Chapter 6: Saturday Evening, 6:11PM

“So what do you want me to make for you?” Alaina asked as they trouped back down the stairs.

“You know, if you’re trying to have a serious conversation with me, wiggling your butt back and forth in yoga pants that tight isn’t helping.”

She pouted over her shoulder at him as they reentered the kitchen. “It was so hard even getting them on! I haven’t worn these in a long time, and they don’t even fit right anymore.”

Will gawked as she sashayed over towards the refrigerator, her hips swinging outrageously. “I’m pretty sure that’s exactly how they’re supposed to fit.”

Her pout transformed into a wide smile as she turned to face him. “As long as you’re this appreciative, I feel like it was worth my while to dig them out of my closet.”

“I think if you wore those to school there would be an actual riot.”

“Don’t take it too far or I’ll think you’re just trying to get me to take them off again,” Alaina said, giving him a look.

I was being serious though; I’d probably have to escort her around between classes like I used to do with Laura so guys wouldn’t ogle her too much. He grimaced at the thought. “Yeah, alright. Food, huh?” He affected a thinking pose. “What about ... Can you make grilled cheese?”

His girlfriend stared him down.

“Alright, so we don’t joke about cooking, huh?”

She shook her head at him.

“Er ... I don’t know, I usually just make myself some chicken and rice with veggies when I’m at Vin’s. I’m not too picky?” Will ran a hand through his hair. I’ll have to spend some time coming up with dishes for her to cook so this doesn’t happen again.

Alaina pursed her lips. “Hm...” She tapped a finger on her lips. “Chicken, rice, vegetables...”

“Are you sure your Class isn’t really [Chef] or something?”

“Will, people used to do stuff just fine without Classes and Skills. Bring over that bowl with the soy sauce and eggs you mixed.”

Will stood up from his stool at the kitchen island and carried over the bowl in question. “I’ve never actually seen somebody make fried rice before. Why’d you put the rice in the freezer after you made it?” She even has a wok?

Alaina worked her metal spatula furiously in the wok, further dicing up the slices of butter she’d added on the half opposite from the vegetables she’d previously sautéed. “Pour that in—slowly—along the middle,” she directed him. “If the rice isn’t cold enough then it doesn’t really fry, it just gets hot. We didn’t really give it enough time to get cold, but it’ll be better than nothing.”

She started shaking the rice out of its plastic container with her free hand, visibly struggling to keep the weight of the container even to avoid the whole clump of rice falling out.

Will grabbed the other edge of the container and set the bowl aside. “Let me help.” He snatched up a nearby fork and started breaking the blocks of rice apart and into the wok at a slow pace.

“Thanks,” she said in a relieved tone as she focused on mixing with circular motions of her spatula. “I’m kind of rushing this a little, sorry if it doesn’t come out as good.” The contents of the hot wok sizzled appealingly.

He glanced over at the bowl of glistening homemade General Tso’s chicken cooling on the other side of the counter longingly. I’m starting to think I massively underestimated her cooking abilities after she made something so simple on Tuesday. She’s flying through this and making it look easy while still holding up a conversation. “You’re sure I can’t bribe you into letting me try the chicken now?”

“Ugh,” Alaina let out a disgusted sigh without looking up. “No, I really messed up on the frying. At least wait until this is done so I can mix...” She trailed off, looking up at him with a reddening face. “I didn’t mean to say that out loud.” She turned her head back to the wok determinedly despite her blush.

I never imagined she’d be this cute. It’s really not fair to all the rest of the girls on the planet for her to be this amazing. Will grinned at her for a moment, then brought the empty bowl and depleted container over to the sink.

“You can just rinse those out a little and stick them in the dishwasher,” Alaina called. “On the top rack.”

“Alright.” Will followed her directions, finding just enough empty space in the dishwasher for both items. He tossed the fork in with the rest of the silverware.

The washing machine beeped from the laundry room near the garage.

“You mind putting that in the dryer while I finish this?”

“Sure, it’s the least I can do for you making me such a feast.” He eyed the bowl of chicken as he walked past it and started to reach an arm over. Maybe she won’t notice...

“Will!” Alaina whined, looking back over her shoulder with a pleading expression.

“Alright, alright, I’ll wait!” He trudged over to the laundry room. So hungry... He opened the lid on the washing machine and wrestled out the comforter from his girlfriend’s bed which had experienced a lot of sex over the past day. Thanks for your service, blanket. He fitted it into the dryer and started a cycle.

