How to Save Someone: 101

Danny: First Weekend

One weekend a month, each of the high school classes got complete control of the lowest level of the dorms. That level had the main kitchen, the study rooms, and a huge room that you could convert into whatever you wanted. Since we were freshmen, we got the first weekend. 

We had a vote about what we would do together the Friday night. It was between a dinner party (nominated by Ginger), a study session (from Nick), and a movie slumber party (from Bella). Movie slumber party won, and Ginger suggested we each bring our favorite snack to the party to share. I just brought a bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos, since they're my favorite.

I walked down the long steps to the kitchen, expecting to be the first one there, but the sounds of clanging pots and pans made me realize I wouldn't be alone. Hailey knelt in front of the stove, her back to me, and her auburn curls sitting in a messy bun on top of her head. "It smells good," I spoke up to let her know I was there.

She jumped and spun around to face me. She smiled as she realized it was me. "I'm baking a cake!" She exclaimed. "I've never made a cake besides for my birthday before." She clasped her hands together as she leaned over to look back into the oven. 

"What kind of cake?" I asked as I looked into each of the cabinets trying to find a bowl to put my chips in. 

"An almond cake with a blackberry filling and almond icing. I put a little bit of an energizing potion in the icing to help everyone stay awake longer if they wanted to."

I finally found a bowl and started pouring my chips into it. "That sounds really refreshing. You came up with that yourself?"

She nodded. "It's my favorite. I've been perfecting it for my birthday cakes the past few years."

"You make your own birthday cakes?"

"Mhmm," she hummed.

"Normally, people buy you a cake for your birthday or make one for you."

"No one had time to celebrate my birthdays at the homes. My birthday is December first, so everyone would be out shopping or planning family trips. I would spend the day baking for myself." I watched her as she lifted the cake out of the oven. "It was my favorite day of the year because I got the kitchen to myself for a day." She put the oven into the refrigerator. "Now, to let it cool then I can put the icing on it."

"No one would celebrate your birthday with you?"

She shook her head as she wiped her hands on her towel she had hanging from her shoulder. "What did you bring?"

"Just some Doritos." I threw away the bag, and Hailey looked at me quizzically. "You've had Doritos before, right?"

She shook her head again. 

I pushed the bowl to her. "Try some!"

She lifted a small chip from the top of the pile. She put it into her mouth and started to chew. Her face lit up. "Oh, my God. That's so good!"

"I usually like to dip it in some cheese dip, get that extra cheese on there, but I couldn't find the kind I like. I'll have to have my mom send me some."

Hailey grinned at me as she bit into another chip. She was beyond beautiful. Especially now with flour on her face and her hair up.

"Movie night!" Ben hollered as he bounded down the steps.

I cleared my throat and looked down at the counter top.

Lucia and Bella giggled as Ben jumped off the second to last step. "Hey, you guys!" Lucia greeted us as they rounded the corner into the kitchen. "Man, it smells good in here!"

Hailey grinned. "Thanks!"

"Oh! Did you bake your cake?" Bella clapped her hands in front of her.

Hailey nodded. "Yeah! It should be ready to put the icing on now." Hailey opened the fridge and leaded to pick up the cake off of the shelf. She put the cake on the counter top, but it pulled a little bit of her shirt down revealing a tiny bit of the top of her bra. She adjusted her top, but not before my feet fazed through the floor making me loose my balance and having to slam my hands on the counter to steady myself. 

Everyone looked to me, and I tried to laugh it off. "Still trying to get a hang of this fazing stuff."

"You okay?" Hailey asked.

"All good!" I gave her a thumbs up as I tried to solidify my feet on the ground.

Hailey pulled her icing out of the refrigerator. "Can I help?" Bella asked her.

"I would love that." Hailey handed her and Lucia a knife, and they started icing the cake.

Ben clapped my back with his hand. "You brought Doritos, bro?"

I nodded. "Yeah."

"Doritos are awesome. I brought Funyuns," he threw down a family bag of Funyuns, "and Mountain Dew," he put a case of Mountain Dew in front of him. 

"Drinks in the fridge, Ben," Bella spoke out of her focused trance on the cake.

Ben picked the case back up and placed it in the refrigerator. 

"All finished!" Hailey stepped back and admired their work. "Thank you both for helping me."

The cake was perfectly white and clean looking. "Looks too pretty to eat. Great job!"

Hailey grinned up at me, and my feet fazed through the ground again. But I was able to steady myself before anyone could notice. 

"Smooth," Ben whispered to me as he walked back to my side. 

"Hey, Ben. Hailey had never tried Doritos before. I bet she's never had Funyuns or Mountain Dew before either." I tried to keep the attention off of me.

"I've never even heard of them," Hailey giggled.

"BRO!"