Special Ingredient: Love
"I think these are my best cookies ever." Eleanor giggled as she set a plate in the middle of the table. Brittany gave an uninterested murmur as she flipped through her favorite Zinni magazine. "I've been working on this recipe all summer, trying to get it just right for Theo." She looked over at her sister who absently nodded. "He's coming back from camp today!" Eleanor mentioned.
"Is that so?" Brittany mumbled.
Eleanor smirked. "There's a shoe sale at Zinni today." Brittany jumped up excitedly, grabbing her purse, and, without another word, she was out the door. Eleanor let out a small chuckle. "Unbelievable," She shook her head.
"I know I am." A voice announced.
Eleanor giggled and turned to see Theodore smiling down at her. "Nice entrance." She stood and hugged him, giggling into his chest.
Theodore laughed and hugged her tighter. "I missed you so much." He released his grip on her.
Eleanor blushed. "I missed you, too." She pulled out a chair, gesturing for him to take a seat. "I couldn't wait for you to get home so you could try my new cookie recipe." She excitedly slid the tray of cookies over to her friend.
Theodore nodded and picked up a cookie, taking a small bite. Eleanor waited expectantly as he chewed on the confection. He nodded and smiled. "Good,"
Eleanor's face fell. "Good?" She questioned.
"Yeah," Theodore set the unfinished cookie down.
Eleanor became even more shocked. "That's it?" She picked up the cookie Theodore had bitten into. "One bite and a good?"
Theodore shifted his eyes. "Really good?" He shrugged.
Eleanor let out a tiny squeak as if she had just been insulted. "I worked all summer on this recipe for you." Her bottom lip began to quiver. "They were supposed to be perfect!" Letting out a sob, she threw the cookie down.
"Aw, Ellie, don't cry." Theodore stood and wrapped his arms around his girlfriend. Eleanor continued to lightly cry into his shirt as he comfortingly stroked her hair. "I love your cookies- I do. I'm probably just full."
Eleanor seized her crying, mid-sob. She took in a deep breath and wiped her eyes. Theodore smiled until he saw the glare being cast on him. "Full?" Eleanor repeated, crossing her arms over her chest. "You ate before you came?" She raised her brow in a way that made Theodore nervous.
He opened his mouth and it moved- open and closed- as he tried to find words. "I-I might've had a little sn-"
"What'd you eat Teddy?" Eleanor interrupted, her voice growing in volume. Theodore hesitated. "Teddy," She called gently. "What… did you… eat?"
Theodore shifted his gaze to the floor and bounced nervously on his toes. "Cookies…" He answered quietly.
Eleanor's lips formed an O as she began pacing around her kitchen. Theodore stood in place, afraid to make the wrong move. "Cookies," She giggled. "You had cookies!" She told him in a gleeful tone. Theodore stared strangely as Eleanor continued laughing hysterically. This girl is off her nut! "Who made the cookies?" She glared.
"U-uh…"
Eleanor came closer to him. "Was it another girl?"
Theodore sighed. "Ellen is just a friend from camp." He told her.
"Aha!" Eleanor exclaimed. "So it was another girl!" She frowned. With a sigh she plopped into a chair. Theodore relaxed, finding it safe to approach her again. "Is she a better cook than me?" She asked quietly.
"No, no, of course not!" Theodore pulled a chair up beside her, taking her hand in his. "Ellen is a great cook, but-"
Eleanor glared again. "Wait- great?" She eyed Theodore who had once again become frightened by the blonde tornado. "You've been eating my cooking for eight years, and I'm good; you eat this Ellen girl's food for one summer, and she's great?" Eleanor exclaimed once again becoming enraged.
"Uh… I- um… well…" Theodore stammered under her intense gaze. He should've know better than to make a move in the eye of the storm. Eleanor continued to glare at him, growing angrier and angrier as his silence went on. He had to say something before she decided to swing at him. "Ellie, you're making a big deal out of nothing; they're just cookies!" His eyes grew wide and he quickly slapped his hand over his mouth. That was the wrong thing to say… Eleanor's eyes welled up with angry tears. Her fists clenched and her lip quivered again. "Oh, my God. Ellie, I'm sorry."
