Warnings: None

Word Count: 2061

Author's Note: I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

*     *     *

"Eggs, I need eggs," Y/N muttered to herself as she wandered towards the fridge.

Once again, Y/N and I were hanging out and enjoying the carefree days of her spring break. Today's activity was making a batch of cookies so that Y/N could surprise her parents when they got home from work. She had wanted to surprise Carter too, but he had the day off.

"Ty," she called. "I need help."

I looked up from my phone, "With what?"

"Carter stuffed the eggs way back on the top shelf of the fridge and I can't reach them. Can you get them?"

"Sure thing."

I hopped down from the stool and walked over to where Y/N was standing in front of the fridge. She rested one hand lightly on my arm as I reached up to grab the eggs, sending tingles straight down to my fingertips.

"Here you go," I said as I passed the carton to her.

"Thank you!" she beamed as she carried them back over to the counter.

I hopped back into the stool that I had been sitting on and watched as Y/N attempted to crack the eggs into the bowl. She kept dropping bits of shell into the mixture and had to fish them out with her fingers.

"I know how to make cookies. I promise," she smiled up at me.

"Do you want some help with the eggs?"

"Please."

"Ok, watch this."

I grabbed an egg from the carton and expertly cracked it straight into the bowl with one hand, no shell included. Y/N shot me a look as she closed the egg carton.

"Show off."

"You asked for my help!"

"Yes, your help. Not an entire egg-cracking performance."

"Your welcome."

"Thanks," she laughed.

I tapped my knuckles against the countertop as Y/N mixed all the ingredients in the bowl. It was finally starting to look somewhat like cookie dough, although it was still far from finished.

"Can I try some?" I asked, leaning over the bowl.

"If you want to risk getting sick from the raw eggs, then be my guest."

I stuck a finger in the bowl and scooped up some of the dough. Y/N watched me with raised eyebrows as I sucked the last bit off my finger.

"How is it?" she asked.

"Good. Really good, actually. Wow."

Y/N seemed happy with that answer, considering how widely she was smiling.

"Thanks, Ty."

"No problem. I might have to take some of the cookies home. To Josh, even."

"I'm fine with that."

Y/N started to move around the kitchen to grab more ingredients, so I sat down at the counter to stay out of her way. She looked so focused as she carefully measured out the last few ingredients and dumped them into the bowl, making sure not to make too much of a mess on the counter.

"Almost done," she smiled proudly as she set the bag of flour next to the bowl.

After staying out of Y/N's way for most of the afternoon, I decided that it was long past time that I mess with her. As casually as I could, I got out of my chair and walked over to where she was carefully mixing the flour into the bowl. I stuck a finger into the bag and made sure that it was coated in flour before booping her straight on the nose.

"Tyler," she muttered, looking straight at me. "Tell me you did not just do what I think you did."

It was impossible to take her seriously when her nose was covered in flour. My laughter gave me away immediately, and Y/N was quick to retaliate. In an instant, my cheek was covered in flour as well.

"Hey!" I laughed as I ran around the counter from her.

"You started this!" she giggled as she grabbed for my arm.

I ducked out of the way, quickly coated my hand in flour, and managed to get a near perfect handprint on the side of her dark shirt.

"Ty!" she squealed. "I like this shirt!"

"Flour washes out!"

That was the wrong thing to say, because within seconds I had my own handprint on my shoulder.

"Flour washes out," Y/N smirked.

I sighed and held a hand out, "Even?"

She put her flour-covered hand in mine and gave it a firm shake, "Even."

While Y/N went back to finishing the cookies, I washed my hands off and dusted some of the extra flour off my shirt. The counter was now thoroughly coated in flour and a few other ingredients that Y/N had spilled during the process of baking.

"I think I can start cooking these," she announced as she gave the dough a couple more good stirs.

"Can I have a final taste?"

"Go for it."

This time, Y/N offered me a spoon to taste the dough with. I took a giant scoop - which earned me a disapproving look from Y/N - and tasted it. It was definitely one of the best batches of cookies that Y/N had ever made.

"Still amazing," I smiled.

Y/N grabbed her own small scoop of cookie dough and popped it into her mouth. After a moment, she nodded.

"Agreed."

I idly danced around the kitchen while I waited for Y/N to finish putting the first batch on a baking sheet and stick them in the oven. As soon as she was done with that, we could finish watching the video that we had started on her laptop.

"Ok, we have eight minutes to kill," she said as she shut the oven.

"Video?" I asked, gesturing over my shoulder.

"For sure."

We took a seat at the dining room table in front of her computer. I made sure to sit close enough to her that I had an excuse to brush my arm against hers every now and again. She tried to hide it, but I could see the smile on her face every time I did it.

About seven minutes into the video, Y/N hit pause and stood up.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

"I'm just going to check on the cookies to make sure they're cooking right."

