I Don't Deserve Love: Alternate Ending

Chapter 53: Rival Jealousy

What felt like an hour later the shrill beep of my alarm went off and I groaned, reaching my hand out and turning it off as quickly as I could. As I glanced at the bright numbers proclaiming it to be 5:20 am I almost turned the alarm towards the wall and let myself fall back asleep. Yet the thought of Troy's delighted face made me heave a sigh and shove my blanket off of me. 

Rubbing my blurry eyes I stumbled out of bed and made my way as quietly as I could towards the kitchen. Auntie wouldn't be getting up for another hour to help with my hair and I didn't want to wake her up.

I had meant to make some applesauce muffins last night after dinner to give to the boys between basketball games for an energy boost, but Auntie's impromptu fashion show ate up the time I had planned to make them, so here I was at this terrible hour pulling out the flour container from the kitchen pantry. I turned on my fully charged phone and searched through my saved websites until I found the recipe I had decided on for the muffins.

Checking the list once again I deftly assembled all of the ingredients I would need on the counter and the different measuring cups and spoons, doing my best to work silently. As the oven preheated I quickly mixed all of the ingredients together, substituting chocolate chips for the cranberries the recipe called for and adding in a cup of rolled oats for an added texture. The mix came together nicely and I began portioning the batter into my greased muffin tins.

Just as the first batch was going into the oven my phone vibrated, signaling that I had received a text. Wiping my hands carefully on the apron I was wearing, I picked up my phone with interest and chuckled when I saw it was Rosalya.

I finished the headbands! Don't forget to curl your hair and wear it in a high ponytail! The picture will look funny if you don't! <3

I quickly responded that I hadn't forgotten and absently stirred the second half of the muffin mixture, wishing that Auntie had more than one muffin tin. After fifteen minutes of trying not to fall asleep the oven timer went off. I jumped up, quickly hitting the button to make it stop before looking guiltily down the hallway. 

Shoot, I hope that didn't wake up Auntie, I thought to myself worriedly.

After a minute of silence, I sighed in relief and took the muffins out, happy to see that they looked to be perfectly baked. Carefully I removed each muffin and placed them on the cooling rack before regreasing the muffin tin and adding the rest of the muffin mixture. Holding the still warm muffin tin in a gloved hand I opened the oven door and nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard a low humming sound. Looking up guiltily I met Auntie's amused expression and I groaned.

"I am so sorry, Auntie! I didn't mean to wake you up," I apologize while placing the muffin tin successfully into the oven as Auntie chuckled.

"Don't worry, Opal. I think it's sweet of you to make the boys a treat. They smell wonderful! Is this a new recipe?" she asked while flipping on the rest of the kitchen lights and walking over to the cooling muffins on the island countertop.

"Yah, I found a recipe for applesauce muffins and I thought they sounded yummy," I explained while gesturing towards the golden-brown muffins with a few telltale dark brown spots where the chocolate chips were trying to poke out.

"If you want, please try one." 

Auntie smiled at me and selected one before pinching the top of the muffin and tossing the bite in her mouth.

"This is wonderful! Did you put cinnamon in these?" she asked while pinching off another piece and I nodded, relieved that she liked them. 

We chatted easily until the second batch of muffins was finished. I lined them up on the second cooling rack and turned off the oven with a satisfied smile.