How much a simple meal can do

Jyri Hunter

I sighed and stepped back. My booth was going to be the best one in the fair, I mean I make the best cookies in town. Nothing like those monstrosities made by Linus Noxon. We are the only two cookie makers in the city and are major competitors. I obviously make the better treats and even though I always say this, he never disagrees. To be honest, his cookies are delicious, and I have taken inspiration from him many times. And he’s really cute. I mean fluffy brown hair, gorgeous green eyes, and was always so nice and humble. I honestly wish I could be more like him. Anyway, I took one more look at my booth before I sat down on the chair behind the table. I watched as my clock ticked down the minutes until the fair would open and the stream of bodies would go by. I sighed (this is becoming a habit), and got back up from my chair. The fair wouldn’t start for another hour and I still needed to eat something for breakfast. I headed out to one of the many food trucks that were open early for the other vendors. I walked to my favorite truck, which was the barbecue one, and ordered my food. As I sat at the picnic table, that was at the side of the truck, I saw familiar fluffy brown hair walking up to the truck. I heard him order his food and being told how long the wait would be. Then to my horror, the cook told him to wait at the very same picnic table that I was at. I really wasn’t in the mood to act like I hated my crush. Then I had I thought that should’ve come to me much earlier. What if I was just nice to him and let him know how much I admired him for being so young and successful. I felt my cheeks heat up as he sat down across from me and smiled the cutest smile ever. He said something but I had started to get lost in those beautiful green eyes when he snapped his fingers in front of my face. “Hey did you hear what I said Ri?”  I knew this must be serious but I just about melted when he said my name. I shook my head and said, “No, I’m sorry, what were you saying?”. 

Linus Noxon

“No, I’m sorry, what were you saying?”, his voice was distracted but the next time I talked he snapped to attention. “Oh, I was saying that we should have a truce,” I wanted this and hoped he would agree. There was silence for a moment but then his sweet voice said “I guess we should do that”. I fluttered my eyelashes and said, “What about friends”. He smirked and said, “We’ll see Noxon, don’t push your luck”. My heart skipped a beat but then the cook from the barbecue place called out, “Order for Jyri Hunter”. Ri stood up and winked at me and from his pocket pulled out a piece of paper with his phone number on it. I stared at the piece of paper until the cook shouted out that my food was ready. I grabbed my food and walked back to my stall. If I stood on my chair I could see Ri sitting at his stall eating his food and scrolling through something on his phone. “Noxon, what are you doing?” said Alice concern and annoyance seeping into her usually monotone voice. I blushed and sat down propping my feet up on my table, “Just seeing how the competition is doing” I said as casually as I could without looking like I cared to put anything into my voice. She rolled her eyes and said, “Sure, more like how your future boyfriend is doing,”. My blush darkened and I let my head fall onto the table, rattling the glass cookie holder. Voice slightly muffled by the table I said, “There’s no point trying to date him, I’m sure he’s straight and even if he’s not, why would he choose me of all people”. I turned my head and glared at the white styrofoam box “I don’t even like barbecue,” I said miserably. Between laughs, Alice said, “So you bought food you don’t even like just to say ‘hi’ to him?”. I turned my glare to her witch only made her laugh harder. 

Jyri Hunter

I stared at Noxon and watched him as he hit his head on the table and then as his friend Alice burst into laughter. He then glared at her and I looked away probably blushing again. Then my phone gave a buzz. I looked down and saw that there was a text on my phone. My heart gave a leap when the unknown number’s message was ‘Hey this is Linus Noxon, is this Jyri Hunter?’. I just about dropped my phone in my rush to text back. I typed it out quickly and sent it ‘Why yes it is’. Another text came back, this one saying ‘Do you wanna maybe hand out sometime?’. I smiled down at my phone and replied ‘Well wouldn’t that be a violation of our truce?’. A few minutes passed with no response but eventually, his retort came back ‘Well maybe I don’t want to be just on a truce’. It was phrased like a question but I knew it was an invitation to become friends. In my head I could see it all happening, we become friends, then lovers. Then, I remembered that he was probably still waiting for an answer so taking a deep breath I texted ‘I would like that, how about we meet up for dinner after the fair’. When his answer came back there were no words, instead, a thumbs up and a smiley face came up on my screen. I sent a thumbs-up back and put my phone down. 30 minutes later the fair had started and I was getting tons of people coming by my booth. I was making more money than ever until I realized that this was because Noxon wasn’t getting any customers at all. When the next batch of people came looking for some sweets I told them that I was sadly out of that type but, that the young man in the booth over there would have just the type they were looking for. The day wound down after hours of work and I was ready to just go home until I remembered that I had dinner with Noxon tonight. I took a deep breath and was about to leave to go find him when his voice came from in front of me “May I have a cookie sir?”. I looked up and there he was, with his beautiful smile and friendly attitude. He had taken off his apron but still wore jeans and a dark green compony shirt that contrasted perfectly with his eyes. I smiled and at the eyebrow he raised I was sure he had noticed the bush was probably on my cheeks. Deciding to ignore this, I rolled my eyes and grabbed his arm. I expected him to pull away but he just walked with me as I headed in the general direction of my car. He stopped and said, “But, my car is that way”. “I thought it would be easier if we only took one car, after dinner, we can come back and get your car”, I really hoped he would agree because that would give us more time to be together. He shrugged and we continued walking towards my car. When we got to my car, I pulled the door open for him then walked around to the driver’s side. Minutes later we were on the main road, “So where do you want to go?”, he said. I shrugged and said, “Wherever is fine or we could go back to my house and I can make you dinner,”. He smiled that amazing simple and said, “How about we go back to your place,” he probably didn’t mean to but my breathing hitched when he leaned into me a little bit and his breath ghosted over my ear. 

