A Fiend as a Friend

Chapter 27

I whisked the eggs for the umpteenth time. All the other ones had just been terrible. Some were burnt, salty, not properly cooked and disgusting. Bailey had been smirking at me all day to my chagrin.

I put down the whisk and packed my hair into a bun. Wicked Bailey had refused to put on the air conditioner, so I was literally baking. She said that if I felt too comfortable, I would not learn quickly.

I wiped the sweat beads on my forehead and groaned silently. My clothes was already sticking to my body because of the sweat.

"Still not getting it?"

I glared at her. "I'm still on it."

"You can do it, okay? Maybe you should go to the mountains and ask God for help. He really helps those that need his help."

"I'll put that in mind, ma'am."

She nodded and walked away. Annoyed, I threw the towel beside me on the floor and stamped it hard with my foot. I really wished the towel were Bailey.

When I got tired, I whisked the eggs again, lighted the cooker and placed the pan on it. After some time, I poured in oil, just little. I left for a while before I poured in the whisked eggs.

I prayed in my heart that it would work this time. I poured in the diced tomatoes, pepper, onions, carrots and cucumbers, then stirred it with a big spoon.

Oh God, please. I'll be good if this works, please.

After a while, I put off the cooker and sighed. Honestly, my heart was beating hard against my chest. What if it tasted bad? I imagined Bailey smirking at me again and I felt myself cringe.

Without thinking, I touched the hot pan with my bare hands and of course, you know what happened to me.

I screamed out in pain. You know that feeling when you have been trying to do something for a long time, and then a lot of annoying things happen that make you frustrated? That was how I was feeling.

I gritted my teeth and before I knew it, someone grabbed my arm, turned on the tap and placed my fingers under it. "You should have being more careful. Now, look at what you've done to yourself."

Everything happened so fast that I just forgot the pain. I turned my head slowly to see Michael staring at me. I blinked hard and looked away quickly. What was he doing here?

"Wait here while I go get the band aid."

I didn't even know when he left and got back. When did he get here? How come I didn't know someone was in the same room as me?

"Give me your hand, pretty."

I turned to look at him again. Hadn't we broken up?

He grabbed my hand, rubbed something balmy on them, well, I was too distracted to care about what it was. After that, he put band aids at the tip of each finger, rolling them delicately round and round.

"There. Always use a napkin to put down a pan from the cooker."

I just stared at him, completely lost and confused.

"Are you done with that round of eggs?" Bailey shouted.

I pulled my hand away from Michael's  and looked at the eggs. They didn't look disgusting like the other ones. I felt my heart limp with joy.

"Why not come and taste it, ma'am?"

"No. Maybe Michael here should taste it."

I froze. This woman was worse than Mike. I willed myself to breathe in and out. "You are my tutor. Why not taste it?"