Cooking

"You really like him huh?"

The boy then says. Tulip looks at him, tilting her head then smiles gently, nodding her head,

"I love Noah!"

Lincoln cringes, then his face flush and he looks away.

"Is that something you say to a boy so easily?"

The guy mumbles but Tulip hears him with her hearing perception that is built differently compared to those of this world, leaning her head to the side to look at the boy with his face turned.

"Why?"

Tulip questions, Lincoln looks at her and hesitates, not knowing if she would even understand even if he explains, and the topic is something he wouldn't talk about to anyone except Noah, not even Walter and Ronan. Let alone a girl.

Again, his face flushes, not knowing where to begin with a topic like this, with Noah they'd gush about these topics. They're at the age to know about relationships with the opposite gender after all. However Tulip, a girl, a pretty one at that. Wide green eyes that sparkle yellow if you gaze long enough to take notice, long brown hair that looks like forest wood with its colour and wave, pale skin, areas where it would be a darker shade of white or brown is a pinkish red instead, including her cheeks which makes her look even more cute and delicate.

These are weird thoughts, yes, no one cares this much when it comes to simple features like this, right?? Even if it's a pretty girl, no, why does he even think of her pretty? She's clearly interested in Noah. Wait, how is that even related?

Tulip waits for Lincoln answer, unaware of the turmoil going on inside his head. Instead keeping an ear out for Noah's footsteps.

"Well..-"

"Let's go guys!"

Before Lincoln could answer, Noah calls them out and slams the back door open. Lincoln watches as Tulip jumps up and grasp the basket tightly, running to the back door where Noah went. Lincoln then follows after her.

"Ahh, the sun of summer. It doesn't feel as hot compared to last Friday. Right, Tulip?"

"Yes!"

The three of them stops at an empty area. No one can be seen from here, so Noah asserts this is the best spot to eat and to be as loud as they want. Tulip who doesn't care but is enthusiastic to see Noah so enthusiastic, agrees and Lincoln who also doesn't care helps set the blanket down.

They are sitting under a tree that shades them from the radiating sun, Noah sits facing away from the sun but looks behind anyway to mention how the sun rays that coats the vast grass land is cooling down.

"What nonsense, the sun wont ever cool down."

"I know that, open your imagination dude."

Lincoln and Noah bicker while Tulip takes out their lunchboxes, placing them in the middle of the blanket for whenever they'll eat. Then placing their utensils down, and internally burst when grabbing Noah and her utensils. Noah must've noticed her excitement that she tried to contain with a failed firm expression.

"What is it?"

Noah looks into the basket to see what got Tulip so riled up, and sees their matching utensils.

"Wow!! These are new! & we're matching!"

Tulip put Noah ones on his lunchbox and Lincoln plain one on his. Taking in their reactions when they open the lunchboxes. There were fried chicken tenders with honey dipping, rice balls in the shape of hearts that were rolled with veggies, and various fruits pricked with fruit forks.

Both Lincoln and Noah stare at their individual lunches amazed.

"I can't, we have to eat now! Thank you for the meal."

Noah claps his hands together and eagerly stabs his fork into the chicken and dips it in the honey then takes a bite, his eyes growing wide and dramatically hunch his shoulders as if melting to the food.

"It's so good, just how I like it."

Lincoln hasn't tried yet, only observing Noah and the food in front of him. Taking the rice hearts, he looks at Tulip and asks her a question.

"Did you make these?"

Tulip doesn't remember rolling and shaping his, but she did make the rice and chopped the vegetables, Noah's mother must've used the leftovers that Tulip thought would be for Noah's mother. Anyway, she nodded. Lincoln hums and takes a bite, tasting the filling that is tuna mayo for his.

"Tuna mayo, my favourite."

"Favourite?"

Lincoln nods, chewing his bite while staring at the tuna filling. Tulip didn't know it was his favourite, but it's her favourite too. Though Noah's favourite filling is cheese.

Cheese and rice? Tulip couldn't understand.

"You two have the same favourite filling."

Noah points out after finishing a tender, picking up his rice heart and taking a bite. As mentioned before, his is filled with cheese. This was achieved by grilling his one, so the cheese could be soft inside.

Tulip is curious to see how it looks inside so she scoots to Noah to look inside. Noah realises and shows her, telling her it cooled down so there's no pull, but still soft.

Meanwhile Lincoln who's grabbing the chicken tenders to eat next, using his hands instead of utensils unlike Noah, finding forks and chopsticks inconvenient. Why use utensils when chicken tenders with no rice to eat with is clearly made to eat as hand food?

Insignificant thoughts busy his mind until he hears a rustle somewhere in the thicket of the bushes and trees. To prove this, a bush flitters while the others stay still.