Kitchen

_Chelsea Lim's Point of View_

I sat up and reached for my phone.

I saw that it was Lavalee calling so I immediately answered the call.

"Yes?" I asked

[Lavalee said to wake everyone else.]

Huh?

I got a little confused when I heard a man's voice then I heard a little indistinct sound before I heard Lavalee's voice talking to the guy's voice and that's when I realized who the voice belonged to.

Jace.

I ended the call and went to do my morning rituals while dialing their phones one by one. I

have Ethan's, Elijah's, and Caspian's digits because my good friends are so full of mischief that they sometimes hide from their bodyguards.

After I did my morning rituals, I went downstairs and I was a little stunned when I saw Lavalee and Jace playing in the kitchen.

They're both wearing an apron while Lavalee is holding the spatula.

"Damn, Dreice!" Lavalee cussed and chased Jace

I tilted my head to make sure I'm seeing things clearly and I'm not imagining things.

"Ohayo, Chels," Lavalee stopped running when she noticed me

"Uh, nanishiteruno, Lav?" I asked her and she smiled

(Translation: Uh, what are you doing, Lav?)

"Cooking," she replied with a little smile on her face

She seemed so happy cooking.

"Messing the kitchen is the right term," Jace commented and I saw how Lavalee's eyes glared at him

"It's your fault, Dreice. I asked you earlier! You said I just need to turn on the stove so I did!" Lavalee ranted while glaring at Jace

"Lav, you should've asked me instead," I told her trying to calm the situation

"I wanted to try, Chelsea." She said and looked at me.

I don't know if I'm imagining or seeing things but I saw pain and sadness in Lavalee's eyes.

"You don't want my help." Jace reasoned out

I want to stop him from reasoning with Lavalee because, during this kind of time, Lavalee's mind is blocked.

Like all humans, Lavalee's mind can also think irrationally, especially when she can't contain her emotions. Lavalee is still human.

"Kkeutnass-eo!" she said and harshly turned off the stove before removing the apron and throwing it away harshly

(Translations: I'm done!)

"Lavalee," I called her calmly

"I just want to try, Chelsea." She said I saw her hit her head with a closed fist

"Lavalee, I'm going to help you if you really want to." I told her calmly

"Shikataganai!" she shouted and dropped the spatula on the counter causing a loud noise to echo in the kitchen

(Translation: It's no use!)

"Nunca aprendere!" she said and messed her hair and hit her head.

(I will never learn!)

I saw Jace holding her hand but I don't think it's a good move because Lavalee's eyes glared at him.

"Gaja," Lavalee said and she rushed out I don't know but I think I saw her crying when she left.

(Let go.)

I turned to Jace because he was still. I think he saw what I saw.

"Go on, follow her, Jace," I told him and he looked confused

"You shouldn't tease Lavalee about things regarding chores. Lavalee doesn't know, she's trying to learn." I scolded him calmly

He bowed his head before nodding and leaving.

"What happened? We heard Lav shouting." Irene and Jess rushed here

"It's nothing that serious. She argued with Jace," I said and sighed

I know Lavalee's hurt because I think she had grown close to Jace and then this happened.

I hope everything they've spent together won't go down the drain because it'll be hard to rebuild it.

"Why? What were they arguing about?" Jess asked

"This," I said and motioned to the kitchen

Lavalee's still neat, there's not even a messy drop or spill on the kitchen counter apart from where she dropped the spatula.

She's still the neat girl we met many years ago.

"She tried to cook," Jess said and I nodded

"Should we tell the butlers to ban her here?" Irene asked and we chuckled but it fade when we saw the plate with fried bacon, ham, and egg.

The rice cooker is also plugged and there's rice in it.

"Don't be too harsh on her," I told her and she shook her head

"Do you think it's edible?" Jess asked even though the food looks safe because Lavalee cooked it.

If we saw this five years ago, we'd eat it without hesitation but after what we witnessed these past five years during her breakdowns?

