Tides

{ chapter four: Hazel cake }

4.

Hazel cake

{ Noel }

I stood awkwardly in the doorway of Grant's house and sitting inside was everyone - including Hazel. Natalie, of course, smiled at me warmly while Bryce's cold stare pierced through me; clearly, this would be an awkward dinner.

Hazel's eyes practically bulged out of her head and her mouth was wide open - was I an unexpected dinner guest? 

"Noel! How good it is to see you!" Natalie said, pulling me into a hug. I hugged back and walked to the empty seat with food already on a plate and a glass of water poured into the glass cup. "Mike couldn't be here tonight. He has a lot of work to do." I said softly. "Oh, don't worry about it. He'll make up for it sooner or later, anyways." Natalie chuckled. I awkwardly laughed back and looked down at the food on the plate - fish, again? 

Whenever I come over to Grant's to eat dinner, Natalie almost always cooks fish. Sometimes it is tuna, mackarel, or - like tonight- mahi-mahi. 

"You like Mahi-Mahi, Noel?"  Bryce said sharply. I looked up from the plate and saw his blue eyes sticking into me like sharp daggers. Bryce has never liked me - not even when we first met years ago. From the moment he laid eyes on me, I was his sworn enemy. Anything that I did made him angry, but I couldn't blame Bryce. 

He was still in pain like I was. Every day he was reminded of her and I knew it killed him everytime he saw me. But grudges fade and you can't keep hating someone forever. I wish Bryce got over it and saw me as Noel and not that guy. 

*~*

After we finished eating, I told Natalie and Grant that I should leave and go home, but Natalie quickly stopped me and said that I should stay for dessert. "Fine." I mumbled, sitting back down in the wooden chair and straightened my back. I looked up from the table and saw Hazel looking straight at me. Her warm, and ironically, hazel eyes couldn't seem to shake me off and she continued to gaze. 

"Noel, you have spinach in your teeth." Hazel said softly, handing me a napkin, to which I quickly snatched and wiped my teeth with hastily. 

"Oh, shi- shoot." After wiping my teeth with the napkin, I put it down and took a few sips of iced water. 'Thanks." Then she gave an unaudiable mumble and looked away from me.

*~*

{ Hazel } 

Could dinner get any more awkward? Here I was having dinner with my soon-to-be stepmom and stepbrother, the dad I haven't seen for years, and Noel the guy I just met. 

Another day in the life of Hazel. 

I turned around and saw Natalie carry out a plate of something baked from the kitchen. It was still hot but it smelled so good. I couldn't make out what it was but it reminded me of a cinnamon/nutty smell. 

"I made a delicious hazel flavored cake!" Natalie chirpped happily as she put the plate down and took a seat. "H-Hazel cake?" I stuttered. No way I thought to myself - there is absolutely no way that she coincidentally made hazel cake for me. My favorite cake made by a woman I just met - impossible. 

"It is your favorite, right? Grant said so." Dad remembered. Now, you're probably thinking; "hey, so what? He just remembered your favorite cake." But, the thing is is that I haven't mentioned my complete and utter obsession for hazel-flavored foods to Dad in a few years. I believe the first time I did was when I was twelve and I told Dad that Mom made me a hazel cake for my birthday and it was my favorite flavor. Knowing that he remembered made me feel like there was hope for us becoming a normal dad and daughter duo.