"Chefs, you have ten minutes left on the clock, start plating," shouted the Chef instructor.

Practicals had to be my favorite part of my week, today we were instructed to recreate any pasta dishes and wow the judges. We were happy to take on the challenge, I mean it's pasta, who doesn't love pasta? 

Instead of using packaged pasta like some of my classmates were doing, I decided to start over and make my own pasta. When it came to foods I could serve fresh, I always went for it instead of using packaged foods.

"Don't forget that you will be judged on presentation, taste and creativity," the instructor reminded us.

With two minutes on the clock I start plating, my food still hot and ready to be devoured. "You have sixty seconds!" Shouted the Chef instructor. I wasn't done plating, but I surprised myself with how calm I was, shutting every noise around me and focused on my work.

With thirty seconds on the clock, something suddenly clicked and I ran to get another dish. How could I forget to plate for four judges? I felt everyone holding their breath, wondering if I would manage to beat the countdown. Luckily I still had food left over, and I plated food in mere seconds. 

"Five, four, three, two, one. Move away from your dishes!" 

With my hands raised I slightly moved back from my workstation, heart pounding, hands  shaking and sweat dripping down my face and back. I caught my breath for a while and took a sip of water, that was a close call! I almost forgot that the Chef instructor was also judging this round.

For the next few minutes I listened while they passed judgment on my classmates' dishes until it was my turn. "Amara, what did you prepare for us today?" Inquired the Chef instructor.

"I prepared sauteed pork chops, with Asian pasta salad and mayo sauce." 

For about a minute I tried to gauge what they thought about my food, but as usual their faces were neutral. "Amara, your pork is seasoned well and cooked perfectly," commended one of the judges.

"I'm stunned with what you prepared in just 45 minutes, your flavors are so bold and work well together. And don't get me started on that Asian pasta salad, just devine!" said another Chef.

When the two judges finished commenting on my food, I took my place back at my work station while they continued tasting two more dishes prepared by my classmates. We weren't going to get our marks right away as this practical was part of our course work. I was confident that I did well and this mark would come in handy when the term ended in a few weeks.

I was getting better with using any sort of alcohol in my meal preparation as well as pairing wine with meals. Beth and Jake had agreed to let me work only in the late noon on weekends at his restaurant so I could attend my Saturday morning classes. And I was no longer working on the floor as the waitress, I was helping in the kitchen as a cook, and was actually learning a few tricks.

"You will find your marks on the notice board tomorrow morning, class dismissed." The Chef instructor told us before walking out the door with the judges.

As soon as they left we cleaned after ourselves, this was one of the rules drilled into our heads, to clean up after each practical and leave everything as we found it. I made small talk with a few of my classmates and joked around while we cleaned. 

Sophie was in another group, for important practicals or demonstrations our class was always divided into two groups. I was in group B while Soph was in group A. On days like these I wished my surname wasn't so far off in the alphabet.

I miss doing practicals with my girl.

"What's with the frown?" Called out a distant voice. 

"I was missing you,” I answered Sophie.

"Awww! I missed you too, but I have to say you are getting soft on me Scott," Soph remarked, pinching my cheek.

"Soft?" I said in disgust before continuing, "It's the hormones making me so sappy.” I defended my honor. 

"Whatever makes you sleep well at night. Are you ready for tomorrow?" She asked, making me groan as we walked out.

I would be ecstatic if Jake was attending, but he was out of the city and would only return later tomorrow.

        ~~~~~~~~~~🍝🍷~~~~~~~~~~

Jacob's POV

Today the culinary school was hosting a wine tasting and cooking demonstration for the public. Such functions were held quarterly, but this was the first one I was attending. A friend in the industry was in town and asked me to join him. And I wasn't about to pass on the opportunity to see my girl, so I agreed.

I mostly avoided these kinds of events when I started out in my career as the tickets were insanely expensive, but as time went by I saw it as an investment because it was here restaurateurs scouted for new talent. Today I wasn't attending to scout talent as I already knew the few chefs I would hire should I be in need of new chefs. 

Parking my car in the reserved parking for the guests, I saw my phone light up with a text. I smiled a bit, thinking it was Amara, only to find it wasn’t.. 

Emily: I saw your name on the guest list.
          Come see me on your way in please.

I contemplated if it was a good idea to go to Emily's office, it's always the same conversation with her. I looked at the time and figured it's probably for the best to meet her in her office and make sure she doesn’t bother Amara. As I walked through the familiar corridors, a smile made its way across my lips, remembering my short time here. 

Something caught my eye before making the corner that led to Emily’s office and I took a step back. It was a score sheet for Intermediate level practicals and my eyes went over it, in search of a particular name. It didn't take long to find it. 

91%

"I have to give it to her, she's good." Said a voice behind me.

Deciding to ignore her on Amara's marks I asked "Emily, I thought we were meeting in your office?" 

She came forward for a hug and I indulged her, hugging her. The hug lasted longer than it should have, but I pulled away as soon as I felt her sniffing my neck. "Why did you want to see me?" 

Smiling, she stood too close to me and smoothed my blazer and I moved back, putting some distance between us. Instead of answering me she linked her arm with mine and walked in the direction of her office. "Can't I just miss you?" She asked pouting and opened her office door.

