(CAROLINE'S POV)
Caroline was walking through the grocery aisle, feeling at peace for the first time in weeks. She knew that it had to do with the fact that Nathan was back home. It was really hard, being away from her son for so long. Yes, it was only a month. But it was the first time she's been away from him. She knew she had to prepare herself for when Nathan moves out for college but that was something she'd have to deal with at another time.
"Here, mom." Nathan suddenly appeared at her side, carrying a basket filled with the different kinds of chocolate she needed for the various pastries she was going to bake for tonight. They were going to Katherine's place tonight to celebrate Nadia's 19th birthday. Caroline had volunteered to take care of the dessert just like she always has for occasions like this.
"Just place it on the cart, Nath."
"Need help with anything else, mom?" Nathan asked as they continued walking down the aisle of flour and sugars.
"No, sweetie. We got all the ingredients we need."
Caroline couldn't help but notice the minor changes in Nathan's behavior ever since he came back from camp three days ago. This was one of them. When she asked him if he wanted to accompany her to the grocery, she expected him to say no. Or to reluctantly agree. Imagine her surprise when he immediately agreed and even looked a bit excited about it. Maybe he missed spending time with her, Caroline thought with a smile. It made her feel as if her baby wasn't growing up too fast.
"Mom? I..uhh.."
"What's wrong?" Caroline looked at her son with concern. Nathan seemed to be struggling with what to say. It looked like he was trying to tell her something. She was right, then. She knew it. That was why he's been acting so strange. Something definitely happened in camp. "Nathan. You know you can talk to me about anything, right?"
Nathan suddenly gave her a weird look. "What?"
Caroline pulled him aside, away from where people were passing by. "If you're going through something, you can talk to me. Did something happen in camp?"
"What? No!" Nathan exclaimed. Then he laughed. What was happening? "I was just going to say that I'd like to help with the dessert if that's alright?"
Caroline just stared at him in shock. From all the things she expected her son to say, this was definitely not it.
"And since when did you show an interest in anything cooking related?"
Caroline saw a look cross her son's face, but it was gone before she could analyze it.
"There was this.. uh.. I signed up for a baking class at camp? Yeah.. and a cooking class as well. I..uh..Cause I.. Cause I wanted to make something for all of you when I came back I guess?"
Caroline tried to find something to say but she can't. She wanted to ask him what brought about these changes in him. But she knew better than to ask. She knew how much he disliked talking about those kinds of stuff.
"Nevermind. I don't think I'm really good actually. It was just a suggestion." Nathan said quickly and Caroline thought he sounded slightly nervous. She immediately linked her arm through his to reassure him.
"What are you talking about? You're going to help me whether you like or not." She said fondly. Then they continued walking down the aisle. "C'mon. Lets pay for this so we can go home."
Nathan was watching one of the tv series' Clay had on his shelf. It was safe to say that he was bored out of his mind. It wasn't like he could go out and play soccer. That would just ruin their cover. Well to be fair, he's only just been here for three days and was just beggining to settle into the new environment. He was invited to go to some get together later by Jake who is Clay's best friend. He told him that he didn't feel like going out tonight, still wanting to rest from camp. But to be honest, Nathan just chickened out. He wasn't sure if he could fake being Clay in front of his friends just yet. He told himself though that he would go sight seeing tomorrow. Well, discreetly though since London was supposed to be his home.
He was about to finish episode 7 when his phone started ringing.
He checked who was calling and felt his heart sink when he saw that is was his Aunt Rebekah. She was also another person that Nathan kind of wanted to avoid at the moment. "Aunt Rebekah! Hi."
"Hows the cake so far, love? Need help with anything?"
Cake? What's going on?
"Uhm..What cake?" Nathan asked nervously.
"Don't tell me you forgot!" His aunt exclaimed.
Well, shit. Was there something planned for today? Nathan immediately stood up from the couch he sitting on. "I didn't forget. I was just kidding! Hold on. I'm just going to grab something." He said while running towards the kitchen, hoping his Aunt won't notice anything.
He sighed in relief when he saw "George's 4th birthday party" written in the white board.
