Fervency

CHAPTER: S I X T E E N

With a long sigh, Elodie declared that she needed to shower off the pond water. Meanwhile, Minho approached Newt. Thomas, who was at his side, sent him a knowing-look. Little did he know, they had watched the entire scene unfold with him and Elodie.

Before anything was spoken, Minho watched as Elodie left into the distance. Then he turned to Newt with a jealous glare.

"Why are you so happy" Minho spat his last words out like it was poison. He measured Newt's expression closely.

"Honestly, Minho, If you like her so much why didn't you just go up there yourself?" Thomas laughed as they walked across the field. "You put yourself at a disadvantage"

"Salt the wound, why don't you" Newt laughed.

"Yeah Greenie, slim it." Minho rolled his eyes and then turned to Thomas,"What are you talking about?'

"Rock paper scissors?" Thomas referenced the time when Newt went to the treehouse to console Elodie.

"That? I was proving a point." he crossed his arms in confidence.

"Yeah, yeah. I sense fear." Thomas joked.

"I know women better. What should I be scared of?" He went on, "Besides, I'll make the first move."

"As if she'd let you" Newt rolled his eyes.

***

Meanwhile, Elodie traveled back to the treehouse to retrieve her toothbrush. Before she could reach for the ladder, her foot collided with something hard. Her eyes fell to the floor, spotting a vase of cherry blossoms. She raised her brow in wonder and then bent forward to pick it up.

"Wonder who did this..." she whispered beneath her breath. With a breath out she climbed the ladder and set the flowers on the window sill. It fit there perfectly. A small smile pulled at the corner of her lips. Whoever did it was thoughtful.

"Guess what" Elodie greeted the group of boys as she arrived in the kitchen. Inside was Frypan, Thomas, Newt, Chuck and Zart. Tonight she was going to assist Frypan with cooking.

"You're finally going back to the sky people?" Minho jested.

"Ha-ha." she rolled her eyes and leaned up against the wooden table.

"Can you chop these for me?" Frypan instructed, before sliding her a tray of peppers. Elodie gave him a small nod and got to it.

"Well" she trailed, while she retrieved a chopping knife. "I have a secret admirer" Gasps surfaced the boys mouths. Then Frypan remarked, "Glad you like my flowers, beautiful."

Elodie set her knife down as laughter chorused from her lips.

"You're smooth tonight, Fry." she commented, before getting to work. "Minho You better step up your game."

"He can't if he's already losing" Chuck interjected.

"Ouch!" Frypan shook his head, impressed with the child's wit.

"Nice one, Chuck but..." Minho knelt down to his height and looked him dead in the eyes, "I don't lose."

"Minho. You call her smelly." Newt quipped.

"Yeah, at least Frypan here has the guts to hit on her straightforward." Thomas added.

"Nahhh ya'll got it all wrong. My heart belongs to one lady and her name's Betty-jean." Frypan caressed his grill.

"I'm not surprised" Minho threw his hands up in the air, and left.

***

After quite some time, Elodie had helped Frypan craft his most magnificent meal yet: Giant Lasagna casserole.

"You better watch that bread, girl." Frypan warned Elodie, who had been finishing the dirtied dishes.

"I am" she laughed, "Don't worry."

"So, is she any good?" Thomas traveled in the kitchen along the others.

"If that smell is any indicator, I'd say so." Newt gushed, closing his eyes as if it was the most heavenly thing he's ever smelled. Minho however, had his own plan in mind. He crept over the large dishes that contained the dinner. His reached up and hovered his hand over it, until Elodie caught him.

"Minho, what are you doing?" she scolded him.

"Boy you better get your hands off my food!" Frypan warned.

"I give it... a nine." Minho quickly lifted the lid. Immediately Frypan smacked at him with a towel, "Out of my kitchen!"

"The bread's done!" Elodie called, while she reached inside the oven to retrieve the loaf.

"Let's get serving."

***

"Ooh that meal looks good" Minho drawled, as he waited in line to get served.

"It's a sad day when you cant even eat your own food" Thomas told Elodie as he entered the kitchen, "Here let me help."

"Oh right! Almost forgot about you running in the maze." Frypan switched spots with him. Several minutes later, they were finished serving.

"Oh man... this is torture." Thomas griped. "My stomach is growling."

"I know..." Elodie agreed.

"Yeah right. I saw you eating apples all day" He rolled his eyes.

"That was a throwing apple" Elodie replied, as the final Glader handed her his finished food dish.

"Hey" Thomas nudged her with his elbow, "what if we just sneak a bite..."

"Time to go to the slammer." a stern voice asserted. The two of them turned to see Gally with crossed arms. Thomas finished the last plate and stowed it away a little more forcefully than he had planned.

Elodie snickered, before Gally grabbed Thomas and guided him out of the kitchen.

"You too" Gally glared at her.

"Yeah yeah" she hurried to meet their pace and then he grabbed her arm as well. Thomas met her gaze and they both rolled their eyes. They didn't need words to agree that their punishment was bullshit.