Happy Pancake (The second pancake part 1)

Chapter 2

When I was little, holidays were always my favourite times of the year- cause you know, when there’s no school, meaning no homework? Yeah, well I was like every one of the other kids, who spent their holidays watching television and doing…well absolutely nothing. But now, going to university was more enjoyable. First of all there was using time wisely- there was so much more to do- so much more to learn.

I finished secondary school two years ago, and moved onto university to study cookery and desserts. It’s more exciting than most people think.

Hannie says that I was ‘born to do cooking’ which really boosted my confidence up- especially since I had no confidence to begin with. I remember really hating working at the pancake shop after school. It was the same and monotonous every time. I walked into the shop: I got out the plates, I put the pancakes on them, and I served them. Yeah- it was pretty boring I must admit to you.
But as I grew up, I actually learnt how to make the pancakes myself, and I even made some of my own toppings- like the banana and peanut butter one- which tasted delicious. They were on sale and the top sellers for almost 2 months. And now, I’ve come to here.

This is what most people don’t get. You should always do what you want- not what somebody else wants. It’s your future you’re talking about, so you have to make it happen. That’s why my parents are always so nervous about what I want to do. They don’t want me to pick the wrong thing, but I know I haven’t because…I love what I’m doing now.

Right, so starting Monday morning off with a long bus journey…great! No, not so great. It’s a bit of a pity that I can’t drive. If only I could- there are so many places that I can go in the matter of time. And somehow, I’m stuck here in the middle of a long traffic jam and I have a feeling that I was going to be late on the first day of my second year.

There was going to be no way I could make it out on time. I popped out of my seat and headed towards the driver, before tapping on his window screen. He turned to look at me with an annoyed expression.

“Erm…sir, how long is it going to take to get to Geordan street?”.

Additionally, I was going to ask him if he could take a different route, but somehow I couldn’t. His eyes stared at me, like how a cat would stare at a ball of wool.

“Well at this rate, probably half an hour…”

“But…I’m going to be late!”

“I’m sorry love, this traffic is going nowhere, and it’s not just you who isn’t.”
I sighed, and headed back. I was going to be extremely late if I didn’t make a move on. That’s when I got off the bus, and ran.

***

Running towards the hall, I saw a few other students walking in. I looked around for a seat just until I heard someone call my name. It was Hannie. She waved her arms in the air frantically, signalling for me to come over.

“Raina! Come on!”
I sneaked quietly towards them, nearly falling over a few times and stumbled as I made my way through the hall.

“Ouch!” A student cried, after accidentally stepping on her feet.
“I’m sorry!”
“Watch where you’re going,” Another replied.
“Sorry,”

However, I finally managed to get there and placed myself onto the seat next to hers.

“Where were you?” she whispered at me.

“Traffic,”

“Oh, well that isn’t a surprise,”

“Hey, what are you trying to say?”

“Hey, I’m only joking,” she laughed

“Look at my clothes!”
They were dripping wet, especially my shoes that squelched whenever I moved my feet. I sat there hoping the assembly would finish sooner so I could quickly go and dry up. But instead, it seemed to last forever. People in the front row began to droop off.

“What time is it?” I sighed with utter annoyance in my voice.

“Just gone 10 past…”

“What?! Are you kidding me?” I shouted. Everyone from the row in front turned to look at me.

“Sorry,” I whispered to them and then they turned back as if nothing happened.

“I know- even your clothes have started to dry up,”

“You got that right,” I sighed, and carried onto squeeze all the water out of my hair that fell onto the now- wet floor.
Another few minutes passed by, and when the professor finally managed to put a close to the assembly, everyone was relieved to get up and leave.

“Why can’t they just last for one minute- besides, it’s not like you have much to say anyway,”

“It wasn’t that bad- I mean compared to our last ones,”

“Yeah- but all it is, is just ‘Hey guys, I hope you all had a nice holiday, now study hard and don’t get drunk! That really did not need 40 minutes I tell you!”

She chuckled, and she threw a friendly punch at me- except they weren’t so friendly because to be honest…they really hurt!

Hannie joined taekwondo club from a very young age. She learned how to picks someone up and them at the age of 10, and finally received her black belt at the age of 18- which is stunningly amazing… except the fact she is left with incomparable muscles at her arms.

But to be honest- I’m glad for who she is, because that’s how I met her. There was this one time in primary where a couple of kids were bullying me…and out of nowhere she comes, defending me and attacking them...yeah…the only downside to it? Well, out teacher wasn’t so pleased to hear about that. And nor were her parents by the looks of it. They never wanted her to join such “violent clubs” to begin with, but being their only daughter…they spoiled her quite a fair amount…but she’s not like one of those spoilt brats…she’s just one in her own special way- a cool personality is what I would call it.

***

“Excuse me…miss?”
I slowly opened my eyes to realise that I was not in a world filled with chocolate biscuits and sweets the size of the moon, and cakes which were used as the ground to walk on…but in fact, inside the library with a book over my face…and a librarian calling me to wake up. I realised that I had fallen asleep in the library whilst trying to get inspiration for new desserts to put in the shop.

“Young lady?”

“Oh… is it past lunch break?”

“Yes dear, only five minutes…but you have to go now. A class has already reserved the library and I’m afraid it wouldn’t be a good sight to them, seeing you sleeping underneath a book now- would it?”

“Five minutes?”

“Yes,”

Flashbacks of my last year in school appeared when I was silently scolded at by my extremely strict teacher for being “five minutes” late.

“Sugar!”

I stood up and quickly stuffed the hardback book back into the shelf full of cookery books.

“I’ll get going now.

“Okay, cheerio!”

I ran for the door and pushed it open, heading down the corridor, hoping that my new professor wouldn’t scold at me like my last year did.

“Why are you so late?” was the first thing she said (like most teachers would) when I came through the door.

“I’m so sorry, I’m late miss,”

“Yes, that would be a start,”

Everyone in my class (who were actually supposed to support me) laughed, and I was left standing there, looking like an idiot.

“I was in the library actually miss,”

“Doing what…it’s past your lunch break,”

“I’m sorry miss, I was reading,”

“What?”

“A book…”

“I know that obviously…what book?”

“A cookery book…”

“Very well. I’ll let you off since it was your first time- but no more lates!”

“Yes miss,”

I headed towards the empty seat with 30 other eyes on me. Pulling the stool was not a great thing either- because it made the most annoying clench- and the teacher even darted her eyes at me like foxes who had found their prey. I pretended that no one had heard, and took my things out of my bag.

“So class, before we were interrupted…getting the right flavour is the most important task of all, because if not, your desserts will taste bad…and then obviously no one would eat it,”

Her long lecture of “flavour” was then followed by copying off the board and was finally ended with a demonstration.

“Right…so now you have all witnessed my ways of cooking, I want you to pair up with someone for this practical- preferably not someone in your column- since there are some new students this year. I want you to recreate what I have just showed you and the pair who has paid most attention and so will make the closest similarity in the dessert will receive a prize,”

Then there was the big hassle- the obvious girls, friends with each other came together…and being me, I waited in the corner until everyone was paired up so I’d have to work on my own. Of course, if you were smart- you’d noticed that there was an even number of people in the room…and in the end my partner…was quite surprisingly someone I did not know.

‘He must me a new transfer’ I thought as I saw him spot the empty seat next to mine and headed towards it. The first impression he gave me: friendly, smart…quite good looking also. But the second he threw his bag carelessly on the table and slumped into the seat was the moment I knew that we were quite definitely not going to get along.