for you

Part 26

"Now you do it."

"W-What?"

"You have carefully listened to my instructions haven't you? Now I want you to replicate the recipe and did what I just did."

"Oh, that one is not for me?" 

"Of course it's not! It's just a demonstration. Plus it's mine."

"Can't I just drink that one?" she pouts in annoyance.

"You said yourself you wanted me to teach you. Here I am."

"Fine" she mutters. She grabs a mug from her cupboard. "What do I do first?"

I smirked. "I don't know, what did I do first?"

She rolls her eyes. "Okay, you add.. four? Three? Tablespoons of cocoa powder? I'll do four." She scoops in one by one.

"Then water to about.. uh" she pours in a bit more than half.

"That much. Yeah- uh I guess. Then I put some sugar. Like.. two tablespoons?" It was fun to see her being so clueless about this recipe. Then you mix until it dissolves and put in milk." She pours in the milk until the rim. 

"Done! Easy." 

"Right? Cheers" we clicked our mugs and took a sip of the hot chocolate. 

"Mm, it tastes good with the almond milk! How's your drink, Ruby?" I smirk, knowing that she most probably fucked up her drink. 

"I mean.. it's weird. I think it's your recipe, yeah definitely." 

"Oh really? Then taste mine." I gave her my mug. She hesitantly takes it and takes a sip. Her face lights up in delight but immediately changes back to expressionless. 

"Mm, yeah it's definitely your recipe."

I chuckle. "Don't try to lie to me, I know you like it. You like mine better don't you?" I tease. "Do you know why mine tastes better? Cause you fucked up your batch. Instead of three tablespoons of cocoa you put four and instead of pouring hot water three quarter way in you poured more than half. You need to precisely follow the recipe."

She pouts. "Fine. So what if I like yours better?"

I smile. "You redo it." 

I threw her hot chocolate into the sink and rinsed the mug. "I'll guide you this time." 

She scoffs. "This is just a hot chocolate recipe, Ethan. You're teaching me this as if this is a super confidential government drink recipe."

"It's mine so it kinda is. You will thank me sooner in the future for teaching you this recipe. Who knows if this is the key to impressing your future in-laws?"

"Wow okay fine then go on." 

"So first things first you need to put in the cocoa powder and sugar. Only three tablespoons of cocoa powder and two tablespoons of sugar into the mug." She nods and follows my orders. 

"Then you put in hot water up till three quarters way."

"Three quarters way? How am I suppose to precisely measure that??" she questions.

"You just eyeball it. It's less than halfway but more than quarter way."

"What?"

"Just pour and I'll tell you when to stop."

"Okay." She carefully pours the water. 

"And stop!" 

"That much? You sure that's enough?"

"This is my recipe so I would know. Now you stir for several seconds until it dissolves."

"How would I know if it dissolves?"

"Look who's asking the thousands of questions now?" I smirk. She immediately shoots me a death glare. 

Oh how the tables have turned.

"I think it's dissolved now" she says in a mocking tone. "I guess I just pour in the milk now."

"Smart!" 

"More like common sense" she rolls her eyes. 

"Something you didn't have through this whole process" I snickered.

"Shut up or I'll hit you" she warns. I laugh in response. 

After stirring the hot chocolate she takes a sip. 

"Better right?" She doesn't answer me and instead continues drinking.

"Is it good or not?" I repeat.

"Yeah it's okay." 

"Just 'okay'?? Excuse me, I put hard work into teaching you and the only feedback I get is 'okay'?? I deserve better." 

"So you want me to scream in glory because it's terrifically tasty?" 

"You put it that way, not me." We both laugh. 

"Anyway where did you get the recipe? I'm pretty sure if I searched up homemade hot chocolate on Google I'd be able to find this exact recipe."

"No, I learnt it from my mum." I try not to frown at the thought of her. 

"Aw cute." she smiles. "So what she got it from Google?"

"I don't know, I never asked. But it was one of the first recipe's she's ever taught me." And the only. She promised to teach me more but it has been years since that promise was made and not yet fulfilled. 

"Oh, what else did she teach you?" 

"Uh I can't really remember." 

Okay, that's enough. 

"That's adorable honestly. I've never heard a mother teaching her son a hot chocolate recipe" she smiles to herself at the thought. 

"Yeah.. well that's my mum."