Chapter one – Day One in the Bake Off

Patricia POV

Everyone had been so excited for this day. Victor was desperate to get the school recognised for the brilliant institution that Anubis house was! So he suggested we take part in the Great British Bake Off judged by two of the finest home bakers: Mr Paul Hollywood –Or the Silver Fox as he was known- and Mrs Mary Berry –Or the Sweet old lady. Personally I think Victor just wanted an excuse to get us out the way! So Mr Sweet had been inclined to agree and so he sent off the application to be part of the Bake Off. We all thought it was a joke when Sweetie announced that he had applied, it was only days later when we received the notice that we actually going to be part of the show that any of us took interest. Trust me certain members we keen to show off what little cooking skills they actually had, well that is Jerome, Mara and Joy. Nina and Amber were desperate to look good for the cameras so they spent the few afternoons before THE BAKE OFF TEAM arrived getting their hair cut, fake tan topped up and nails preened. Mick and Alfie recognised that were not so talented in the kitchen so I often found them looking up ways to sabotage different bakes. Fabian who was actually a very good cook, decided to look up Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry recipes to impress the judges. However, as for Eddie and I we were far less interested in the competition the only thought that relished in my mind was seeing his face -and what a beautiful face it was, although I would never tell him that!- when I won!

Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood and the Bake off Team were literally minutes away. Anubis House had become a rabble of excited noise. Although, there was one member of staff who just couldn't wait for Mary Berry amble gracefully through the door.

'Oh Victor, Mary Berry almost here, I can't wait to meet her!' Mr Sweet excitedly shouted into Victor unimpressed face. 'Aren't you excited to see her Victor?'

Victor simply starred at Sweetie with the longest death stare, I have ever seen. Turning on his heel and facing all of us Victor bellowed words that we knew he meant 'Well you better not show me up today, I can't have this fine establishment been shown up by the likes of you lot.'

'Hey Yacker, Victor won't know what hit him when we start the biggest food fight, national telly has ever seen!' Eddie simple minded answer, made me want to kiss him, but I wasn't about to let him know how I felt so I angry shouted three words I wasn't proud of 'Shove Off WEASEL!'

Moments later, Mr Sweet was shushing the whole house! The time had arrived Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood stepped into Anubis house, all the girls giggled as they cast their eyes on the beautiful Paul Hollywood – it was true, he was a silver fox and he could cook which made him all the more appealing. One man, who couldn't control himself, was Mr Sweet who for some strange decided to curtsey towards Mary, and then incessantly talk her – I'm pretty sure Mary didn't appreciate the personal stalker.

After thirty minutes of what Mary Berry might call torture having to interact with the most boring man on the planet, who managed to create possible the most beautiful human being I have seen - but like I said earlier, I will never tell him that! Anyways after that Mary sent us to our allocated tables; on the first row tables were Eddie, Joy and Mara, the second row had been filled with Jerome, Alfie, Fabian and I. Can I just say now, I had the perfect view of Eddie's arse from my table which made me very happy. Then sat behind m were Mick, Alfie and Amber. Once we were seated the competition began, Mary and Paul strode in and introduced how the competition worked, and explained the winner would receive a scholarship to Mary and Paul's academy of baking. Not that I was interested in winner, but seeing Eddie's cherub face when I present my victory would be PRICELESS.

'Do any of you have any questions on how the competition works?' Paul whispered, anticipating that the slow ones may ask for the rules to be explained again. However, to Paul's disappointment no-one needed them clarified again, so he simply muttered 'Let the bake begin.'

'Today, for your first task, we would like you bake a dozen biscuits.' Spoke Mary politely.

Mary and Paul hovered around each contestant, desperately trying to work out what each contestant was baking. It was clear that Eddie was trying to distract me, with the constant 'Yacker, I need some butter, can you spare me some?' Sometimes that face could make me melt, but I wasn't prepared to be out in the first round so I simply told him to 'GET LOST!'

After forty minutes, round one was over. The first to have their biscuits tasted was Mara who had made Ginger biscuits, which looked as appealing as dog biscuits. Mary and Paul both took a large bite and then said the dreaded words 'These biscuits have a soggy bottom' although Mary was quite complementary on the strong ginger flavour. Second to put their biscuits on the line was Joy, who looked awfully smug after that complete humiliation of Mara. Joy presented the judges with Mint chocolate chip biscuits, as Paul and Mary take the most nail- biting bite of their career – the rest of the group could look on anxiously- but as the smile grew on Paul's face and his beautiful blue eyes lit up everyone knew this was a good sign. 'I like them a lot, you have the snap perfectly' Paul summed up his opinion up within ten words. Then with a sense of arrogance and quick glance back in my direction Mary and Paul had headed to his table next. Eddie had made White Chocolate and Raspberry biscuits, Paul and Mary took a bite and then looked towards each other; then Paul questioned 'You forgot an important ingredient….sugar.' It must have been the constant flirting with me, asking for butter caused him to forget the sugar. Oh well this did mean my chances of doing better were looking up. Paul and Mary headed to Jerome and Alfie and Fabian's tables before reaching my table. I was beginning to get nervous as the three lads had produced reasonable bakes. My turn I had baked a Maple Apple biscuit and I prayed that Mary and Paul would like, after what felt like forever I got my answer 'Well done Patricia a beautiful bake.' Did Paul Hollywood just say that to me, I looked into his blue eyes, I felt like I could see only truth. THIS WAS THE BEST MOMENT OF MY LIFE AND IT WAS GOING TO BE SHOWN ON TELLY SO I COULD REWIND AND WATCH IT OVER AND OVER AND OVER AGAIN. Mary and Paul then visited the three others behind, Mick, Nina and Amber: both Mick and Nina had a cooking disaster - with Mary and Paul not appreciating the protein shake Mick added to his cinnamon, lime biscuits and they weren't impress with the inedible chocolate orange biscuits which Nina had served up. However, Amber was a true surprise – I'm not saying she is thick but let's me just say I never believe for one minute did I know she could cook! Well she plated a dozen vanilla rose flavour biscuits, both Paul and Mary had only praise to share with Amber 'I love this biscuits Amber, the flavour combinations are sublime' it was praise from Mary Berry that you could only imagine. That was round over and I knew at this point I was one up over Eddie. I must say that did feel good.

