Hell's Smitten (Gordon Ramsay x Reader)

Chapter 84- Platter Challenge

Tuesday, July 16th, 2013

When I turn the corner from the top of the stairs, Abel's eyes lock onto mine. He's still sitting in his armchair. I hear the sounds of the women getting ready coming from the bathroom and the red dorms.

Abel pushes himself out of the chair and strides towards me. He's wearing his black jacket with the sleeves rolled up, looking like a true professional chef. I glance down at my blue tank top and grey leggings with a hint of embarrassment. I should've put on my jacket before I left.

When Abel reaches me, he places a hand on either side of my shoulders.

"Morning (Y/N), Chef Christina called a few minutes ago and asked us to get ready." He covers his mic furtively with his left hand. "I told them you woke up and came to sleep in the men's dorm, considering it's only me there now. So if anyone asks, that's what you were doing. Go on and get dressed." He nods towards the red dorms.

"Thank you, Abel," I whisper back, to which he smiles subtly before releasing his hold on me and returning to his chair.

I head into the women's dorm and close the door behind me. Bella is sitting cross-legged on her bed, rolling a cigarette around in her fingers. She's wearing her black jacket too, but it isn't nearly as prim and neat as Abel's- there are wrinkles down the front and the lapel is unbuttoned.

"Before you say shit about the cig, I'm not going to smoke it. I want to, though. Badly." Bella groans before falling back onto the bed.

"I wasn't-"

"Don't give me that 'I wasn't going to' bullshit. Even if you didn't say anything, I can read you judging me on your face."

I bite my tongue. It seems without Dave, Bella has lost some of the politeness she'd gained over the last few weeks. I grab my black jacket and a pair of black chef's pants from my dresser drawer before heading into the closet to change.

"I had to quit both smoking and drinking for this baby, I don't even have Dave here to keep motivating me to get over my habits," Bella's strained voice reaches me through the closet doors. "I thought this place was bad before, but now it literally is hell for me. I know I came here to be a chef, but this is more like boot camp. And now I don't have anything to distract me from missing him."

I hear the bed sheets rustle and when I emerge from the closet, Bella is curled up into a ball with her unlit cigarette between her pink lips.

"I've always had bad self-control, (Y/N)," she continues talking around the cigarette as I button up my coat. "It's why I got into drinking and cigarettes in the first place. It's also why I've cheated on every boyfriend I've had before Dave. I'm a mess and I need him to help keep me on the right track. And if not him, I need a fucking cigarette to calm my nerves." She grinds the palms of her hands into her eyes.

"You can last a few more days until the competition is done, then you and Dave will be back together again," I try to comfort her as I clip on my mic.

"Will we be together again? He's from Missouri and I'm from Washington. We're on opposite ends of the United States from each other. My mom takes care of Becca for me, and Dave has his own life in Missouri," her voice cracks. "I don't know that our baby will be enough to make him come to Washington and if he doesn't, I'll have to move across the states to be with him. And I'm scared. I'm scared we won't last, because nothing ever has lasted for me before, and I won't have my mom to help me with Becca anymore if I leave Seattle."

The cigarette drops from her lips and falls off the side, rolling under the bed.

"Did you guys not talk about what you were going to do after the show if you don't win?" I ask, leaning against the wall.