Episode 11

EPISODE ELEVEN

So yesterday I had my one on one cooking lessons with Jamie, I asked her to teach me how to make Arden’s favorite Korean dish which was Spicy Chicken Buldak, she mentioned it to me one time, and thank goodness I remembered it!  so after getting the recipe from the internet, Jamie showed me how to blend the marinating sauce and how to prepare the chicken, she was going to teach me how to cook it but I refused and said that I have learn to do, at least that, by myself

I woke up 2 hours before my classes, I only have 3 class today so I have plenty of time to prepare, after taking a bath and getting dressed, I went to the market and bought all the necessary ingredients for that Korean dish, I also bought ingredients for my favorite dessert which is sweetened banana plantain, I mastered making that dessert because it’s so damn easy, I also bought ingredients for a cake, it wouldn’t be a birthday if there’s no cake so I figured why not bake one to make it a bit special. I also looked at every toy store I could find that sells a penguin stuffed toy but sadly I didn’t find one so I just went home

I arrived and quickly got ready for school. All of the three classes I attended, I think I understood 50% of the lessons, my brain was just so preoccupied with the cooking and the preparing and where would I even set this and will she like it?

Classes finished at around 3 pm, Arden’s classes ends at 6 pm so when the professor finally dismissed us I quickly packed my stuff and was the first one to leave the room, I ran to my bicycle and ride to my apartment like there was no tomorrow.

I got to my apartment, threw my bag on the sofa, change my clothes and made my way to the kitchen

“Ok, what to do first?” maybe I should do the cake first, so while it’s baking I can cook the chicken

So I grabbed the recipe and read the procedure, uh-oh, I just realized that I don’t have baking pans lying around here, what do I do now? I thought for a minute then “got it! I’ll call Kelsey, maybe I could borrow pans from her!” Kelsey is my cousin by the way

I grabbed the phone and dialed her number, I then asked if I could borrow her baking pans, she agreed and said that she’ll bring it over.

After that phone call, I decided to start with that Korean dish since I can’t start making the cake, I still don’t know where to set this

I read the recipe for the Chicken Buldak and started cutting the chicken, it needs to be marinated in the fridge for 30 minutes, a few minutes after that I heard someone open the door. that must be Kelsey

Kelsey went to the kitchen, “Hey there cousin!”

“Hey! And thanks again”

“No prob” she smiled then approached me and put the paper bag in the kitchen counter, she then looked at the bags on the counter then at me “Are you cooking?”

“Yep, well, trying at least” I answered

“And why are you doing this? Last time I checked you didn’t even want to touch a spatula, what happened?” she teased “have you been replaced by aliens?”

I scoffed and teasingly rolled my eyes while Kelsey giggled

“I’m actually doing this for this girl that I like” I spoke “it’s her birthday today”

“I should have known this was for a girl and you’re willing to cook, she must be really special”

“Oh you have no idea”

Kelsey smirked “well then, I should probably leave now before you burn your apartment with your love struck cooking methods”

I giggled “thanks again”

She smile “good luck and tell me all about the date when it’s over ok” then she walked towards and left

I should start making the cake now, I took the paper bag and pulled out the cake pan, Kelsey sure bought a lot of baking pans, there’s even one here for cupcakes

I cleaned the cake pan, greased it and set it aside, I then took the cake recipe and specifically followed the procedure and after mixing, the batter is finally ready, I poured it in the pan and set the oven for 30 minutes, I then started making the frosting

I was setting the finished frosting aside when an idea hit me, the rooftop! And I know which person to call

I quickly grabbed my phone and called Ryan

“Hey Ry! it’s Nicky, can you help me with something?”

“Yeah sure, what is it?”

I told him every detail of my surprise dinner for Arden and asked if he and Kevin could set some tables and lights on the rooftop of our department building

“I got to hand it to you Nicky, you sure know how to give someone an awesome present” he said and giggled “don’t worry we’re on it”

“Oh and can you tell Jamie to not let Arden go home after her class but don’t give anything away”

“You got it little love struck girl” he laughed before hanging up the phone

I smiled and hang up the phone, now what do I do? I read again the recipes then found out that I have to make a sauce for the chicken, I just have to blend all the ingredients that’s needed, so I did that and set the sauce aside. By the time I finished making the sauce, the chicken was marinated enough and is ready to cook, so I took it out of the fridge, open the stove and pour some oil in it then put in the chicken, after that I freaked out for a bit because hey, I’m afraid of pain and getting oil on my skin is painful

So I was carefully turning over the chicken when I smell something burning

“Oh shit! The cake!!”

I quickly went to the oven, open it and with my quick and stupid thinking, I stuck my hand inside and grabbed the pan, I don’t have oven mitt on so it didn’t go well

I threw the pan at the sink and screamed and cussed at the top of my lungs, after the pain resided for a bit, I checked the chicken and saw that it was cooked perfectly so I turned off the stove then I looked at the sink and stared at my disastrous baking, at least the chicken is okay, I sighed now what?