Linus Noxon

“How about we go back to your place,” those words would either tell him I liked him or he is dense. I made sure to lean in and I saw him shiver at my words. Inside I smiled but I forced myself to lean back. It was awkward but eventually, we fell into easy conversation about the best cookie recipe. Can you believe that he thinks that you put the mix-ins last? Everyone knows that you put them in with the flour. The drive wasn’t short but, after what seemed like seconds we pulled into the driveway of a two-story white farmhouse. He looked over at me and looked slightly embarrassed “We’ll have the place to ourselves, my family is out on vacation”. I just smiled and followed him up the front steps. He opened the door and led me through a multitude of rooms. When we got to the kitchen he walked over to the pantry and started to pull things out. “I’m not the best cook, but I’m good enough” I honestly couldn’t care less but I did want something edible. Then he said, “I hope you’re good with pasta”. That sounded good to me so I nodded and said: “Do you need any help?”. I expected him to say no like I would have but he beckoned me over. When I got over He handed me a packet of chicken. “I need to you cut this up, then put it in a pan with some olive oil and this seasoning”. He handed me all the things I would need and pointed me to the island in the middle of the room. I cut the chicken and we fell into a comfortable silence. The chicken was easy to cook and in 15 minutes the only thing left to do was to put everything together. Ri came up and took the chicken off the heat and transferred it to the pesto. Then after that was combined he drained the pasta and put it all in one pan. He grabbed two glasses and a bottle of wine before setting everything on the island. I tried to eat slowly so we could spend more time together. 30 minutes later he had finished but I was only halfway through. “Can I ask you something?” he said. I shook my head and swallowed before saying “Yeah, what is it?”. I saw him take a deep breath before saying quietly “Will you go on a date with me?”. I thought my eyes had deceived me so I replied “Say that again, please”. “Will you go on a date with me?”, this time his voice was louder and stronger than it had been before. 

Jyri Hunter

I thought that he might punch me in the face from the look he gave me. But then he smiled and I relaxed slightly. “I thought we were already on a date,” as he said this he did the same thing that he did in the car where he leaned into me. I felt a brush on my cheek and just stood there until I realized that he has kissed me on the cheek. I felt heat come up into my face, and I pulled away just enough to turn my head. “So is that a yes?”. He answered my question with a nod. “D-do you want to watch a movie?”, I stuttered out. “Oh, course I do” he responded nodding his head viciously. Before we left the kitchen I grabbed the wine that we hadn’t opened yet along with the glasses. We sat down on the couch and I opened the wine. Pouring with one hand wasn’t easy but eventually, I got us both a cup. I turned the T.V on and switched it over to Netflix. We agreed on a movie and I sipped my wine as the opening lines came up on the T.V. We were only an hour into the movie but I could tell I was going to fall asleep soon. My eyelids drooped and I felt myself slipping into sleep. My head hit Lin’s shoulder then fell onto his lap. The last thing I felt was him moving slightly and a blanket settling over me. Then darkness consumed me.

Linus Noxon

I felt something hit my head and I looked over to see Ri’s head on my shoulder. I was ready to move so he would be more comfortable but his head fell down to my lap. I smiled softly and grabbed the blanket that was on the side of the couch. I kept watching the movie and when it happened I clicked the next movie. I figured because I had been let into the house so it would be okay if I just happened to fall asleep like him. I let the movie play and let my eyes fall shut but weaved my hands through his hair and running my fingers through the black strands. I let myself slip into the darkness. 

Jyri Hunter

When I woke sunlight was streaming in through the windows and I felt something soft underneath my head. I sat up and saw that I had been laying on Lin’s lap. The blanket that had been on me slipped off and onto the floor. I lied back down and waited for Lin to wake up. It was a while before he woke up. When he did I sat up and looked at him. “Well how did you sleep?” he asked. I fake yawned and said, “It was great, I had the best pillow ever”. He blushed and leaned down a bit. He gazed into my eyes and kept leaning in until his lips brushed mine. He pulled away just a bit and I smiled and pushed up to connect our lips once again. And that is how one meal or rivalry can change everything.