Sarawat's Story

Part XXIV: Sweet Love

Even with the small window above the sink open slightly, the scent of sautéing peppers and chicken hung heavy in the apartment. It smelled heavenly, and it looked delicious: red, green, and yellow slices of peppers sizzling with chicken I had perfectly seasoned based on Green's recipe.

A smirk curled one end of my lips; I could hardly conceal my pride. I had accomplished what I tried to do Friday night: prepare a homemade meal for Tine.

"Almost done," I announced, peering over my shoulder.

Tine's eyes shot up from the bright red law book he was reading, and he smiled a toothy grin.

Turning back to the stove, I stirred the mixture once more. It gave a final, noisy hiss, and I turned the burner off. The rice cooker on the counter beeped, but before I could turn it off, I heard Tine slide his chair from under the table. He rushed to the counter.

"I'm done cooking the rice," he declared.

I rolled my eyes and laughed. "The rice cooker is done with the rice."

Tine hmphed, crossing his arms on his chest and pouting his lips.

"Thank you for making the rice," I smiled. "Can you set the table, please?" As Tine reached for the plates from the cabinet, I added with batting eyes, "Thank you, boyfriend."

Tine's face reddened as he turned away. "Whatever, pervert," he mumbled.

I grabbed two oven mitts from a drawer and clasped the sizzling pan by the handles. I turned around, and Tine was already sitting at the table, fork in hand, grinning at the pan in my hand. I set the pan down in the middle of the table. "I guess I'm your servant and boyfriend tonight."

"Thank you, Sarawat," Tine joked in a singsong voice.

I grabbed the rice, but before I put it on the table, I stopped. "Call me boyfriend," I insisted.

Tine scoffed. "Only because I'm hungry," he grumbled before smiling. "Thank you, boyfriend."

I smiled so much my cheeks hurt!

As we ate, Tine talked about his day: studying from noon until six o'clock in the library with Fong and Ohm without taking any breaks. Between bites, he repeated what he had learned as if taking an oral exam. I only smiled and nodded.

When he complimented me on the food, I tried to be nonchalant. "Eh, it was nothing," I said, bursting with pride on the inside and fighting hard not to smile on the outside.

I told Tine about the game, and I glossed over the conversation I had with Dim. But that uncomfortable feeling I had earlier crept into my mind again: When am I gonna tell Tine the whole truth? A chill shot down my back

"You want some wine?" I blurted out in the middle of one of Tine's sentences.

"Do you?" He eyed me suspiciously. "I guess we can each have one glass. We have classes tomorrow, so not too much tonight."

"Uh, yeah, sure," I said, rising quickly. My thigh bumped the table and shook everything on it. "Sorry!" I stammered. I scrambled to the fridge and pulled out the wine I had bought earlier. Grabbing two glasses from the cabinets, I sat back down and poured the wine quickly.

"Are you okay?" Tine asked with a smirk. "You look suddenly guilty of something."

"What? Me? No!"

Tine watched me through squinted eyes, then sipped his wine silently.

"I'm just nervous," I said, satisfied that I technically wasn't lying to Tine. "I wanted everything to be perfect for you."