“I’ll finished the chicken and the dessert first, I’ll worry about the cake later” I wrapped my hand in a wet towel then continued cooking

So I pour the sauce into the frying pan, like it says on the recipe and cooked it for a few minutes, after that, I went and made the banana plantain, when all that’s done, I put on some cream and bandage on my right hand, it’s a bit red and throbbing but I’ll be fine, now about that cake, I don’t have enough ingredients to make another cake and if I go back to the market, It’ll be just a waste of time

“Maybe I could make cupcakes instead” I checked the ingredients and true enough, I can still make a few red velvet cupcakes so I quickly opened my laptop and searched for a cupcake recipe which I instantly found, I set the laptop and the kitchen table and started making the cupcake batter, good thing Kelsey also brought the cupcake pan

After 25 minutes of watching over the oven to make sure I don’t burn it again, the 4 cupcakes are ready and they look great

I checked the time and shit! It’s almost 5:30, I took a really quick bath and got dressed then packed all the food in a basket along with some plates and utensils then I rode my bike and made my way to the school

Everything is ready, all that’s missing is a blue penguin and everything will be perfect,

I passed by the school and went straight to the mall that’s nearest to our school, I need to get something.

I was on my way back to school when I got a call from Kevin which I readily answered

“Dude! Get your ass here now! Arden’s class is already over!”

“Shit! Um where is she now?” I asked

“She just walked out of her room, I think she’ll going straight home”

“Um ok, distract her for a bit and get her away from the entrance!“

I hang up and rode my bike faster, when I got to my school, I quickly parked my bicycle and went to our department building, that’s where I asked Ryan to set up the table and chairs, when I got there, the place was clean and in the middle was a table with a red table cloth and candles and two chairs, around the table at the four corners of the rooftop are three balloons each and a small lamp post,

Wow, they went all out at preparing the place

I went to the table and prepared the food, I put some candles on the cupcakes and placed them on a plate, I then put on the blue penguin costume I bought at the mall over my clothes, then I called Kevin and said that everything is ready, I stood beside the table, wearing the penguin costume and with cupcakes at hand, all I need to do is wait

After a few minutes of waiting I heard someone coming up the stairs

“Hello? Is someone up here?” said the familiar voice

It’s Arden, when she reached the top and saw the table and decorations, I started singing “Happy Birthday”

She laughed as she approached me then she gently removed the penguin head, exposing my face

“Happy Birthday!” I said showing her the cupcakes with lighted candles “blow and make a wish”

She smiled and blew out the candle then asked “what’s all this?”

“A birthday dinner”

“And the penguin costume?”

“Well you look sad when we didn’t get that penguin doll at the arcade and since I can’t find any penguin doll at the mall, I figured I’ll just be your penguin, at least for today” I smiled “now let’s have dinner”

I took the penguin head from her, we went to the table and I escorted her to her seat then I wore the penguin head again

“Do you want to have dinner with Nicky the blue penguin or Nicky the human being?” I asked

She giggled and looked at me “both are cute but I think I rather have dinner with Nicky the human being, she’s more awesome”

I laughed then removed the penguin costume before sitting at my chair

She looked at the dish then at me “Did you cook this?”

I nodded “It’s your favorite so I decided to cook it for you, I even made dessert” then I stood and put some chicken on her plate then on a separate plate, I put some sweetened banana plantain and put it next to her plate

She noticed my right hand and gently held it “what happened?”

I blushed “Just got burned a little” I said then took my hand away and sat down

I looked at her and saw a very concerned expression

“Hey, don’t worry about me, I’m fine, this is you night ok? So be happy”

She gave me a smile then picked up the fork and tasted the chicken

I held my breath and stared at her expression, seeing if she liked my cooking, she looked at me and smirked

“It’s delicious” she said

I sighed and she giggled then we continued eating, as well as telling each other about our day,

After eating the dessert, we decided to eat the 4 cupcakes as well, while eating I realized something

“I forgot to get any kind of beverage, didn’t I?” I said

“Yeah” Arden giggled “I have a bottle of water in my bag, is that ok?”

I smiled “it’s great“

She then stood, went to her bag and grabbed the water bottle, then she came back and pulled her chair next to mine and sat, she then gave me the water bottle

I opened it and drank some water then I gave it to her and she did the same, then Arden stared at the water bottle and then turned to me

“What?” I asked

Arden leaned in and kissed me on the cheek and I blushed

“Thank you for making my birthday extra special” she said

I smiled at her “you’re welcome”

We continued eating the cupcake and sharing the same water bottle

Everything went perfect, my hand isn’t even hurting anymore or maybe being with her made the pain and throbbing go away