Cake

Day 13 of StoryADay September

The Prompt:

Write about an odd couple. No, your characters don’t have to be an actual romantic couple. They can be siblings, classmates, friends, enemies, or anything in-between. But you do need to have a couple (two people), and they do need to be at odds. Their personalities and their motivations should be dramatically divergent. Try to exaggerate their differences and see what action transpires. 

Cake

Angela dropped the bag on the floor and hoisted her hips onto the counter, her legs swinging, pounding a rhythm on the cabinet doors.

Darren sighed, but managed not to roll his eyes as he picked up the bag of supplies and placed it on the counter next to Angela. “I hope you didn’t break the eggs.” He started to unpack the contents. Flour, sugar (white and brown), eggs, butter, baking powder, salt, vanilla, cocoa powder, powdered sugar, milk, and the vial. Darren lined them up neatly on the counter and turned to find a bowl.

Angela picked up the vial, turning it around to view it from all angles, before tossing it into the air and catching it.

Darren spun and snatched it out of her hands. “Could you try to be careful? We can’t get more. Plus, I’m not sure what will happen if you get this on your skin.” Darren placed the vial on the counter next to the stove, well out of Angela’s reach. “Measuring cups? Spoons?”

Angela spread her legs, pulling the drawer underneath her open. She reached in, pulled out the spoons and cups and slid them down the counter where they crashed into the bowl. Darren jumped, then glared at Angela out of the corner of his eye, before biting off a “Thanks.”

She smiled at him, then grabbed the bag of sugar, pulling the top open. Into the drawer she went again, this time coming out with two mixing spoons. One she slid down the counter. The other she used to pull a scoop of sugar out of the bag, lifting it into the air and tipping the contents slowly into her open mouth. Darren slowly turned his head and stared. “You want some?” Angela held the spoon out to him.

“No.” Darren pulled the bag of sugar from her hands, measuring out a cup into the bowl. He added butter and brown sugar. “Mixer?” Angela pointed to a cabinet behind him. She watched him put the mixer together, plug it in, and begin creaming the butter and sugar together. He was so focused that she was able to stare without apology.

Once the eggs and vanilla were added, Darren began carefully measuring the flour, sifting it into a second bowl. “Why don’t you just dump it in? You’re making this take forever.”

“Baking’s a science. You have to measure carefully, and mix things in the right order for the cake to be good.”

“Who cares if it’s good? We’re just going to put that in.” Angela pointed to the vial across the room.

“It has to look good to convince him to take a bite. It has to taste good to get him to eat enough to work.”

Darren worked without looking at Angela, allowing her to stare again. She was surprised he didn’t feel the heat of her gaze and look up.

The batter almost complete, Darren turned and retrieve the vial. The cap in one hand, he stared at the vial.

“What?” Angela asked.

“I’m not sure how much to use.”

“All of it?”

“Do you think he’ll taste it?”

Angela shrugged, then reached out and tugged the vial from Darren’s hand, upending the contents into the batter.

“Angela!”

“Better safe than sorry.” Darren stared at her, his mouth actually hanging open. Angela thought it was cute. “I want to be sure it works.”

The batter was poured into a pan and disappeared into the oven.

Darren leaned against the counter, finally giving Angela his attention. “Why do you want to do this, anyway?”

“He annoys me. He keeps calling me baby, like I’m an irresponsible little kid, or something. And he wears too much cologne. Why did you agree to help me?”

Darren looked into her eyes and stepped closer, a grin lifting the corners of his mouth, but not altering the intensity of his gaze. “I want the power, of course.”