"Okay, dear. Can't wait to see the finished product! The one with the little blue cars icing on top that you were talking about."
Blue cars on top of a cake? How does one even make that? He was dead. He was toast. This would be all over now. He couldn't bake to save his life.
Nathan tried for a different angle.
"Didn't Uncle Finn and Aunt Sage want to order a cake instead? What if this is a disaster? What if I forgot how to bake during camp?"
His aunt laughed, oblivious to his internal struggle. "Love, it isn't you to be nervous about baking! Plus, they didn't want to order a cake. They asked you to do it. And you said so yourself remember? That they didn't even have to ask cause you'd still do it since you love our little George so much."
Nathan felt like he was about to explode. And all just because of a cake. He knew he was being ridiculous but ever since he's stepped foot in London he has been on edge. It was like he felt pressured for some reason he didn't know. And now he felt like something was being expected of him and he couldn't deliver. And what's up with Clay? Why did he have to agree? Didn't he have other things to do himself?
He took a deep breath and tried to relax. He could do this. It's just baking. How hard could it be? Its not like this is new to him or anything. His mom bakes all the time. He got this.
"Okay. Right. You're right. I'm going to start baking now." Nathan tried to keep his voice light. They said their goodbyes and see you laters. He hung up and decided to call his brother. It was probably around 11 am in Mystic Falls now. Good, cause he's going to need his help.
"Hey!" Clay answered cheerfully and Nathan kinda wanted to smack him.
"I'm blaming you and your volunteering self for putting me in this predicament."
"What's going on?"
"Apparently, I'm supposed to be baking the cake for our cousin's birthday. I can't even cook an egg, man. What am I supposed to do?"
"Calm down. Go to my room, I have small notebook on my study desk with the recipe for George's birthday cake. Just follow the steps. It not that difficult."
"No, you don't understand. I can't do this." Nathan was pacing back and forth. "They're going to find out."
"They won't! Oh I got an idea. Let's talk on Skype, yeah? I'll talk you through it. Just..I can't talk to you too long. I just got back from the grocery and I'm going to help mum bake as well."
"Did you not hear a word I was saying? I can't bake! You'll blow our cover!"
"Relax, mate! I told mum that I took some classes back at camp. Its no big."
Nathan pinched the bridge of his nose. "Okay, I'll just grab the laptop."
"What in the world are you wearing?!" Nathan stared in disbelief as his brother appeared on the screen.
Clay looked down at himself. "Oh, this?"
"Yes. That." His brother tugged at the collar of the short sleeved button down he was wearing. It was even buttoned all the way up his neck. There was no way Nathan would be caught wearing that in public. He was even wearing one of those black rimmed glasses. Where did he even find that?
"I found this at the back of your closet."
"Yes. Where its supposed to stay. Go change."
Clay rolled his eyes and muttered a "be right back."
After a few minutes, he came back wearing one of Nathan's band shirts and jeans. "Happy?"
30 minutes later..
"Then slowly fold in the sugar mixture."
"What? Fold in?" Fold? Nathan looked at the laptop screen in front of him with his brother's patient face waiting for him to do the next step. The kitchen was a mess. He's been spilling things here and there but so far, everything looks right. Maybe.
"Yeh.. in the egg batter."
"Okay.." Nathan shrugged then dumped the sugar mixture in the bowl.
"Well..ok that works too. Just be sure to mix it well."
Nathan grabbed the electric mixer and started mixing.
"Okay let me see." Nathan showed Clay the mixture.
Clay nodded, looking satisfied. "Good! Now all you gotta do it pour it in the cake pan, then place it inside the oven."
Ok. Nathan could do that. "Okay, thanks Clay."
"No problem. Gotta go now. Bye!"
He clicked off, leaving Nathan to fend for himself. He immediately felt less confident now that he didn't have his brother to guide him.
Nathan proceeded to place the cake mixture in the cake pan and placed it in the preheated oven. That wasn't so hard, was it?
40 minutes later..
It was a disaster. The cake tasted like cardboard and the blue icing cars looked like demented creatures that even Nathan himself didn't want to look at it, let alone eat it. He didn't know where he went wrong. He followed all the instructions carefully. It's safe to say that he was this close to panicking. And all for a cake, he thought darkly.
