Hedonic Happiness | UnOrdinary

Zeke, We Need to Bake.

Walking through the halls with Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dumb, Zeke knew he'll have a terrible mood today, but damn, did it have to happen so soon? Seriously, when was he going to catch a break? All he wanted to do was let that little Low Tier punk know if he ran into Zeke one more goddamn time, he wasn't going to be happy. Not a single bit.

And yet, here he was, being made the villain again by those ridiculous Safe House members. Zeke thought they would've tucked their tails and ran once John returned from suspension, but their savior complexes only got worse. Seriously, what the fuck? Why was he the bad guy here?

Whatever, it's not like it even matters, does it? Soon enough, Zeke will be out of this god-forsaken school and working with the authorities, who, y'know, actually still give a damn about the hierarchy.

...

But if it didn't matter, why was it still bothering him? Who cares what those delusional high-tiers do in their free time? It wouldn't even affect him in the long term! Who cares that they're always doing club activities together? Buying themselves consoles and going on school trips together? Psh, that's overrated. He's got all he needs right behind him, his two friends, whatever their names were!

And yet, when Zeke saw a poster on one of the school's bulletin boards that said in bright, colorful letters, "Come Learn How to Make A Cake With A Safe House-Certified Baker!" he didn't understand, even just for a second, why he debated on going.

In any case, it still didn't matter to him. Not one bit.

***

Elaine loved baking. From muffins to rolls to cupcakes, there were not many other Wellston students who were able to match her skills or affinity for the style of cooking. So, when Remi first approached the blue-haired teen about a baking class to gain more traction for the Safe House, Elaine accepted without hesitation. Why wouldn't she?

She can handle a classroom full of low and mid-tiers anyway, so it's not like there's a safety concern! Not to mention, all the supplies will be bought using the Safe House's money, so not a single penny will come from her (admittedly small) wallet. So all she had to do was something she loved while teaching others about her passion? Sounds easy, right?

Now, imagine how quickly Elaine's smile dropped when Zeke waltzed into the baking class.

Like the students she was about to teach, the blue-haired girl held her breath as the notoriously problematic elite tier stood at one of the kitchenettes, doing nothing in particular. Elaine debated whether or not she should ask Remi, Blyke, or anyone who had any idea how to deal with such an event what she was supposed to do here. Would Zeke start something with the Safe House in their territory? Surely not, right?

"Hey, teach. When are we starting?" The elite tier suddenly asked, ripping Elaine out of her thoughts.

"Oh, um..." She started hesitantly, "In just a minute!"

"Hm, alright." He responded surprisingly monotonously. Although the blue-haired girl couldn't say she knew Zeke very well, only talking to him once or twice for an occasional quick heal, she never took him as the type of guy to talk so... calmly. Or to be interested in baking. Guess she really can't judge a book by its cover today, huh?

Well, no matter then. Elaine had a class to teach, and she wasn't about to let some potential troublemaker get in her way.

***

'What the hell am I doing here?' was a thought that made the rounds through Zeke's mind as he stirred together the dry ingredients as that healing girl told them to. He didn't like a single person in this classroom. He hated the Safe House. He wasn't even that interested in baking or cake, for that matter. Yet here he was, stirring together sugar, flour, cocoa, and various other ingredients and enjoying himself.