A/N: Bonjour, my lovely readers! Onto the next installment of Shooting Stars and Midnight Kisses! Merci for the lovely reviews! Pardon my French, I started my online summer school French class this morning and decided I'd put it to good use. :) Anyway, I'll quit the ramble and let you get on with the Elcare fluffiness! I use too many exclamation points! Enjoy!
"You've never baked anything, ever?"
"Unless you count licking the spoon after Cece made brownies, nope."
"That's ridiculous. Well this will be fun," Clare said, pulling Eli into her kitchen.
"Whoa." The counter was covered in ingredients, measuring devices, bowls and spoons; everything necessary to bake a homemade chocolate cake. "So this all goes into one bowl and comes out as…that?" Eli pointed at the picture in the recipe book that lay open on the counter.
"Probably not as pretty, but it'll taste just as good," Clare said, pushing a few buttons on the oven. "Okay, we're ready to start." She peered over Eli's shoulder to look at the recipe. "Do you think you can handle measuring flour while I melt the chocolate chips?"
"You doubt my skills?"
"Definitely."
"Fair enough." Eli smirked. "But yes, I think I can measure flour."
Clare turned around and added chocolate chips, butter and water to a bowl before popping it in the microwave. As the chocolate melted, she turned around to see a very confused Eli, holding a measuring cup.
"Having issues?" He turned to face her and she had to hold back a giggle. His face and shirt were covered in flour.
"I think flour hates me."
His seriousness broke Clare. She burst into a fit of laughter.
"You think this is funny, Edwards?"
"I find it hilarious."
"Let's see about that." Next thing she knew, a puff of flour exploded in her face, followed by Eli's laughter. "Yep, that's pretty funny."
Clare glared at Eli. "So that's how you want to play?" She reached for an egg and marched straight up to him, cracking it on his head. Her laughter doubled at the expression on his face.
"You're gonna pay for that, Edwards!" Clare squealed and ran around the counter in attempt to get away from Eli.
"No! Please!" The two were now running in circles around the kitchen, having lost track of who was chasing whom, flinging ingredients at each other.
"Eli! No! Let go of me!" Eli grabbed Clare's waist, picking her up off the ground, both of their laughing uncontrollable. Their game didn't stop until they heard a gasp from the kitchen doorway.
"What on earth is going on here?"
Clare's mother stood in the doorway, shocked. The two teenagers took a moment to inspect the kitchen, realizing that they'd made quite the mess.
"Um, oops?" Helen turned her gaze to her daughter, the expression on her face making Clare nervous.
"Yeah, oops."
"Hi, Ms. Edwards," Eli said, raising his hand in an awkward hello.
"What were you two doing?" Helen asked, looking perplexedly around the kitchen.
"Making a cake?" Clare replied, putting on her best innocent smile.
"Uh, have fun. Just make sure you clean all of this up." They were both shocked by her calm reaction as she left the kitchen, but soon shrugged it off and continued to actually make their cake. Though, that did include a few more flour fights and stolen kisses.
Once Helen had left the kitchen, her face broke into a smile. Seeing Clare and her boyfriend covered in baking ingredients had been almost too much to handle without bursting into laughter. She had heard their screaming from upstairs and, after coming down to investigate, stood in the doorway for a few minutes, just watching and smiling.
She was glad that her daughter had been able to find the kind of love that she always wanted as a teenager, and watching her live that love warmed her heart, and that was enough for her.
Just be smart enough to never give that up, Clare-bear.
A/N: Kinda short, but I always love baking fights :) Reviews make me smile!