Save Me From Myself

Chapter Seven - Pie Baking

It's safe to say I would never attend another party or drink alcohol ever again. After I'd passed out in Nadine's car, I woke up the next morning with a killer headache. I threw up and I smelled gross. I don't even remember the events of Friday night.

But it's been a whole weekend and I've decided to never think about it again. Bright and early Monday morning I sat in my math class. The teacher handed out worksheets for us to work on silently. We would be getting out of school early for the pie baking competition to get set up and give time for people to bake pies.

My mom decided it would be a good idea for our family to enter. She said it would be a fun event to take our mind off things. By things she meant her asking our father for a divorce.

That sparked an argument that did not end well and I had to get out of the house. Carmen and I hung out over Nadine's and she didn't ask questions. Dad got a hotel outside of the town.

I could see that mom was sad but she said, "It just wasn't going to work out. He was making me choose between him or you so I did."

"Do you understand number five?"

I look up at Karlie. She's turned so that she's facing me and her paper is on my desk. "I thought you were good at math," I say.

"I am, but this one is hard." Her lips form into a small pout.

"Are you single," I ask.

She looks up at me shocked. "Uh yeah, why?"

"You're just always around the guys I assumed you were dating one."

She blushes, "Well, I do have a crush on Jacob but I don't think that's going to happen."

"Why?"

"Well, outside of being around you guys I'm pretty shy. There's plenty of other girls who actually know how to express what they want."

"It sounds easy. You just walk up to him and say I like you, do you want to date?"

"You're one to talk. I don't see you doing that with Nadine."

"It's not the same," I murmur.

"Why not?"

"This isn't about Nadine and I. Don't try and change the subject."

"Okay how about this? We each ask our crushes to homecoming next month."

"The dance?"

She nods, "It's perfect, please?"

"Fine."

"Yay!" She says it a little to loud and it draws the eyes of the other students. The teacher gives us a look and Karlie apologizes. She smiles at me before turning back around in her chair. What have I gotten myself into?

My mom and Carmen are waiting for me when I get home. They have all the ingredients laid out and my mom even bought apron's. It said 'Hm, something smells good,' in purple calligraphy.

"Do I have to help," I say.

They both stick a thumbs up out. I roll my eyes but grab the apron and slip it on.

"So girls, we're making two types. Lemon meringue and rhubarb. You two start on the crust and I'll make the fillings."

Mom was good in the kitchen. She especially liked to bake. I had vague memories of us making desserts in the kitchen every once a while. 

"Bet my pie crust will look better and than yours," Carmen says.

"Doubt it."

That was the start of a competition. Carmen did the lemon meringue pie crust and I did the rhubarb. It took us both about twenty minutes to get exactly like we wanted.