Spinning the bottle

Chapter twelve

Apparently Monday was pasta day, so Mia and I were about to make the best pasta those kids had ever tasted.

I was trying to make the sauce, when Mia started laughing.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing," she giggled.

"Mia, what's so funny?"

Somehow she started laughing even louder. I had no clue what was so hilarious. But I liked the way she laughed.

"Who taught you to cook?" She answered.

I gave her a confused look.

"You know, you're supposed to make sure the meat is done before you mix it with the vegetables and the tomato sauce," she laughed.

I should have felt embarrassed but all I could do was laugh with her.

"You clearly know what you're supposed to do, so here you go," I said, while handing her the spatulas.

"Thanks," she chuckled.

"Harper, you have something on your face by the way," she added

In the two seconds I didn't look at her, she had put some tomato sauce on her finger.

That sauce wasn't long on her finger, because she smeared the sauce all across my face.

"You did not."

"I did"

I tried to look as serious as I could, but I couldn't help but burst out in laughs.

"You are so going to regret this."

That's how the tomato sauce food fight started.

The kitchen became a huge mess very soon and things escalated very quickly.

Mia and I were both covered in food and we didn't have much to serve the kids.

We must have made a lot of noise, because one of the older men came to check on us.

"Is everything -"

He couldn't even finish his sentence when he saw what we did to the kitchen.

My joy and laughter flew away really fast and were replaced by guilt.

"I'm so sorry sir, we're going to make this up to you," I said.

I looked at Mia and saw that she felt as much guilt as I did.

"You don't have to apologise to me, but to the kids. They don't have any food tonight. Unless they want to lick the walls for a change," the old man answered.

I sniggered because of that last comment, but realised it wasn't really the place to laugh right now.

"We can order some pizza?" Mia suggested.

That wasn't even a bad idea.

"We don't have enough money to give everyone pizza," the man said.

"We will pay for it, it was our fault that we're in this situation. We should be the ones who come up with a solution," Mia answered.

And just like that it was settled. Mia and I had to pay for the pizzas and had to clean up the kitchen.

Even though it should have felt like a punishment, scrubbing sauce from a kitchen wall wasn't that bad. Maybe because I did it with Mia.

"Harp, I'm sorry," Mia said.

"For what?" I asked.

She's not going to come up with some 'I can't do this' crap is she?