Sugar Rush || Completed

{ 20 } funnel cake with confectioners sugar

{ 20 } funnel cake with confectioners sugar

I have a love-hate relationship with carnivals. The crazy high prices for admission doesn't correlate with the cheap stuffed toys that they handed out for somehow winning an impossible game in my mind. I knew I wasn't paying $30 for the extreme unlikelihood of leaving without a rock hard toy dinosaur. There's also the subject of amusement rides. I'm pretty much restricted to children rides whenever and if ever I go. It's not that I'm a "chicken", it happens when I'm halfway through the ride. It's a sinking feeling. I somehow find myself thinking, What if the wires snap? What if the machine stops 6,000 feet from the ground? What if the force of the turn was enough to propel me out of the cart? Just those thoughts keep me away from even thinking to get in line for any ride. My complete abhorrence of spontaneity keeps me at arm's length with carnivals, among other things.

So when the carnival comes to town, I'm indifferent. The rest of the town however is there. All the time, day in and day out. It's only week one of five weeks for the carnival's stay in town and I'm already so done. I don't know if I'm just psyching myself out, but I swear I can hear the tinny carnival music from the store front, taunting me. Not many people come into the bakery, so I decide to try to cater to the masses. That's how I find myself trying to perfect a recipe for carnival worthy funnel cakes on a Saturday night.

Jasmin, on the other, enjoys carnivals with all her heart. It's the little kid in her. It's no surprise she's there now, probably with a bunch of our mutual friends going on all the intense rides. She'd usually be here with me, a quiet Saturday night, just before closing. But I always enjoy the little quiet time I can snatch for myself. It's the introvert in me taking over.

I whisk the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients in my bowl and hum along to the faint store music that's playing. It takes everything in me to attempt not to lick the bowl. But it happens anyway and I'm not sorry. Just Baker Problems 278.

About 30 minutes after closing, I hear the bell ring at the door, signaling a new customer. Thinking it's Jasmin coming home early, I yell, "I swear if you didn't bring any funnel cakes for me to try to replicate, I'll finally kick you out for good!"

I expect her to retort back with something along the lines of complaining about the fact that I'm completely unbelievable. What I didn't expect was Luis's voice to reply back "I don't see why you don't just walk there yourself and get one. The night is still young."

I mean, I should have expected him to come inside. I didn't bother to turn off the lights in the main room of the bakery, nor did I go and lock the door. I just took a chance believing that everyone would be at the carnival tonight, considering it's the first weekend with the carnival in town. So the real question is not "How did Luis get here?" but really, "Why is Luis even here?"

I walk out to the counter and find him leaning on the surface with his elbows. I fight the urge to push him off. Instead, I ask, "If the night is still young, why are you here then?"

"Just came to check up on my Valentine," he replies smoothly, no hesitation. I roll my eyes at that. What is with him?

"I'm pretty sure you have your own shop," I reply while looking back to the kitchen to look at the mess I've made again before turning back to face him again. "Besides, Valentine's day was two weeks ago."

"Valentine's Day is everyday, my cariño." He has the nerve to say it seductively. That just makes me wanna gag.

"You," I point at him, "are insufferable!" I jab my finger into his chest. "I don't like you remember?"

"I don't seem to understand why though." He seems unbothered by my jabbing at him. He just repositions so that his palm holds his face.

"Not everyone has to fawn over you, you know." I cross my arms while he snickers.