Mrs. Cooper hurried in carrying a bag of measuring spoons and a stack of papers. “Today we will break into our cooking groups and attempt to make this recipe.” She held up the stack of papers.
Great. Just what I didn’t want to do. With my luck we’d be cooking chicken.
“We’ll be making mini pizzas on English muffins.”
Eww.
“With a barbeque chicken topping!”
Double Eww.
“Everyone go to your cooking stations, and I’ll pass out the recipe.”
Everyone in my station was absent except for Emily Hall, the biggest gossip in our class. Resolved to get this over with, I began doling out paper plates and plastic silverware so we could get started. Mrs. Cooper came over with a recipe, Sam trailing behind her.
“Girls, since most of your table is absent, Sam will be joining you today.”
A little thrill went through me.
“Since he’s new he doesn’t have a group yet.” She turned to Sam and handed him the recipe. “This is your cooking group for the rest of the year.”
He moved to stand by me.
“I thought you were absent today,” I accused when the teacher moved away.
“Been here all day.”
“Why weren’t you at lunch?” Too late, I realized that I’d just practically told him I was waiting for him.
He cleared his throat and his eyes slid to our audience. Emily was staring straight at us with her mouth open. Great. Who knew what would be all over school by tomorrow.
“Aren’t you dating Kimber?” she asked Sam.
“No!” we both answered quickly.
“Are you dating?” she asked us, a glint in her eyes. Sam shut his mouth and turned to me, lifting his eyebrow.
“No,” I answered quietly.
“She won’t have me,” Sam told Emily.
Emily gasped and turned to me.
“That isn’t true,” I assured her.
“I’ve asked her out three times.”
“You won’t go out with him?” she asked me.
“Of course I would,” I blurted, then blushed furiously.
“So you are going out?”
I grabbed the pack of English muffins and slammed them on the counter. “Let’s do this.”
When Emily went off in search of a missing ingredient I spun toward him. “Do you have any idea who we were just talking to?”
He feigned innocence.
“She’s the biggest gossip in our entire class.”
“I guess it will be all over school tomorrow that we’re together.” He seemed unbothered by this.
“Probably before then,” I muttered, slapping some cheese on the pizza.
“Easy,” he scolded, taking the bag of cheese from me. “Like this.” He sprinkled the cheese on the top.
“You want everyone to think we’re dating.”
“Hand me the chicken will you?”
I practically threw the chicken at him.
He snatched it out of the air with ease and shook it at me. “Maybe I should handle the chicken today. Clearly you treat it the same way your mother does.” His eyes sparkled with mischief, and he stifled a laugh. It was a side of him I didn’t often see, and I liked it. I found myself smiling back even though I think he had just insulted me.
When he turned away I was able to remember that we had been talking. “Why?” I demanded.
“Why, what?” he asked, never turning from the chicken he seemed to be so carefully arranging.
“Why do you want everyone to think we’re dating?” I said, exasperated.
“Because then you’ll have to go out with me. You wouldn’t ruin my reputation by turning me down and humiliating me would you?”
“Like you care,” I muttered as Emily returned.
We finished our pizzas as Mrs. Cooper came around to see our handiwork, and then we put them in the toaster oven to bake. While they baked the three of us stood in the tiny kitchenette awkwardly as I tried to avoid Sam’s gaze, and Emily stared at us with open curiosity. When the little timer beeped I all but sighed in relief. I turned to grab the oven mitts off the counter and when I turned back Sam was already reaching into the oven and grabbing the hot pan.
“Watch out!” I cried as Emily and I both rushed forward.
Sam looked up with a puzzled expression on his face then his eyes rounded and he dropped the pan back on the rack. “Shit, that was stupid!” He exclaimed and shook out his hand.
“Let me see.” I held out my hand for his knowing that he had to be covered in blisters. I was about to call for the teacher when his voice cut me off.
“It’s no big deal, I’m fine.”
“You can’t be fine. The inside of that oven is almost four hundred degrees.” As I spoke I leaned forward to look at his hand.
He brushed it down his pant leg then stuck it inside his pocket. “Really, I’m fine. We should get those out before they burn.”
“I’ll get them,” Emily volunteered when I just stood there staring at him. “They actually look pretty good.” She said, sitting them on the hot pad on the counter.
Sam kept his hand in his pocket and turned away to look at the pizza. Emily hurried off to get the teacher to give us a grade, and I used the opportunity to tug his hand out of his pocket. Sam didn’t protest, but watched me with somber, liquid-honey eyes. I turned his hand palm up and ran my fingers across where a massive blister was sure to be.
There was nothing there. His skin was completely smooth and unmarked.
I was sure that he would be burned. I saw him touch that pan, why weren’t there any marks on his skin? I thought he might say something, but then Emily and the teacher returned and the moment was lost. As soon as we received a grade Sam grabbed up his pizza and ate it in one bite.
“Did you even eat lunch?” I grumped.
“I’m hungry.” He shrugged, avoiding my gaze.
I pushed my untouched pizza toward him. He ate it in one bite too. Emily sat next to him gingerly picking at hers. “What are you doing after school today?” he asked around his chewing.
“I was hoping to go to my grandma’s. I have a horse there.”
“Do you need a ride?” Sam asked and suddenly the pizza lost its interest for Emily, and she stared at us, trying not to make it obvious she was looking.
“Actually, that would be great.” I replied giving up on trying to keep myself out of the gossip mill. What did it matter anyway?
When the final bell rang, Sam caught up with me and walked me to my locker. I couldn’t help but notice the curious glances directed our way. I pulled the hoodie further down over my head and tried to ignore everyone. Kimber came running up to us just as I was entering the combination on my lock.