I tapped my fingers along the edge of the table while I waited, but I was soon distracted by my phone buzzing in my pocket. Since I had been waiting on news all day, I pulled it out and read it instantly.

Josh: Just got the call. It's official :)

"No way," I mumbled quietly, unable to keep myself from smiling.

Y/N noticed my smile as she was walking back towards the table.

"What's got you so happy?" she asked.

I turned to her, "Josh and I got signed to a label."

She stopped dead in her tracks and threw a hand over her mouth. "For real?" she mumbled from between her fingers.

I nodded and stood up. Y/N rushed over and threw her arms around me, burying her head into my shoulder. She was hugging me so tightly that I almost couldn't breathe. It took me a second to remember to hug her back, I was still so in shock.

"I'm so proud of you, Tyler. A label!"

She stepped away from me, but I kept my hands tightly on her waist. Her hands were resting on both of my shoulders.

"My best friend, signed to a major music label," she grinned. "Which one is it?"

"Fueled By Ramen."

"Tyler! That's awesome!"

"We did the paperwork yesterday, but I just got the text from Josh that everything is official. We're really working under a label now."

"I'm so proud, Ty. I knew this would all work out for you."

I could tell she was proud just by the way that she was looking at me. Her smile was almost as big as mine.

"I couldn't have done it without you, Y/N."

She looked so pretty as she smiled up at me. I could have sworn that Y/N had the prettiest smile to ever exist. It felt so natural to hold her in my arms, like this was where I was always meant to be. I couldn't stop staring at her.

I could just tell her right now.

The words were right on the tip of my tongue.

I love you.

The oven started beeping, drawing Y/N's attention away. Her hand dropped away from my shoulders in an instant.

"I need to get those," she said.

I let go of her waist so that she could get the cookies out of the oven.

So much for that opportunity.

"I think these are done!"

She set the baking sheet on top of the oven and turned back to me, still wearing that same huge grin on her face. The entire kitchen smelled like fresh cookies now, although my mind was still focused on other things.

Why hadn't I just said it?

"A record label, wow," Y/N sighed. "I still can't believe it."

"There are big things coming."

"I'm so excited for you, Ty! This is huge!"

"I know."

Our conversation was yet again interrupted by Carter arriving in the kitchen. He was looking at his phone, so he hadn't quite noticed the absolute mess that Y/N and I had made.

"Hey, what's all the yelling about down- woah, what the hell did you two do?"

"Made cookies!" Y/N grinned.

"So how did you two end up covered in flour?" he raised an eyebrow at us.

"Tyler started it."

Carter turned to me and I simply raised my hands up in defeat. There was no point in starting an argument that I couldn't win.

"Just make sure to clean it up before Mom and Dad get home."

Y/N mocked her brother while his attention was on his phone. I tried to conceal my laughter, but didn't do a very good job of it.

"Hey, Car. You'll never believe what Tyler did," Y/N said.

"You mean besides make a mess of our kitchen?"

Y/N rolled her eyes, "Yes, besides that."

"What?"

"He got signed to Fueled By Ramen."

Carter turned to me with wide eyes, "Like the Fueled By Ramen?"

I nodded, "Yeah, we got the confirmation today."

"That's awesome, Joseph! Congrats!"

Carter pulled me into a hug, which was a bit awkward considering I never really saw him show affection towards anyone but his family. Regardless, it was a nice gesture.

"Thanks, man," I smiled.

Y/N started to put the cooled cookies onto a tray and make up the next batch of cookies. I simply sat back down at the counter and watched from a distance.

"You'll never believe who I just talked to on the phone," Carter said.

"Who?" Y/N asked.

"Marenna."

"Marenna?" she gasped.

Marenna. The name sounded familiar.

"Who's Marenna?" I chimed in.

"Carter's ex."

"Oh."

"She just called you?"

"Yeah," Carter answered.

"And?"

"And what?"

"What did you talk about? Are you together? Give us some information, Car!"

"Well, I'm meeting her for coffee tomorrow morning."

"Carter!" Y/N yelled, slamming her hands down on the counter. "You should have lead with that!"

"Geez, Y/N," he laughed. "Sorry."

"This is your chance to win her back!"

Carter shrugged, "I don't know."

"I think I'm with Y/N on this one," I added.

They both turned to look at me with confused expressions.

"You hardly even know what we're talking about," Y/N laughed.

"Yeah, but if you're this worked up over it, then I feel like it's important that the two of them get back together."

Y/N pointed to me as she turned to Carter, "Exactly."

Carter shook his head, "We can talk more about this later, Y/N. I don't want to intrude on your time together."

"I'm holding you to that."

"Deal."

Carter disappeared back upstairs, leaving just Y/N and I once again. She was smiling to herself as she idly mixed up the cookie dough.

"I'm so happy for both of you," she smiled. "First you getting signed and now Carter getting back with the girl he's been sad about for months. When is something good going to happen to me?"

"Really soon, I bet."

She looked up at me, "You think so?"

"I know so."