Something told me she was lying, the last time I saw Emily we didn't part on good terms and she threw some threats around. I didn't reply, but whatever look she found on my face was enough to see I didn't buy her story. She is up to something.

"I wanted to apologize for the last time we were together, I shouldn't have threatened you.." she said looking at her feet.

Not being one for grudges I relented and forgave her. We talked a bit, with her telling me she was now seeing a psychologist and fixing her life. I was happy that she was finally dealing with her past and moving on from its shackles.

When she was done getting everything she wanted to tell me off her chest, we walked in the direction of the event. “I need you to do something for me.”

“Anything,” She said standing in the middle of the corridor with a smile on her face.

“I need you to treat Amara like you do all your students here.”

“D-did she say anything to you?” she stammered looking at her feet.

“She didn’t have to, you forget that I know how you operate, Emily.”

Nodding her head we carried on and went our separate ways when we reached the venue. The event was already in full swing, and I looked around trying to locate Amara or Arthur, the friend who invited me here. For a few minutes I joined in the wine tasting festivities, taking note of new wines and ones I would like to add to my restaurant.

The school worked hand in hand with some of the local wine companies. It was at these events that they collaborated, helping these companies market their wines and sherry. It was a brilliant idea, seeing as I already pocketed two business cards of the companies I would love to add their wine to my cellars.

An hour later when I still hadn't seen any of the two people I came here specially for, a thought clicked and I walked. Arthur should be  in the cooking demonstration section. Sure enough Arthur was sitting down and watching Charlie and a boy I forgot his name as they cooked. There was an empty seat at his table so I joined him.

"Took you long enough to get here Adams," he remarked dryly.

"I was scouting the wine section," I told him, looking to see if I could catch Amara in the other cooking stations.

Making noise at the back of his throat he continued watching the boys cook. For the next few minutes I watched and noticed a great change in Charlie since I last observed his cooking demonstration. Done with their cooking, Charlie and his mate made their way to serve the few tables watching their demonstration.

"Chef Jake, nice to see you again," said Charlie with a grin.

"Same here, I noticed a great change in you. Keep it up!" 

"Thanks Chef! I wish to take all the credit, but Sophie and some of my classmates have been helping me whenever I struggled.

I pecked up at his mention of Sophie, but I couldn't straight out ask him where she was. I knew that finding Sophie meant finding Amara and last I checked, Charlie had it bad for Sophie "That's nice of them, I don't see the rest of your class, where are they?" 

Pretending not to be that interested I took a bite of his food and sure enough, it was as good as it looked. "I saw Sophie a while ago at the back of the work stations." Charlie said pointing at the far left. When he felt Arthur's stare he quickly added, "Only six of us were called to do demonstrations tonight, the others are off the hook tonight." 

"What do you want to specialize in, Charlie?" Arthur asked and I excused myself from the table.

Walking around the stations in search of Amara proved to be futile until I came across Sophie cleaning her work station. "Soph, are you done for the day? I was hoping to eating your food tonight," 

"Chef Jake! I didn't know you were coming-"

Sophie was interrupted by a woman tripping and pouring her red wine over my white shirt and dress pants. "Oh gosh! I'm so sorry," said the woman—Emily.

"Jake! I didn't notice it was you, I'm so sorry," Emily said, her hands dabbing at my abdomen with a dish towel Soph passed to her.

"It's fine, it was an accident," I said trying to stop her frantic behavior.

"Do you have any white vinegar?" Emily directed her question to Sophie who looked through her work station.

As soon as Emily took the vinegar from Sophie, she pulled me with her to the nearest bathroom. I tried protesting, telling her it was fine, but she wouldn't listen. When she got to the bathroom she took off my blazer and put it on the counter, before her hands were already taking my shirt off.

After much protesting I gave up and watched as she dabbed my soaked shirt with vinegar. What shocked me was seeing her on the floor, trying to unzip my pants! 

"You don't have to-"

"I can't let you walk around with such a huge-"

Both Emily and I were cut off by the bathroom stall opening and the face I had been longing to see came in view. Only it was looking at the woman on her knees in front of me, her hands near my crotch and her eyes dilated.

Fuck! Why didn’t I see through Emily’s act? 

"Sorry, we weren't aware there was someone in here," said Emily innocently, hinting that something was going on between us.

"It's not what it looks like, she poured me with mine and-" 

Amara shook her head and washed her hands still not looking at me. She looked at the stained shirt in the washing basin near her and walked out without a word. Emily tried to carry on as if nothing happened, she knew my feelings for Amara, yet she was acting as though she wasn't aware of what it looked like to her.

"Stop."

"I can try to-"

"I said stop!" I shouted, pulling her to her feet.

I looked at my stained shirt and threw it in the bin, wore my blazer and walked out of the bathroom in search of Amara. When I got to their work station, there were no traces of them being there in the first place. I took my phone out of my pocket and dialed Amara's number.

It was unavailable, and I texted Arthur to let him know I was leaving and would see him before he left the city.

Putting my phone away after trying Sophie's phone and not surprised that it was off too, I walked out of the building and drove to their place. went through tonight's events, especially ones involving Emily and I shook my head for being so stupid.

She must have planned everything, the apology and the "fall" with her almost full wine glass. Emily wasn't drunk or even tipsy, I mean she didn't look like she was, or am I just reading too much into everything.

But I did think she was up to something from the get go. 

Did she plan this whole thing?