Changed For The Better

Funfetti

I went back upstairs to get dressed after a delicious breakfast. We never got cooked food for breakfast at the dumping ground, simply because there was never enough time to feed us all a cooked meal at that time of the day.

I felt reasonably happy. Everything that happened yesterday has been pushed to the back of my mind and for now, I feel good. I opened up the massive wardrobe and scanned everything in there. How do I make a good impression, but also what can I wear that can get ruined by baking? Because it will, because I'm a mess.

I settled on a pair of black jeans and a purple shirt, my classic outfit. I brushed through my hair and out it into a ponytail, only because we were baking. Then I got out the necklace that Ryan had got me, and put that on.

With that, I headed back downstairs. I wandered slowly down the hallway, past what I assume was an office. I could see Mike sat at a table through the crack in the open door. I didn't go in though just in case he was on the phone or something.

I went back to the kitchen, where Agatha was still standing in her apron, drying up the dishes from breakfast. Now I feel kind of bad for not helping, but I guess she never asked me to, did she?

"Do you want a hand with those?" I asked, making her aware of my presence.

"Oh no that's quite alright. while I get these finished you can have a look through that recipe book" she said, pointing her foot towards a set of books on a low shelf "and see what you want to bake. I'm happy with anything, savoury or sweet, and I'm sure Mike will be too. We usually have all the ingredients as well, so it really is up to you"

I did as she said and reached down to a pink and white recipe book that was on the bottom shelf. It was pretty big. I carried it over to the dining table and started flipping through it. she might judge me based on my choice, so I'll have to choose wisely.

It was kind of awkward, but then again this is what a family is like. We are going to be spending some time together, so we are both preparing. I hope we bond a bit, because as of now, I can see things getting very awkward, specially between Agatha and I if we don't get to know each other more.

"How about these?" I asked as I spun the book around to face her, on a page of these fancy looking cupcakes, covered with a swirl of icing.

"Funfetti cakes, good choice" she remarked, causing me to inwardly sigh in relief.

She finished sorting out the plates and then we went through the larder to get the ingredients, and just like she said, they had them all already. There was no need to wait until the next weekly shop had been done. Like there was at the dumping ground. 

Agatha also went round the kitchen getting out various bowls and spoons and weighing scales and such like. She also went back to the laundry room and came back with an apron for me to put on. It was white, with purple and green flowers all over it. Not my style, but definitely a comfortable touch.

We washed our hands and set the book up on this little wooden thing, which they specifically had for holding open books in the kitchen so that they didn't get messy which is a good idea really. Agatha went to sort out the oven, which was built into the wall and not on the ground like a normal one.

"So, have you made these before?"

"No" I replied. "In fact, I'm pretty bad at baking"

"Well that's fine, I'm sure with practice you'll get the hang of it. We'll have to do this often"

"Sounds awesome. We never really got to do this type of stuff at Ashdene Ridge"

"You miss it don't you?"

"Yeah" I sighed. "But I only just left, I'll be fine. I'm happy here"

"Glad to hear it. I'm definitely happy that you are here. So, what sort of other things do you like to do after school? As in, what sort of things shall we be expecting from you?"

"Well, I quite like singing and song writing, but that isn't really something that I do out of the house. I guess just meeting up with friends and going to the park and that sort of thing"

"Do you have a lot of friends?"

"Not really. I never really fit in with anybody my age" I replied as I started beating the butter, as Agatha poured in the sugar.

"How about the old friend you were talking to yesterday?"

"That was Ryan..."

"Oh I've heard of that one" she said in a mischievous tone "Mike has told me all about him and you" she smirked.

I felt my cheeks becoming flushed. Why did Mike have to tell her everything? Why couldn't he let me do it? This wasn't his place to say, but then again, if he hadn't then it might have never been brought up.

"Yeah yeah whatever" I joked as she started pouring some other thing in the bowl. Like, flour mixed with some other thing I don't know. I really wasn't paying that much attention to the baking itself.

"Is this the friend who wanted to come over?"

"Yeah. Can he come over tomorrow after school?"

"Of course. Ask him if he wants to stay for dinner, I would love to meet him and I'm sure Mike would like to catch up with him as well"

"Thanks. I'll get in touch with him after" I said, knowing full well that Mike probably doesn't have much interest in seeing Ryan again. I'm sure he wouldn't mind it much, but I'm also sure he won't be missing him that much. They never got on that well, but I'm sure they will tolerate each other for the amount of time it takes us to eat dinner.

We finished making the cake mix then added a load of multi-coloured sprinkles to it. Turns out Funfetti is just normal vanilla cake with a load of sprinkles in it, like confetti, hence the name. Maybe that was really obvious and I'm just an idiot.

Agatha put them in the after we both made a massive mess getting the mixture into the cupcake cases. But lets be honest, nobody can do it without making a massive mess of everything. After that, Agatha did the washing up and I did the drying up then put things away, which helped me learn to navigate the kitchen and remember where everything is kept. Although I don't think it would have taken me that long to remember, although I guess it was more time we got to spend together.