Sophitz: A Week to Find Love

Chapter 22

Biana's P.O.V.

"Perfect!" I placed the last finishing touches and then stepped back to admire our pizza. It might've been the best thing I ever cooked, which, I suppose didn't say too much since it was also the first thing I had ever cooked. 

"High-five!" I exclaimed, raising my hand. Tam just sort of stared at it. I had figured by now that he doesn't get much human interaction, but even I knew how to high-five. And I lived in the mountains my entire life! 

"Here, you have to put your hand up like this," I instructed. "Then you kinda slap my hand and that's a high-five!" 

"But why?" Tam asked. 

"Um... It's to celebrate!" I replied. 

"Celebrate what?" Tam questioned. 

"A pizza?" I answered, a little more hesitantly. 

"Surely there are more important things to celebrate." I lowered my hand and thought about it. I liked Tam so much because he really made me think deeper. And he didn't waste his words so every time he spoke, it was always thoughtful and meaningful. Like what he just said. There are definitely more important things to celebrate... Like... Uh, I'm pretty sure my brother was talking about something called world peas. Sounded very important. And... Oh! End to star nation. 

"You're right, Tam," I finally said. "We shall celebrate world peas and end to star nation!" Tam shrugged and high-fived me. Sure, it was a little weak, but it was a high-five nonetheless! 

"Wow, guys... Did I just watch you contemplating why you should high-five?" Lyssie came walking over and sat down on a nearby stool. "And what are world peas and star nation?" 

"Things worth high-fiving about!" I exclaimed excitedly. "Tam taught me that. He's very smart." Lyssie raised a curious eyebrow. 

"You taught her that?" 

"I don't remember teaching her that," Tam simply replied. I shook my head. 

"Wait! It was actually Fitzy. But Tam taught me to high-five about important things," I corrected myself. 

"Huh." Lyssie looked around the room and waved Sophie and Fitz over. "I know this is supposed to be cooking class, but you guys are way too interesting a group." 

"Yes, we are wonderful," I agreed. 

"I said interesting," Lyssie reminded with a grin. "But yes, you guys are also wonderful to hang out with." 

"Perhaps you'll be invited to the wedding," I informed her. Lyssie's eyes widened.

"Your group has an upcoming wedding too? Wow, the fun just never stops, does it?" 

"It's actually a double wedding. Well, my brother also has an upcoming wedding, but who he's getting married to is still undecided. Although don't tell anyone!" Fitz came walking over before Lyssie could be confused about what I just said. 

"Hey! What's up?" Fitz asked. "Did Biana get into some more trouble?" 

"Uh... No?" Lyssie responded. "Why? Does she have a track record with trouble?" I grinned sheepishly. 

"Well, I did end up in jail once... And then almost another time, but Tam stopped me before I did." 

"Gosh, have you people never heard of the word 'Calm'?" I pretended to think about it.

"Hmm... Yeah, no, never..." I turned to my brother. "Explain to Lyssie what world peas and star nation are." 

"Uhh..." Fitz turned to Sophie for help but she seemed just as stumped. But on the bright side - he turned to her for help! They were finally getting somewhere, all thanks to me. 

"I'm actually not sure," he finally answered. I pouted since I knew that this was a real thing. 

"But you and dad were talking about it!" I protested. "I was eaves- I mean, overheard." Fitz crossed his arms. 

"You know you're not supposed to eavesdrop." I giggled nervously. 

"Well, you see... Uh... Hmm... OH! There's Dex! DEX! COME OVER HERE PLEASE! AND BRING LINH!" Linh waved to us and came skipping over. 

"What seems to be the problem?" she asked with a smile. Well, technically, she always smiled. 

"What is world peas and star nation?" I asked right away. 

"Hmm... World peas are peas in the world and a star nation is a nation that is a star!" Linh happily explained. 

"Yeah, that makes sense," I replied, satisfied. 

"Um, I couldn't help but overhear..." Dex said, walking over. 

"See? People just overhear sometimes!" I whispered to Fitz. 

"Yes, but you do it on purpose which makes it eavesdropping," he corrected. 

"But don't you guys mean world peace and starvation?" Dex asked. My jaws dropped in excitement.

"OH!" I shouted. "THAT WAS IT! THOSE WERE THE IMPORTANT THINGS!" 

"Wow, what a plot twist," Lyssie murmured, eating some of the mozzarella cheese out of the container. 

"Jeez, you guys are making a lot of noise," Marella said. She had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. 

"I could barely hear myself think!" Keefe added. Tam looked at him skeptically. 

"Exactly what were you thinking about?" 

"Why a circular pizza comes in a square box," Keefe answered. 

"OOH! I know this one!" Linh exclaimed. "Dex explained it to me once." 

"You guys talk about pizza boxes too?" Lyssie asked in astonishment. Dex shrugged.

"We talk about all sorts of things." 

"You wouldn't believe the conversation we had a few days ago about Tam's nickname," Sophie reminisced. 

"Which we still haven't reached a conclusion about!" Linh reminded. 

"I had a feeling we wouldn't," sighed Sophie.

Tam rolled his eyes. "And we never will. My name is Tam, and that's it." 

"Tam and that's it?" Marella repeated with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. "What an interesting name..." Tam sighed.

"This will never end, will it?" 

"Nope!" Linh exclaimed immediately. "But while we think some more about your nickname, can we please eat our pizza?" 

"Uh, well, Linh, you need to cook it first," Dex informed her. Lyssie nodded her agreement. 

"Definitely. Lucky for you guys, I have this huge oven that can cook all four pizzas at once!" Tam looked thoughtful for a moment. 

"Do you think it's big enough for a Keefe-sized body?" 

"Wait, what?" Keefe asked suspiciously. Tam shrugged. 

"You know, I'm just curious." 

Linh gasped. "Don't you dare try to put Keefe in that oven!" 

"A dare?" Marella echoed. "Well, we can't step down from a dare! Keefe, how would you like to inspect the inside of an oven today? I promise I won't turn the heat on so you get burned alive." 

"You won't, but I might," Tam mumbled under his breath. Then everyone raced towards the oven, half of the group trying to stop this from happening, and half of the group trying to encourage this to happen. 

I smiled as I followed them and realized Lyssie was right. We really did have an interesting group.