Eleanor crossed her arms and turned her back to him. "I think you should go now."
"Hey, Ted," Alvin greeted, slapping his brother on the shoulder. Theodore sighed heavily as his brothers took a seat at his lunch table.
"Where's Eleanor?" Simon asked looking around the cafeteria.
"I don't know," Theodore grumbled resting his chin in his hands. "She hasn't talked to me all day."
Alvin laughed. "She's still mad at you?" He asked between his gasps of laughter.
"Of course not," Eleanor answered plopping down beside Theodore. All three brothers looked around, wondering where she came from. "Listen, Teddy," She said moving closer to him. "I was thinking about what you said, and you were right." Simon and Alvin raised their brows. "They were just cookies and it wasn't like you were cheating on me. I over reacted."
Theodore glanced at his older brothers who shrugged at him. "Um…"
"Besides, it's not like you'll ever see this Ellen chick again, right?"
"Right," Theodore chuckled.
"Oh my gosh!" All four friends turned to see a dirty blonde girl looking beyond excited to see one of them.
"Oh, no," Theodore mumbled.
"Oh, yes!" Alvin laughed clapping excitedly as he was getting amusement from the situation.
"Teddy!" Ellen exclaimed running up and hugging him. Theodore laughed nervously under Eleanor's glare. "When my mom said I was going to Clyde Crashcup High, I knew the name sounded familiar!" She giggled sitting on the other side of him. "I'm really glad I decided to bake these last night." Ellen began digging through her backpack, pulling out a bag of brownies. "Try one."
Theodore shifted his eyes from Ellen to Eleanor. She smirked at him and wrinkled her nose. "Yeah, Theo, try one." She told him.
"A-are you sure?"
"Yeah," Eleanor laughed. "I said it was no big deal."
Theodore smiled. Taking a brownie he took a large bite. "Wow, Ellen, these are amazing." He grinned at her.
Ellen giggled excitedly. "I'm glad you like them. If you want I can give you the recipe."
"I'd like that."
As Theodore and Ellen's chat went on Eleanor became more angry. Her body burned with jealousy. Reaching the point where she just couldn't take anymore, she stood abruptly from the table and stormed out of the cafeteria going unnoticed by Theodore.
Upon entering the hallway Eleanor immediately- and literally- ran into her sisters. "Ow," Brittany whined holding her shoulder after having it collide with Eleanor's.
"Sorry, Britt." Eleanor said slowing her pace.
"What's with the rush?" Jeanette asked.
Eleanor sighed. "I had to get out of there; Theodore is swapping recipes with some other girl." She spoke in a disgusted tone.
Brittany and Jeanette exchanged glances. "What exactly do you mean by swapping recipes?" Brittany asked, wondering if it were some new slang she hadn't heard of.
"He's actually swapping recipes." She clarified. "Theodore met a girl at camp and… I think he might like her cooking better than mine."
"Oh," Her older sisters chorused with a nod of understanding.
"What am I going to do?" Eleanor began to pace. "Theodore has never gone astray before."
"Well, honestly Eleanor, you're still his girlfriend, so it doesn't matter how much Theodore loves this other girl's cooking."
Eleanor whipped her head around at Jeanette. "Love? Who said he loved it?" She panicked.
Brittany rolled her eyes and held her sister's shoulders. "Ellie, listen to your big sister." She smiled pulling Eleanor close to her side in a sisterly way. "If Theodore wants to eat someone else's cooking, that's fine. You'll just have to go astray too." Brittany smirked and wiggled her brows mischievously.
Jeanette furrowed her brows in worry. "But Britt I don't want to go astray. Besides, there are no other guys in the school who cook like Theo; even if they did, they wouldn't admit it."
Brittany sighed, blowing air upward to move her bangs- an action that showed her growing frustration. "Ellie, sweetie, stay with me." She chuckled. "If Theodore can't appreciate your cooking, you should take your cooking elsewhere."
A small smile appeared on Eleanor's face. "Oh," She sang.
Eleanor let out a calming breath. She fingered the bag of cooking supplies as she contemplated her next move. She closed her eyes and before she was able to talk herself out of it again, she rang the bell.
