Melting You Softly (Student Series #1)

Chapter 35

Chapter 35

"Tinapon mo 'yong gawa mo?" bulalas ni Steffy pagkabalik ko sa aming kitchen laboratory. "Sayang 'yon!"

Baking isn't really my specialty. It is much more complicated than cooking since it requires a more precise measurement of ingredients and oven temperature for a pastry or bread to make it edible, come out and taste how it should be. It has to follow scientific methods and techniques rather than cooking.

In baking, if you put in more ingredients or less than what is necessary, the expected outcome will be different from what you expect it to be. Once it's done, you can't do anything about it without ruining the entire product—the appearance, texture, and taste.

"That bread is as hard as my head, Steffy. Sinong kakain no'n?" malumanay kong balik sa kanya.

The process of baking is just the same as life. It is already done the moment we do things, even out of impulse. What's done can not be undone. We can't attempt to redo it the same way, and no matter how hard we try to make it better or save it, the result will either remain ruined and inconsistent or completely different.

"Hala, paano 'yan..." Napakamot siya sa ulo at problemadong tumitig sa akin. "Anong ipapa-evaluate mo?"

Nagkibit ako ng balikat.

"Paano naman kaya tumigas nang ganoon 'yon?"

Kinagat ko nang mariin ang labi. I asked Harley last time what was the hardest to bake for her, and she answered yeast bread. E, yeast bread pa naman ang nabunot ko para sa individual activity namin ngayon. Kaya nga sumubok ako sa bahay nila noong nakaraan para alam ko na ang gagawin.

I was so confident that I followed the ingredients for this specific bread, so how come it turned out like this? Anong sumobra? Anong nagkulang? Mali ba ang oven temperature ko? Anong mali sa ginawa ko?

Ang hirap isalba nang ayaw magpasalba.

"Hindi ko alam, Steffy." I sighed and removed my toque over my head. "Labas muna ako."

I went to the restroom, and thankfully, no one was in there because the cubicle doors were all left ajar. Dumiretso ako sa tapat ng isang sink bago itinupi ang manggas ng chef's jacket hanggang siko.

Sobrang tagal kong naghilamos na para bang malilinisan nito ang marumi ko ring pagkatao. Pinatay ko ang gripo at pinagpag ang kamay bago ipinunas sa slacks na suot.

I fished out one lollipop from my pocket and unwrapped the plastic. I shoved it into my mouth right away and crumpled the wrapper inside my closed palm.

The sugary flavor suddenly tasted bland for my tongue. Mariin akong napapikit at tinanggal ang stick sa bibig. Dumiretso ako sa basurahan para itapon iyon kasama na ang plastic nito.

Bumalik ako sa kitchen lab at naabutan na ulit ang professor namin sa subject na iyon. May nagpapa-taste test na sa kanya para sa evaluation.

"Izzy!" Lumapit sa akin si Steffy na malawak ang ngiti. "I got 45 over 50!"

Winagayway niya sa akin ang eval form na hawak. I smiled at her and skimmed the paper she was holding until my gaze landed on her final score.

"W-wow," I muttered. "Nice one, Steffy! Ang galing mo."

I sighed. Sana ako rin, 'di ba?

Ang ngiti sa labi niya ay unti-unting napawi. "Paano 'yong sa 'yo? Kausapin kaya natin si Ma'am?"

"H-hindi na. Kahit naman makiusap ako, hindi niya ako pagbibigyan."

Pilit akong ngumiti sa kanya bago nagtungo sa sarili kong table. Nilinis ko na ito kanina habang nasa oven ang ginawa ko. Nasa loob na rin ng plastic ang ilang sumobrang ingredients.