We'd have doubts of course but we still appreciate that Lavalee's trying.

She's trying her best and that's what's more important.

"Let's try," I said and took a serving spoon from the cabinet, I also took out eight plates and asked the two to prepare the table.

I know Lavalee acted like a brat earlier but we understand where she's coming from. Lavalee knew how to cook, she used to.

Ever since the incident five years ago, Lavalee never dared to enter the kitchen because either she's breaking down or she's only making a mess.

While Irene and Jess are preparing the table I took a serving of rice and took a small saucer and spoon. I tasted the rice and I was surprised when it's cooked correctly.

If Lavalee's the one who cooked this rice, I can say she's finally overcoming her past.

I took a piece from the bacon egg and ham and took the foods left on the pan and placed it on the serving plate, I know Lavalee took effort in cooking this.

"Irene! Jess!" I called them after tasting the food.

I prepared two more spoons and gave them to them and told them to taste the food Lavalee cooked.

"Lav cooked it?" Irene asked and I can see the surprise in her eyes

"What does it taste like?" I asked them

"Yes! It's Lav's cooking!" Irene exclaimed

We've tasted some food that Lavalee used to cook before.

Chicken Cordon Bleu was her specialty, maybe because it was the twins', and their Mom's favorite.

I excused myself and went to the backdoor, I dialed Frost's number and after two rings he picked it up.

"Lavalee cooked," I informed him

[What happened?] he asked

"She thought it didn't end well but it seems like she still has it in her. She still remembers." I said

[She didn't breakdown?] he asked

"No, luckily, Jace was there with her, teasing her. It probably helped because she's distracted." I answered and I heard his sigh

[Thank you.] Frost said and hung up

I went back to the kitchen and helped them serve the food.

I called the guys beforehand and told them to eat before I called Lavalee and Jace.

"Why are you eating that?" Lavalee asked the moment she came into the dining room

"Who cooked? It's delicious." Ethan's statement stopped Lavalee from speaking

"Are you lying?" Lavalee asked Ethan seriously

"No, we're not. Taste it." I told her and she sat on her chair

She took a little portion and took a spoonful.

We (girls) watched her as she ate it, we saw her glare at Jace, who is seated beside her, and started hitting him.

"Mentiste! You said it's a mess." Lavalee said while hitting Jace

(You lied!)

"There was fire," Jace said holding Lavalee's wrist to stop her

"Sō? Anata wa mada uso o tsuita!" Lavalee said which made us chuckle because Jace looked confused so Lavalee sat and continued eating

"Lavalee said, you still lied," Irene said after clearing her throat and continuing to eating

"You'll cry again," Jace said while looking at Lavalee.

We looked at him in amusement because he knew about it.

Lavalee really does cry at the sight of fire which is a bit ironic because her name literally means fire.

We think it's because fire reminds her of the camping trip she was in on the date their house was attacked and they lost their mom.

We ate in silence and prepared ourselves for our visit to Frostwood.

"I only requested for two days," Lavalee informed us when we met at the garage because she said we'll be riding their limousine.

"That's what we'll ride?" Elijah asked and pointed at the limousine

"Yes, any problem?" Lavalee replied and the limousine stopped in front of us

Ares came out of the limo.

"You again?" Jace asked him

So, Ares also came along with them yesterday.

"You're still cold but it's okay because you can make Lav follow you," Ares replied and Lavalee smacked his head

"You didn't take down your post. You are really dead to Zhy." Lavalee said

"Yeah, I saw your post. Zhyrene's parents probably flipped." Jess added

"I love Zhyrene so I will tell the world that." Ares said proudly

"Come on in, by the way, reserve the seats for Jaxith, Ali, and Icarus," Ares said and we rode the limousine

When we stopped by the RFA, some students were looking at the limousine so we chose to allow Ares to go down first and we followed him to the faculty.

He excused us as the 'REPRESENTATIVE OF FA'.