A few seconds later Alvin opened the door. Eleanor resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Only Alvin would answer the door shirtless to show off his glistening muscles. Alvin furrowed his brow at the height challenged chipette. "You know Theo isn't here, right?"
"Oh, I know," Eleanor smiled and nodded. "I'm here to see you." She told him stepping into his home.
Alvin became even more confused. "Why?" He asked slowly, shutting the door behind her.
"Well, I was sitting at home thinking; when was the last time Alvin and I spent time together?" She walked into the kitchen preparing to bake.
Alvin crossed his arms as he continued to eye her. "We've never spent time together."
"And that was wrong." Eleanor shook her head in false disappointment in herself. Alvin raised his brow when she brightened and continued stirring together ingredients. "So, I decided to come over and make you a cake!" She bounced excitedly as she expertly mixed and poured.
Alvin stared. "I think I know what's going on here." He wagged his finger at her.
Eleanor's eyes widened. "You do?" She paused.
"You're trying to butter up the soccer captain."
Eleanor opened her mouth to deny it but stopped. "Yeah, sure, that's it." She mumbled instead, giving Alvin his hollow victory and a light stroke of his ego. After all the ingredients were mixed into the bowl Eleanor dipped her finger in. Licking off the batter, she smiled to herself. Theo would've love this, she thought. Shaking her head, she pushed the thought away. After all this wasn't about Theodore.
Eleanor continued her vigorous baking, then, as if he knew Eleanor was thinking about him, Theodore walked through the door. She froze and so did he. Alvin stood still also (mostly because he wasn't sure what was about to happen). Theodore furrowed his brow as he surveyed his kitchen. "Egg shells? Vanilla extract? Half empty milk carton? Flour-covered counter?" He dropped his book bag and glared at the blond chipette. "What the fancy French gourmet cheese is going on here?"
"Teddy, it's not what it looks like." Alvin spoke softly.
"It looks like my girlfriend was making you a cake!"
"Well, then it's exactly what it looks like." Alvin laughed nervously. "Well, I'm gonna go somewhere that isn't here." He turned and ran from the room like a chicken.
Theodore directed his glare towards Eleanor who was giving him one right back. "What's going on, Ellie?" He leaned onto the table. "You were fine at lunch, but then I catch you in my kitchen baking a cake for my brother?"
"I'm surprised you noticed. You were so busy mauling Ellen's brownies, it's a wonder you saw anything that wasn't a chocolate chip!"
"You told me to have one!"
"I didn't mean it." Eleanor slammed down the wooden spoon in her hand. "I'm glad you saw this because I did it to prove a point." Theodore's expression softened when Eleanor looked at him with glassy eyes. "I wanted to show you how much it bothered me to see someone else cooking for you. Theo, food and cooking used to be our thing, and it's been that way since we met. If that's gone, then what else do we have?"
Theodore smiled and pulled her into a hug. "Ellie, I love you. A few amateur brownies aren't going to change that."
"Amateur?" Eleanor smiled a bit. "So, you don't think they're better than mine?"
"No," Theodore chuckled. "But, you know me, I'm too nice. I couldn't tell her 'Oh, they're okay, but they don't have jack nasty on my Ellie's brownies.'"
Eleanor giggled. "So, mine really are better?" She asked again moving her head up to look him in the eyes.
"Down to the last crumb."
"Good," She pulled back from the embrace. "Then give me the recipe." She instructed.
Theodore sighed, reaching into his back pocket he retrieved the recipe and handed it off to his girlfriend. Eleanor sighed in satisfaction as ripped the paper into small bits and watched them fly about the kitchen. "Now that that's taken care of," She smiled cutely at him. "I could use a cup of sugar."
Theodore eyed her do to the strange request. "Why do you need a cup of…" He trialed off upon seeing Eleanor's look indicating her request had a deeper meaning. "Oh," He thought about it. "Oh!" He said again, finally understanding. Eleanor looked at him expectantly as she watched him stand there. "Oh…" He repeated. Taking Eleanor in his arms he pressed his lips to hers.
Eleanor smiled happily as he pulled back with a chuckle. "What?" She asked.
Theodore licked his lips, a grin spreading across his features. "You taste like chocolate!"
The End!
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