Chained Down

Chapter 2

"Just because you find one bad apple doesn't mean you should give up on the whole tree."-Unknown

Avanti hurried into the kitchen, throwing herself over the sink to quickly shower the raspberries clean.

It was the Head Master's daughter's birthday today and he had ordered Avanti to make breakfast for his little princess.

Avanti was going to make her heart-shaped raspberry pancakes with white chocolate drizzling.

Avanti grabbed a medium-sized bowl and started mixing cake flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar.

Grabbing another bowl, she began blending milk, vanilla extract, Greek yogurt, and eggs together.

After making sure that both bowls were evenly alloyed, she added the wet substances to the dry concoction, folding the combined blend over itself as she added raspberries and white chocolate chips.

Avanti pulled out a skillet, preheating the stove to a moderate temperature as she quickly dabbed on butter to the heating pan.

"Where is it?" Avanti began to get frustrated as she opened and slammed cabinets, unable to find what she was looking for.

"I just saw it." Avanti took a break, looking out the window to meet Derek's eyes. Derek, who was talking to her little brother, winked at a flushed Avanti.

She turned around, ridding herself of his gaze to focus on other things.

"I need to find the cookie cutter."

It's not in the cabinets. It's not in the drawer. It's not under the sink.

"Fridge!" Avanti shuffled over to the fridge and threw it open, yanking out the cookie cutter and moving over to the stove.

Avanti sprayed the inside and outside of the cookie cutter with non-stick spray and placed it on the stove.

She quickly stirred the mix a few times and tipped it into the pan. As soon as bubbles began to form, Avanti removed the cookie cutter, flipping the heart-shaped pancake.

After she finished the pancakes, she began to make on the Head Master's coffee.

Out of everything that she did, to her, the coffee was the most difficult part.

If there was too much sugar, she would get punished.

If there was lack of sugar, she would get punished.

If there was a lack of liquor, she would get punished.

She would say too much liquor, but in Head Master's book, there was never too much liquor.

She placed the coffee and pancakes over the cherrywood table.

The coffee was placed in the main seat, a plate of pancakes besides the boiling substance.

Avanti sprinkled white chocolate drizzling and raspberries over the heart-shaped pancakes. She quickly got the fork and knife and placed it on a napkin right next to the plate. She dropped off all the dirty dishes in the sink as she got the milk and whip cream from the fridge.

She added a light swirl atop the pancakes and filled a glass with milk.

Avanti let out a sigh as she examined her work.

She would love to make this everyday, but for her family. Something that she longed for. She felt like if she had a family, then it would fill the hole in her heart that had been growing for a while now.

Even though she was technically surrounded by family, it wasn't her definition of family.

Ignoring her thoughts, she smoothed down her dress and moved towards the sink to wash the dishes.