter I tell Ross, "I hope you're ready for today because you're in for a wild one," to my satisfaction, his face is bewildered. "I got up early this morning and bought all the ingredients necessary for triple-layered chocolate cake. Even if it takes the entire day, we're going to make the best cake ever."

I spot a shimmer in Ross' eye when he teasingly smirks. I've always known his weaknesses, just like he's always known mine. "And what exactly does Miss Master Chef have in mind?"

I tilt my head up slightly so that Ross and I are eye to eye. "Three rich layers of chocolate with vanilla frosting between each layer and Oreo crumbs sprinkled on top."

Ross bites his lip and doesn't even hesitate to rush and gather the ingredients from the grocery bags. "Sounds perfect," his wandering hands make their way to the bag of flour. "Let the adventure begin."

Ross opens the bag of flour and immediately flicks some at my face. It's so sudden and unexpected I don't have time to react before parts of my face and hair are white.

I gasp in shock and try to hold back laughter, then lunge for the bag Ross quickly pulls out of my reach. "I'm so getting you back for that!"

Ross fails in his attempt to hold back any amused expression and erupts into a laughing fit, almost doubled over in his own entertainment, "I didn't think that would work, but somehow it's even more hilarious than I pictured!"

I grasp the opportunity when Ross is dying of laughter to snatch the flour bag. He stares at me with wide eyes after I take it. Ross can't remain surprised for even a second because I throw a fistful of flour in his face that prompts his eyes to shut tight.

I leave almost every facial feature of his draped with powdery white flour, not to mention Ross' snow coated hair. This time I'm the one to collapse with laughter. "You look like you got a pie smashed in your face!" I exclaim between laughs.

Through the flour I can see Ross' startled expression morph into a disapproving grimace. He starts for me and because of my lack of athletic ability, I am easily caught trying to run away from him. By wrapping his strong arms around my waist, my breathing shortens. Why must we keep meeting like this?

Ross pulls on my short-sleeved shirt and rubs off all the flour. "Let's call it a truce; it's apparent you've won this game, but we should start cooking before everything ends up on our faces."

I agree and move to the sink to wash off the flour shielding my makeup. "Get all the ingredients out of the bags and take off the packaging. I'll get the recipe from my purse after I wash off the flour, thank you very much."

I leave Ross in the kitchen, mischievously grinning at my flour comment.

Returning shortly after from the hallway, I place the paper recipe on the counter. Ross peers at my face a short distance from his, and strangely it's almost as if he's decoding my transformation. "Can you please stop staring like you're trying to figure me out? Just go get the hand mixer to combine the ingredients. I'll be making the chocolate mixture for the cake."

Shrugging his shoulders, he reads the recipe instructing him to preheat the oven to 350° and measure the correct amounts of ingredients.

To my surprise Ross doesn't screw up any of the steps in the recipe, and when I enter the cake layers in the oven, they appear perfect. Ross hoists himself onto the kitchen counter in exhaustion when I interrupt with an unamused expression. "What are you doing sitting down? We still have to make the frosting."