Alaina was scooping rice out of the wok and into a bowl when he returned. She left the wok over an unused burner on the stove, then took the fried rice bowl over to the mixing bowl and, with a spoon, added an extremely generous amount of chicken to the bowl she was holding.

“Looks great, smells better,” said Will as he walked over and took a seat again at the island.

“Don’t get your hopes up, I rushed it too much, I think,” she said, making a disappointed face as she grudgingly placed the bowl in front of him along with a glass of water. She stuck a spoon into the dish, then took a seat beside him.

“You didn’t have to rush, did you?” Will asked, nearly drooling as the scent of the dish assailed his nose. “It’s not even seven yet.”

Alaina leaned her elbow on the counter and looked at him. “You said you were hungry!”

“It wasn’t life-threatening or anything,” said Will. He grinned. “Though I do appreciate that you cared so much.”

“Fine! Try it already,” his girlfriend said, turning slightly pink.

He hefted his spoon, blowing on its contents a bit before popping it into his mouth.

His eyes bugged out as the flavors and textures hit his tongue.

Alaina sighed. “Sorry, I—”

“It’s SO GOOD!” Will exclaimed. His spoon dove back into his bowl and shot directly between his lips. “Ow!” he breathed out hot air rapidly, trying to dispel the burning in his mouth. “Mmm,” he moaned as he chewed, immediately reaching back in for another heaping spoonful of the sweet, salty, slightly spicy dish.

“You don’t have to force yourself, y’know,” said Alaina at his side. “I know the chicken’s going to be a little tough, and the breading is kind of falling off, and I didn’t really get to mix the rice properly...”

“Can’t talk,” was all Will said as he powered through the bowl in between sessions of blowing on his spoon and gulping water, eventually just accepting the mild burns in order to get the delicious combination of rice, chicken, and vegetables into his mouth faster.

All too quickly, the bowl was empty. He got up and took it over to the stove, scooping more rice out of the wok and adding more chicken before he returned to his seat, starting to eat once more on his way back.

What the fuck. How is everything she makes so good? If Daniel ever tried this, even he’d be like, “Bruh, get a ring on that ASAP.”

He slowed his pace as he finished the second bowl, considering whether he should go for a third as he glanced over to the stove repeatedly. At least she made a big batch. Was she planning to have leftovers or something?

Will decided to compromise and have only a half bowl.

“You ... You really like it that much?” Alaina asked as he started on his third bowl, sounding hopeful.

He grunted his confirmation, scraping the bottom of the bowl to try and capture the last few grains of rice. He turned to her and pushed at his words. “If this is a failed dish, I’m a little afraid of what something successful would taste like. That was amazingly good, Alaina.”

She blushed. “I’m glad you liked it,” she said demurely, a smile creeping across her face.

“Like is an understatement,” Will said, eyeing the stove again. “We should probably put the rest of it away before I injure myself.”

Alaina giggled. “Not so good at holding back when it comes to food, huh?” she asked as she hopped off her stool and ferried his bowl towards the sink.

“Maybe just some food,” he said, closing his eyes for a moment and luxuriating in the feeling of being satiated.

“I guess I’ll have to watch out tomorrow, then,” she said. She reached into a cabinet, pulled out a larger plastic container, and started shoveling the remaining contents of the wok into it.

“What’s tomorrow?”

“Well, I was thinking I’d try making that lobster mac and cheese I had on Monday with Tiff. And since I don’t know if Mom’s going to be around to taste test, I was thinking maybe you’d be interested.” She dumped the bowl of chicken into the container.

“Hm,” said Will. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and began tapping on it. “Let me check my availability for tomorrow. I’m judging the entrants at a risotto contest at lunch, there’s a crème brûlée competition just after—”

Alaina started to laugh. “I didn’t realize you were so renowned in the food world, Will!”

Will blinked at her. “I’m not. Daniel and I usually just sneak in the back wearing suits and act really confident.”

“So this is another fantasy, is it?” Will asked, stroking his hand down the back of his girlfriend’s head.

Alaina turned her head up to look at him from her position on his chest. “Not really a fantasy, just sort of something I always wanted to do and never had a guy to do it with.” She rested her ear against the left side of his chest again.

He frowned, beginning to massage her shoulders absently. “Er ... If this is too personal for right now you don’t have to answer, but weren’t you going out with Spencer for a while? I always thought he was a pretty decent guy?”

She sighed, remaining silent for a while.

Will rested his hands on her lower back and waited.

“He is, I guess?” Alaina said at last. “I mean, he’s not bad. I’ve gone out with some ... Well, let’s say he was a head and shoulders above all the other guys I dated until very recently.”

Will grinned.

