VIRAL | JSCHLATT (stopped)

Four

Hello guys, I just wanted to quickly tell you how grateful I am for nearly 200 reads within the span of a week! Thank you immensely for reading, voting, and commenting - nothing makes my day genuinely brighter and my mental health improve more than seeing you lot enjoying the stuff I put out. I love each one of you! 💜

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  I set up the tripod to the right height and place the camera on top of it, looking through the flip-out screen to make sure everything is in frame. The kitchen is clean, the ingredients are out, and the scent of my perfume is still prominent. Schlatt is due to come over any minute and-

  I open the door after a few startling knocks, wiping my other hand on my pant leg to get rid of the excess sweat building up from the nerves. He's wearing a t-shirt with another shirt on top, a pair of blue jeans and Timberlands. I widen my eyes and look him up and down. "Do you know what we're gonna be doing today?"

  Without a word he reaches for his backpack and pulls out a black apron, seemingly newly bought. I roll my eyes with a grin and begin to turn back to the rest of my hotel room, as I see him smile to himself and follow me in.

  "And, as promised to Schlatt," I say to the camera and then look at him, beaming devilishly, "Today we'll be doing something a little different.."

  He groans and leans his head back, crossing his arms on his chest, being dramatic for the camera. I giggle and run out of the shot to get his apron and straighten it out, placing the string around his neck and leaving it hanging. While I explain the rest of the video plans and the ingredients for the cookie recipe we're about to diminish, he ties his apron behind his back and watches me talk to the virtual audience.

  That's how it went on. We got to actually making and baking the ingredients, the cooking side of things, and finally, the waiting for the cooling. By this point, we have gone through numerous Twitter questions and dares, focusing on the funny and the platonic ones, and doing our best to unspokenly ignore the ones where we get shipped. He seemed just as awkward as me about this entire ordeal.

  We stand by the oven, leaning on the side, in complete, stale silence - a bit we decided to put into the video. Out of the corner of my eye I see the corners of Shclatt's lips begin to go upwards. He tries not to grin not to ruin the strange joke we were playing out, but within moments, I see his hand move from his side and into my direction. Flour flies everywhere as I exclaim incomprehensible sounds, and my shirt and face is covered by the white substance. I stand there, mouth ajar in shock and confusion - "You...fucker." - which soon turns to rage as I swiftly turn my body to him and step in his direction. He bolts off camera and I chase him down the room. I can hear his manic laughter as he tries to escape, making me laugh hysterically from the silliness of the situation as well. I see him across the room, the only thing separating us being the edge of the bed.

  I furrow my brows and smile at him evilly, as his eyes widen with a smile. I lunge at him in hopes of some final vengeance but, as I run towards him, my shoe catches on the border of the bed and I fly straight into Schlatt. We tumble to the ground and I yelp, instantly feeling both of our arms grasping at air and each other, and once we've landed, I open my eyes and look up.

  I'm lying on his chest, my arms placed on it, and he's lifted his neck to stare at me. I begin to try and make my way up as he chuckles, seemingly at the situation and the pure humiliation, and reaches his thumb to my cheek. He wipes off some flour and gives me a small smile, as we spend a few moments in silence. It was comforting, and at least under the flour you weren't able to see the red flush on my face.

  I rush back to the camera and warn them of what the crashing sounds were about, scolding the brown-haired boy in the process, and Schlatt soon enters after, pouting to hide his smile, with arms across against his chest, flour imprents all over his already crooked and untied apron. I stare at him once more as he mutters, "I need a drink."

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  "Aaaand, they are done!" Schlatt takes out the tray with the awfully squashed and melted together cookies and shows it to the camera. It's been cooling on the counter for a while, so in the meantime we have been slowly clearing away the messiness around us. We didn't need to burn out tongues off on camera, as entertaining as that may be. He sets it down on the counter behind us as we stare at in silence, and soon burst into laughter.

  "They are...horrific.." I mutter audibly enough for him to exclaim a "Hey!" right back. "I made those!"

  "Exactly, that's why they're deformed!" I laugh at him and he can't help but smile either. He reaches to the counter behind him and takes two glasses, handing one to me.

  "Cheers, companion," we wearily clink our glasses of rum & Cola and take little sips, scrunching our faces afterwards. He looked so awfully cute that I couldn't help but paste my eyes to his face. He looks back at me and we stand there for a few moments in peace. By this point, nearly silent, calming music plays in the background due to the Spotify playlist we put on shuffle, and I breathe. I feel as though I'm taken back to the car park, with the blooming oranges and reds in the sky above, and the ease flowing through my body. We smile tiredly at each other, having spent nearly all of the afternoon in my hotel room, and soon do an outro while sharing a cookie on camera.

  "These aren't actually terrible, Schlatt. I'm impressed." I comment, stuffing a piece on my mouth, whilst putting away the tripod. The camera rests on the counter far from me and the fallen bowls, knowing that the footage in it was precious.

  "Hypocrite." He chuckles with his mouth full, going over to grab his phone and stop the music, later slipping it into his back pocket. He gazes around the room as do I, and then at each other's clothes. "Sorry 'bout earlier.." He trails off, placing his hand on his neck.

  I shrug it off with a laugh. "You're good company, Schlatt."

  He smiles at my response a little wider than he previously was, and I look to the cookie tray, my shoes, and anywhere besides the man in front of me.

  I need Wilbur.