Sweetly & Home Economically ✔

Muscles, Mussels & Motorcycles

~ Muscles, Mussels & Motorcycles ~

~¤°*°*°*°¤~

I made a rule that I would handle anything involving the stove, while Theo makes the pizza dough. He agreed that it was safer that way, but only after claiming how offended he was and making a comment about how the two of us could make enough heat without the stove.

Ignoring him, I moved on to telling him how to make the dough. I started on making the sauce so it would be ready along with the dough. Then assembling the pizza and baking it would be all we'd have left to do the next day.

After adding minced garlic to the pot of simmering tomatoes, I glanced over at Theo, who was quietly focused on the sticky dough. I helped him out by sprinkling some flour on his hands.

"Thanks," he mumbled and began kneading the dough without any more trouble.

My gaze was drawn from his hands to the working muscles of his arms. I didn't know someone could look so good in a simple black t-shirt until now. I quickly returned my attention to the sauce when he chuckled.

"It's okay, you can check me out."

I scoffed, embarrassed at having been caught, "Please. The only mussels I'm interested in are seafood."

"I never said you were looking at my muscles," he glanced at me with a boyish grin.

"It was implied," I responded lightly. "Besides, what else would I be looking at?"

"I'm going to be nice for once and not answer that question," he said, tossing the pizza dough in the air.

With one successful--albeit low--toss, he did it again. The third time, he got cocky and tossed it much higher. So high that it hit the ceiling and stuck there. We craned our necks and stared at it together.

"I don't think it's coming down," I commented after a minute of waiting for it to drop. It remained plastered to the ceiling with no sign of peeling or falling anytime soon.

Theo pursed his lips. "I don't think the parentals will notice."

"I don't think they should allow you in the kitchen at all."

"I think you're right." He shrugged and started to make a second batch of pizza dough. "So I answered a pretty big question. Can I ask you the question yet?"

My smile from our bantering turned into a grimace. "I'd rather you didn't, but I guess so."

"What's the deal with you and Craig?"

I sighed, figuring it was best to just get the story over with and move on. "Once upon a time there was a tough, brutally honest girl who would do anything for her friends...and a dipshit named Craig."

Theo choked on his own spit, not expecting the word to come out of my mouth. I waited until he stopped laughing to continue more seriously. As I told him about my past, the memories of my eleven-year-old self replayed in my mind like I lived it yesterday.

The cafeteria was chaotic with noisy, rowdy children. I was just as bad with my own friends, but I couldn't find them as I searched the crowd. Then I spotted the two sitting at a table waving at me. I pushed my way through, clearing my own path and too focused on my destination to say 'excuse me' to anyone. It wasn't that I didn't have manners, I just chose when I wanted to use them.

With a big smile, I sat down across from Yvette and Jarod.

"You look happy for a girl who got into trouble," Yvee noticed.