“But when we were going out, I never really got the feeling that he liked me. Maybe he thought I was pretty, sure, but it always felt a lot more like I was an object for him to show off. He’d always introduce me to people when we went out by mentioning that I was Student Council President Alaina. And he tried getting me to have sex in the office a couple times during school until I made it clear that wasn’t going to happen.”

She went silent for a while once more.

That’s pretty tough. He gave her a reassuring squeeze.

“He never really did anything mean or cruel, I guess,” she continued. “It’s not like he mistreated me. I just never felt like he wanted me. I was like a trophy for him or something. It was like that with a few guys,” she sighed.

“And then I broke up with him, and he ... I think maybe that was when he started seeing me a little differently. But it’s like ... I didn’t want a guy who can’t like me until I’m gone, y’know?” She looked up at him to see his reaction. “So no, I never really just laid around on the couch cuddling like this.”

He gave her a confident grin. “I like you,” was all he said, starting to run his hands soothingly through her hair.

She relaxed, laying her head against him again. “See, that’s the kind of thing I’m talking about,” she murmured, hugging him tighter. “Other guys would’ve said something like ‘Spencer is an idiot’, or tried to explain how they were different, or tell me how great I am. Spencer even said that once about another guy I went out with before him. But that’s...” She squeezed him again. “I really like knowing that you’re always here with me.”

“I can’t think of anywhere I’d rather be,” Will said, tracing her upwards-facing ear as he looked down at his girlfriend.

Alaina snuggled into him and smiled. “I can tell. I don’t think I’ve even seen you check your phone or a clock today more than a couple times. I think that’s part of why I feel so comfortable being with you, too. I mean, I’m telling you all this stuff on our first day together, and I don’t even feel embarrassed. It’s more like ... Kind of cathartic? I feel like somehow you’ll understand if I tell you—like I could tell you almost anything already.”

They lay in silence for a couple minutes.

“You know,” he said slowly, staring up at the ceiling as a memory surfaced, “I dreamed about meeting a girl like you once. Back when ... when I was trapped. I remember I woke up one morning after finishing one of Tremaine’s books, and I’d had this amazing dream that I was free, and I had a girlfriend who cared about me, who I could confide in about anything, who I just had fun talking to...”

He drew in a deep breath. “And then I woke up and it was all gone. There was no girl, no freedom. I still couldn’t talk to anyone, couldn’t go outside. And I’d sort of had a fight with Rissa the day before when she tried to...”

He swallowed, feeling his eyes begin to sting. “I cried all day. And I thought there was no point in going on. I didn’t know if I’d ever be free, or get to talk to anyone again. And that dream felt so real. I think that was the only time in my life I’ve ever really felt true despair.”

He sniffed, trying to clear his nose, then lapsed back into silence.

Alaina squeezed him tightly, as though trying to get as close as possible. “I’m not the girl you dreamed about,” she said quietly, “but I am here for you any time you feel like talking. Or if you want someone to confide in. I might be kind of clumsy when it comes to people, but I’ll always listen if you want to talk, okay? I can promise you that much.”

Will reached up and wiped his eyes, then put his arms around his girlfriend’s head and squeezed gently for a moment before moving his hands to her back. “Thanks, Alaina.”

“Mmm, this is really nice, but we should probably get up at some point,” Alaina murmured. “What time is it, anyway?”

Will glanced over at the clock on the set top box next to the TV for the first time. “A little after eight?”

“Oh shit!” said Alaina, scrambling to get off him. “I need to get ready. We’re picking Kay up at her place in under an hour. How far away does she live?”

“Er ... Maybe around twenty minutes?”

“Argh, that’s not enough time!” Alaina scurried out of the room.

“Want some help?” he called after her. “I’m pretty good at putting underwear on you now!”

“Whoa,” said Will as he watched his girlfriend slowly descend the stairs. “I think that might be too hot for karaoke, Alaina.”

Her reddish hair was swept up and over the back of her head, pulled through a black scrunchie into a waterfall ponytail that swayed lightly with each click of her short heels. Her eyelashes were thicker, darker than usual, and her lips were painted a vivid shade of red.

Her torso was covered by a black, halter-neck top that fit her nearly as tightly as her earlier yoga pants had. It cupped her bust, making it stand out more than usual, and left her shoulders and upper back bared as it continued up to form a thin, inky collar around her neck. A large, dark bag with a short strap hung over her left shoulder.

Peeks of her pale midriff stood out in the gap between her top and the green-and-black flannel skirt which came down to mid-thigh. Tall, thick-looking black socks rose up to her knees out of her short, black boots.