Paul deliberated the next task, the TECHNICAL CHALLENGE! 'So for today Technical Challenge, you will have one hour to bake doughnuts. In front of you, is a recipe follow this to the letter and you will be the winner of this task. Miss a step out and this will have a great price to pay and even may put you in danger!'

I have to admit the technical challenge was going well at first. Just follow the recipe and we are with a chance of getting through to the next round and I could distract Eddie again maybe I could make him forget another vital ingredients and wipe that smug smile off his beautiful formed face. Oh stop it Patricia, you're here to win! Suddenly they are screams filling the room, I turn around to see Nina's ear-piercing scream, and she burnt herself on the oil used to fry the doughnuts.

'Patricia we need to get Nina to a doctor now.' Cried Amber. With that Amber left her post, rushing to get Nina to Mr Shepperson - the most attractive school nurse Anubis house had ever seen.

I admit the rest of the technical challenge was far less eventful and with that each of us placed our attempted of doughnuts behind photos of ourselves –some looked less like doughnuts and more like something a cat had sicked up. Eddie looked amazing on his photo – like a god! Mary and the silver fox returned, staring at the array of food on offer. Paul piped up he had an announced 'I have just been informed by Mr Shepperson, that Nina will be unable to return to the competition due to her injury in the technical challenge. Therefore only the nine of you will battle it out for the scholarship!' Both Mary and Paul, judged each other the doughnuts: in ninth place was Mara, eighth was Mick, Seventh was Joy, Sixth was Eddie, I came fifth, Amber was fourth, third place was Fabian, Jerome was second and in first place was Alfie. No-one knew how he managed to that but both Mary and Paul had concluded he got the crispy outside of the doughnut.

The day was over, the final challenge was tomorrow so we had the night to gather our thoughts and recharge for the busy day ahead. One man was very pleased by the end of the first day- that was Mr Sweet who had been gawping at Mary Berry all day! He proceeded to follow her out of the room, he even offer to take her to her hotel. She bluntly refused, which was a little shocking as she had seemed like such a well-mannered lady. Victor was also pleased for the end of the day he could finally bellow the words that shuddered through each and every resident in Anubis 'You have five minutes before I want to hear a pin drop…'

After a long sleep we all resided back in the kitchens when we headed to our allocated tables. The next day brought about the final challenge, we were all excited to find out exactly what the show stopper it was going to be. As we stood ready to embark on the final challenge, Mary Berry and Paul Hollywood entered the room. Mary was the one to put us out of our misery 'Your final challenge is bake a showstopper cake!'

The final challenge went smoothly for most contestants and after an hour of baking and decorating. We were finally able to present them to Paul and Mary. Eddie was the first to present and he couldn't help but wink as he went up to the judges table, he made a Ginger and Lime cake. For the first time, Eddie looked nervous but he had nothing to worry about both Paul and Mary agreed that they loved the flavour combinations. His faced beamed and I truly felt my heart melt but I was not prepared to lose to an AMERICAN just yet. Joy was next up, she had gone for a simply lemon cake, both Paul and Mary had agreed that she had under baked her cake and you could see that she was generally upset but she had a good few rounds, so I was pretty sure she would be here next week. Mara was the third to present her passion fruit and Orange cake, when Mary and Paul tried her cake they said that she had too much fruit so her cake had be of a wet consistency. I was the next to serve Paul and Mary and Paul my Devil's Chocolate cake, Paul and Mary weren't in agreement; Mary loved the rich chocolate flavour, whereas Paul felt in was too rich. Oh well at least I tried. Jerome was after me, with a popular Victoria sponge, Mary loved it! That was compliment enough for Jerome and he skipped back to his table. Alfie was next to the judges table and presented a chili, chocolate concoction which both Paul and Mary agreed was a little adventurous for him to try and bake, maybe tone it down the next time. Fabian went next and made a fruitcake as it was Nina's favourite, both Mary and Paul loved the simplicity of his cake and that was another good round for Fabian! Mick decided a sportshake cake would go down a treat, he was greatly mistaken and he found Paul and Mary suggesting he find a new ingredient. Amber was the final one to present her cake, it was beautiful, some may say memorising, a cherry chocolate cake and the only words Paul Hollywood could utter were 'Wow' she had clearly won this round. After, the judges had tasted all that was on offer they left the room, leaving us time to catch up. This gave me time to talk to Joy and Eddie.

'Hey Yacker, I was wrong I'm definitely going to beat you!' Eddie was always a little cocky but he was starting to rile my buttons now!

'Well you'll see when Paul and Mary say you're out, you'll be the one begging to be my friend!' I just couldn't help myself, Eddie Miller drives me mad, every minute I'm with him I want to punch him in the face but every minute we are away from each other he send me over the edge wanting to be near him.

As I turn around to insult him again, I notice Paul and Mary step back in. This means they had made their decision. Paul took control 'It has been very hard for Mary and I but we have decided Star baker for today is…. Amber….. Congratulations and we have bad news for one of you today, the one leaving the bake off is ….Mara ….. I am sorry Mara but you journey ends here.'

We couldn't believe it, we all ran to Mara and comforted he, this was her moment. However, Jerome wanted to be the one to hold her tight and make sure she was okay.