He looked around the kitchen, hoping for a solution to pop out of nowhere. Then he eyed his laptop.
Smirking, he searched for the nearest pastry shop and dialed the number.
"Hello? Do you accept rushed customized birthday cakes? Sorry for the short notice, its just that this is sort of an emergency. Uhh.. chocolate and cheesecake filling. Okay, so I'll just email you the photo then? Okay. To be picked up in two hours, got it. Great! Thanks."
(CAROLINE'S POV)
"These red velvet cupcakes are amazing, Care!" Katherine exclaimed after taking a bite. They were at Katherine's, celebrating her goddaughter Nadia's 19th birthday. It was a huge party. But knowing Katherine, she shouldn't really have expected any less. She smiled fondly at the group of teenagers laughing by the pool, sipping mango daquiris (They can drink, but only under my supervision, Katherine reasoned).
"Oh, Nathan made them." Caroline said proudly. They had worked on various pastries all afternoon and Caroline was really surprised at how much he learned during camp. It was like he suddenly became an expert on baking.
Katherine looked at her in shock. "Are we talking the same Nathan who turned my kitchen into a mess when he attempted to make pancakes, just, I don't know, two months ago?"
Caroline laughed, remembering that morning and walking into what looked like someone poured a huge bag of flour all over the kitchen. "He learned it all in camp. I don't know Kath, it's like there are these changes in him. And not only about this. Yesterday, I caught him organizing the book shelf in the library. And yesterday, Matthew came over and invited Nathan to play soccer with them and he refused."
"Don't question it anymore. As long as he doesn't do drugs, he's fine. And maybe he's still feeling tired from camp, you know?"
Caroline nodded, but she couldn't help but feel guilty. She knew that she was a bit hard on Nathan before he left for camp. But who could blame her? Her son was just suspended from school for drinking and trespassing. She did not raise her son to act so rebelliously. She didn't want him to grow up not knowing what was right from wrong. But then, she felt bad because what if Nathan thought that he had to change who his interests and who he was? Caroline resolved to talk to him tomorrow, then. Even if she knew that her son didn't like talking about these things, she had to let him know that she didn't want to change a single thing about who he was.
(NATHAN'S POV)
"The cake looks amazing, Clay! Thank you so much for doing this." Sage said as she gushed over the cake that was displayed on the table by the presents. It actually did look good. It was worth all the trouble baking.. or rather, buying it.
Not that anyone would know.
"It's nothing, Aunt Sage." Nathan said, already thinking of a way on how to change the subject. "Where's George?"
"He's with Rebekah, trying on the new jacket she bought for him making sure if it fits." His father said.
Now that he thought about it, he hasn't met his cousin yet. He wasn't there during his surprise homecoming party. Well, he's about to meet him now. Not that he was nervous or anything. Clay told him that they were pretty close.
"Oh, there he is!" Sage said while walking over to where George was, holding Rebekah's hand as they entered the kitchen.
"George! Clay's here! Didn't you say that you missed him?" Rebekah said as she was guiding George towards Nathan's direction.
Nathan smiled down at the kid in front of him, ready to hug him or whatever. But to his surprise, George wouldn't go near him. He hid behind his mother.
Nathan laughed nervously and bent down to match George's height. "Hey there buddy, look what I got you!" He retrieved the gift he bought a while ago on the way home after picking up the cake. It was a little stuffed toy car.
Sage gently ushered George towards Nathan but to almost everyone's surprise, he started wailing and crying. "No! Not Clay!" Then he ran away.
"I'm so sorry." Sage said before quickly running after her 4 year old son.
Nathan spied a look at everyone, trying to gauge their reactions but everyone seemed to understand the fact that kids get tantrums sometimes.
"Maybe he's just sleepy." Nathan shrugged, then, desperately wanting to leave the kitchen, grabbed a glass of orange juice from the table and muttered a short "excuse me".
The last thing he saw before closing the door was his Aunt Rebekah looking at him more intently than usual. He shrugged it off and headed towards the gardens. He needed air. Lots of it.